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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Playing For Keeps!

Today I have Emma Hart back on BITB and I'm pretty excited to share my review of Playing For Keeps with you guys.  I became acquainted with Emma's work when I first read her other series (Lilac Bay) and while I really liked the first, I fell head over heels in love with The Love Game. So needless to say I had a major case of the "grabby hands" for Playing For Keeps. 





From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Emma Hart, comes the second book in The Game series, and the story everyone wanted after The Love Game…


She's in love with him. 

He's trying not to love her. 

One night changes everything.

Aston Banks never meant to get close to Megan Harper – not even for that one night. Haunted by a childhood he refuses to face, he knew she could break through every wall he’d ever built and tear them down without even realising she was doing it.

Betraying Braden by starting a relationship with Aston wasn’t on Megan’s to-do list, but the second she sees a glimpse of someone other than the arrogant ass she’s come to know, she can’t walk away.

Aston’s childhood is worse than Megan ever guessed, but as he tries and fails to push her away, it’s clear her love is stronger than the demons that cling to him every day. And now, because of it, he finally has to deal with what he’s buried deep down.

What he doesn’t want to face. What he’s fought against for so long.

And they have to do it all without Braden finding out.

Keeping a relationship secret has never been harder.



**This book can be read as a standalone novel, but reading The Love Game (The Game, #1) beforehand is advised.**




Review:   I have to say Emma Hart outdid herself with Playing For Keeps.  Not only was it completely different from book number one, The Love Game, but it was just amazingly good.   Not only did we get to know more about Aston and Megan, Playing For Keeps reunites us with the whole crowd from The Love Game. 

I say this in every post that I have Emma Hart in, but seriously girlfriend creates amazing characters.  I absolutely loved Megan.  She was smart, funny, humble, and just all around a good person who came from a good family and was somewhat normal.  Plus she is an avid reader and Jane Austen lover, and that automatically makes me love her.  Aston was created beautifully.  Talk about an amazing guy who really just needed to break the chains of the past.  Plus, he quotes Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.  Instant swoon inducing. 

Playing For Keeps was well paced, and the story was just so sweet and wonderful.  While the characters in it faced various battles of their own, it was nice to read about a grounded approach into how people deal with sad circumstances. I really cannot tell you enough how much I enjoyed Playing For Keeps.  It might just be my new Emma Hart favorite. 

While there are some steamy scenes in it, I felt that it was nothing over the top and really added to the story as a whole.  I really don't want to give too much away, because this story was just com


5/5 OH YEAH I LOVED IT


Excerpt:   
ASTON:


“You okay?”
I shake my head. “No. Every time. Every fucking time he brings her up. I thought he wouldn’t in front of you, but he did.”
“He has his own pain,” she says softly. “It doesn’t excuse it, but he does. He feels guilty for what happened to you – that he couldn’t stop it.”
My mind reels for a second and I look down at her. “He told you that?”
She nods, letting her hand drop from my back and standing in front of me. I stop.
“You’ve never let him tell you.” She reaches up and cups my face. “He hurts, too, Aston. You both hurt. It’s not something that will go away, but you can’t let it rule your lives. If you let pain rule you you’ll get lost in it.”
“What if I’m already lost?”
“You’re not lost. You’re hiding, but you’re not lost. I won’t let you get lost.”
I let my hands come up and rest on her back, pulling her into me. “What if there’s no map?”
“Then I’ll get lost with you,” she whispers. “I won’t let you let them win, Aston. I won’t let you get sucked in by those demons. I won’t let that happen. I care too much.”
And she does. I can hear it in her voice.
She wraps her arms around my neck, and I hold her to me tighter, our foreheads resting against each other.
“I’ll try, Megs,” I promise. “I can’t say I won’t, but as long as you’re here, I think I’ll be okay.”
“And you’ll talk to your Gramps? Just once?”
“I’ll think about it. How about we just focus on stopping me from getting lost for a bit?”
“You just need a place to aim for, that’s all. You need a place to go to.”
“Go on then.” I smile. “Give me a place.”
“Okay.” She pauses for a second, closing her eyes and chewing her lip.
“I’m waiting…” I tease her.
Her blue eyes open, shocking me with their vitality. “Aim for the moon, because even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
“I don’t need to aim for the sky. The only star I’ll ever need is standing right in front of me.” I brush my lips over hers. “Maybe the place I need to aim for is nowhere other than where I am right now.”
“Maybe I’d go with you wherever you ended up.”
“Maybe I’d never ask that of you.”
“Maybe you wouldn’t need to ask. Maybe you’ll never need to ask me for anything, because I’ll always be here.”



Check out the full first chapter HERE

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Playing for Keeps Playlist: 



By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to a terrible two year old and growing bump, due September 2013. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of juice 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 at:
Blog: http://www.emmahartbooks.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EmmaHartBooks
Twitter: @EmmaHartAuthor

Thursday, June 20, 2013

April Showers Blog Tour

Hey guys!  Today I have a really exciting read to share with you today by debut author Karli Perrin!  April Showers is her debut into the literary world, and I couldn't be happier to feature her on the blog!





What happens when your head and your heart pull you in completely opposite 

directions?


April Adams is about to find out the hard way.


When April enrols at Manchester University, it feels like a whole new life. New city, new house, new friends...new crush.  Isaac Sharpe is the hottest guy on campus - with an even hotter reputation. After a chance meeting, April quickly finds herself wrapped up in all that he is. But what if all that he is isn't what it seems?


Caught up in a battle between what she wants and what she thinks she needs, April meets Lukas Roberts. Lukas is the security blanket that she craves so desperately and she finds solace in their friendship. But what happens when she finds more than she bargained for?  April has always been a big believer of fate, but will she learn that she's in control of her own destiny before it's too late?


Join April as she embarks on a life changing journey of love and loss, which will haveyou laughing and crying until the very end.


Review:  I'm always really excited when I read first time author's books.  When you crack open that brand new book by someone who's newly published you are truly starting fresh.  No expectations and no previous judgments cloud your reading experience.   Perrin exceeded my expectations with April Showers.  


It was so nice to read about non-controlling guys for once.  Granted I love most of the alpha males that are in books out on shelves right now, but let's be real: Travis Maddox is highly unlikely to really exist in our world today.  In April Shower's we got some really nice and normal guys.  Crazy right?  Isaac and Lukas are definitely great foils for each other in the book and definitely kept me reading. 

I did have some trouble connecting with April at times.  I felt like she just flew off the handle at parts of the story, which could have been handled a little more maturely.  Plus, I did have a hard time understanding why Isaac and Lukas put up with her at certain points in the book.  That being said, I really did enjoy Isaac.  He was one of my favorite characters from April Showers, and I felt an immediate connection with him. 

Perrin completely surprised at moments in the book.  Some crazy plot twists came totally out of the blue for me, and I completely enjoyed being caught off guard.  April Showers manages to take a story line that is often used, and add some really surprising elements to it.  Oh and haters of cliff hangers be warned, April Showers has one of those endings. 

For a debut novel Karli Perrin has a really solid footing.  April Showers was an enjoyable and fast read that fans of NA will definitely enjoy.  Plus those crazy plot twists will totally catch you by surprise.  Trust me!  Congrats Karli on a successful debut!  I can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve!  





3.5-4/5 Oh Yeah I liked it!






Buy April Showers!
Amazon US
Amazon UK





Karli Perrin is a 25 year old English Language & Linguistics graduate from 
Manchester. She has always been a big lover of books and is currently writing her first NA novel - April Showers.

She is a big believer of fate and is a sucker for a happy ending. She honestly believes that there is a reason why you are reading this right now (apart from the fact that you are awesome!).

Her ultimate goal in life is to live in a house made entirely out of books with her best friend, who also happens to be her fiancé....Hogwarts is plan B.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Teaser Tuesday!!!



EVERYBODY MUST READ THIS!  Ok.  Deep breath.  Today I get to share with you guys one of my favorite scenes from Alyssa Rose Ivy's Found, which if you have been keeping up to date with her books, is the third book in the Crescent Chronicles.  Basically I love these books, and you guys are going to love Found.  It's got steam, good characters, and lot's of true Alyssa Rose Ivy humor! 

So the scene Alyssa so kindly gave to me is between Allie and one of my favorite characters Jared.  I'm currently begging Alyssa to write him his own book, and maybe make a love his love interest named Jess. Just kidding, well not really. Any way, here you guys go!  Are you excited for Found?!

  
TBR: July 16





“Levi told you that?” I could barely breathe I was so mortified.
“Yeah, so?”
“He’s dead. He’s absolutely one hundred percent dead.” I gritted my teeth. If Levi had been within arm’s reach he’d have had a red mark on his face in the shape of my hand.
“Come on, Levi tells me everything. It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal? I hate you both.” I picked up my laptop and tote bag and moved over a few seats.
Of course, Jared followed and he was laughing. “Do you think I care? I’m just glad you’re finally giving Levi some. He was such an ass when you were holding out on him.”
I turned around. Some nerdy looking guy behind us was watching us with interest. I faced forward again. “Shut up. Not another word.”
Thankfully, the professor came in. I’d never been more interested in aromatic hydrocarbons before.
Class went by at a snail’s pace, but it gave me time to calm down. Or so I thought.
“Are you still mad?” Jared asked as he followed me out of the room.
“What do you think?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“No, but your buddy did.” I still couldn’t believe Levi would humiliate me like that. What else was he telling his friends?
“My buddy? Your his mate.”
“Don’t remind me.”
Jared laughed again. “Please don’t make a huge deal out of this. Who cares that you like sex with him transformed and your favorite position is—”
I pushed him. “Don’t say another word to me. Not one word.”






Friday, June 7, 2013

Dragonfly Blog Tour!


Dragonfly has been out for two-ish days as of now, and if you've read it, great news!  I have a dream cast for you straight from Leigh T. Moore!  Everybody should be cheering at this news!  Take a look at this really cool looking cast.  Some of them are completely spot on with who I saw when reading the book!


Three bad things I learned this year:

-People you trust lie, even parents. 

-That hot guy, the one who’s totally into you, he might not be the one. 

-Things are not always how they appear.


Three good things I learned this year:

-Best friends are always there for you, even when they’re far away. 

-That other hot guy, the one who remembers your birthday, he just might be the one. 

-Oh, and things are not always how they appear.


Anna Sanders expected an anonymous (and uneventful) senior year until she crossed paths with rich-and-sexy Jack Kyser and his twin sister Lucy.



Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed Anna outside her comfort zone, and Jack showed her feelings she’d never experienced... Until he mysteriously withdrew.



Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins’ distant, single father.



A secret that could permanently change all their lives.





REVIEW:  I think that one of the most amazing things about Leigh T. Moore is how she can completely transport her reader into the setting she has created.  In "Dragonfly" at how quickly I became engrossed in the story.  Anna became a modern day Nancy Drew to me.  Her trying to find out this big secret kind of drives the plot and the characters within it.  

I was most impressed with this subplot that didn't make sense at first, but then slowly revealed itself to be a major plot line by the end.  Anna's pursuit for the truth makes for some uncomfortable situations for a few people, and ultimately puts herself in a really unfortunate situation.  When they say that ignorance is bliss, it really is in this case. 

Moore's character development in Dragonfly was superb as I have come to expect from her.  The elusive Jack is frustrating and always just out of reach.  Anna is the girl next door who is literally dragged into the abyss of the secrets of the wealthy.  And then there is Julian.  Sweet, sweet Julian. I am SO glad that he turned out to be a bigger character than I thought he was going to be in the book.  I really cannot wait to read Undertow just because I want to read some more Julian! 

Dragonfly is something that I would recommend for a lazy summer day.  It's a really fun read about growing up and learning how to stand on your own two feet.  Anna's budding independence throughout the book was really fun to read, and I started cheering her along while being slightly mortified about some of her investigating. 

Leigh T. Moore has created a really fun world in Dragonfly.  I definitely recommend this to the crowd who loves YA.  There are some scenes in the book that aren't suitable for younger readers, but I felt that the scenes were not over the top and relevant to discovering oneself as well as the opposite sex. 

Check out Dragonfly for a fun and engrossing summer read.  It's on sale right now and looky there, I've got some buy links for you! 


4/5 Oh Yeah I liked it a lot!





DRAGONFLY EXCERPT:
Falling in Love Changes Everything…

“C’mon,” Julian said, helping me stand. “Let’s blow off this party and catch a movie or go to Scoops. This isn’t our scene.”

I shook my head. “I just really want to go home.” The tears were trying to start again. “Can I just go home now?”

“Sure,” he said, holding my cheek. I took a limping step, and he stopped. “Does it hurt to walk?” 

My leg was throbbing. I nodded, looking down, and before I realized what was happening, he was lifting me in his arms. 

“Julian, wait,” I held his shoulders. “I’m too heavy!” 

“It’s okay,” he said, walking on. I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder. I didn’t feel like fighting. Gentle pressure against my temple, and he’d kissed me. “You’ll get over this,” I heard him say under his breath.



Dragonfly Dream Cast
Anna
Julian
Jack



Meg
Renee
Lucy
Bill
Will
Lexy






Be watching for Undertow, Book 2 in the Dragonfly series, coming July 18!









ABOUT LEIGH T. MOORE:
Leigh Talbert Moore is the author of the popular young adult romantic comedy The Truth About Faking, its companion The Truth About Letting Go, and the mature YA/new adult romantic suspense novel Rouge, a Quarter Finalist in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.



She is an award-winning journalist and editor, who has also worked in marketing and public relations for many years. Her writing has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the southeast and Midwest U.S., and she runs the popular writing-craft blog That’s Write.



A southern ex-pat and beach bum, she currently lives with her husband, two young children, and one grumpy cat in the Midwest.



LINKS:




Read excerpts of her books on Wattpad and Figment!





Enter to WIN a Kindle Touch loaded with all FOUR of Leigh's books AND an exclusive eARC of Undertow; A signed, print set of Dragonfly and Undertow, or ebook sets of both!



Rafflecopter code:



http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1238d24/"id="rc-1238d24"rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway