Tuesday 31 October 2017
Friday 27 October 2017
[Cover Reveal] Bad at Love by Karina Halle
Bad at Love by Karina Halle
Release Date: November 16th
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer: Hang Le
Thursday 26 October 2017
[Cover Reveal] Spider by Ilsa Madden-Mills
From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a new standalone romance about a flawed hero and the woman he can’t forget.
Wednesday 25 October 2017
Review: Cheater by Rachel Van Dyken
Publishing Date: February 28, 2017
Publisher: Skyscape
Pages: 320
Contemporary Romance
The Premise from the Publisher: "Lucas Thorn wasn’t born a cheater. All it took was a single moment—say, a certain disastrous incident on the night before his wedding—and boom. Reputation destroyed forever and always. So now he owns it. He has a lady friend for every night of the week (except Sundays—God’s day and all), and his rules are simple: No commitments. No exceptions. But a certain smart-mouthed, strawberry blonde vixen is about to blow that all to hell. Avery Black has never forgiven Lucas for cheating on her sister. And suddenly being forced to work with him is pretty much a nightmare on steroids. Of course, it does afford her the opportunity to make his life as difficult as possible. But no good revenge scheme comes without payback. Because he didn’t become the Lucas Thorn without learning a few things about women. Now Avery’s lust for vengeance has turned into, well, lust. And if Lucas stops cheating, it’s definitely not because he’s falling in love…" (Skyscape).
My overall thoughts and review: So I was first introduced to RVD by a fellow blogger friend, Ambur at Burning Impossibly Bright and I fell in love with RVD's writing when I read Fraternize (full review here!) I was intrigued to pick this one up because I'm definitely anti-cheating and a book can deter me if they try to justify it in some sort of way. I was curious to see how RVD was going to handle this topic. The story follows Lucas Thorn and Avery Black. They have a history because Lucas used to date Avery's sister and they were even engaged to be married, when one night Lucas "cheats" and things are forever changed. Things are further complicated because the Thorn family and the Black family are quite close and this incident rocks them to the core. Fast forward to present time and years later, Avery finds herself working with Lucas. Lucas is not who he once was. He now has a girl for every single day of the week and he is strictly a no-strings-attached kind of guy. He doesn't do monogamy and perhaps it's the incident that happened years ago that has left him changed forever. Avery, who has always harbored a crush for her sister's ex-fiancee, doesn't fall for his ways immediately. There are some cat and mouse moments and hilarious work stuff that takes place. Avery is definitely a spitfire and I love that she can hold her own against Lucas. I will admit, I was determined not to like Lucas, but he definitely grew on me. We get flashbacks to the night where things changed forever, and we also get to see Lucas' relationship with Avery then. It's really a second chance romance because Lucas fell for Avery then, but didn't act on it because of how messed up the situation was. I loved that it wasn't a simple happy ending for the two of them. There was a lot they had to work through and trust was a big issue. There's one quote that happened in the book and it totally reminded me of Meredith's "Choose Me" declaration from Grey's Anatomy, and I just really loved how Avery handled it: "I want you to choose me not because I'm pressuring you to, because I know you'll resent me for that. I want you to throw this life away because you want to. And right now you don't. You think you do, but it's a comfort, having someone on the side, just in case. I can't wait at home, knowing that one day you're going to smell like another woman's perfume. I want all of you, not a day, not five days--I want forever" (282). Overall, I really enjoyed this second chance romance/enemies to lovers romance. The premise does seem like it can go down a dark road because of the male protagonist moving from sister to sister, but it's quite nice how things are explained. RVD touches on how you can fall out of love when things become too comfortable and simply move towards a platonic direction. RVD also writes second chance redemption really well. I really enjoyed this read and I have to say that Avery is definitely one of my favorite female leads in a romance novel. The story does continue following Avery's friend in the next one and I'm already starting that one... so be sure to keep a look out for that review! ;)
My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮ (4/5 stars)
Available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo, Amazon, Kindle, and Book Depository (Free Worldwide Shipping)
Disclaimer: A copy of this book was sent to me by Thomas Allen & Son in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Tuesday 24 October 2017
Most Anticipated 2018 YA Sequel Titles
Hi everyone! Bit of a different post from me today, but there has been so much bookish news recently and I'm just slowly catching up with everything. There has been cover reveals and title announcements. My TBR for 2018 is absolutely overflowing, but I wanted to share some of my most anticipated sequel titles (and also gush over the beauty of some covers). Let me know below in the comments what 2018 titles you are most looking forward to!
Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2) by Neal Shusterman
Release Date: January 9, 2018
Thunderhead is the sequel to Scythe which I read and loved. The story of Citra & Rowan continues as they go down very different paths. Rowan has gone rogue, whereas Citra wants to stop corruption from the inside. I can't wait to see where this story goes. I really want a Citra & Rowan reunion!
See my review for Scythe HERE!
Release Date: March 6, 2018
I. AM. SCREAMING. MORE WARNER?? I honestly thought the series ended with Ignite Me, but when this was announced I was shouting from the rooftops. I love Warner so much. I read this series before I really started my book blogging days, so I don't have full reviews for them all, but my bae Warner has earned himself his very own tag on the blog, so you know my love for him is real. I am so excited to see more of Juliet and Warner's story and the small preview we got included Kenji! I can't wait for more swoonworthy moments between Juliet and Warner, and just general moments of Warner. Also, can we talk about that cover? It is stunning!
Release Date: May 29, 2018
I absolutely loved Caraval which I reviewed earlier this year here! I honestly thought at the time it was going to be a stand-alone, but there's so much in that world that can be explored. I'm so excited that the second book will be focusing on Tella (Scarlett's sister) and I really liked seeing bits of her in the previous book. I'm so glad she's going to be the focus of the next book, but I also hope we'll see Scarlett pop up as well.
(I also attended a TeensRead preview recently and I made a recap post talking about my most anticipated reads for Fall/Winter there! You can read it all here!)
What sequels are you looking forward to in 2018? Let me know in the comments below!
Thursday 19 October 2017
[Teaser] Darkest Temptation by Rachel Van Dyken
Darkest Temptation, an all-new standalone in The Dark Ones Saga from New York Times Bestseller Rachel Van Dyken is coming October 31st!
I'm a werewolf King who chose to step down out of grief for my mate.
For centuries I've been alone, choosing to live a life of modesty despite the wealth surrounding me.
I deserve to be punished.
I crave things I have no business craving.
And it is manifesting itself in a way I'm terrified I won't be able to control any longer.
Especially since she arrived.
Vampire. Orphan. Beaten beyond recognition.
My blood calls to her in a way that makes no sense.
I'm a wolf.
She's a vampire.
The two don't mate.
They barely tolerate one another.
All it takes is one slip of control on my part — one taste.
And I doom us all.
Then again, I never knew what is lurking inside has the power to balance good and evil.
Preorder Today!
iBooks: http://apple.co/2fPXafv
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ktgSm6
Paperback
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2xn05SW
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2fWMTlt
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2wC116C
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2xRF47F
Disclaimer: I have signed up with Social Butterfly PR to help promote this author and her book. All opinions are my own.
[Teaser] Craving Midnight by A.M. Hargrove
Craving Midnight, an all-new romantic standalone from A.M. Hargrove is coming November 2nd!
She’s a starlet with secrets. He makes scandals go away. Together, they’ll make sparks fly…
Midnight Drake’s squeaky clean reputation has suddenly taken a nosedive. She’s horrified after she wakes up naked from a drugged stupor, but the worst is yet to come. She just found three sex videos of the night she has no memory of on her phone. Midnight wonders if the videos will be leaked to destroy her career…
Harrison Kirkland cleans up Hollywood’s sordid messes for a living, and he’s never met a scandal he couldn’t contain. But when he’s assigned to fix the sultry Midnight’s problems, he never expected to get dragged in after her…
Behind Midnight’s diva exterior, Harrison discovers a mysterious woman with a web of secrets he can’t untangle. The deeper he’s pulled into her world, the stronger his desire for her grows. If he’s not careful, the next heart that’ll need fixing… will be his…
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2gnE5Ft
Disclaimer: I have signed up with Social Butterfly PR to help promote this author and her book. All opinions are my own.
Wednesday 18 October 2017
Review: Possession by A.M. Johnson
Publishing Date: January 31, 2017
Publisher: A.M. Johnson
Audiobook Duration: 9 hrs and 18 mins
Narrated by: Tracy Marks, Aaron Shedlock
Romance
The Premise from the Author: "Paige Simon was the only girl Declan ever loved. The only one capable of silencing his voices, the only person to ever have faith in who he was, until the day her faith turned to doubt and destroyed everything they’d made together. Declan O ’Connell was the only person Paige could be herself with. The only one she could rely on, until the day she was forced to make a choice that would condemn them both. They’ve had years apart, and second chances don’t belong to the damned. But when you come face to face with your savior, it’s almost impossible to walk away. In order to move beyond the sins of their past, and forever silence the demons in his head, they’ll have to risk it all. But with love, there are real reasons to be afraid and, sometimes… your salvation is your damnation" (AMJ).
My overall thoughts and review: Before I begin, I just want to say that this was my first romance read in audiobook form. I wasn't sure if it was going to be for me, but I LOVED this book so much. Tracy Marks and Aaron Shedlock did an amazing job of bringing Declan and Paige to life for me. So kudos to the both of them! I didn't have any idea what to expect going into this book besides the premise but the story follows two perspectives: Declan and Paige. It switches narratives between them, and also flip flops back and forth between the past and present time. You learn that they were highschool sweethearts and had such an intense love. Declan suffers from psychosis and depression, and I really liked how mental health was represented in the text. Every time one of Declan's inner voices came out, it tugged at my heart strings, and Aaron did such a good job narrating those parts. I really empathized with those moments in the text because it's similar to some anxiety that I sometimes feel in certain situations. Paige on the other hand, comes from the other side of town, with very strict parents who begin working with the church. Her parents don't entirely approve of Declan, but things are forever changed between the two of them when they are forced to make a difficult decision. Fast forward to nine years later, Paige has left her cheating husband who she never loved, and Declan is trying to stay afloat still. They both bonded previously over art and painting, and it is through Paige's new job at an art gallery that brings them together again. I really liked how Johnson was sure to indicate that they couldn't go back in time and recreate what they once had. They had grown up and they had changed, and if it were to work again, they had to love each other for who they were now. It was a great second chance romance, but it also felt like falling in love for the first time story. I loved how both were able to overcome their own battles and come together stronger. I love books that have a big emphasis on art (this reminded me of Brooke Cumberland's Pushing The Limits). I think the parts that I loved most though were where Paige's family wasn't a great support system, you saw Declan's brothers: Liam and Kieran, being there 100% for their brother. They also slowly warmed up to Paige again. I think it's good that Johnson acknowledged that sometimes you don't need to make up with your family and things are all shiny and great again. The reality is that a lot of people don't get along with their families, and sometimes their life is much better off without that toxicity. This was such a beautiful book. Although there were swoony and sexy moments, this book was so much more than that. It focused on mental health, religion/faith, and family. I really enjoyed this book. I am already listening to the second book in the Avenues Ink series! Also, I barely mentioned the tattoo shop where the brothers worked, but one of my favorite moments of the text was Paige getting her tattoo of a Sylvia Plath quote <3
My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars)
Available for purchase at:
Audible, Amazon, and Kindle
Disclaimer: I received an audiobook version of the book from Foreword PR & Marketing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thursday 12 October 2017
[Teaser] Darkest Temptation by Rachel Van Dyken
Darkest Temptation, the first standalone in The Dark Ones Saga from New York Times Bestseller Rachel Van Dyken is coming October 31st!
I'm a werewolf King who chose to step down out of grief for my mate.
For centuries I've been alone, choosing to live a life of modesty despite the wealth surrounding me.
I deserve to be punished.
I crave things I have no business craving.
And it is manifesting itself in a way I'm terrified I won't be able to control any longer.
Especially since she arrived.
Vampire. Orphan. Beaten beyond recognition.
My blood calls to her in a way that makes no sense.
I'm a wolf.
She's a vampire.
The two don't mate.
They barely tolerate one another.
All it takes is one slip of control on my part — one taste.
And I doom us all.
Then again, I never knew what is lurking inside has the power to balance good and evil.
Preorder Today!
iBooks: http://apple.co/2fPXafv
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ktgSm6
Paperback
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2xn05SW
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2fWMTlt
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2wC116C
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2xRF47F
Disclaimer: I have signed up with Social Butterfly PR to help promote this author and her book. All opinions are my own.
[Cover Reveal] Prince Charming by CD Reiss
Prince Charming - an all-new sexy standalone from New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss coming February 20th.
Wednesday 11 October 2017
Blog Tour: In Pieces by Danielle Pearl - Excerpt & Review
In Pieces, an all-new brother’s-best-friend standalone from Danielle Pearl is available NOW!
Tuesday 10 October 2017
[Release Day Blitz] In Pieces by Danielle Pearl
In Pieces, an all-new brother’s-best-friend standalone from Danielle Pearl is LIVE!
Monday 9 October 2017
Review: Vicious by L.J. Shen
Publishing Date: December 27, 2016
Publisher: ljshen
Pages: 338
Romance
The Premise from the Author: "Emilia - They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true. The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares. He is a brilliant lawyer. A skilled criminal. A beautiful liar. A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover. Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him. Vicious - She is a starving artist. Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom. Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down. She paid the price. Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate. That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t. So she hates me. Big fucking deal. She better get used to me" (Shen).
My overall thoughts and review: This review has been a long time coming. I read this book a few months back and absolutely loved it. From there, I began buying all of Shen's backlist and binge read them all. Vicious was the first to draw me in, and even after a reread yesterday, I'm still in love, and if it's even possible, I love the book even more with a reread?? There is just something about Shen's writing that immediately pulls you in and she somehow makes you feel such frustration for a character, but also love for them at the same time. Baron Spencer AKA "Vicious" was given this nickname, because he is absolutely vicious. He is one of the Hotholes of Todos Santos and the narrative flips between present day and the past in his high school years. When he first meets Emilia, she accidentally walks into a private conversation, and from there, he seems to have this hatred towards her. Her parents work for his family on his estate, and even though don't get along well, they are constantly drawn to one another. Things also get complicated when Emilia starts dating one of his best friends, Dean "Ruckus" Cole. It's clear they both have feelings for one another though, and Vicious acts out through jealousy and Emilia pushes her feelings away.
Flash forward to present day New York, where Emilia has been fired from her job and she must work every waitress shift she can get to support herself and her sister, Rosie. On one unlucky evening, she meets Vicious again and from there, he offers her an offer she can't refuse. A PA job with a great income and a new apartment for her and Rosie. She promises herself that she will keep her guard up this time, and not fall for him again. Vicious says he's simply only hiring her so that she can help him with a certain lawsuit. It sounds so incredibly complicated, but it just worked. The future/past narrative really worked because you got to see how they were with each other, and how Vicious acted incredibly selfishly and impulsively. Gosh, I wanted to shake high school Vicious!! But I loved that Emilia was chipping away at his hard exterior piece by piece. She was so strong, independent, and sassy. She definintely gave back everything he threw at her, and he described it best at the end of the book just how "good" she was: "Knowing what I'd done, she was still here. What's more, she was still strong. That was the true beauty about this girl. She never cowered. She always stood tall and thought for self, knowing what was right and what was wrong in her universe. Always" (303). Their day in New York, going to the museum and the tattoo shop, is definitely my favorite moment of the book. You just see Vicious completely undone by her and I think that's what made me love him so much. So many hilarious and cute moments during this moment in the book. He's frustrating as ever, but also soooo swoonworthy. I loved their messy and not so-beautiful love story: "We've waited a long time for this. I want the real thing. Not the watered-down version. And the real thing is not only beautiful. It is also ugly. I want your truth" (199). I love how they both made mistakes and both had flaws, but I loved how they somehow were better because of the other person, while not losing themselves completely. I feel like with a lot of romance novels, some of the bad guys do a complete 180 after falling in love, but Vicious remains Vicious (I love how crazy he can get and his arrrogant hot hole self), and in a way, he becomes Emilia's Vicious? I don't want to say too much and spoil the book because holy twists and turns and reveals, but when you learn the background story of Vicious, it just tugs at your heartstrings and you want to hug this guy. Emilia put it perfectly when she described how complex her can be: "I shook my head quickly. 'I'm just not sure how you can be both nice and compassionate and a terrible asshole all at the same time,' I muttered. He smiled. 'It's a hard job, but someone's gotta do it'" (281).
I loved this book so much and I can't say enough good things about it. It's definitely an enemies to lovers story, but also a second chance romance. It is just the best kind of romance, and I'm sitting her wishing that Shen will one day write more of Emilia and Vicious' story. When Vicious learns that he has fallen for her, well has loved her all this time, it's just beautiful: "'I want you,' he said simply. 'Just you. Nothing else. Only ever you,' he breathed out in pain, closing his eyes" (295). If you haven't read anything by L.J. Shen yet, what are you waiting for? THIS is her best book in my opinion and I loved it so much, I now own a few copies of it ;)
🎵🎵 - Haunting by Halsey // Back to You by Louis Tomlinson & Bebe Rexha
(I had these songs on loop while reading and they made me think of Vicious/Emilia)
My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars)
Available for purchase at:
Amazon, Kindle, and Book Depository (Free Worldwide Shipping)
Links for L.J. Shen: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Friday 6 October 2017
Thursday 5 October 2017
TeensRead Preview Winter & Spring 2018 | September 30, 2017
This past weekend, a bunch of book bloggers gathered at the Bloor-Gladstone Library to hear about some new and upcoming excited reads coming Winter & Spring of 2018. The event was hosted by Raincoast Books, and for the Toronto one, we had the lovely Jenn from Lost in a Great Book & Vanessa from Ampersand Inc. as our great hosts!
Wednesday 4 October 2017
[Teaser] In Pieces by Danielle Pearl
In Pieces, an all-new standalone from Danielle Pearl is coming October 10th!
Preorder Today!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2wQ6fPh
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2m891Hp
iBooks: http://apple.co/29QG8M2
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lqOQ7M
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2a5Uafh
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/29TYZHf
Three years ago she was left in pieces . . . Most college freshmen love the newfound freedom of living on campus, but none of them craves it like Beth Caplan. One ill-fated night when she was fifteen left her locked in a posh prison of private tutors. It's for the best, everyone said, and maybe it was. But after years of hard work and healing, the one person who never thought of her as broken could be the one to break her all over again. And Beth can't seem to stay away now any more than she could all those years ago.
As soon as David March learned his best friend's little sister was enrolling at his school, he promised to look after her, and promised himself he'd keep a safe distance. But the sweet little girl he'd grown up with has transformed into a gorgeous young woman, and she's attracting attention from people she shouldn't-like the ex who nearly destroyed her and a strange new student with a disturbing habit of showing up wherever Beth goes. But for David, the most troubling discovery is realizing that he doesn't just want Beth to be safe. He wants her to be his.
Disclaimer: I have signed up with Social Butterfly PR to help promote this author and her book. All opinions are my own.
Blog Tour: The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook - Review and Author Q&A
Publishing Date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 320
Young Adult Mystery/Thriller
The Premise from the Publisher: "Skye Thorn has given tarot card readings for years, and now her psychic visions are helping the police find the town's missing golden girl. It's no challenge-her readings have always been faked, but this time she has some insider knowledge. The kidnapping was supposed to be easy-no one would get hurt and she'd get the money she needs to start a new life. But a seemingly harmless prank has turned dark, and Skye realizes the people she's involved with are willing to kill to get what they want and she must discover their true identity before it's too late" (HMH).
My overall thoughts and review: I absolutely loved Eileen Cook's last book With Malice, so when I heard she was coming out with a new one, I knew I wanted to read it! The premise of this book sounded really interesting as well, and I loved the idea of tarot readings and psychic visions being incorporated as well. To begin with, I really wasn't sure what to expect going into this book, but I did not expect it to go the route it did. There were many surprises and to be honest, I didn't see any of them coming. I was pleased that Cook was able to surprise me! I kept thinking that I had the whole bit figured out, but I definitely didn't. The story follows Skye, who has been known to elaborate on stories when she was younger (about her dad), and now she gives fake tarot readings to earn some money to move to New York with her best friend, Drew. She finds it hard to save because it's just her and her mom trying to make ends meet, and along comes an opportunity where she has to play a harmless small role, and move an investigation along in order to earn some money. Things don't go as planned, and it gets incredibly complicated. More secrets are uncovered and a bunch of lies unravel. You honestly begin to question everyone. I don't want to say too much because it really is hard to discuss the book without spoiling it, but you really see how different family dynamics work in the novel: Drew and her family, Skye and her mother, and Paige and her parents. It is so interesting how all three differ greatly, and it tackles just how far you will go for your family, or just how far you won't go. I really enjoyed this book and I honestly finished it in one evening! Eileen Cook will always be an insta-buy author for me and I really hope she continues writing mystery/thriller YA reads in the future. Definitely check this one out if you enjoy thrillers.
My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮ (4/5 stars)
Available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo, Kobo Books, Amazon, and Book Depository (Free Worldwide Shipping)
Author Question and Answer
Q: The Hanging Girl is quite different from With Malice since there are aspects of tarot reading and psychic visions, but how do you think your character Jill from WM would fare in THG world?
Jill has to find her strength over the course of the book With Malice. She’s been in her friend Simone’s shadow for years. Initially, she isn’t sure how to cope with the things that have happened. She’s crushed when people (both people she knows and total strangers on social media) turn on her and say nasty things. I admire her for digging deep to find her strength and realize that ultimately, what matters the most is what she thinks of herself.
I admire Skye, the main character in The Hanging Girl, for being a fighter. Things haven’t always been easy for her. Skye doesn’t always make the best decisions, but she’s active in trying to do something to make her life better. She doesn’t sit back and complain. I always respect people who at least try.
However, I think Jill would do quite well in the world of The Hanging Girl. Both of them are willing to face some harsh truths to figure out how far they will go to survive.
Don't forget to swing by other tops of the blog tour to check out more content from other book bloggers and more Q&As with Eileen. Many thanks to Eileen for stopping by today!
Disclaimer: An advanced reader's copy of the book was provided by Raincoast Books for participation in the book tour. All opinions of the book are my own.
Monday 2 October 2017
Blog Tour: Scandalous by L.J. Shen - Promo & Small Excerpt
Scandalous, the highly anticipated next standalone in the Sinners of Saint Series by LJ Shen is available NOW!
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