Wishing For Someday Soon by Tiffany King Review

Wishing For Someday Soon by Tiffany King-YA Contemporary Romance

Kindle format given by author for review

Summary:

Katelyn Richards has had a very tough life. She's lived in so many places that she's lost track, has an abusive mother, and is trying to keep her little brother safe. She has dreams of making a better life for the two of them and hopes they can get to their someday sooner rather than later. 

Once again, her mother has moved them to a small town in Montana. There Katelyn meets Max, who is from one of the wealthier families in town. Their lives couldn't be more different. Katelyn has always safeguarded her feelings from others as a result of her mother's abusive treatment, so when Max starts showing interest in her, she's not sure how to react. She likes him, A LOT, but doesn't want to get hurt. 

Katelyn must now decide if she should follow her heart and trust Max's feelings, or turn and run. Can she find a way to keep her brother safe and follow her heart?

My Take:

This story is Tiffany King's debut in the YA Contemporary Romance genre and I must say that she made a phenomenal transition! The story developed so smoothly and I really felt like I knew the characters. I developed such a connection to the characters, that I had a tough time controlling my emotions. Be prepared that there are some difficult situations that Katelyn deals with in this story. 

I adored Katelyn. I wanted to take her and her brother away from their mess of a mother. Katelyn showed so much determination to make a better life for herself and her brother. She definitely is a resilient character. 

I loved seeing Katelyn open her heart to Max. It took a lot for her to trust him and I'm so glad she did. Max is an absolute sweetheart! I loved that he "saw" Katelyn and accepted her as she was. As for her mother....I believe there is no need to even discuss that monster of a mother. 

Wishing For Someday Soon is a story about hope, love, believing in your heart, and working towards a better future. I am a fan of Tiffany's Saving Angel's Series, but I have to say this is my favorite story to date. Truly, I can't say enough good things about this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone! Please go read it. 5 out of 5 stars

This book is available on Amazon.

You can find Tiffany at: Blog/Twitter/Facebook

The Marriage Contract by Lisa Mondello Review

The Marriage Contract by Lisa Mondello-Adult Contemporary Romance

Kindle format given by author for review/blog tour

Summary:

Seventeen years ago Cara and Devin met and became the best of friends. Shortly after that, Devin's father passed away and he left for college right after the funeral. Cara and Devin remained in touch periodically over the years, but eventually lost contact. Their careers defined them and they both got lost in the trail to succeed. 

Then, Cara decides to go home to help her parents prepare to move and comes across and old card from Devin. It says that he promises to marry her  if neither one of them is married by her 35th birthday. Well, her 35th birthday is right around the corner and she's still not married and her mother is itching for some grand babies. What happens next? Her mother meddles of course, bringing Devin back to town. 

My Take:

I love stories like this because I think in one way or another, most people have had a "wonder what would have happened moment". In this story, the couple became friends first as young adults and for them, the timing to be together wasn't right. There were too many other things going on then and I don't think they could have made a relationship work. Both Cara and Devin were determined to be successful and independent in their careers. Relationships were a secondary priority. 

When they finally meet again, they are at different places in their lives. Sure, they are older and that certainly is a factor. I think they both realized that the relationships you make and the love you share is what brings true happiness into your life. I loved the love that they had for each other as friends and loved seeing how it transitioned into a relationship as adults. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It truly is a heart felt romance. It was a fast, nice, read with a bit of humor thrown into the mix. 4 out of 5 stars

For more information go to: Lisa Mondello Blog/Twitter

This book is available on: Amazon/Barnes and Noble/KOBO/Smashwords/Sony/iTunes

Tour Schedule

Nanny and The Professor by Donna Fasano Giveaway

Here's a special Spring Giveaway for you! No strings attached, just make a comment on this post and I'll pick a winner on April 2nd!

Professor Joshua Kingston thought he'd found the perfect nanny for his son. But once Cassie Simmons stepped into his life, she turned it upside down! His son no longer played by the rules - and Cassie kept making up new ones. He would fire her - if he didn't find her so utterly enticing. 

Cassie had a huge secret to hide, and she couldn't afford to lose her new job. But her handsome employer wasn't making things easy. All those silly rules. How was an eight-year-old boy supposed to have any fun? The professor definitely needed a lesson in laughter - and love!-Amazon

Portal (Portal Chronicles 1) by Imogen Rose Review and GIVEAWAY

Portal (Portal Chronicles 1) by Imogen Rose-YA Paranormal Romance/Fantasy

Kindle format given by author for review/blog tour

Summary:

The story starts with Olivia at a pub crawl. She's there thinking about her pregnancy and the unhappy marriage she's in. Then, in walks a beautiful man. She's immediately drawn to him. As she's getting ready to leave, he stops her and tells her to go back two years to find him. So, being the physicists that she is, she's determined to make that happen. The problem is that she's married and pregnant with another man's child. 

Arizona Stevens has succeeded in being the only girl hockey player at her school in New Jersey. She lives with her father, since her mother and sister have moved to California after her parents divorce. Then one day Arizona wakes up and she's not in New Jersey anymore. She's in California with her mother, sister, and dog. 

In California, she's known as Arizona Darley. She looks different, acts different, and her family is different. She now has a brother and her father isn't her father. Arizona has no idea what's going on, but one thing she does learn is that she doesn't want to live with out Kellan and somehow her mother is to blame for this mess. 

My Take:

I have no idea where to start. The concept of this story really intrigued me initially and I've been interested in time travel books lately. As I started reading this story a few things happened: I had no idea what was happening and I fell in love with the characters. Confusing right? Yep, that's me with this book. 

I really did like Arizona's character. She was easy to identify with and I had a clear idea of who she was. I also liked Kellan, Harry, and Ariele. The group surrounding Arizona were all likable. I'm very interested to see how David fits into the story. AND by the way, where was he in the week she was in school??? He just showed up at the end of the week and at the dance, but I sense he will play a larger roll in the story. Hmmm. 

Her mother drove me nuts. She's obviously extremely selfish and had no regard to the consequences of her actions. I'm not quite sure what to make of Rupert either. I mean, he tells her to come back to meet him two years ago, but I was kind of confused on how he knew to tell her that. Maybe it wasn't mentioned yet. 

The story was a bit disjointed for me at times. I felt like as soon as I would start to grasp what was happening, I'd get lost again. I usually don't have trouble like that with a story. It's not that there were a whole lot of scientific facts or even that the story jumped around. I guess it just didn't flow well for me. I did have a reviewer copy, so it's possible that some of those sequence errors were corrected. Maybe not. 

With all of that said, I would still consider reading the next book to see what happens. I think there are too many unanswered questions and I'm curious to see how they play out. Also, I truly did like the lead characters. 3 out of 5 stars

For more information go to: Imogen Rose Website/Blog/Facebook/Twitter

This book is available on Smashwords and Amazon.

Hosted by Bewitching Book Tours-Tour schedule

GIVEAWAY

The One by Heather Self Cover Reveal

I'm so excited to bring you the cover of the debut novel The One by Heather Self! This book is a YA Paranormal Romance and is scheduled to release Summer 2012. Be sure to check out the first chapter and a few more teasers! Can't wait to read The One!

Stranded on Earth four thousand years they’ve waited for the arrival of the One: some to save her, others to kill her. With her birth, the ancient prophecy could at last be fulfilled and the doorway between the worlds would open. Those who know the prophecy believe this event occurred almost eighteen years ago, and now, they'll stop at nothing to find her.

Seventeen-year-old Eveline has lived her entire life on the move and she hates it. She knows her parents believe she’s the One, and they've done whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of those who want her dead. But Eveline isn't fully convinced that her parents' beliefs match her own. What she does believe is that Leadville, Colorado may be the chance she's been waiting for. The chance to be somewhere safe. The chance for her to make friends and have fun. The chance to finally date a guy. The chance to be a normal girl, at least as normal as possible for someone not human. 

Sneek Peek-Chapter 1

Additional Teasers:

YA Indie Carnival Some Like It Hot

YA Indie Carnival Kiss and Tell

Find Heather:

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

FRAGILE by M. Leighton Cover

FRAGILE is a YA Contemporary Romance by M. Leighton scheduled to release on April 8, 2012! I'm so excited to read this book! 

Her heart, as delicate as glass.  His love, as strong as steel.  Can either survive life and death? 

Hardy Bradford is an eighteen year old football phenomenon who has the girl, the school, the town and the future in the palm of his hand.  His life is all mapped out for him, right down to who he’ll marry and how he’ll become a professional football player.  It doesn't seem to matter that Hardy would’ve chosen a much different life if it was up to him. But it's not.  At least not until his Miracle comes along.

The first time Hardy laid eyes on Miracle St. James, he didn’t know who she was, but he knew she was something different and that he’d never get her out of his head.  And he didn’t.  Now, months later, Hardy’s world is turned upside down when Miracle shows up in his class, stealing his heart and forever changing the course of his life. 

Miracle’s sick.  Very sick.  And Hardy might be losing the only thing in his life that has ever mattered.  How much is too much to sacrifice for the one you love?  For just a little more time?  For just one more chance?  Can Hardy be the hero Miracle needs?  Or is it Hardy that needs saving?

See the first chapter HERE!

My Book Boyfriend 3/28 Caleb Jacobson

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. 

This week My Book Boyfriend is Caleb Jacobson from the Significance Series by Shelly Crane. Caleb is an Ace, which means he has a "Significant" that he protects. His Significant is Maggie. Now, usually I have a twinge of jealousy for the leading lady, but not in this case. I love Caleb so much BECAUSE of his love for Maggie. I mean, he's wicked hot too, but he's just perfect BB material! Caleb has light brown hair, blue eyes, and a wrist tattoo. *wink* I really struggled with finding the perfect Caleb, because he's just THAT perfect in my head. The closest I could find that MAY fit the bill is Zac Efron. I know, I know....the OLDER Zac, NOT HS Musical Zac!

All images from Google

“I saw something in you that I couldn't live without. I chose you, inside of me, and you chose me. It's not one sided, it only works when both people choose the other. You are perfect for me in every way.” 
― Shelly Crane, Significance

“Because you are my significant, my soul mate. And I'm yours.” 
― Shelly Crane, Significance

“But... we will always be drawn together. We'll always crave each other. We'll always be in tune with each other, physically and mentally. There is nothing that can change or break that. And even if there was, I wouldn't want to. Not for the world.” 
― Shelly Crane, Significance

“He pulled my face up with his hand cupping my cheek and kissed me on my trembling mouth. He smoothed his hands down my arms, my back, my hair, my cheek, soothing me. “There’s a picture of you two in the dictionary under ‘get a room’,” Kyle said from behind me.” 
― Shelly Crane, Accordance

“I want him more than I need him.” 

― Shelly Crane, Accordance

I CANNOT stress how much I love this series! It's one of the top on my list to recommend. Check it out and see why I love Caleb so much!

The Significance Series is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

See my reviews for Significance, Accordance, and Defiance.

Waiting on Wednesday 3/28

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week my pick is Shadow Bound (Unbound 2) by Rachel Vincent.

If you live in the dark long enough, you begin to forget the light… 

KORI DANIELS is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if that means taking it from someone else… 

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him. 

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister. 

Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty….~Goodreads

Why I can't wait???

I am a HUGE Rachel Vincent fan! I've read every single book she's written. The Unbound series is a new Adult series that came out last year. Shadow Bound is the second book in the series and is scheduled to release on May 22, 2012! Can't wait!!!

PURE (The Covenant Series 2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout Guest Post-Seth's Profile

Welcome to my stop on the PURE by Jennifer L. Armentrout Book Tour hosted by Stuck In Books! PURE is one of the books I'm most looking forward to reading this year! For my stop, I have the absolute pleasure of giving you....SETH'S PROFILE, as well as a few quotes from PURE!!!!

Seth – Character prolife

Name: Seth

Height:  

“He was tall – maybe even as tall as Aiden, but I couldn’t be sure.” Half-Blood

Hair color:  

“His blond hair was pulled back in a small ponytail, showing off his impossibly perfect features and golden complexion.”  Half-Blood

Eye color:  

“My stomach lurched when our gazes met.  His eyes—they were the strangest color I’d ever seen, and as he got closer, I realized it wasn’t my imagination.  His eyes were the color of amber, nearly iridescent.”  Half-Blood

Status: 

 “Apollyon—the only half-blood with the ability to control the elements and use the same kind of compulsion the pures could use on mortals.” Half-Blood

“POPULAR BELIEF STATES THE GODS WHO HOLD COURT IN OLYMPIA BESTOWED THE GIFT OF THE GOUR ELEMENTS AN DTHE POWER OF AKASHA, THE FIFTH AND FINAL ELEMENT, UPON...[the Apollyon]” Half-Blood

Looks: 

“Who knew the Apollyon would be that unbelievably gorgeous?”  Half-Blood

“And he really was… beautiful.  Well, as beautiful as a guy could be.  But his beauty was cold and hard, like he’d been pieced together to look a certain way, but the gods had forgotten to give him a touch of humanity – of life.”  Half-Blood

“Then my gaze settled on a tall blond leaning against the wall, and I recognized the well-muscled arms and narrow hips.  He had on long leg bent at the knee, his booted foot planed on a mosaic of a seminude Zeus.” Pure

Distinguishing traits: 

“It started as a faint line inching down his arms, darkening to an inky black as it reached his fingers.  Then, all at once, the thin line spread across the golden hue of his skin and shifted into a multitude of swirly designs.  The tattoo shifted and changed, reaching under his shirt and stretching along his neck until the intricate drawings covered the right side of his face.  The markings meant something.”  Half-Blood

“His voice was oddly accented, almost musical in quality.” Half-Blood

“I’m from a tiny island near Greece.” “Ah, that explains your voice – the accent.” Pure

Abilities: 

“Seth controlled all four elements—pretty scary…”  Half-Blood

“Thunder sounded so loud I flinched.  It clicked into place.  ‘The storm… you’re doing it.’”  Half-Blood

“He could snap my neck like a twig.  He was the Apollyon – someone no one wanted looking for them.”  Half-Blood

“Or Seth could use his Apollyon mojo.  He’d zapped Kain with akasha –the fifth and final element—and that’d done the job.” Pure

Personality:

“Someone –either Aiden or Seth – sounded like they swallowed a laugh.” 

“There was that choked sound again, and I began to suspect that Seth was the culprit.  Aiden was too well trained to slip up twice.”  Half-Blood

“I’m no exception, which I find strange and very irritating.  Silly little Covenant rules shouldn’t apply to me.”  Half-Blood

“If I was you…I’d be careful around Seth.  Apollyons can be unstable at times, dangerous.  They’ve been known to lose their tempers, and if he’s angry about his relocation…”  Half-Blood

Best lines:

"So? What are you going to do about it? Throw your mashed potatoes at me? I'm consumed by terror." Half-Blood

“You’re so unbelievably graceful.  Should I kiss it and make it better for you?” Pure

“Why should I be humble?  I’m great.” Pure

Why should he get the girl?

“She’s fated to be your other half.”

Seth turned and gave me a long look.  “Could be worse, I suppose.”  Okay, that creeped me out.  “What do you mean by that?”

“You two are like puzzle pieces.  You fit together.  Your power will feed his…and vice versa.”  Lucian smiled.  “Really, it is amazing.  You are his other half, Alexandria.  You are fated to be with him.  You belong to him.”  Half-Blood

“I guess this was bound to happen.  The more time we spend together, the more we’ll start connecting.  It is the way of the Apollyons.” Pure

GIVEAWAY

To gain an entry in either/both of the tour giveaways for PURE, leave a comment here about WHY YOU WANT TO READ PURE and then go to Stuck In Books and/or A Cupcake and a Latte with this link to complete your entry.

Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

See my REVIEW of Pure.

Teaser Tuesday 3/27

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"His hand slid to the side of my face and I sighed uncontrollably, running my tongue over my lip where his thumb had previously been. His eyes darkened as he watched. He slid a hand behind my neck, anchoring me in place."-Kindle location 1549 of 3530 

Wishing For Someday Soon is NOW available on Amazon!

Golden Blood (Time Spirit Trilogy 1) by Melissa Pearl Review

Golden Blood (Time Spirit Trilogy 1) by Melissa Pearl-YA Fantasy/Romance

Kindle format given by author for review/blog tour

Summary:

Gemma Hart is a time traveler. She never knows when she'll have to go on a mission. Gemma's not the only traveler in her family. Her family is part of a secret group of ancient time travelers. They must keep their secret safe from humans in order to keep their race alive. So, as a result, Gemma has always kept to herself. She's never made friends easily for fear that her family's secret will be exposed. There's only one person she's ever had any interest in. However, since any kind of relationship is forbidden, she puts her feelings aside for Harrison Granger. 

Harrison Granger catches the eye of every girl in school. He's popular, good looking, and has never lacked female attention. Then one day he runs into Gemma. He's noticed her at school before, but she's seen as somewhat of an outcast. After they bump into each other, he can't stop thinking about her. He literally felt sparks fly when they were together and he wants to feel it again. The problem is that Gemma's hard to crack, but Harrison is up for the challenge and won't take no for an answer. 

My Take:

First off I want to say that I was super excited when I opened the first page and saw that it takes place in St. Augustine, FL. Not only was it our family vacation spot growing up, but my brother went to college there and I live an hour away. We still visit St. Augustine regularly. I love it! I could visualize all the places that were mentioned. 

On to the story, I really enjoyed it. This story is unlike anything I've read in a while, so it was refreshing to read something different. When I first read the official blurb, it appealed to me, but as I started getting into the book I became more invested in the story. 

I became attached to Gemma right away. I like her physical strength and her need to put her family first. However, I loved seeing her fall in love for the first time. Harrison is just the absolute sweetest and I love that he didn't give up on Gemma. Of course, he does find out her secret, but handles it with care. He's completely trust worthy and really puts Gemma first. I personally think that there is something more to his character than we know now, but we'll have to see. 

I believe that there is more to her family situation as well. I don't trust her parents at all. They rely on Gemma's abilities way too much. I feel that there is an agenda that they haven't been completely honest with her about. Of course, I believe that secret will be revealed and all that Gemma knows will be blown apart. That's my theory anyway. ;) The ending left me anxious for more and I can't wait to find out who the mysterious stranger is. 

There were only a few nags in the story for me, but nothing really worth noting. Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I read it in one sitting and didn't want to put it down till it was finished. The remaining two books in the series are out now and I can't wait to read the rest of the story. Golden Blood had everything a great read is for me; it had romance, adventure, and mystery. For more information go to: Melissa Pearl. 4 out of 5 stars

This trilogy is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Tour Schedule

Whispering Hills by Taryn Browning Guest Post

Welcome to my stop on the Whispering Hills Blog Tour hosted by @SupaGurl Tours. I am a big music fan and I notice a lot of authors use music in their writing process. So, I asked Taryn how she incorporates music into her writing and here's what she told me.

How I incorporate music into my writing...

One way that I drown out the noise of two young children running around the house while I'm writing is to listen to music with headphones. Actually, when I wrote Dark Seeker and Whispering Hills I got so use to wearing headphones that I preferred listening to music all the time, even when my boys were asleep.

I enjoy putting together a playlist of my favorite rock and alternative songs from bands like 30 Seconds To Mars, Lifehouse, Daughtry, Trading Yesterday, etc. The right songs get me in the mood to write my urban fantasy and paranormal books. The words just seem to flow out of me with music in the background. I've always loved music, so I guess it doesn't surprise me that music inspires me to write.

One of my favorite things to do is go to concerts and listen to live music. Although I prefer a smaller venue. Concerts in stadiums sometimes echo, so it's hard to really hear the music clearly. The last concert I saw was Lifehouse outside at Universal Studios, Orlando. It was amazing.

I guess you can say music is my muse. Sometimes I'll get stuck on a song while I'm writing and I'll put it on repeat. I'm usually wearing headphones, so I don't annoy my family too much, lol. 

Thank you Taryn for stopping by my blog today! To see more stops on the tour for your chance to win some great GIVEAWAYS, go to Supa Gurl Books!

In My Mailbox 3/25

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. The purpose is to share what books you’ve received that week. I may not post reviews for all of the books I feature, but it’s a great way to spread the word about some great book finds.

Nice still shot :) 

Review

Old Wounds-NK Smith

Little Battles-NK Smith

Weight of the World-NK Smith

Where All Things WIll Grow-NK Smith (forgot to mention this. So Sorry!)

Unwritten Rules-MA Stacie

Lies Inside-Lindsey Gray

Last Call-Jennifer Schmidt

Fourteen-CM Smith

Rise from Darkness-Ciara Knight

Sound Bites-Rachel Burke

EXPEL-Addison Moore

Gifts

PULSE-Kailin Gow

The Fire Wars-Kailin Gow

Supernatural Devices-Kailin Gow

Love's Prophecy ( The Prophecy 1) by Brenda Dyer Review

Love's Prophecy (The Prophecy 1) by Brenda Dyer-Adult Paranormal Romance

Kindle format given by author for review/blog tour

Summary:

Vampire warriors were created to stop Lucifer's attempt at destroying humans. However, over time, vampires became feared. There is a way to bring human and vampires together again, but It must be fulfilled by the prophecy.

Mel is a vampire warrior from one of the original vampire families. He's given up on finding love, after losing his wife centuries ago. Mel maintains his focus on killing demons and finding the the person who bears the mark and will fulfill the prophecy. Then, he meets Breeana and his world comes to a halt. She's the woman from his dreams. 

Breeana Spencer been disappointed by love in the past, so she's given up finding love and is content with her life. Until she meets Mel. After her band performs at a bar, she is approached by this mysterious looking man. Mel has been watching her all night, strangely drawn to her. Breeana feels a connection, but it reluctant to pursue it. When they leave the bar, they are attacked by demons and Mel is forced to take her to his clan home to keep her safe. He finds that she has a birthmark in the shape of the mark in the prophecy. Now, Mel is determined to keep her safe and during that time they fall in love. 

Will Mel and Breeana trust their love for each other in order to survive and be able to fulfill the prophecy?

My Take:

What could be better than a vampire warrior? A whole clan of vampire warriors! I mean, these guys are big, fierce, and of course extremely good looking. I liked that there is a bigger story though. 

Breeana's character was likable right away. She appeared to be a strong, independent woman. I like how she was able to trust her feelings for Mel and was determined to let their love guide them. Despite Mel's size and intimidation factor, he was a softy. He was very gentle and romantic with Breeana. The supporting characters were all enjoyable and I see that there are many more opportunities develop the story with these boys. I look forward to it!  I really liked Kal and am hoping his story will be next. 

Overall, enjoyable vampire romance, with a medium to high steam factor rating. I would recommend this book and look forward to reading the other books in the series. For more information go to: Brenda Dyer. 4 out of 5 stars

This book is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Tour Schedule