Monday, July 31, 2017

Review: Project Pandora by Aden Polydoros

Book info:
TitleProject Pandora
Author:  Aden Polydoros
Series: Assassin Fall #1
Genre:  YA suspense
Release Date:  August 1st, 2017
Publisher:  Entangled Teen
Source:  ARC from publisher for review
My rating:  4 stars

Synopsis:
Tyler Bennett trusts no one. Just another foster kid bounced from home to home, he’s learned that lesson the hard way. Cue world’s tiniest violin. But when strange things start happening—waking up with bloody knuckles and no memory of the night before or the burner phone he can’t let out of his sight— Tyler starts to wonder if he can even trust himself.

Even stranger, the girl he’s falling for has a burner phone just like his. Finding out what’s really happening only leads to more questions…questions that could get them both killed. It’s not like someone’s kidnapping teens lost in the system and brainwashing them to be assassins or anything, right? And what happens to rogue assets who defy control?

In a race against the clock, they’ll have to uncover the truth behind Project Pandora and take it down—before they’re reactivated. Good thing the program spent millions training them to kick ass...
 


My review:
I don't read a lot of suspense types of stories, but as I do enjoy watching those movies, this book was definitely one that fit into something I might like.  And as I read it, I could totally see it being a movie.  While at first I had a little issue telling the difference between some of the characters, specifically the two girls, after a while it got to make more sense.  Th idea behind Project Pandora was very intriguing, although I would have liked a bit more background information.  You really felt for the characters, especially as their minds began to flash back to what they had done in the past, or what they were in the middle of doing.  You felt the connection between the teens for sure.  Hades, one of the main characters, and Elizabeth, or Persephone, had a connection that you really rooted for.  Although at first Hades came off as a psychopath, which really he probably was, you really got to feeling for him the more you read about his life and what he'd been subjected to.  On Goodreads it lists this as a series, and I could see there being more to the story, so I'll be interested to see if it does go on. 
This is a very easy read, lots of excitement to keep you turning pages, needing to know just what is actually going on, and who is pulling the strings of these teens.    

Blog Tour with Giveaway: Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock


Book info:
Title Just Friends
Author:  Tiffany Pitcock
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: August 1st 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
A new spin on the classic smart-girl-and-bad-boy setup, this witty contemporary romance shows how easily a friendship – even one built on an elaborate lie – can become so much more.
Jenny meets Chance for the very first time when she is assigned as his partner in their Junior Oral Communications class. But after they rescue a doomed assignment with one clever lie, the whole school is suddenly convinced that Little-Miss-Really-Likes-Having-A’s and the most scandalous heartbreaker in school have been best friends forever. It’s amazing how quickly a lie can grow―especially when you really, really want it to be the truth.
With Jenny, Chance can live the normal life he’s always kind of wanted. And with Chance, Jenny can have the exciting teen experiences that TV shows and movies have always promised. Through it all, they hold on to the fact that they are “just friends.” But that might be the biggest lie of all.
Debut author Tiffany Pitcock delivers a spot-on depiction of first love and the high school rumor mill in Just Friends, chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads.

Author Interview:

1.  What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start?  Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)?  If you plan it out, how do you do that?  Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?
My writing process is super scattered. I start off with an idea and write out a chapter or two to get a feel for it and then I sit down and plot it out chapter by chapter. Of course, outlines aren’t meant to be followed religiously and stories change as you work on them, so I have some wiggle room. I just need an idea of where I’m going. I typically try to plan out at least two key events per chapter so I know a general direction.

2.  How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?
I just think “huh, that would be cool” and then work from there. Just Friends came from binging too many teen dramas (and a real life break up). I have a WiP based on a dream and another based on a theatre class I took freshman year of college. They just kind of hit me and that’s it. I don’t really have a process.

3.  How long have you been writing?
Basically my whole life. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was eight, and I’ve been writing ever since. My elementary school notebooks were filled with stories and by the time I was fourteen I’d written at least one manuscript by myself and one novel length fanfiction with a friend.

4.  What tips do you have for aspiring writers?
 Just write. There’s no tricks or secrets to know, you just have to write. You don’t have to write every single day, but you do have to write often. The difference between aspiring writers and writers is simple: writers find time to actually write. Complete something, just get it all down on paper, and go from there.
5.  Some favorites:
Books/authors/genres:
Books: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is a top tier favorite. So is Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. I’m also in love with Michelle Hodkins’ Mara Dyer trilogy.
Authors: Meg Cabot, definitely. Sarah Dessen. Kasie West. David Levithan.  
Genre: Contemporary romance. Close second is paranormal romance. Any romance really. My main requirement for a book is it has to have a romance.
Movies/TV Shows:
Movies: My favorite movie is Stardust. Followed by Pride & Prejudice (2005) and the 2003 live action Peter Pan.
TV: Buffy the Vampire Slayer! It’s my absolute favorite. Veronica Mars. iZombie. Jane the Virgin. Community.
Music: My favorite band is Fall Out Boy, and has been since I was twelve. My music taste is pretty varied - I’ll listen to just about anything. Some all time favorites are Marina & the Diamonds, Cartel, The Pink Spiders, and Matchbox 20.
Food/Writing snack: I actually don’t have a favorite food or snack. I like pizza and sushi a lot, but I wouldn’t classify them as my favorite. I do really love mozzarella sticks, though.
Social Media Site    

Twitter: @TiffanyPitcock
Instagram: @SkinxLess
Author Bio:
23. Writer. Reader. Sarcastic.
I was born and raised in Arkansas, which isn’t terribly exciting. I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I used to sit in class and write stories in my notebooks, thinking that everyone did. It turns out, everyone didn’t. I love writing because it means I’m putting my thoughts, feelings, and soul out there for someone else to read – for someone else to feel. The fact that someone can read my words, and empathize with my characters – characters that wouldn’t exist with out me, that I created from my mind – is such a wonderful concept to me. I could happily write for the rest of my life as long as there was one person out there who was affected by my words.

GIVEAWAY!
 

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Review with Author Interview: In 27 Days by Alison Gervais

Book info:
TitleIn 27 Days
Author:  Alison Gervais
Genre: YA contemporary, magical realism
Release Date:  July 25th, 2017 (Originally on Wattpad May 28th, 2012)
Publisher:  Blink YA Books
Source: ARC from publisher and SIS-OY-EV Public Relations for honest review
My rating:  4 stars

Synopsis:

Hadley Jamison receives an unexpected shock when she hears her classmate, Archer Morales, committed suicide. She didn’t know the quiet, reserved guy very well, but Hadley can’t shake the feeling that there was something she could have done to help him. Little does she know, she will actually have the chance. At Archer’s funeral, Hadley is approached by a man named Death who offers her a deal—if she accepts, she will be sent back twenty-seven days in time to prevent Archer from committing suicide.

Twenty-seven days was the length of time it took for Archer to decide to kill himself, and twenty-seven days is all Hadley has to succeed in saving him. Unfortunately, Archer isn’t exactly on the same page. Despite his cold comebacks and aloof exterior, Hadley knows he needs her, and continues to pursue a friendship with him. Archer begins softening up, and Hadley believes that her mission to save him will be a success.

But just when Hadley is beginning to feel confident, a series of dangerous accidents occur. She and Archer are pushed apart, and she must decide whether she is ready to risk everything—including her own life—to keep Archer safe.

In 27 Days is available in hardcover for $16.99 at retailers nationwide and online on July 25, 2017. An e-book edition is also available.

My review:
First, the main character's name is the same as my 5 year old niece's name, so that was interesting to read, as you don't see a lot of people named Hadley.  But I do love the name.  The story is told from Hadley's point of view, so we don't necessarily get to know exactly what is going on in Archer's mind, or exactly what might make him want to kill himself, except through the experiences that Hadley creates as she tries to get to know him and make him not want to commit suicide.  What I like about the story is that it doesn't all just go easy as they start hanging out and become friends and all is good.  No, Archer has reasons for not trusting other people.  Reasons for not letting Hadley just walk right in and get to know him.  But he has a great family, and they are very accepting of Hadley, and welcome her into their fold.  It turns out that Hadley may come from a wealthier family than Archer, but having money takes from the time she gets with her parents.  And it's not that they don't love her, I'm glad that even though she has absent parents, it is worked in to show that they do really love her, and that they can learn from things going on in their life and try to make things better.  I like all the twists the story took whenever we learned something new about either Archer, or Hadley, or even just what the deal with Death actually will entail and make Hadley have to deal with.  

I only had two issues with the story.  One was how the two of them really didn't seem to know each other that much before all of this started.    But maybe that works better for the way the story is told.  The other issue I had maybe deals more with while the story is about a suicide being prevented, there isn't that much about the suicide itself.  Again, the way the story is told, that is probably for the best as well.  But don't go into the story expecting something like that.  For the most part you are getting the month before he will do it, just the repeat of it through Hadley's eyes.  Definitely a good read though.  One I can definitely see adding to my school library.

Author interview:
  1. What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start?  Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)?  If you plan it out, how do you do that?  Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?
I don’t really know the complete story when I start writing – I just write. I think that’s why it takes me so long, honestly. I work in bits and pieces as new things for the story fall into my head. Sometimes I can get on this big writing streak and complete maybe seven chapters in two days, and other times I can go two weeks and only write two sentences.

  1. How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?
This is going to sound so silly, but I have absolutely NO idea where the idea for IN 27 DAYS came from. I was just sitting on a plane, on my way home from a youth conference in Indianapolis, and all of a sudden I asked the person sitting next to me if I could have a pen and a piece of paper because I knew I just had to start writing something. That something turned out to be IN 27 DAYS. When I was writing the story, there were bits and pieces of certain scenes that were rather emotional for me. I’ve struggled with depression for years, and I think it always will be an ongoing battle for me. It was difficult not to feel for these characters as their story unfolded because I’d been in some similar situations before.

  1. How long have you been writing?
I started writing around the age of five, but it wasn’t until I was about ten or so that I began to consider becoming an author

  1. What tips do you have for aspiring writers?
My one piece of advice is ALWAYS keep writing! Never stop! Remember to write for yourself because you have a story to tell, and don’t worry about what people are going to think. Carry a notebook with you in case inspiration suddenly comes to you – like it did for me! – and then you can get down to writing as soon as possible!

  1. Some favorites:
    1. Books/authors/genres: Definitely YA Fiction, of any genre! All-time favorite would of course have to be the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling.
    2. Movies/TV Shows: My favorite movie is actually a musical called Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Favorite TV show would have to be Supernatural, and shows from old school Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.
    3. Music: I am honestly a huge fan of big band music. I’ve always loved Glenn Miller and his Orchestra. I have about five different records of his.
  About the Author:
Alison Gervais joined the website for aspiring writers, Wattpad, her sophomore year of high school, and In 27 Days followed a few months later. In 27 Days has gone on to win a Watty Award, become the #1 title in the Adventure category, and secure nearly 20 million reads. Alison now attends the University of Colorado Pueblo pursuing a creative writing degree. If she's not writing or studying for classes, she can be found re-reading Harry Potter, watching Supernatural, or trying to win the affection of her two cats, Kovu and Rocket.  

Blink publishes authentic and immersive content that engages and inspires young adult readers, from cutting-edge plotlines to fantasy to romance to contemporary classics. For more information please visit BlinkYABooks.com.







 

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Book Blitz with Giveaway: Wheeler by Sara Butler Zalesky


Book info:
TitleWheeler
Author:  Sara Butler Zalesky
Publication date: July 4th, 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Sports, Suspense
Synopsis:
Fate whispers to the warrior, ‘You cannot withstand the storm.’
The warrior whispers back, ‘I am the storm.’
Loren Mackenzie has spent much of her life honing her body to meet the physical challenges of being a professional cyclist in the women’s European peloton. She has also refined the control of her mind, using the power of her emotions in competition to become one of the elite cyclists in the world. After an accident at the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, Loren must rise to the challenge of leading her team as the Women’s World Tour races across Europe, culminating with the opportunity to compete at the World Championships in Richmond, Virgina.
When a chance meeting develops into a whirlwind romance, what appears to be the perfect relationship threatens to unravel Loren’s tightly wound life. The microscope of tabloid media attention dredges up fears that her past will be unearthed; tragic secrets she has kept buried, even from those closest to her.
Can Loren face the trauma of her past and vanquish the demons within, or will betrayal and obsession ultimately defeat her?


EXCERPT:

Loren rose from her chair and began to gather up the cups and plates they had used as Graham watched her through half-closed eyes. She leaned into the table with a grin.
“Are ya gettin’ sleepy?”
He put his hands on her hips to pull her close. “No, are you?”
She licked her lips. “I have to admit, I was enjoying what we were doing before we were interrupted.” Loren raised a brow at him. Graham’s mouth twitched, and he took out his mobile to shuffle through his music. As the first notes of the song began, he stood and extended his hand to her.
“Dance with me?” He drew Loren to him, his eyes never leaving hers as they moved in rhythm with the music. “Hereafter, in a better world than this,” he murmured, “I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.”
Their breath mixed as his lips hovered over hers. He kissed her gently at first, then with increased fervor as his hands glided over the curves of her body. Her positive response urged him into further exploration. It was several minutes before he realized he had laid her back on the table with one of her legs curled over his hip. Graham reluctantly ended their kiss.
“I’m sorry. I-I got a little carried away there,” he said, his breathing unsteady.
Loren kissed him. “We both got a little carried away.”
He helped her return to her feet but couldn’t bring himself to let go. He brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek and kissed her again. Her touch, her smell, the way she felt in his arms; he’d never been so completely at ease with anyone. He pressed his forehead lightly into hers.
“Who are you?”
She backed out of his embrace and offered him her hand. “Loren Mackenzie, pro cyclist. Nice to meet you.”
Graham laughed and shook her hand. “I am so glad I turned around!”
Her chuckle dissolved as she tucked her lower lip in her teeth. “I’d better get you back to your car before we do something we might regret.”
He took a deep breath and licked his lips. “You’re right.” He squinted at her. “How would you, you said you don’t have a car?”
“I have a motorcycle.”
“Oh, I don’t think so, darling.” He released her from his arms.
“Come on.” Loren motioned for him to follow and headed to a shed hidden behind the willow tree. When she opened the doors, the glossy black BMW F800R sport bike glowed in the overhead florescent light.
He scoffed as he placed his hand on the headlamp. “The two of us won’t fit on that.”
“Not that one. This one.” She took the canvas off the matte black Harley-Davidson Night Rod motorcycle. “Anthony’s Harley is bigger than mine.”
Graham’s mouth dropped open. “Wow. That’s…that’s a Harley?” He frowned. “But still…”
She tossed a helmet at him. “Come on. Help me get it out of the stand.” She grabbed the handlebars, and they both gave the bike a push to roll it out of the shed and Loren set the kickstand. “Anthony keeps it in good shape, but it still needs to be ridden every so often,” she said, putting on her helmet. “He converted his garage into a gym, that’s why it’s here.”
“Ah,” he said, holding open the larger gate next to the shed for her as she pushed the Harley down the gravel path to the street. Graham followed her only to stop short at the sight of her on the machine.
“Come on. I’m a professional,” she chuckled and patted the seat behind her. He was grumbling as he donned the helmet, then mounted the seat behind her. His knees were under her arms with his feet on the pegs, and she giggled as she leaned back against him like an easy chair.
“Yes, yes, it’s hilarious,” he muttered, making her laugh harder.
Loren pushed the ignition and the engine rumbled to life beneath them. After knocking the stand with her heel, she eased out the clutch while rolling the throttle to move off down the street. Graham had been holding her waist loosely at first, but as the Harley took off, the burst of speed had him tighten his arms. He could feel her laughing in his embrace.
Loren came to a brief stop at London Road then took a left turn to rumble down the street. Another left turn and they were soon at the car park where she came to a stop next to his car and set the stand again. She was grinning as she took off her helmet as Graham awkwardly dismounted.
“Fun, huh?”
“I reckon I would have preferred to walk,” he complained as he handed her the helmet where she hooked it to the buckle behind her then swung her leg over the bike. She was smiling as she approached.
“Oh, that’s a pity,” she said, sliding her hands around his waist. “I rather liked having your arms around me.”
“You have but to ask, my Lady.” He gathered her in his arms to nuzzle her neck. “I must admit, I would have been quite put out if I had to wait another week to see you.”
“Me, too.”
“Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night ‘til it be morrow.” His voice was a low rumble as he leaned in to kiss her, but stopped. “Well, not actually tomorrow, as you’ll be off to Colchester.”
“Oh, do shut up and kiss me,” Loren laughed.
“Gladly,” Graham murmured and staked his claim to her lips.



Author Bio:
Sara was born in the wee hours of a November night in New York City. When her family moved to a small borough in northwestern New Jersey, she had little choice but to move as well. Self-sufficiency is a tough thing for a toddler.
The dichotomy of being the middle child of three, but the only girl, was difficult, as typically no one really pays attention to a middle child. Mostly, Sara spent her time creating fanciful stories in her head when she should have been focused on other things, an issue that continues to this day.
Most of these stories have never been shared, let alone completed. This all changed in the spring of 2015, when Sara was encouraged by a friend to expand upon a short story she had accidentally emailed to him. The result is 'Wheeler’, a romantic, women's fiction/sport novel, which combines the author's romantic inclinations and her passion for cycling.
Sara currently resides in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, with her loving husband and their son. She is a paralegal for a boutique law firm in Chester County, Pa, an avid road cyclist and indoor cycling instructor at a national chain.
Follow the author’s blog at sarabutlerzalesky.wordpress.com or on Twitter @sarazalesky. She does a little dance every time someone ‘follows’ her on Twitter. Really.

GIVEAWAY!
 

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Cover Characteristic: Cars

The Cover Characteristic meme is hosted at  Sugar and Snark.   Here are the guidelines:

Each week we will post a characteristic and choose 5 of our favorite covers with that characteristic. If you want to join in and share your 5 favorite covers with the weeks particular characteristic, then just make a post, grab the meme picture (or make your own) and leave your URL in Linky (so we can visit).
You don’t even need to participate, just stopping by and saying hi would be great! Don’t forget to stop by the other participants!
  


This week was another easy one, so I've got ten covers with cars for you from the books I've read.  No particular order!

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Saturday, July 29, 2017

Book Blitz with Giveaway: Hunted Fate (Threads of the Moirae #3) by Jennifer Derrick


Book info:
Title:  Hunted Fate
Author:  Jennifer Derrick
Series:  Threads of the Moirae #3
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: July 24th, 2017
Genres: Mythology, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Alex and Atropos have taken refuge at an abandoned mountain resort compound. Atropos is a wanted woman in hiding, and the downtime with her soul mate is a nice change of pace. But the peace will be short-lived. The authorities are after her for her role in the attack on the city of Charlotte. Zeus has put a bounty on her head. There’s also a war to prepare for—and if she wins, the gods will be deposed once and for all. But first she needs to track down Gaia, and even that won’t be simple. Gaia resides at the bottom of the ocean, and the humans and gods are already hot on Atropos’ trail…
A heart-pounding romantic adventure where Greek mythology and modern-day life collide, Hunted Fate is the third book in the epic Threads of the Moirae series by Jennifer Derrick.

Previous books in the series:
Grab book 1 – Broken Fate – for FREE!

EXCERPT:

“We need whoever provides security around here. Or Hades. They’re bound to be the ones who can open this. If we can find them, we can drag them down here and slap their hand on this thing to get it open,” Alex says.
“We need another way,” Sara says, shaking her head. “We haven’t seen a single person since we got here. It’s too time consuming to track them down. And we’ll never get Hades.”
“Anyone know of any other ways to crack a palm plate?” I ask.
“Short of finding a valid fingerprint and going through an awful lot of steps to create a fake finger, the only other way is to break down the software controlling it,” Alex says.
“Are any of you hackers?”
Alex raises his hand.
“You can hack this?” I ask. “I didn’t know you were a hacker.”
“I’m not. But there isn’t a lot to do when you’re stuck at home with a terminal disease or trapped in a crappy boarding school. I taught myself a few things, made a few online friends who were a little shady. Depending on how sophisticated the software is, I might be able to crack it.”
“Would it be controlled from the computer out front?”
“It might be. Or it might be controlled from a central server that’s who knows where. No way to know without looking,” he says.
“That computer is password protected. If you try to force it, you may set off alarms.”
“Then I’ll have to be careful,” he says, heading back to the lobby.
We follow and gather around the desk while he works. The keys clack under his fingers as he mutters instructions to himself.
“Okay, I’m in the system,” he says. “While I’m here, I’m going to shut down those security cameras. No need for everyone to know where we are.”
The TV feed blinks and is gone.
He keeps typing and clicking and muttering. The rest of us sit down on the floor and wait. There’s nothing we can do.
“Huh. That could be tricky,” he says.
“What?” I ask, getting up and going around the desk so I can see his screen. Not that the gibberish there means squat to me.
“The system that controls the fingerprint scanners also controls the card locks. Worse, it’s not separated by floor. I’m not good enough to bring down only one piece of the system. It’s all or nothing.”
“What’s the problem?” I ask.
“It means that the only thing standing between us and whatever is behind those cell doors is the hope that none of them try the doors. If the inmates figure out the doors are open, then security will be the least of our problems. All of them could walk right out of here.”
“Do it,” I tell him. “It’s not like we’ll be broadcasting the locks are down. No one will notice. Hopefully.”
“Okay,” he says and goes back to pounding on the keys.
After a few minutes, the computer beeps and Alex pushes away from it.
“Done,” he says.
The words are barely out of his mouth when a series of small pops echoes around the room. They sound like they’re both surrounding us and simultaneously heading away from us.
“Aw, shit,” I say. “The locks. We forgot they make noise! We are idiots. Come on,” I say, racing for the doors on the right.
We slam through the doors and pull up in front of door number four. No one is coming into the hall yet. I’m hoping the inmates think it’s a trap and are too intimidated to try their doors. Either that or they didn’t hear the locks release. Please, just let me get out of here before hell literally opens, I think.



Author Bio:
Jennifer is a freelance writer and novelist. As a freelancer, she writes everything from technical manuals to articles on personal finance and European-style board games. Her interest in storytelling began when she was six and her parents gave her a typewriter for Christmas and agreed to pay her $.01 per page for any stories she churned out. Such a loose payment system naturally led to a lot of story padding. Broken Fate, her first novel, earned her $2.80 from her parents.
Jennifer lives in North Carolina and, when not writing, can often be found reading, trawling the shelves at the library, playing board games, watching sports, camping, running marathons, and playing with her dog.
You can visit her at her official website:www.JenniferDerrick.com.

GIVEAWAY!
 

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Four Romance Mini-Reviews

Okay, here go a few more mini-reviews.  This time they range from a Colleen Hoover book that actually is kind of a YA book, as the main characters are high schoolers, to a more risque book from Laurelin Paige and Sierra Simone.

Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover:
Published:  December 17th, 2012
Source:  Received book from giveaway
My rating:  5 stars

I can't remember for sure if I got this either from a giveaway, or possibly through one of the exchange groups I've participated in.  But as usual, Hoover's story blew me away. She kept me guessing for over half of the story on how in the world Holden could have known Sky without her knowing him.  And when the story finally unfolded, it was really good.  In the end the way it all played out was very suspenseful, kept me on the edge of my seat, and so hard to put down!  Another great book by Hoover.  I've got a copy of the third book in the series, I just need book 2 so I can move on!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.


The Undateable (Librarians in Love #1) by Sarah Title:
Published:  February 28th, 2017
Source:  Stripped cover from bookstore where I work
My rating:  4 stars

Honestly, this story could be about me.  I am pretty undateable, and I am a librarian.  I am just like the main character in that I pretty much feel like why should I have to change myself to get someone to like me? They should like me the way I am, right?  I'm not a big feminist person like she is, but other than that, I'm probably just like her.  Of course, I need to lose some weight, if I was at the correct weight, I'd definitely be her.  I have decided that maybe I do need to try a little bit if I hope to meet someone.  :-)   This was a sweet story, pretty much left the sex out, except for one or two bits.  And that's fine.  It was humorous and fun to read.  We got both Bernie's and Colin's points of view, and that made for a good way to enjoy the story.  This is the first in a series that I'll be looking forward to continuing to read, again because I'm a librarian, and it is about librarians in love.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
One San Francisco librarian would rather check out a good romance than dare to experience it herself. Luckily, her own next chapter is full of surprises…

Melissa “Bernie” Bernard isn’t familiar with fame. After all, she works at a college library with hardly any visitors. But when a video of a marriage proposal in her stacks goes viral, it’s not the bride and groom who capture the Internet’s attention. It’s Bernie—caught rolling her eyes. Now, just as she’s ready to go into hiding and permanently bury her nose in a book, a handsome reporter appears with a proposal of his own…

If Colin Rodriguez doesn’t do something big to attract new readers, his boss will hire someone else to dole out dating advice. Determined to prove he’s an expert at romance—despite his own pitiful track record—he pitches a story: He will find dates for the undateable. Specifically, for the now-infamous, love‑hating librarian at Richmond College.

Even though Bernie doesn’t believe in happily-ever-afters, she’s not one to resist a good challenge. Yet with one disastrous date after another, she’s ready to give up. Until Colin proves he’ll do anything to find her the perfect match—even if it means putting himself up for the role…


Tight by Alessandra Torre:
Published:  January 31st, 2015
Source:  Received as part of The Great Paperback PIF Exchange group
My rating:  4 stars

So, I assumed, based on the title, that this was going to be an extremely sexy, erotica type of story.  And don't get me wrong, it definitely had sexy scenes in it.  However, it was not at all about what I thought it was going to be.  We get the story from two different viewpoints, or I guess you could say from two different time periods.  One is Riley, and that is who the synopsis below is about.  The other is from a woman who has been kidnapped and sold into the sex slave business.  This woman also is in love with Brett Jacobs.  We don't learn exactly who she is till the very end, in a very unique twist.  There are hints all throughout the story, but let me tell you that it isn't what you think.  It's a dark read, and of course it does come with a warning at the beginning for those who need a warning.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
I was happy in my small town. In my life as a single, thirty-two year old woman. I had a good job, wonderful friends, my independence.

I also hadn't got laid in three years. Hadn't been on a date in two. Had stopped counting calories and wearing makeup... a while ago.

Then Brett Jacobs waltzed in. Caressed my thigh, dug rough fingers into my hair, lowered his soft mouth to my skin, took sexual control of my mind and stirred it all around with what he packed in his pants. He flipped my quiet life upside down and crawled into a place in my heart I thought was dead.

The issue is his secret.
The issue is her.
The issue is that I don't even know she exists, and he thinks she's dead.
The issue is that shit is about to hit the fan and I can't hold on to him tight enough.


Porn Star (P*rn Star #1) by Laurelin Paige and Sierra Simone:
Published:  March 8th, 2016
Source:  Purchased from author at 2016 Kinky in Kansas City Convention.
My rating:  5 stars

Okay, basically this is a sweeter, romantic version of the movie Boogie Nights, without all the drugs.  You really like the characters, you definitely root for them both.  It takes a good look at how women are treated in the industry, but also makes you think about how it may not be as horrible as it seems if it could be run by more people who had the art and film part of it in mind instead of being sleazy.  But that's just an opinion.  In the end, it is a happy ending.  It definitely has very sexy scenes, not really as much when they are filming, as when the two of them are on their dates.  

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
You know me. 

Come on, you know you do. 

Maybe you pretend you don’t. Maybe you clear your browser history religiously. Maybe you pretend to be aghast whenever someone even mentions the word porn in your presence. 

But the truth is that you do know me. 

Everybody knows Logan O’Toole, world famous porn star. 

Except then Devi Dare pops into my world, and pretty soon I’m doing things that aren’t like me—like texting her with flirty banter and creating an entire web porn series just so I can get to star in her bed. Again. And again. 

With Devi, my entire universe shifts, and the more time I spend with her, the more I realize that Logan O’Toole isn’t the guy I thought he was. 

So maybe I'm not the guy you thought I was either.