Saturday, August 20, 2016

Review: CHASED BY LOVE by Melissa Foster!

Release Date: August 17th, 2016

Type: Contemporary Romance, Actress, Rock Star, Series, Not-so-bad boy

My Review: This is one of those books that I genuinely enjoyed, but I just didn't get sucked into it. You know how, when you're reading a good book, you forget you're actually reading? It just plays like a movie in your head? Well, I didn't get that with Chased By Love. I was very entertained and interested while reading, it just wasn't so engrossing that I forgot about the real world. I think that might have to do with how fast things seem to move, and how the dialog just felt a little.. off, I guess.

But don't let the above paragraph turn you off this book, or make you think that I didn't like it. Not true! I did like it. I loved reading about Boone and Trish, and watching the two of them come together despite everything else going on in their lives. This is a good book, and a very enjoyable read. And I liked the author's writing style enough that I would gladly check out more books in this series, The Ryders. Just what I got of Trish's brothers made me think their own stories would be amusing and worth a read.

Cover Lovin': I really like this cover. I especially appreciate that  the cover model has Trish's exact tattoo - that's hard to match up, sometimes.

Recommendation: I'm a complete newbie to the series, and I did just fine - so no prior knowledge necessary. That said, I'd love to hear more about Trish's brothers.

Final Rating: THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars! A fun read, and I'd love to check out the rest of the series.

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Today we’ve got the release week blitz for Chased by Love by Melissa Foster! Check it out and be sure to enter her giveaway today! Inkslinger Chased_ReleaseWeek (1) About Chased by Love: Chased by Love cover The Ryders are a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series.   "You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak   "Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely   In CHASED BY LOVE... Actress Trish Ryder takes her job seriously and has no time for those who don't. When she's awarded a major role in a new movie featuring America's hottest rock star, Boone Stryker, she's beyond excited. The six-two, tattooed hunk of burning desire is known for his dedication to his craft--but when he ditches their first meeting, she begins to wonder if he's just another rocker with a great PR team.   Sex, booze, women, and music pretty much sum up Boone Stryker's private world. He's coasted through life playing by his own rules with plenty of people willing to cover his tracks, and he's not likely to change--until he meets a woman who refuses to give him the time of day, much less anything more.   Sparks fly from the first moment Trish and Boone meet--Tensions run hot and desire runs hotter when they're trapped together on a remote location with no place to hide. Will sparks ignite, or will a hurricane douse the flames?   MORE RYDERS coming soon! Seized by Love (Blue) Claimed by Love (Duke) Chased by Love (Trish) Rescued by Love (Jake) Swept Into Love (Gage)   The RYDERS are part of the LOVE IN BLOOM big family romance collection. Each book may be read as a stand-alone novel, or as part of the series. teaser 1 Get your copy today! Amazon NOOK KOBO GPLAY iBOOKS SMASHWORDS Paperback: Amazon US teaser 3 Exclusive Excerpt Unwilling to give him the upper hand, she flashed a haughty smirk and returned his assessment with a lecherous leer of her own, drinking in every inch of his athletic build, from his bulging biceps to the ripped abs evident beneath his clingy shirt, all the way to the formidable package at the juncture of his powerful thighs. She lingered there, brazenly licking her lips.   He leaned in close—so close she thought he might kiss her. And damn it to hell, she wanted him to. Lust and challenge pulsed between them, thick and alive like a third heart.   teaser 4 About Melissa Foster: Melissa Foster Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine. Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family. Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
  newsletter pic Links: NEWSLETTER: http://www.melissafoster.com/newsletter CONNECT WITH MELISSA FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaFosterAuthor TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Melissa_Foster WEBSITE: http://www.MelissaFoster.com STREET TEAM: http://www.facebook.com/groups/melissafosterfans

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Friday, August 19, 2016

Weekly Reading Update: 8/12 - 8/18/16!


Another week, another update… As always, click the title for more information!

I felt like a got a lot of reading done this week, but that’s mostly because I was home sick for a few days, and there wasn’t much else I could do besides read and suffer. But while I might have managed to get the reading itself done, several of these books require reviews (mostly for Romance Reviews Today), and I haven’t even started on that yet.

I started my weekend off reading a graphic novel - Princeless: Raven the Pirate Princess Book 2: Free Women by Jeremy Whitley. If you haven’t read any of the Princeless graphic novels, you need to do so now! They are so clever, and ridiculously funny. I think I like the spin-off series featuring Raven even more than the original series. To create a proper bookend (snort), I finished the week off with another graphic novel, Nailbiter volume 2: Bloody Hands by Joshua Williamson. This series is weird, dark, and creepy - so deeply engrossing. I hope to find volume 3 sooner rather than later.

Next was The Right Kind of Trouble by Shiloh Walker. This has been a series I wanted to read since the first book came out, but haven’t gotten around to it just yet. I got this one (book 3) to review for Romance Reviews Today, and luckily, it can mostly work as a stand alone. I loved the hero, Gideon. But the heroine, Moira, made me more than a little angry and frustrated most of the time. But I loved the story enough that it was worth it. And I still want to go back and read the previous books.

Still bedridden (or at least that’s how it felt), I picked up Lustlocked by Matt Wallace next. This is the second book in the Sin Du Jour series, and I thought it was just as ridiculous and hilarious as the first. I’ve already put in a request for the library to purchase the third book, so hopefully they get on that sooner rather than later. I’m loving all the Tor.com novellas I’ve read thus far (well… except for one or two).

In the mood for something different, I finally read One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild by Megan Frampton. I’ve had this checked out from the library for months, and having now read it - I’m so mad I waited this long! This book was delightful. I would have loved it anyways for the punny title, but the book itself is amazing. So original, fun, and adorable. It definitely makes me want to go through and read more by this author.

For the past week or so, I’ve been reading a little bit of How English Became English by Simon Horobin every night before bed. If you like nonfiction, languages, linguistics, etc, I would suggest giving this one a shot. It’s short, while still managing to pack a bunch of information. The best part were the examples - a paragraph in multiple versions of English, to see how the language has changed over time.

Last, but certainly not least, I read Miss Match by Laurelin McGee. I got to review the second book in the series, Love Struck for Romance Reviews Today. And since then, I’ve wanted to check out the first book - I’m so glad I finally got to it! It was funny and so sweet. I went ahead and added it to my wishlist, because I know I will need to re-read this soon!

That’s it for me this week!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Review: KAYDEN/SIMON by Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright! (1001 Dark Nights)

Release Date: August 9th, 2016

Type: Shifters, Pumas, Paranormal Romance, Novellas, 1001 Dark Nights, Books 21-22, Bayou Heat series

My Review: I've read multiple books by Alexandra Ivy, and Laura Wright has been on my watch list for some time - so I've always wanted to check out their Bayou Heat series. And with Kayden/Simon being a part of the 1001 Dark Nights series, I couldn't pass up the chance! I love shifter romances, and these two authors have created a fascinating world surrounding their Pantera clan (Puma shifters). Having read this volume, I can definitely say I'll be going back and giving the first book(s) a shot!

I read the first story, "Kayden," and just going off the description, I figured that one would be my favorite of the two. Some scenarios just appeal to me more than others, what can I say. And considering how much I liked Kayden, both the story itself as well as the character, I didn't think "Simon" could hold up. So imagine how excited I was when "Simon" proved to be just as good, if not even better. I loved seeing the dynamic between the heroes and heroines, and how each couple manged to come together as mates. I also liked seeing how the characters interacted with others in their clan - which made me that much more interested in going back and reading earlier books in the series, to see how those characters might have gotten their happy endings.

I'm going with a 3.5 on this one. It's not that the stories were bad - they weren't! I clearly enjoyed them. It's just, based on the space constraints, it felt like there wasn't enough of each story to get me fully involved. Which is always tough when reading a novella - and in this case, there were two stories in one novella, giving each one even less room. But overall, I liked them. And both of these authors will remain on my follow list!

Cover Lovin': Fits the rest of the 1001 Dark Nights series. I love the subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences between them all.

Recommendation: I was a completely newbie to this overarching series (Bayou Heat), so you can be too!
Final Rating: THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars! (3.5/5) Very fun stories. It was hard to choose which one I liked better, they were both a fun read.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.


KAYDEN-SIMON Tour Banner    

KAYDEN/SIMON by Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright, novellas in their Bayou Heat Series brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights, is here! Be sure you check out the trailer and all the stops on the tour. It’s available now so grab your copy today!

   
Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright's KAYDEN/SIMON - Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
August 10th
2 one Click Chicks – Review
Books n Wine – Review & Excerpt
Captain Reads A Lot – Excerpt
August 11th
Lacey's Love of Literature – Review & Excerpt
WTF Are You Reading? – Review & Excerpt
August 12th
Marieke's Books – Review & Excerpt
Gi's Spot Reviews – Review & Excerpt
August 13th
BFD Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Hooker Heels Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
August 14th
A Brit and a Yank – Excerpt
The Book Disciple – Review & Excerpt
August 15th
Obsessive Reading Disorder – Review & Excerpt
T&L Book Reviews – Review
August 16th
British Book Binge – Review & Excerpt
The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt
Happy Tails and Tales Blog – Review & Excerpt
August 17th
Embrace the Romance – Review & Excerpt
Novel Addiction – Review
August 18th
Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt
alpha book club – Review & Excerpt
Deal Sharing Aunt Excerpt
August 19th
G & T's Indie Café – Excerpt
Loves Great Reads Blog – Review & Excerpt
   

KAYDEN-SIMON ENEMY TO LOVER
Kayden is obsessed with revenge after his parents disappeared when he was just a cub. Now the gorgeous Hunter has discovered the man responsible for betraying them – Joshua Ford – and it’s time for payback. Beginning with the kidnapping of Joshua’s daughter, Bianca. But last thing he expects is to be confronted with the horrifying realization that Bianca is his mate. Will he put revenge before his chance for eternal happiness?
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Sexy male model, Simon refuses to give up his exciting life in New York City to return to the slow heat of the Wildlands. For a decade, many pantera have tried to capture the rogue Diplomat and bring him home, but all have failed. Now it’s Tryst’s turn. The hard, brilliant, and gorgeous, Hunter is the ultimate tracker. But can the admitted beast-girl of the Wildlands capture her prey without losing her heart in the process?

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon Canada

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      Alexandra Ivy - headshotAlexandra Ivy is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From Alexandra: “I’m not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother’s knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library. Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on. Years later (no, I’m not admitting how many) I’m still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold! I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.

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  Laura Wright - headshotLaura Wright is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From Laura: “Unlike many of my peers in the writing world, I wasn’t a writer or a reader until I left high school. During my youth I was into theater, song and dance, commercials and boys. I loved romance surely, but I had never read a romance novel until my late teens. With that said, I remember the day I did like it was a moment ago – my aunt gave me the Jude Deveraux novel, Knight in Shining Armor and I couldn’t put it down until the very last word. Then I went straight to the library and got another – then another until I’d read everything she’d ever written. After that, it was McNaught, Howard, Schone, Kleypas, and the Silhouette line, Desire. I instantly loved those emotional, sexy reads, so much so that I began to carve out ideas for my own stories, themes that were unique to me and moved me. In 1997 I enrolled in UCLA extension writing classes, met my mentor and critique partners and since have never stopped writing. I was committed then and I still am now; the need to tell my own romantic stories a full on obsession. My first manuscript was rejected, and though the second one was as well the editor who’d rejected it wanted to see something else from me. I had something (note to authors; always keep working, even after you’ve sent in a proposal) and sent it right away. The day I got the call telling me Desire wanted to buy Cinderella and the Playboy was the best day of my life. That is until I married my husband, and had my two beautiful children. But I must say, writing is much like motherhood – tough, grueling, surprising, delicious and for me, a dream come true.”  

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      KAYDEN-SIMON - Available Now       InkSlinger-Blogger-New

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Review: TOO WILD TO TAME by Tessa Bailey!

Release Date: September 6th, 2016

Type: Series, Book two, Contemporary, Romance, Family Matters, Politicians Talk Dirty

About the Book: By day, Aaron Clarkson suits up, shakes hands, and acts the perfect gentleman. But at night, behind bedroom doors, the tie comes off and the real Aaron comes out to play. Mixing business with pleasure got him fired, so Aaron knows that if he wants to work for the country's most powerful senator, he'll have to keep his eye on the prize. That's easier said than done when he meets the senator's daughter, who's wild, gorgeous, and 100 percent trouble.

Grace Pendleton is the black sheep of her conservative family. Yet while Aaron's presence reminds her of a past she'd rather forget, something in his eyes keeps drawing her in. Maybe it's the way his voice turns her molten. Or maybe it's because deep down inside, the ultra-smooth, polished Aaron Clarkson might be more than even Grace can handle . . . [Description from Goodreads.com]

My Review: First: Check out my review of Too Hot To Handle, the first book in the series. See how much I loved it? Yeah, this second book is just as good!

I don't know if I can properly express just how much I love this series. When I finished the first book, I was practically shaking - I needed the second book that badly. Knowing I would have a similar problem at the end of this book, I refused to allow myself to read the preview of the third book included in the back of Too Wild To Tame - at least, not yet. I love this family, I love how they're finding themselves, and where they fit in the Clarkson family as they go. Seeing the siblings bicker, fall apart, and then come together would be worth it alone - but the love story, oh yes. Tessa Bailey knows how to write an excellent love story. Aaron and Grace just fit. You can almost see them as two oddly shaped puzzle pieces, and somehow - they fit together just right to make a beautiful picture.

In the first book, Aaron could be quite annoying. He always acted older than he was, like he knew more than everyone else - overall, an arrogant jerk. But in Too Wild To Tame, we see a different side of him. He's lonely, he's hurt, and he acts so arrogant because he's a fixer, and he just wants to fix everyone's problems. There is a scene in which Aaron breaks down, and I wish I could go into details because it was so emotional, and so powerful, that I was tearing up. I've read several books by Tessa Bailey at this point, and she manages to do that to me every time. These characters feel so real, their stories so vivid, that it's hard to not feel their pain and anguish.

Too Hot To Handle remains one of my top reads of the year, if not of all time. I was a little worried that Too Wild To Tame would be a victim of the sophomore slump, and lose some of that magic - not at all! Book two is going on the favorites list. I already can't wait to re-read them in preparation for the third book, coming out next year.

Cover Lovin': Not only does it work perfectly with the first book in the series, Too Hot To Handle, but this cover is hot hot hot.

Recommendation: Too Wild To Tame can work just fine as a stand-alone. But since each book features a different family member, and the family dynamic is pretty important - reading Too Hot To Handle first is recommended.

Final Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars! (5/5) I loved this just as much as the first book, but in a different way. This book just about made me cry, and it certainly made me laugh. Another awesome book by Tessa Bailey!

Make sure to get your copies of Too Hot To Handle and Too Wild To Tame today!


Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~


Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Monday, August 15, 2016

Release Day Launch: MIDNIGHT SOUL by Kristen Ashley

Midnight Soul - RDL banner    

MIDNIGHT SOUL is here! This amazing fantasy takes place in our world and a parallel universe where fantasies are true…but perhaps not all you would expect. MIDNIGHT SOUL is the highly anticipated finale to Kristen Ashley’s bestselling Fantasyland Series. Be sure you check out the excerpt and giveaway below and order the final novel in this amazing series today!

    Midnight Soul - RDL teaser 1       EXCERPT: ~Franka~ I remembered that look. I relished that look. Not only on my Antoine but any lover I’d had (but, obviously, getting it from Antione was far more rewarding). It was a look I worked toward, putting great energy and imagination into it, losing myself in these endeavors, feeling free of my name, my history, my secrets, my responsibilities, and reveling in my success as if I’d scaled mountains. It was my greatest talent outside, of course (as any good Drakkar would excel), honing in on any vulnerability and manipulating it for the greatest possible gain—coin, jewels, furs, favors, silence, information, or simply for amusement. Seeing the look on Noctorno at that moment, I knew Circe too had performed well (admirably well, I might add, considering her dismal past). I also recognized—focusing on it keenly—what Circe might have missed, or perhaps what Noctorno hid from her understanding, or simply just sensing, how she came to him. He was not done. Oh no. If she had not given indication she wished him out of her bedchamber, he’d still be in it. Indeed, he might be in it all night, and not to sleep. He might have been in it, perhaps, for days. As these thoughts flitted in my mind, I became aware he’d fully entered the room, was stopped not far from my chair, and was standing, chin tipped down, eyes regarding me with a scrutiny that I found so uncomfortable I actually shifted in my seat. I ceased this reaction the instant I became aware of it, appalled at myself. Giving something away so easily? Especially something like discomfiture? You’ve ruined me, I snapped silently at Antoine. My dead lover had no rejoinder. “You okay?” Noctorno asked. “Am I what?” I asked in return. His head gave a slight twitch before he went on, “You okay? All right?” His voice lowered. “It’s been a tough day, babe, for all of us. Including you.” I looked beyond him to the fire, lifting my wine to my lips but not sipping it until after I murmured, “I’m perfectly fine.” “Yeah, right,” he stated, and the disbelief veritably dripping from his tone made my gaze flick immediately back to him. This meant I watched as he sauntered right in front of me to the chair accompanying mine, threw his lengthy frame in it and reached for the wine at the table that separated our seats. He also reached for the extra glass. These were seats, I shall add, that were turned at corners to each other with a small, round table in between, so my knee was nearly touching his. He poured. It was on the tip of my tongue to share that I had not invited him to attend me. Alas, I became distracted by his long fingers, and the words died in my mouth.
       Midnight Soul - cover
MIDNIGHT SOUL Synopsis:

Against his will, Noctorno Hawthorne, an undercover vice cop, finds himself embroiled in magic, mayhem and parallel universes. Too late, he meets an amazing woman only to find she’s destined for his identical twin in another world.

And things aren’t going real great there.

Noc is recruited to help save that world.

What he doesn’t know is his destined love resides there.

Franka Drakkar wears a mask. A mask she never takes off to protect herself in a world of malice, intrigue and danger.

When Franka meets Noc and he discovers her secrets, convinced she carries a midnight soul, having shielded herself from forming bonds with anyone, she struggles with accepting his tenderness and care.

When Noc meets Franka, over wine and whiskey, her mask slips and Noc knows it’s her—only her—and he has to find a way to get her to come home with him.

And then make her want to stay.

Order MIDNIGHT SOUL here!

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * GooglePlay * iBooks* Kobo

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

       
Midnight Soul - RDL teaser 2

And Don’t Miss the First Books in the Fantasyland Series!

WILDEST DREAMS

THE GOLDEN DYNASTY

FANTASTICAL

BROKEN DOVE

      Kristin Ashley - headshotAbout Kristen Ashley: Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning. Nothing’s changed. Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.  

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