Release Week Blitz: BUILT by Jay Crownover! EXCERPT

 

We are so excited to bring you the Release Week Blitz for BUILT by Jay Crownover. BUILT is a Contemporary Romance novel being published by HarperCollins, and it is the 1^st full-length novel in The Saints of Denver Series, a spinoff of her New York Times bestselling Marked Men Series. This amazing book is out now so grab your copy today! And be sure to check out the awesome sweepstakes! Info and links below!

 EXCERPT:
“How come you don’t drive your cool truck during the week?”
Both his eyebrows shot up and I had to wait while he finished chewing to answer me. “My cool truck? The International? I know about a hundred sixteen-year-old boys that would disagree with you about the Jeep not being cool. Especially here in Colorado.”
I shrugged a little and gave up trying to be delicate with the messy sausage. I was sure I had yellow all over my face, but I didn’t care. The thing was delicious. Seattle Sayer had no idea what gloriousness she had been missing.
“I like the old truck. It’s pretty and it’s so neat to see something like that restored and well loved.”
“I do love it. That’s why I don’t drive it to jobsites. Too many nails and other stuff getting carelessly tossed around. I try and baby her.”
I made a face. “The truck is a her?”
He laughed again and cleanly polished off the rest of his brat. I was amazed he did it all without getting anything in his face fuzz. That was real talent right there, I thought begrudgingly as I continued to make a mess all over myself.
“Sure. She’s classy, elegant, made of study stuff, expensive as hell to keep running and keep pretty. She’s only good to me if I’m good to her, so obviously she’s a girl.
I rolled my eyes and then wiped my hands on the outside of my pants when I finished off my own dinner. Briefly I thought my dad would be horrified at the action but I shoved that thought down and instead focused on Zeb and only Zeb. “How long did it take you to restore her?”
He shrugged, got to his feet, and moved to pry open the massive bucket of white primer he had been using as a chair. My buddy Wheeler sold the body to me for next to nothing when I got out of prison. We went to high school together and I think he knew I needed something to keep me busy because the only kind of work I could find right after being released was shit work for shit pay. Every week I would give him a few bucks here or there and he would find me a part or a piece of motor and we slowly but surely got her altogether. It was one of the reasons I knew I had to find a long-term way to support myself. Just because I had a record didn’t mean I wasn’t a valuable employee or a hard worker. I got really sick of being treated like a second-class citizen because of one mistake.”
His eyes cut to mine and all I could do was nod in sympathy as he poured the liquid into trays and fished a couple of roller brushes out of a plastic bag.
“I actually met Rowdy through Wheeler. He had done a bunch of Wheeler’s tattoo work, and when I told Wheeler I wanted something to remind me not to do stupid things that would cost me years of my life again, he recommended Rowdy and the Marked shop. Rowdy was the one that recommended me to the guys that own the tattoo shop when they decided to open and renovate the new location downtown. It all seemed very meant to be, ya know?”
I did know. Everything was tied together with thin threads of fate, and when one loosened or tightened it was surprising how impactful it could be. Kind of like how I had ended up where with Zeb now.

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  About BUILT: From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men books comes an electrifying new spin-off series,Saints of Denver, featuring all the characters fans have been dying to read about. Sayer Cole and Zeb Fuller couldn’t be more different. She’s country club and fine-dining, he’s cell-block and sawdust. Sayer spends her days in litigation, while Zeb spends his working with his hands. She’s French silk, he’s all denim and flannel. Zeb’s wanted the stunning blonde since the moment he laid eyes on her. It doesn't matter how many smooth moves he makes, the reserved lawyer seems determinedly oblivious to his interest—either that or she doesn't return it. Sayer is certain the rough, hard, hot-as-hell Zeb could never want someone as closed off and restrained as she is, which is a shame because something tells her he might be the guy to finally melt her icy exterior. But just as things start to heat up, Zeb is blindsided by a life altering moment from his past. He needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. He can’t risk what’s at stake just because his attraction to Sayer feels all consuming. But as these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, battling together to save a family, the steam created when fire and ice collide can no longer be ignored.      

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And don’t miss the previous novella in The Saints of Denver Series!

LEVELED

    About Jay Crownover: Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men and The Point series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.        

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REVIEW: "Against The Wall" by Jill Sorenson

Release Date: February 2nd, 2016

Type: New Adult Romance, Contemporary, Stand alone (kinda?), Tattooed Bad Boy, Art, He's a good bad guy - or maybe a bad good guy?

About the Book: Eric Hernandez is the bad boy of every schoolgirl’s fantasies—and every mother’s nightmares. But after serving time for manslaughter, he’s ready to turn his life around. He just needs a chance to prove himself as a professional tattoo artist. The one thing that keeps him going is the memory of the innocent beauty he loved and left behind.

Meghan Young’s world isn’t as perfect as it looks. The preacher’s daughter is living a lie, especially now that Eric is back. Tougher, harder, and sexier than ever, he might be the only person she can trust. But there’s no telling what he’ll do to protect her if he learns the truth, and that’s a risk Meghan won’t let him take. And yet, back in the arms of the troubled boy with the artist’s soul, Meghan can’t help surrendering to the man he’s become. [Description from Goodreads.com]

My Review: So wow. I just finished this one, and I have to say, I was blown away. This is my first book by author Jill Sorenson, but the name is definitely one I've seen around. And after reading "Against The Wall" - I'm ashamed it's taken me this long! There was so much right about this book. Eric's love of art felt real - not just something given to soften him up, or make him sympathetic. He had passion for art, and you could feel how humbled and grateful he was when anyone said he was good at it. 

This book was just so.. gritty and real. I love New Adult Romance, and contemporary romance in general - but so much feels like it happens in a dreamy, perfect world. "Against the Wall" is definitely rooted in reality, and you can see the consequences for every action they take - or in Eric's case, what he did in the past. If you want a darker contemporary romance read, "Against The Wall" should definitely be on your wishlist. 

What kept this book from being a full five stars was the ending. One of the big story arcs of the book was just left so open ended. It was given a one sentence brush off in the last chapter, and that's it. Definitely not enough! Not when it was so emotionally powerful. Since this novel slightly follows a previous book, titled "The Edge of Night," I'm hoping that maybe Kelsea might get her own story in the future - and the stalker on campus will be mentioned there. 

Before I finish out the review, I want to include my absolute favorite quote from the book. And a super high five to the author for writing this!

    ' "Let me give you a professional tip," Noah says. "When you don't amp up security in front of a building that has already been vandalized, in which female students are frequently targeted with rape threats, you're sending the mesage that their safety is not a priority." '

Cover Lovin': I don't think this cover does the book justice. There's nothing to make it pop, or to showcase the characters.

Recommendation: You need to love your men on the bad side, because Eric is far from a goody-two-shoes!

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). Again, the stalker plot point that was thrown aside at the end kept this from being a full five stars. But trust me, even with that - this book is 100% amazing read. A great example of romance that is real and powerful. 

Make sure to pre-order your copy of "Against the Wall" today! You don't want to miss this one, trust me.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks, Netgalley!

End of the year review: Favorites from 2015 and looking forward to 2016!

First up, let's talk about a couple of my favorite reads from 2015! I'm including both books I reviewed as well as just read for fun. And if you'd like to see more of what I read (not just books I review), be sure to follow me on Goodreads! Link on the side.

A series I fell in love with this year: Asking For It series by Lilah Pace! I read both "Asking For It" and "Begging For It" by Lilah Pace. This duet is not for the faint of heart - it deals with some super tough subjects and it's definitely for mature readers. But wow, it was so amazingly well done. Check out my review of "Asking For It" posted in October 2015!

A graphic novel that blew me away: Well, okay, there were a bunch (Saga, Ms. Marvel, and and so many more!) but I definitely want to mention Cairo by G. Willow Wilson. This was something Goodreads recommended to me, and thanks to interlibrary loan, I was able to read it! I was blown away, really. I loved the way the author wove together such a fascinating fantasy world.

Favorite nostalgia read: Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot. I cannot tell you how excited I was to read this one. This book made me really happy - like, giggling to myself happy. I didn't know how much I missed this series until I read this. So then I had to search out all the short stories and novellas I had missed just to get more of the series. Check out my review of "Royal Wedding" posted in August 2015! Also, if you liked "Royal Wedding" by Meg Cabot, check out "The Royal We" by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan!

I had tons more books that I loved this year, but these three were definitely at the top of the list. Be sure to check them out!

Looking forward to 2016: So I've already decided to once again do the Popsugar 2016 reading challenge. I did this one in 2015 and loved it! It really made me branch out from my usual reads. The 2016 list is shorter, but it's got some great categories. Follow/Friend me on Goodreads to see everything I read for the challenge.

Also, Bookriot has a 2016 challenge as well, and I'm considering it. Especially since there could be some cross-listing. But would that really be fair?

Happy Reading, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

I'm back! Mostly!

Hey all! As you could see (hopefully) from my review yesterday, I am mostly back in action! I have a new laptop, so I should be able to post reviews as normal once again.

Windows 10 is definitely different than my old Windows 7 laptop, which I will miss wholeheartedly. I did a lot of work on that old thing - it got me through my Master's degree! And that 50+ page thesis. Good times, good times..

I'm still adjusting to this new device. Every time I try to scroll on a page, it automatically adjusts the zoom, which is pretty annoying. And as of right now, it won't let me upload pictures to the blog, though I'm hoping that's just an internet issue. Hence why this is a boring old text post.

Which is a whole other problem - new computer is working fine, but very very slow. I'm hoping that's just because of how bad the internet has been acting lately. I used to be able to watch Netflix, have my phone on, and be browsing the internet on my tablet or laptop and everything would be super fast. I'm currently down to one (maybe two, if I stretch it) device connecting at a time. Fingers crossed it's just the crappy weather.

I hope everyone had a good holiday, will continue to have a good holiday season, and will have a happy and safe New Year!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

REVIEW: Adulthood is a Myth: A "Sarah Scribbles" Collection by Sarah Andersen

Release Date: March 8th, 2016

Type: Comic Strips, Humor, Graphic Novel, Millennial Problems, This is my life!

About the Book: Are you a special snowflake? Do you love networking to advance your career? Have you never wasted a fresh new day surfing the internet? Ugh. This book is not for you. Please go away.

Sarah's Scribbles — casually drawn, perfectly on-point comics by young Brooklyn-based artist Sarah Andersen — confront head-on the horrors, anxiety, and awkwardness of modern adult life. From the agony of holding hands with a gorgeous guy to the yawning pit of hell that is the wifi gone down to the eye-watering pain of eating too-hot pizza because one cannot stand to wait for it to cool down, Sarah fearlessly documents it all.

Like the work of fellow Millennial authors Allie Brosh, Grace Helbig, and Gemma Correll, Sarah's total frankness on extremely personal issues such as body image, self-consciousness, introversion, relationships, and bra-washing makes her comics highly relatable and consistently hilarious. [Description from Goodreads.com]

My Review: I'm really mad at myself when it comes to this book. Why, you ask? Because I read it too fast. I loved it, I was laughing out loud more than I care to admit, and because it was so fun, I just kept going. This is, for sure, a one-sitting read. And that makes it that much worse. There needs to be more! I connect with this book on an uncomfortable, awkward, personal level. I would for sure be friends with this author in real life. Assuming we could ever get up the courage to say hello to each other and exchange phone numbers.

Every single page of this hilarious and wonderfully illustrated book is something that I have either felt at some point, or needed to instantly show one of my friends because they would appreciate it. I've seen these comics around before, but if possible, they are even more funny when bound together. This book is for sure going on my wishlist, and I look forward to browsing it time and time again, whenever I need a good chuckle.

Cover Lovin': This cover is 100% perfect. You see the art style, and the minimalist color scheme makes it pop.

Recommendation: This book is for anyone that ever felt like a weirdo introvert. No prior knowledge of the comics is necessary.

Final Rating: FIVE out of FIVE (5/5) stars. My only complaint was that this book wasn't longer. I connected with everything, I laughed out loud multiple times, and I need to purchase this as soon as it's released. A total winner!

Pre-order your copy of "Adulthood is a Myth" by Sarah Andersen today!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. Thanks, Netgalley!

Radio silence until I get a new computer - Sad!

Hello everyone,

I had to order a new computer since mine is no longer working, unfortunately. I can only use it for fifteen minutes until it randomly restarts. After chatting with tech support for five hours, I finally decided the best course of action is to just bite the bullet and get a new one - but it's the passing of an era! Poor Sir Lap Toppington the Third. He was a good friend for three and a half years.

So due to the above, I won't be able to post reviews for at least a little while. Hopefully the new computer will arrive soon and I'll be able to get everything set up and downloaded quickly. But with the holidays (and the craziness at work) - who knows!

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

Review: SWEET ACHE by K. Bromberg

Release Date: June 2, 2015

Type: Series, Book 6, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Rock Stars, Rockers trump racers!

About the Book: Hawkin Play, the bad boy rock star with a good guy heart, has lived a lifetime of cleaning up after his twin brother’s mistakes. Hunter’s most recent screwup could land Hawke in jail and risk the band’s future. Hawke agrees to guest lecture at a local college to stay in the judge’s good graces—and a bet with his bandmate to seduce his sexy teaching assistant is icing on the cake.

Quinlan Westin is harder to bed than Hawke imagined. She knows his type and is determined to avoid the rocker at all costs—even if their attraction runs deeper than simple lust.

Just as Hawke might finally be winning over the girl, his brother has other plans. When Hunter realizes his twin finally has a weakness, he’ll stop at nothing to take advantage.... [Description from Netgalley.com]

My Review: I've had this book for a while. When I was offered it to review, I was in my rock star phased, and before I got the chance to read this, I had fallen into another phase of some sort, and this got left behind. So imagine how excited I was to get back into my rocker phase so I can read this book and fully enjoy it!

I'll start off with what I liked most about this book - I thought the character's reactions to the curve balls life threw at them were incredibly accurate. Everything felt true to the character's state of mind, and what was expected of them. And, quite often, the characters did exactly what I would have in the same situation - which just confirmed how real they felt to me.

I also loved the story itself. I'm a sucker for the misunderstanding. And it goes back to my love of "Bet Me" by Jennifer Crusie - I love the whole "I made a bet but I'm willing to lose because I love you" story trope. Honestly, if "Sweet Ache" is any indication of the rest of K. Bromberg's books, I will be picking them up in the future.

Now to what I didn't like so much - and this is most likely a nit-picky thing only because I was so recently getting a graduate degree. Quin talks about her thesis, but procrastinates so often. It's barely mentioned here and there that she got some work done on it. But I remember the end of graduate school - it's a big deal. It's basically pass/fail, and determines whether or not you graduate. I know the relationship is the main story, obviously - but don't let falling in love ruin your chances, Quin! Don't do that to yourself! 

Cover Lovin': So, when this was offered to me, I jumped on it - mostly because of the cover. Thumbs up!

Recommendation: While this book is book 6 of a series, no need to be familiar with the previous books! This works just fine as a stand-alone. Though I'd love more from the band...

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE (4/5)! I thought this book was a fun read. I didn't want to put it down once I got started. But what really stuck with me was how real Hawke dealt with the tragedies in this life. 

Get your copy of Sweet Ache from Amazon.com today! And check out the next book in the series, Hard Beat.

Happy Reading! 

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

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