Book Review (254): Never Too Far (Too Far Trilogy #2, Rosemary Beach #2) - Abbi Glines

Never Too Far (Too Far Trilogy #2)

by Abbi Glines

Publication: 1st August 2013

Publisher: Simon And Schuster

Pages: 304

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: New Adult

Buy It: Amazon  Barnes & Noble  The Book Depository  Fishpond

He had held a secret that destroyed her world. 

Everything she had known was no longer true. 

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.
Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again. 
What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately? 

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

My Thoughts.

Never Too Far is book two in the Too Far/Rosemary Beach series by Abbi Glines.

Luckily unlike some series, this book doesn't suffer from the dreaded second book syndrome, I loved it, I could safely say that I enjoyed this as much as I did the first book Fallen Too Far.

It's hard to write this review without giving away any spoilers from both the first book which had a shock twist at the end, and what ends up being the surprise and main storyline of this book.

And I have to say that the surprise in this book had me all giddy with excitement and definite anticipation for the next instalment of this fantastic series Forever Too Far.

I love Blaire and Rush, they are such a good couple with amazing chemistry, and you can't help but wish nothing but good things for them.

Woods had a bigger appearance I guess in a lead up to his book Twisted Perfection, I wasn't a big fan of his character in Fallen Too Far but I found him to be a whole lot more likeable in this book, and I look forward to reading all about him and his story.

I like most people who have read this series, wish that Nan would take a long walk off a short pier, just because her life has been the way it has is no excuse for being a total bitch, especially when Blaire has had it so much worse and she's become one of the nicest people in the series.

But I understand that every story/couple needs to have an obstacle to overcome and Nan is that for Blaire and Rush and that is the reason why she is one of my most despised characters of all time, she seems to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and I know I'm not alone in my thoughts.

I really look forward to Rush and Blaire's next book, but not before we get Woods' book first.

I love this series and I hope this becomes as popular as it deserves to be.

I give this a big 5/5 stars.

 “She's amazing. No... she's perfect. Everything about her is fucking perfect," I said aloud. "I don't just love her, she owns me. Completely. I'd do anything for her.” 

“Listen to me, Blaire. If you try to go anywhere I will chase you down. I will become your shadow. I won't let you out of my sight because I can't live without you. I made so many damn mistakes with you I don't even want to try and count them but I am going to start making things right from here on out.” 

“No man has ever loved a woman as much as I love you. Nothing will ever come before you. I don’t know what else I have to do to prove to you that I won’t let you down again. I won’t hurt you. You don’t have to be alone anymore. I need you.” 

ABOUT ABBI

Abbi Glines was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She grew up in the small town of Sumiton, Alabama where she left the summer she turned eighteen. She didn’t get far… she chased her high school sweetheart down to the coast and she’s been there ever since.

Abbi now lives in the quaint southern town of Fairhope, Alabama with her three children and husband Keith (the high school sweetheart she chased after). Her life is never dull and Keith always makes sure there is another “experience” for them to explore.

Books published by Abbi include The Vincent Boys and the USA TODAY bestseller The Vincent Brothers, Breathe, Because of Low, the USA TODAY bestsellers While It Lasts and Just For Now, The Existence Trilogy that includes the USA Today Bestseller Ceaseless, andThe New York Times bestseller and Wall Street Journal bestseller Fallen Too Far. Currently she is working on Never Too Far, the sequel to Fallen too Far.

When Abbi isn’t locked away in her office typing away she is hauling her kids to and from their many social activities. You could say her second job is the Glines Kids personal chauffeur. It’s a rather illustrious job.

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Book Review (253): Fallen Too Far (Too Far Trilogy #1, Rosemary Beach #1) - Abbi Glines

Fallen Too Far (Too Far Trilogy #1)

by Abbi Glines

Publication: 4th July 2013

Publisher: Simon And Schuster

Pages: 247

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: New Adult

Buy It: Amazon  Barnes & Noble  The Book Depository  Fishpond

When Blaire Wynn's mother passed away, Blaire's life changed in an instant. Having cared for her sick mother for the last three years, suddenly Blaire has to leave the small farmhouse in Alabama they shared, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. But what she isn't prepared for is the lifestyle change that comes with the move, and she knows she'll never fit into the new world of luxury and extravagance that suddenly surrounds her. 
Even worse, her father has run off to Paris for the summer with his wife, leaving her stranded with Rush, her new stepbrother, who's irritating, arrogant and… seriously sexy. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous; his famous father's guilt money, his mother's desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no. Blaire knows he is anything but good for her, but somehow she can't fight the attraction she's feeling, especially when she starts to think the attraction might be mutual… Rush is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that Blaire just may have fallen too far.

My Thoughts.

Fallen Too Far is book one in the Too Far Trilogy/Rosemary Beach series by Abbi Glines.

Having absolutely loved Abbi's Sea Breeze series, I was beyond excited receiving a copy of this book for review.

And I have to say I love this series more, I didn't think I would but you see there's this character named Rush and well.......

Do I need to finish this sentence?

Anyone who has read this series will know exactly what I'm talking about, no explanations needed at all.

I'm really enjoying the New Adult genre, especially when it's done so well, and Abbi is a master of it, anything she writes I want to read A.S.A.P!

So the story goes, Blaire who has just lost her Mother to cancer arrives at her Father's house at Rosemary Beach, not wanting to be there (her Father ran out on Blaire and her Mother) she discovers that apparently neither did her Father, who chose to go on holidays with his new wife instead of being there to welcome her.

Instead she arrives in the middle of a party hosted by Rush a totally hot guy....and oh yeah he's her stepbrother too!

And so begins the tumultuous relationship that they share with one another and their mutual attraction that Rush seems to hide a whole lot better than Blaire can.

But Rush is hiding a huge and terrible secret that will drive these two apart if Blaire ever finds out, and it will leave her world shattered and she'll be questioning everything she ever knew about her family.

This was written so well, the twist was definitely not what I was expecting at all, kudos to Abbi for that, it was a jaw dropper for sure.

If you haven't picked up this series yet what are you waiting for?

Run not walk to your nearest bookstore, or if you can't wait, let your fingers do the walking and order it online, you won't be sorry!

I look forward to reading the next instalment, I'm intrigued and invested in these characters now, and I need my Rush fix!

I give this 5/5 Stars.

“Everyone always says that love was enough. It wasn't. Not when your soul has been shattered.” 

“I don’t want you under those damn stairs. I hate it. But I can’t move you up here. I’ll never be able to stay away from you. I need you safely tucked away.” 

“Your instant reaction to being scared is to pull out a gun on someone? Damn girl, where are you from? Most girls I know squeal or some shit like that.” 

“There are some things you need to know.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m dealing with the fact that you may walk away from me once you know them and never look back. It scares the hell out of me. I don’t know what this is that is going on between us but from the moment I laid eyes on you I knew you were going to change my world. I was terrified. The more I watched you the more you drew me in. I couldn’t get close enough.” 

About Abbi

Abbi Glines was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She grew up in the small town of Sumiton, Alabama where she left the summer she turned eighteen. She didn’t get far… she chased her high school sweetheart down to the coast and she’s been there ever since.

Abbi now lives in the quaint southern town of Fairhope, Alabama with her three children and husband Keith (the high school sweetheart she chased after). Her life is never dull and Keith always makes sure there is another “experience” for them to explore.

Books published by Abbi include The Vincent Boys and the USA TODAY bestseller The Vincent Brothers, Breathe, Because of Low, the USA TODAY bestsellers While It Lasts and Just For Now, The Existence Trilogy that includes the USA Today Bestseller Ceaseless, andThe New York Times bestseller and Wall Street Journal bestseller Fallen Too Far. Currently she is working on Never Too Far, the sequel to Fallen too Far.

When Abbi isn’t locked away in her office typing away she is hauling her kids to and from their many social activities. You could say her second job is the Glines Kids personal chauffeur. It’s a rather illustrious job.

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Cover Reveal: Alchemy - Sheena Boekweg, Melanie Crouse & Sabrina West

"Do you want me to be dangerous?" he asked, his voice husky and low.
I gulped, and for a moment I was incapable of speech. But he was quiet, waiting. "No. I don't."
"Then I'm not dangerous at all," he murmured. His gaze moved from my eyes to my mouth. "You've never been safer than you are at this moment." I shivered as his breath tickled my skin. Our lips were mere millimeters apart when the sky shattered in a kaleidoscope of colored light. 

We didn’t know how much we had to lose until we were infected with magic. Sam was in love, Juliette was the main caretaker for her siblings, and Ana and her dad planned the best parties in New York. But we lost it all when we were shipped to Chebeague, an exclusive school for newly infected mages.

Everyone knows about the mages, those who survive the infection and end up with magical abilities. We’ve seen the power of magic, the high-paying jobs, and the world fame. But we never saw the cost. We didn’t know we’d be forced to give up everything: sanity, family, even the right to talk on the phone.

We didn’t know mage was just another word for prisoner.

(ARC) Book Review (252): Forever Innocent - Deanna Roy

Forever Innocent

by Deanna Roy

Publication: 1st October 2013

Publisher: Casey Shay Press

Pages: 300

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: New Adult

"Our baby died on prom night, and nothing was ever the same again."

Corabelle doesn’t feel like any of the other college girls. On what should have been one of the happiest nights of her life, she and her boyfriend Gavin watched a nurse disconnect the ventilator from their seven-day-old baby. During the funeral two days later, Gavin walked out and never returned.

Since then, her life has been a spiral of disasters. The only thing that has helped is her ability to black out whenever the pain gets too hard to bear, a habit that has become an addiction.

When Gavin shows up in her astronomy class four years later, he is hell-bent on getting her back, insisting she forgive him. Corabelle knows she can’t resist the touch that fills the empty ache that has haunted her since he left. But if he learns what she has done, if he follows the trail back through her past, her secrets will destroy their love completely. And once again, she’ll lose the only person who always believed she was innocent.

My Thoughts.

What a phenomenal story, one of the best new adult book's that I've ever read!

This was such an extraordinarily emotional story that will definitely tug at the heartstrings, as we share in the grief of a couple losing their baby.

This was a topic that is different from any other new adult book on the market and that's why I loved it so much, the two different POV'S from our two main protagonists Corabelle and Gavin and the different ways that they've both handled their grief after the loss of their seven day old son is devastating.

Both of them taking on the guilt and the blame for their son Finn's death, and the destructive paths that they've both taken to deal with it all.

What hasn't helped either of them is that they have never really dealt with the death of Finn, Corabelle especially, and after Gavin walks out at Finn's funeral, never returning, she's just been getting by day by day, never getting close to anyone or letting anyone really get close to her.

Until her first day at a new college when she comes face to face with Gavin after he disappeared four years ago, and this is where the story starts with Corabelle and Gavin's memories and flashbacks to the time of Finn's birth and death and even back to when they were childhood friends growing up together before their relationship progressed into a more intimate one.

There's nothing about this book that I didn't like, extremely well written I am on tenterhooks waiting for the sequel Forever Love to be released, hopefully not too long, *fingers crossed*.

Everybody should pick this book up it's fantastic, kudos Deanna for writing this remarkable book.

I give this 5/5 Stars.

About this author

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Deanna Roy is the author of the novels BABY DUST and STELLA & DANE (Casey Shay Press), interrelated stories on the hardships of finding love and building a family. Her next novel, FOREVER INNOCENT, about a couple who rediscover their love four years after losing their premature baby, will be out Oct. 1, 2013.

Deanna is a powerful advocate for Baby Loss Moms and most of her books touch on this topic. She is the founder of Pregnancyloss.info and hosts numerous public and private support groups both online and in person.

You can follow Deanna and read pre-release sneak peeks and free ebooks on her private list. Subscribe!

Deanna also writes a series of books for middle grade readers under the name D.D. Roy, including JINNIE WISHMAKER and MARCUS MENDER.

She's pretty easy to spot on Facebook and Twitter.

Links.

Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Renegade (MILA 2.0 #2) - Debra Driza

Renegade (MILA 2.0 #2)

by Debra Driza

Expected publication: May 13th 2014 by Katherine Tegen Books

Shudder Grand Finale Recap Post & Giveaway.

The Highlight Tour with Prism Book Tours
& Samantha's Summer Tour

Shudder

348 pages

Published June 15, 2013

It's only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...

The Highlight Tour
8/24 - 9/1
Sharing some of the best of the summer-long tour

24 - The Reading Diaries - The Mystery!

 Why does Alessa keep feeling something following them through the woods? - Review at Here's the Story

Review:

Shudder is filled with surprises around every corner, keeping me guessing till the very end.

- The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl - Raving Fans!

Can I just freaking say how much I LOVE this series?! Stitch was good. Shudder? AMAZINGLY AMAZING!!! I can't even express how much I just LOVE LOVE LOVED this book. Everything about it was perfection. - Review at Literary Meanderings 

- Rose & Beps Blog - Crushing on Side Characters!

Lizzie: I’ll support whoever can deliver that future, whether it’s the rebels or even the leaders of Paragon, if they were willing to change. I do believe in second chances. - Character Interview  at Mousehead & Tales

25 - Chapter Break - Vile Villainy!

Samantha: …the Engineers(the bad guys) are based on a variety of people I’ve met and disliked over the years for their general arrogance and lack of ability to connect with people (though I’m not naming names, haha). - Interview at Joanna In the Sky With Books:

Review:

 I enjoyed the merging of genre and thought it was a unique twist on sci-fi and dystopia, with a little paranormal aspect until we learn otherwise. 

- Wonderings of One Person - Review

Shudder by Samantha Durante is a deeply touching and sensational story of discovery and freedom laden with heavy doubts and uncomfortable choices. I was swept away...

- Mortal Moments - Crushing on Characters!

Do YOU have any favourite fiction crushes or book boyfriends? Care to share them... so we can all swoon together! :)

Issac is one to add to the list of "book boyfriends". - Review at A Thousand Lives

26 - A Tiffyfit's Reading Corner - Review

...what an ENDING! This story is keeping my head bent to my kindle. Ms Durante has IT, ladies and gentlemen. That thing that some authors have that just keep you turning the pages...

27 - Kindred Dreamhart - Catch some STYLE!

- The Bookish Daydreamer - OMG Endings!

Samantha: My favorite scene to write in Shudder was definitely the big revelation in the very last chapter. Heart-wrenching. - Interview at Lovely Reads

- Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf - Developing Deep Characters

Things get even more complicated when Alessa discovers something new about herself, a twist that I sure never saw coming. Again kudos Samantha for a great job well done. ~Review at Total Book Nerds

 28 - YA Book Addict - Review

The one constant thought that kept coming at me while I was reading Shudder was the originality of it. I remember feeling the exact same way while I was reading Stitch. Personally, I have never read anything like it before and I have to give huge applause to an author who can create such a fantastically original, well written, engaging piece of writing.

- Library of a Book Witch - POV Perfection!

...the transitions between character to character are smooth and never feel unnatural or jarring, each character’s situation has a different aura to it, I could immediately tell which character I was currently reading about... Review at Book Adoration.

- Mommasez... - Writerly Wisdom

Do what you love. - Guest Post “Celebrating the Stitch 1 Year Anniversary” at Head Stuck in a Book

Imagine the world ended tomorrow. - Guest Post “Family & Relationships in a Dying World” at My World in Words and Pages 

Review

Samantha teases us with two girls, one stoned by an angry mob, the other in a prison cell. We don’t know who is who. And it’s deliciously mysterious!!

29 - Mel's Shelves - Praise for Pacing!

Fast paced with not a single dull moment, this book will have you turning pages until the end. - Review at Little Hyuts

Review

Oh, my! Dystopia at its finest! A quick word on Stitch (book 1): It had been a while since I'd read what it was about so I just started reading. It seemed like a nice time travel romance with a hint of something else and then BAM!, in came the dystopia element. At that point, I couldn't put it down...

- Fundinmental - Painstakingly Plotted World

The complexity of the plot and the dynamics have you wondering what exactly Samantha has in her mind to be able to imagine this complex world. I never one time imagined that what happens in the book could actually happen but now the idea is planted firmly in my mind. It is a little freaky. - Review at Cynthia Shepp Book Reviews & Editing

Review:

 Shudder... has so many things going on that, at times, I was torn about where I wanted the story to go. 

30 - Literary Meanderings - Top Ten Raving Fan Moments!

Shudder is one of the best dystopians I've read so far! It's so intense, so captivating. There's a lot in it, and it's so well written. The action, the suspense, the thrill... All of it will leave you begging for more. I know I am! Samantha, you've really set the bar with this one. I enjoyed every second of it. ~ Review at City of Books

31 - My Devotional Thoughts - More Crushing On Characters! 

Interview with Isaac at Always YA at Heart

- Green Mountain Couple - More Vile Villainy!

“The memory alteration research mentioned some, well, unfortunate side effects…” - Guest Post at Crys Book Reviews

Review

I absolutely LOVE LOVED this book. It was one of those books that I picked up and didn't want to set back down even after it was finished.

Sept. 1 - The Book Rogue - Review

Some things were not that unusual for a Dystopian, but there were also some shocking aspects -- in the regard that I don't find them too absurd to actually happen, like right now. Genius and insanity are utterly and truly a very fine line that tends to blur a lot.

Quote:

"What we haven't told you yet--"

He paused, searching her eyes before he dropped his bombshell.

"-- is that the outbreak wasn't exactly a mistake."

See what you're missing... read Stitch & Shudder now!!

  

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Also available in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold!

Samantha Durante

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter

Tour-Wide Giveaway:

5 Winners. August 24 - September 16, 2013

* Signed print copy of Stitch & Shudder for you and two friends (USA only)
* Signed (via Authorgraph) e-book copies of Stitch & Shudder for you and two friends (Int'l)
* Signed Stitch & Shudder bookmarks + e-book copies of Stitch & Shudder (Int'l)
* $10 Amazon Gift Card (Int'l)
* $5 Amazon Gift Card (Int'l)

Enter the Giveaway HERE!!!

Cover Reveal: Kiss The Sky - Krista & Becca Ritchie

Twenty-three-year-old fashion designer, Rose Calloway, has everything figured out. Well, except her boyfriend. Pretentious, gorgeous, smart-as-hell—Connor Cobalt wants to rule the world and that means collecting as many contacts as he can. But for Rose, “people-pleasing” is another word for “fake” and tensions begin to build the longer their relationship lasts.

With the stress of her struggling fashion line, Rose finds a solution in another guy. The only problem—he’s everything she dislikes in men. But he’s her last chance to save the failing company. Now she must use Connor’s “people-pleasing” tactics to impress a guy that rattles her nerves. Rose has confidence in herself, but she also knows her boyfriend thrives on competition. And Connor hates being runner-up. If he doesn’t bottle his pride, the cost could be her future career.

They want it all: wealth, love and success.

But when two ambitious individuals fight to be the best, someone is bound to come in second. After all, only one can kiss the sky.

Standalone New Adult Romance: recommended for readers 18+ for mature content.

Becca Ritchie is a carnivore of pop culture, television, film and of course YA and NA books. While in college, she worked at The CW television network and put her vampiric knowledge to good use, blogging about hit series and swooning over actors’ abs. When she’s not blogging, she writes novels and has teamed up with her twin sister for their New Adult novel ADDICTED TO YOU. Available July of 2013.

Krista Ritchie is the mind behind popular trading website YA Book Exchange and created Nawanda Files, a book blog that also features books into movies news. When not pouring over entertainment news and the newest releases, she spends her time working in the science field. She’s happy to join forces with her sister, harnessing their twin powers to produce the first in a New Adult series.

Website † Twitter: Krista/Becca †  GoodReads 

What are your thoughts on the cover? Leave a comment below! :)