Book Review (245): Breathe (Sea Breeze #1) - Abbi Glines

Breathe (Sea Breeze #1)

by Abbi Glines

Publication: June 2o13

Publisher: Simon And Schuster Australia

Pages: 352

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: New Adult

Buy It: Dymocks  QBD   AMAZON  BARNES & NOBLE

Sadie White's summer job isn't going to be on the beach life-guarding or working at rental booths like most kids her age. With her single mother's increasing pregnancy and refusal to work, Sadie has to take over her mother's job as a domestic servant for one of the wealthy summer families on a nearby island.

When the family arrives at their summer getaway, Sadie is surprised to learn that the owner of the house is Jax Stone, one of the hottest teen rockers in the world. If Sadie hadn't spent her life raising her mother and taking care of the house she might have been normal enough to be excited about working for a rock star.

Even though Sadie isn't impressed by Jax's fame, he is drawn to her. Everything about Sadie fascinates Jax but he fights his attraction. Relationships never work in his world and as badly as he wants Sadie, he believes she deserves more. By the end of the summer, Jax discovers he can't breathe without Sadie.

My Thoughts.

This was my very first Abbi Glines novel, and while I had definitely heard of her, I'd never gotten the chance before now to pick up one of her books, and after reading Breathe I realised I should have made time, so good is her storytelling.

Abbi's writing will keep you engaged, entranced and on tenterhooks as you navigate your way through this thoroughly addictive novel.

I love the concept of this story, the idea of not just the fact that a world famous rock-star Jax and a normal, everyday teenage girl Sadie fall in love, but that she's the 'help' filling in for her very pregnant Mother. The switch in this Mother/Daughter relationship also added a bit more to the plot, the idea that Sadie is almost like the parental figure, earning the money, paying the bills and cleaning the house while her Mother takes it for granted, and before becoming pregnant spent her nights out partying.

Sadie and Jax made such a great couple, beating the odds to make their relationship work, of course as in most YA contemporary romance's there is a love triangle, add into the mix Marcus who works for Jax as well, I really liked his character and felt so bad for him when Sadie made her choice and ultimately chose Jax (I'm so happy that the next book 'Because Of Low' in this series is his, he deserves a HEA).

Another positive was the secondary characters: Miss Mary (who ended up being the Mother figure that Sadie needed) and Mr Gregg (who likewise was a Father figure that she'd never had), helped to make this a heart-warming story.

I also enjoy it when author's have point of view's of both the male and female leads which seems to be prevalent throughout the series, I love reading the different aspects between characters and their thoughts and feelings of what was occuring in a single moment.

If you like reading about sexy as hell rock-stars and the girls who end up catching their hearts then please do give this series a go, you will not be sorry.

I give this 5/5 Stars.

Quotes.

“I relaxed. “I would imagine in your world, girls are much different than here in the real world. I’m sure if you spent some time with the everyday girl, you would find I am not unique.”

He grinned at me. “The everyday girl is who writes me fan mail and buys out my concerts. They are the girls who yell my name and run after me like crazed animals. You’ve not even tried to sneak into my room and squirt your perfume on my pillow.” 

“You're everything I write about in my songs, but can never have.”

“For the first time, the object of what I want is more important than fulfilling my desires.” 

“I'm not going to hurt her. I know she's special and I tried to stay away, but when I'm with I don't feel so cold and alone.”

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, and The 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.

Links.

Blog  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads

Book Review (244): Faster We Burn (Fall And Rise #2) - Chelsea M. Cameron

Faster We Burn (Fall and Rise #2)

by Chelsea M. Cameron 

Publication: 20th April 2013

Publisher: DRC Publishing

Pages: 450

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: New Adult

Buy It:  Amazon & Barnes and Noble

Katie Hallman is done with douchebags. Done with guys who treat her like crap and leave her broken. But then Stryker Grant is there anyway. With his numerous piercings and bleached hair, he’s the polar opposite of all of her past relationships, which makes him the perfect candidate.

At first, Katie just sees him as a physical escape from her previous rocky relationship, and Stryker doesn’t seem to mind just being a distraction from Katie’s problems. But soon he’s getting under her skin, peeling back layers she’d rather keep covered. She tries to make it clear that she doesn’t want a relationship, but keeps breaking her own rules.

Then a tragedy sends Katie into the only arms who are there to catch her, and she’ll realize that she needs him more than she ever thought possible. But is she ready to let herself trust another guy with her already-battered heart? Or will she push him away to protect herself from getting hurt again?

My Thoughts.

Faster We Burn is the sequel to Deeper We Fall in the Fall And Rise series by Chelsea M. Cameron.

While I really did like this book I did prefer the first book more, I felt that the obstacles that Katie and Stryker had to overcome in this story were nowhere near as challenging or complicated as Lottie's and Zan's were in Deeper We Fall.

We saw this couple's first meeting and interaction in the first novel, and throughout their book the sparks were definitely flying giving us some steamy moments between these two and their 'friends with benefits' deal, but then they both find themselves developing feelings for each other, but with Katie still dealing with the aftermath of her relationship with Zack, she's not ready for another boyfriend, even though she knows that Stryker isn't and never will be anything like Zack.

With Katie's family not exactly welcoming when Stryker spends Thanksgiving with her at her house, the odds seem to be stacked against them, but these two belong together and they will fight to make that possible, trying to rid themselves of their demons to become a couple and to become the people that they were meant to be.

All the characters in this book that were in the debut made their appearance, one complaint I have is that there wasn't really that much Zan, with him being Stryker's friend I expected a whole lot more of him, we saw a lot of Lottie who is Katie's best-friend and roommate that's why I couldn't really understand the lack of interaction between these two, but that's just me being picky.

I'm hoping that this series will continue and perhaps have a book featuring Lottie's twin brother Will and Audrey who runs a bit hot and cold, and I just know that there's a story behind why she's like that.

If you like contemporary romance books and are a fan of the new adult genre then definitely pick this series up.

I give this 4/5.

Quotes.

“You drive me insane because you never know what you want and you expect me to just accommodate you. And I do it. Every time. You say jump and I get out a goddamn trampoline. When I'm not with you, I'm thinking about you. I can't stop thinking about you and wanting you. I want to walk across this room and do what you want, but I can't. I can't fuck you anymore.'
'Why not?'
'I can't just fuck you because I love you!” 

“I love you so much, sweetheart. So much that sometimes I can't breathe. I can't think. You're all I've ever wanted, even before I knew I wanted it. I don't deserve you, Katherine.” 

About Chelsea.

Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting (this one time, she was tweeted by Neil Gaiman). She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Her New Adult Contemporary Romance titles include My Favorite Mistake, which has been bought by Harlequin along with a sequel, Deeper We Fall and Faster We Burn (April 20, 2013)

Her Young Adult books include Nocturnal, Nightmare and Neither, the first three books in The Noctalis Chronicles. The fourth and final book, Neverend will be out in 2013. Whisper, the first in The Whisper Trilogy is also available, with the second book in the series, Silence and the final book, LIsten coming out in 2014.

Links.

Blog  Twitter  Facebook  Goodreads

Book Blast & Giveaway: Runaway - Lorhainne Eckhart

Runaway by Lorhainne Eckhart
Genre: Adult contemporary romance
Kindle edition published May 29th 2013

"Where's my wife..."
Andy Friessen has been looking for Laura for six months. After she walked out with her son, no goodbye, with no money and leaving everything he bought her, behind. But he knew she'd come crawling back, she needed him. After all he married her to protect her. And any woman would give their right arm to be his wife.
And then for six months his conscience poked at what an ass he'd been: Until he's served...for divorce.
 Even though Andy is the first man she's every truly loved, and the first to break her heart, Laura plans to never see him again. After all to him she was nothing but a nuisance, someone he could order around, just another woman to warm his bed at night.
But Laura is hurt and she's thought nothing through including the fact she's keeping the biggest surprise from him yet.
She's pregnant.
And when Andy finds out ... all hell will break loose.

Buy:

Amazon

     Just watching the scene had something disturbing squeezing deep inside her. It wasn’t sudden; it had crept up throughout the day and through each second that Andy had spent with Gabriel tonight. He could be the perfect father, the perfect man and role model for her son. She cleared her throat but nearly choked when she whispered, “Goodnight, Gabriel. Have a good sleep.”

     This was all so confusing. What did Andy want? Why hadn’t he left, and why was he taking such an interest in Gabriel? Her throat felt all scratchy and tight, but that was only because she wanted to tuck her face in the pillow and cry those thousand tears she’d cried almost every night for Andy. All she’d ever wanted was to be loved.

     What he’d done today was horrible, cruel, and she wanted to scream and yell “Why?” He had stayed, caring for her tonight and today at the hospital in a way that made her feel important, special, but she also knew she wasn’t any of that to him, not in the way she wanted to be. It was the babies. She was just the vessel, a warm cocoon for a rich man’s babies, and that was something she could not allow herself to forget. He was powerful, he was rich, and his family was dangerous.

     “Are you all right?” He brushed his finger across her brows.

     “Yeah, fine,” she blurted as she pulled back, her skin burning from the spark of his touch.

     “You look worried about something, upset.” He was watching her, studying her as if he knew what she was thinking, and she couldn’t have that.

     “No, I’m just...” She couldn’t think of what to say when her brain suddenly blanked out. That always happened when Andy stood so close to her and watched her with compelling blue eyes that could set her soul on fire, so she shut her mouth and shook her head.

     He sat right beside her on the bed so his hip pressed into hers. She knew all too well what those slim hips and tight abs looked like naked and pressed against her hips, nestled between her thighs. It was almost too much heat for her, so she squirmed and tried to slide over and away from him.

     “You all right? You look uncomfortable.”

     He wouldn’t even look away. Uncomfortable, hell yeah. And it was all his fault. “Just stiff is all.”

     “Can I?” He rested his hand over her swollen belly, where the babies had been kicking furiously for the last hour.

     He was connecting with her babies. She wanted to scream and yell at him, “Hell no! Keep your hands off!” but her body was betraying her. The reality was that she wanted him to touch her, to run his hands over every square inch of her.

     He didn’t wait for her to say anything, but then, she couldn’t get her tongue to move. The damn thing had thickened, and her throat had completed dried up as he invaded her space. My God, he even smelled good, and his scruffy jaw...she longed to reach up and run her hands over it.

     His touch sent shockwaves through her, and the babies responded in kind. She’d swear they jumped from his touch, as if they knew that Andy was their daddy. He smiled that charming, boyish grin she’d only seen a few times. Never once had he smiled just for her.

     “Wow, that’s amazing. Did you feel that?”

     For a moment, she felt herself being pulled into his joy, just like a little boy’s first Christmas, but she had to look away, to move away from his touch, because she’d never again be treated as if she was nothing. Andy Friessen could turn on a dime, and she’d never play second again. “Yeah, I did. Listen, I’m tired.” She scooted over and lifted his hand off her belly. She couldn’t look at him even though she could feel the sharp change in him as if she’d just ripped away all his joy. So why was she feeling guilty? She wasn’t the bad guy here.

2012 was an amazing year in the publishing world for me, and it started with The Forgotten Child, which landed on the Amazon bestseller list for western romance and romance series. With the publication of each novel and short story, each one made its way to the top ten for its respective genre. 2013 has seen me posted in the top 100 authors on Amazon for romantic suspense and mystery/thrillers, police procedural.

Where did it all begin? In 2008, I published my first novel, The Captain’s Lady, a contemporary military romance, through The Wild Rose Press. This year I have a crazy writing schedule with four books scheduled for release and six short stories.

I write three genres, edgy romantic suspense (Walk the Right Road Series), western romance (Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series), and young adult mystery, and I warn my readers to expect the unexpected. I’m the mother of three children, one a special needs child. We live on a small Island in the Pacific Northwest, where I advocate for the environment and the rights of special needs children. Somewhere in my busy schedule, I do find time to write. I encourage you to contact me by email; I do answer every email I receive.

Stay tuned. There is more to come from the Walk the Right Road Series and Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series. 

And to my readers and all of you who have shared my stories with your family and friends, a big heartfelt thank you.

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Cover Reveals: Demon Jack - Patrick Donovan & Persistence Of Memory - Winona Kent

Title: Demon Jack

Author: Patrick Donovan

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Thriller

 

Title: Persistence of Memory

Author: Winona Kent

Genre: Sci-Fi, Accidental Time Travel, Historical Romance

Visit FABLE PRESS for more info! 

Waiting On Wednesday.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

Followers

by Anna Davies

To tweet or not to tweet . . . what a deadly question.


When Briana loses out on a starring role in the school's production of Hamlet, she reluctantly agrees to be the drama department's "social media director" and starts tweeting half-hearted updates. She barely has any followers, so when someone hacks her twitter account, Briana can't muster the energy to stop it. After all, tweets like "Something's rotten in the state of Denmark . . . and a body's rotting in the theater" are obviously a joke.

But then a body IS discovered in the theater: Briana's rival. Suddenly, what seemed like a prank turns deadly serious. To everyone's horror, the grisly tweets continue . . . and the body count starts to rise.

There's no other explanation; someone is live-tweeting murders on campus.

With the school in chaos and the police unable to find the culprit, it's up to Briana to unmask the psycho-tweeter before the carnage reaches Shakespearian proportions . . . or she becomes the next victim.

Expected publication: June 24th 2014 by Point 

Expiration Day

by William Campbell Powell

What happens when you turn eighteen and there are no more tomorrows?
It is the year 2049, and humanity is on the brink of extinction….

Tania Deeley has always been told that she’s a rarity: a human child in a world where most children are sophisticated androids manufactured by Oxted Corporation. When a decline in global fertility ensued, it was the creation of these near-perfect human copies called teknoids that helped to prevent the utter collapse of society.

Though she has always been aware of the existence of teknoids, it is not until her first day at The Lady Maud High School for Girls that Tania realizes that her best friend, Siân, may be one. Returning home from the summer holiday, she is shocked by how much Siân has changed. Is it possible that these changes were engineered by Oxted? And if Siân could be a teknoid, how many others in Tania’s life are not real?

Driven by the need to understand what sets teknoids apart from their human counterparts, Tania begins to seek answers. But time is running out. For everyone knows that on their eighteenth “birthdays,” teknoids must be returned to Oxted—never to be heard from again.

Expected publication: April 22nd 2014 by Tor Teen

A Shard of Ice (The Black Symphony Saga #1)

by Alivia Anders 

THEIR SOULS, REAWAKENED.

When 13-year-old Lilix Morgan is found alive and floating on a bed of ice at sea, everyone counts it a miracle. Kidnapped nearly four weeks earlier, she remembers nothing of her mysterious abduction. When she tries to remember what happened, she hears only a melody – a faint and delicate set of notes, strung together in a tune she doesn’t understand. 

THEIR POWER, UNMATCHED.

A year later and desperate to put the lingering nightmares of her past behind her, Lilix crosses the country to enroll at Baelmorte Academy, aiming to become the violinist she once dreamt of. Things seem to be finally going well, and Lilix settles into a routine of sheet music and inspiration among new friends.

Then the dreams start. 

The melody and night terrors she thought she’d left behind return with a vengeance, threatening to ruin her fragile version of normalcy. Then an unlikely ally tells her that she isn’t alone. That there are others just like her, fighting to hide their own shocking truths from coming to light. That they know who she is, and what she’s been through. Now, accompanied by four other girls, Lilix discovers her nightmares are larger than a single trauma; they’re a window to a hidden part of her soul, a place of immense power with a destiny that cannot be ignored. 

THEIR BATTLE, IS ONLY BEGINNING.

With this knowledge comes a new and frightening reality. For Lilix has been reawakened to stop an age-old enemy, one thought to have been destroyed centuries ago. Trapped by her destiny, Lilix is torn between what feels right and what she remembers. Her memories tell her of a star-crossed love waiting to be reunited, of friendships and trust broken in the past. But can she save that love when reality brings her an enemy, and an evil that will be the undoing of them all if they don’t destroy it?

Expected publication: April 9th 2014 by Anders, Alivia

Into the Fire

by Kelly Hashway

Sixteen-year-old Cara Tillman, a descendant from the mythical phoenix bird, is nearing her rebirth where she will forget everything, including the love of her life, Logan, and attempts to embrace her last days with him even if it means drawing deadly phoenix hunters to her doorstep. 

Expected publication: 2014 by Month9Books

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Best/Worst Book To Movie Adaptations.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week we get a new topic for a top ten list.

Best...

Twilight.

I have to admit that I love these movies, I hadn't read the books before my sister made me take her to go see the first Twilight movie, and that was the start of my obsession.

I went to all the midnight releases, I'm proud to be a Twihard!

Funnily my sister now doesn't really like Twilight anymore.

Harry Potter

I saw the first few movies before reading the books, and have loved the books and the movies ever since, the last movie has me bawling my eyes out.

The Phantom Of The Opera

So I became a bit obsessed with this movie and Gerard Butler when this came out, I saw it 13 times at the  movie theatre, such was my obsession.

Percy Jackson

I may be in the minority but I really liked this movie, yet again I did see the movie before reading the books, I'm actually looking forward to the next movie out in August.

I Am Number Four

Technically I haven't read this book yet but I loved the movie.

The Princess Bride

I love this movie, Cary Elwes was so gorgeous in it, 'As You Wish'.

P.S. I Love You

This movie had me in tears, but I love it, another Gerard Butler movie.

The Princess Diaries

Although I do prefer the second movie better I'm a fan of both.

A Walk To Remember

Boy does this movie make me cry, it still doesn't stop me from watching it though.

Worst...

Beautiful Creatures

I was so disappointed in this movie, I loved the book but felt this movie veered far from the story and left out a lot of my favourite moments from the book.

Book Review (243): Deeper We Fall (Fall And Rise #1) - Chelsea M. Cameron

Deeper We Fall (Fall and Rise #1)

by Chelsea M. Cameron 

Publication: 12th January 2013

Publisher: Createspace

Pages: 446

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: New Adult

Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Ready to move on. Ready to start forgetting the night that ripped her life apart.

Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.

Zack is cruel, selfish and constantly rubbing what happened to her friend in Lottie's face. 

Zan is different. He listens to her awkward ramblings. He loves "To Kill a Mockingbird" as much as she does, and his dark eyes are irresistible. His words are few and far between, but when he does speak, she can't help but listen. 

The trouble is, Zan was the driver in the accident, and now Lottie's discovered he lied to her about what happened that night. Now she must decide if trusting him again will lead to real forgiveness, or deeper heartache.

My Thoughts.

Chelsea's name should be up there with Jamie McGuire and Colleen Hoover!

I was already a huge fan of Chelsea's before reading this book, having been a part of the blog tour for her novel 'My Favorite Mistake' (one of my favourite books of last year, definitely check it out) but after reading 'Deeper We Fall' that's increased ten-fold. How she's not as well known as she is, is beyond me.

What a delightfully charming, addictive and thrilling read this was.

There's nothing about this book that I didn't like, from the storyline that had me turning pages so fast you'd think that the pages were on fire, to the characters who were well fleshed out and likeable, who made this story as memorable and fascinating as it was.

I find Chelsea's books to be such fast and easy reads they're just that good!

This story revolves around Charlotte 'Lottie', who's best-friend Lexie gets into a car with two brothers Zan and Zack whom are both drunk, no matter how much she tries Lottie can't talk her out of it, and they end up in a serious car accident.

Lexie is left with severe brain damage, forever changed and never again will she be the girl she was before the accident. Zan the driver is sentenced to a year in a youth facility, while Zack who convinced her to get into the car gets away scot-free.

Fast forward to two years later and Lottie and her twin brother Will are about to start college, she discovers that her roommate Katie is dating non-other than Zack, if that's not bad enough Zan is enrolled as well.

Lottie who hasn't seen them since the night of the accident two years before has never forgiven them and still blames them, and she's devastated hoping that this was going to be a fresh start, instead she has to see them every day.

Against her better judgement she finds herself spending time with Zan, who has been in love with her for years, but can she put her anger aside and forgive him and herself, and give a relationship between them a chance?

Anyone who is a fan of contemporary romance especially in the New Adult genre should definitely pick this one up.

I give this 5/5 Stars.