September Previoulsy Loved Book Giveaway (US)

September 2013

Delaney Collins doesn't believe in fairy tales. And why should she? Her mom is dead, her best friend is across the country, and she's stuck in California with "Dr. Hank," her famous life-coach father—a man she barely knows. Happily ever after? Yeah, right.

Then Dr. Hank tells her an outrageous secret: he's a fairy godmother—an f.g.—and he can prove it. And by the way? The f.g. gene is hereditary. Meaning there's a good chance that New Jersey tough girl Delaney is someone's fairy godmother.

But what happens when a fairy godmother needs a wish of her own?

 

Interested? Head over to the Previously Loved Book Giveaway page.

Anywhere by J. Meyers (ARC)

Anywhere
J. Meyers
Exp. Pub.: August 25, 2013

Skye Whitcomb is running from her troubles, and where better to run than Europe? Fresh out of college, she makes quick plans with her best friend Paige and hops on a plane.

Of course, nothing ever goes as planned—at least not for her. First, Paige has to bail, and Skye’s left to travel alone. Then she meets sweet and sexy Asher Benedict in Paris, and sparks fly after a night together on the train to Rome. He’s all kinds of perfect for her, but the timing couldn’t be worse since she was running from the altar when she left—so the last thing she wants right now is a relationship.

But Skye’s about to discover that no matter how far you run, love can find you anywhere.

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Okay, so I've totally been this girl. Not the runaway bride part, but the girl in the exact same train station in Paris where not a lick of English is anywhere, all by her lonesome, trying to figure out what the hell to do next. It's weird, it's uncomfortable, but it's also a rush. However, I would've been a hell of a lot more suspicious of a sexy guy trying to talk to me. And if he asked me where I was going, only to follow it up with, "Me too," little red flags would've been popping up all over the place! Hey, I've seen Taken! And I had way to many single guys coming up to me on my trip that I made it my number one rule to always be where others were and never by myself. But hey, that's real life and this is a book, so of course Skye is going to be relieved to have someone to talk to on the train. :)

So Skye has just bailed on her fiancé several days before the wedding, fleeing to Paris with her best friend to spend several months backpacking across Europe. Couldn't blame her really. She spent her entire life being told what to do by her overbearing mother, that she just couldn't marry a guy that had already began treating her the exact same way. The guy had their entire life planned out, including a place in the city (which she vocally said she didn't want) to the number of kids they'll have and when. Hello Stepford Wife. I'd get the hell out too. Unfortunately, Skye's best friend has her own dilemma that sends her packing for home, leaving Skye all alone to begin her journey. On the very first day, she meets Asher, an American guy that's also lost his backpacking buddy, heading in the same direction Skye is. Figuring it's just company on the train, Skye opens up to this sweet stranger and immediately feels the relief of having someone alongside her that allows her to actually be. Asher is the sweetest guy, letting her vent, cry and and letting her make some decisions without telling her how very wrong she is, which poor Skye has spent a lifetime without. The two become inseparable as they journey city to city, country to country, living on a whim. The more time passes, the more they both realize they're meant to be. But with Skye needing to go home soon and Asher already committed to returning to an ex-girlfriend, will these two ever admit what their hearts have already declared?

This was such a sweet story. Seriously. I whipped through it in one sitting, practically salivating over Asher. Where was he when I found myself in Skye's position, huh? Asher was everything Skye needed to become her own person, and I loved watching her grow stronger and more confidant throughout the novel. Pick it up peeps, it'll have you going aww.... when you turn the last page.

...and I'd love to see some bonus material for the very special day that I don't wanna mention here. Hint hint! That would be a great scene seeing if and how Skye handles herself.

ARC provided by author for honest review.

Consume by Melissa Darnell (ARC)

Consume (The Clann #3)
Melissa Darnell
Exp. Pub.: August 27, 2013

These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which, as they kiss, consume.
—William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Tristan Coleman has survived the change from Clann magic user to vampire, much to Savannah Colbert's joy—and despair. By changing the Clann's golden boy and newly elected leader, even to save him from death, she has unleashed a fury of hatred and fear that they cannot escape.

As the Clann and the vampire council go to war, Tristan and Sav face a new threat—a fracturing of the all-consuming bond they share. To fight for peace, they must forge a new trust and risk everything to take down their deadliest enemy, even as they must run for their lives. Soon they will learn that some bonds are stronger than love—and some battles cannot be won without sacrifice.  

Sniff - hard to believe this trilogy has come to a close. Tristan and Savannah are one of my all-time favorite power couples. It had everything. Paranormal powers. Check. Forbidden romance. Check. Kick-ass hero and heroine. Check-check. Awesome author. Check.

Consume killed me. Not because of the story, although a few loop-de-loops did take me by surprise. But because after everything Tristan and Savannah had gone through, to the point Sav was forced to save Tristan's life and alter his genetics forever, it killed me that so much indifference came between the two that the stability of their relationship teeter-tottered, and you're left worrying if these two could make it through to the end. The only thing I felt Consume lacked was the angst that drove the first two novels so well, keeping me glued to the pages, waiting for these two to find a way to be together. And here they were, finally together but still apart, both so stubborn they wouldn't budge - hence the lack of angst. I sort of wish one of them (or both!) would pine hard enough for the other we'd get that, but since they could read each other's mind, it would have made it appear the other would cave, so no go.

I'm not going to get into the story anymore than the synopsis allows, but fans of The Clann series will be happy with the way it all pans out, but still wishing they could get a little more of Savannah and Tristan.

ARC provided by Harlequin Teen for honest review.

The Bane by Keary Taylor (ARC)

The Bane (The Eden Trilogy #1)
Keary Taylor
Pub: March 5, 2013

Before the Evolution there was TorBane: technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter. It had the ability to grow new organs and limbs, to heal the world. Until it evolved out of control and spread like the common cold. The machine took over, the soul vanished, and the Bane were born. The Bane won't stop until every last person has been infected. With less than two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction.

Eve knows the stories of the Evolution, the time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. But she doesn't need memories to know this world is her reality. This is a world that is quickly losing its humanity, one Bane at a time.

Fighting to keep one of the last remaining human colonies alive, Eve finds herself torn between her dedication to the colony, and the discovery of love. There is Avian and West – one a soldier, one a keeper of secrets. And in the end, Eve will make a choice that will change the future of mankind.

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I really wanted to like this one, I did. I was already a fan of the author from another book she's written, and I love the Terminator movies, the Sarah Conner Chronicles, etc., so I was really looking forward to this. Ms. Taylor did a great job in creating this post-apocalyptic cybernetic new world and I had an easy time picturing what the Bane looked like and how the infection inside them hungered to spread to the rest of the human race. Unfortunately, my love for this novel died there.

Elite by Rachel Van Dyken (ARC)

Elite (Eagle Elite #1)
Rachel Van Dyken
Pub: July 9, 2013

For Tracey Rooks, life with her grandparents on a Wyoming farm has always been simple. But after her grandmother's death, Tracey is all her grandfather has. So when Eagle Elite University announces its annual scholarship lottery, Tracey jumps at the opportunity to secure their future and enters. She isn't expecting much-but then she wins. And life as she knows it will never be same . . .

The students at Eagle Elite are unlike any she's ever met . . . and they refuse to make things easy for her. There's Nixon, gorgeous, irresistible, and leader of a group that everyone fears: The Elect.

Their rules are simple.
 1. Do not touch The Elect.
2. Do not look at The Elect.
3. Do not speak to The Elect.

No matter how hard she tries to stay away, The Elect are always around her and it isn't long until she finds out the reason why they keep their friends close and their enemies even closer. She just didn't realize she was the enemy -- until it was too late.  

When you attend a university filled with future mobsters and political figures, you better believe the hazing will be a little extreme.

 

 

Clear the Shelf Giveaway - Nearly Broken (INT)

So I've got eight copies of Nearly Broken that came from a dark print run. All that's wrong with the cover is that there are some words that are hard to read on the back (parts of the description and selected reviews). It's really not much, but I'm not the kind of person to use these on giveaways I've already run, where the reader didn't sign on for a semi-imperfect copy. So...you guys can score one of these for yourselves. Just so you know, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the inside, nor the cover itself, the colors are just a little dark. I actually went back in and changed the font colors when this happened, just so future orders won't have this issue, even if they do run it dark again. :)

 

Good luck!

 

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Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick (ARC)

Monsters (Ashes #3)
Ilsa J. Bick
Exp. Pub.: Sept. 10, 2013

The Changed are on the move. The Spared are out of time. The End...is now.

When her parents died, Alex thought things couldn't get much worse-until the doctors found the monster in her head.

She headed into the wilderness as a good-bye, to leave everything behind. But then the end of the world happened, and Alex took the first step down a treacherous road of betrayal and terror and death.

Now, with no hope of rescue-on the brink of starvation in a winter that just won't quit-she discovers a new and horrifying truth.

The Change isn't over.
The Changed are still evolving.
And...they've had help.

  

When Ashes first came out, I was a little slow to pay attention. Once I read it, I beat myself across the head because I LOVED it! Nobody knew what was happening, other than people within a certain age range (kids) were turning into Chuckies (aggressive little zombies), the older adults were all of a sudden just dead, and the elderly were spared, but they became easy prey for the hungry Chuckies. For some reason, a handful of kids didn't turn - which included three that met within a national park - Alex, Tom and Ellie. All three had lost everything, but together they formed a new family and found a reason to fight for their lives. Unfortunately, by the end of Ashes, tragedy ripped them apart.

 

Unfed by Kirsty McKay (ARC)

UNFED (UNDEAD #2)
Kirsty McKay
Pub: August 2, 2013

The good news: Bobby survived her Undead school trip. Bad news: her best mate, Smitty, is missing. Bobby knows she's got to find him even if it means risking it all and going out into the starving-zombie-infested wastelands again. Even if it means taking fellow survivors including a couple of old frenemies along for the ride. And even if the zombies are not the only ones who are chasing them this time.

Check out my review of Undead (Undead #1) here.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Forget the wild animals that have gone all zombie on your @ss, and the carrion birds of prey ready to pick you clean long before your dead, the zombies themselves are smarter this time around.

NEARLY MENDED Cover Reveal & Giveaway!

 

I'm in COVER LOVE right now! I've once again got Megan and Nick on the cover, but this time you get the chance to stare into those stunning eyes that just scream Don't f*ck with me. However, that is not Nick on the back. That is the unconscionable Zander Malone, who thanks to the authorities, has his blond locks rockin' a darker hairdo to help stay off the radar a bit. Of course he'll be making an appearance in Nearly Mended, but for how long and whether or not he'll obtain any pleasure while there, I won't say! But he has definitely got some wicked things planned this time around.

Oh...and did I mention it's dual point-of-view this time? Both Megan and Nick will be gracing us with their thoughts and opinions in Nearly Mended. I've dabbled with the idea of getting into Zander's sick head a time or two, but in all honesty, I'm still against it, forcing us as readers to learn only what he wants us to know.

To See Full Size, Click Here.

 

Expected Publication: Winter 2013 (hopefully December)

He'll pay for what he's done to her...for what he's done to me.

Megan Whitaker desperately wants to forget what’s happened over the past two years – the haunting images and sensations still plaguing her thoughts and dreams – but she can’t. Because he’s still out there. Zander Malone. I’ll find you and bring you back to me. She wants to believe she’s safe with Nick in their secluded new home, but it doesn’t keep her from looking over her shoulder, jumping over unexpected sounds, carrying a concealed weapon or even preparing for the worst. He’s coming for her, but this time, she won’t let him get the jump on her, nor will she go quietly into the night.

Nickolas Ellis has seen a change in his long, lost love. Battered emotionally and physically, Megan has turned her fear into anger, spending her days at self-defense classes and researching things that’ll never allow her to let go of the past. And he feels guilty even asking her to, because he knows that heathen will return, it’s only a matter of time. And when he does, Nick will do anything to protect her, even the unthinkable, risking everything he’s fought so hard to get back.

New Adult Romantic Suspense / Dark Realistic Fiction
Recommended for 17+ for mature and disturbing situations, language and sexual content.

 

Haven’t read Nearly Broken yet? Now’s your chance to pick up an ebook for just $1.99! If you'd like to be entered for the $20 Gift Card to either Amazon or the Book Depository, just fill out the rafflecopter below!

 

Catch my other giveaways in the header text!

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Infinityglass by Myra McEntire (ARC) & Giveaway (INT)

Infinityglass (Hourglass #3)
Myra McEntire
Pub.: Aug. 6, 2012

The stakes have risen even higher in this third book in the Hourglass series.

The Hourglass is a secret organization focused on the study of manipulating time, and its members — many of them teenagers -­have uncanny abilities to make time work for them in mysterious ways. Inherent in these powers is a responsibility to take great care, because altering one small moment can have devastating consequences for the past, present, and future. But some time trav­elers are not exactly honorable, and sometimes unsavory deals must be struck to maintain order.

With the Infinityglass (central to understanding and harnessing the time gene) at large, the hunt is on to find it before someone else does.

But the Hourglass has an advantage. Lily, who has the ability to locate anything lost, has determined that the Infinityglass isn't an object. It's a person. And the Hourglass must find him or her first. But where do you start searching for the very key to time when every second could be the last?

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Note: Some of this may come off spoilerish if you haven't read the first two novels yet!

August's Previously Loved Book Giveaway

  AUGUST'S GIVEAWAY
 

 Me Talk Pretty Someday by David E. Pearson

 

David Sedaris's fourth book mines poignant comedy from his peculiar childhood in North Carolina, his bizarre career path, and his move with his lover to France. Though his anarchic inclination to digress is his glory, Sedaris does have a theme in these reminiscences: the inability of humans to communicate.

The title is his rendition in transliterated English of how he and his fellow students of French in Paris mangle the Gallic language. In the essay "Jesus Shaves," he and his classmates from many nations try to convey the concept of Easter to a Moroccan Muslim. "It is a party for the little boy of God," says one. "Then he be die one day on two... morsels of... lumber," says another. Sedaris muses on the disputes between his Protestant mother and his father, a Greek Orthodox guy whose Easter fell on a different day. Other essays explicate his deep kinship with his eccentric mom and absurd alienation from his IBM-exec dad: "To me, the greatest mystery of science continues to be that a man could father six children who shared absolutely none of his interests."

Every glimpse we get of Sedaris's family and acquaintances delivers laughs and insights. He thwarts his North Carolina speech therapist ("for whom the word pen had two syllables") by cleverly avoiding all words with s sounds, which reveal the lisp she sought to correct. His midget guitar teacher, Mister Mancini, is unaware that Sedaris doesn't share his obsession with breasts, and sings "Light My Fire" all wrong--"as if he were a Webelo scout demanding a match." As a remarkably unqualified teacher at the Art Institute of Chicago, Sedaris had his class watch soap operas and assign "guessays" on what would happen in the next day's episode.

 

To enter, visit the Previously Loved Book Giveaway page!