Book Review - Take Me On

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Title: Take Me On
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits (Book 4)
Publisher: MIRA Ink
Release Date: 6 Jun 2014
ISBN-13: 978-1848452909

Synopsis
Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.
West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping him fighting for her is a shot at redemption. Especially since it' s his fault her family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.
Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

My Review
I love Katie McGarry's books, she is one author I will always pick up no matter what. I never thought she would be my type of book, as I usually head towards fantasy and paranormal, but I have actually discovered I quite like contemporary romance and Katie is the cream of the crop when it comes to contemporary.
This is the fourth book set in the world of the Pushing the Limits novels, they are all individual stories following different characters but some of them do cross reference to the other books so it will make more sense if you read them in the order they came out but you can follow it without. But really why wouldn't you read them all, they are fantastic books and well worth a read.
This book follows Hayley and West. Hayley used to be a champion kick boxer, she had won titles and was the top of her game, but then something happened, something that changed it all and she swore never to enter the ring again, never to fight anyone again and never to get involved with boys who trained as fighters. But an old grudge still stands between Hayley, her ex boyfriend and her brothers. Then new boy West gets involved, he's new to this area but gets thrown in at the deep end. When he agrees to a fight in order to protect Hayley, he's not got much hope of winning, but maybe if they work together they can pull it off. But both of them have secrets, problems at home and things they don't want the other to know. They must get past all of that and then maybe they have a hope of winning, or at least not getting killed!
I started reading this book and was immediately thrown straight back into the world, although it's been quite a while since I visited, this book has been out for a while but somehow I missed it. It was only when I saw the announcement for the new book coming out this month that I looked back at the ones already out and realised I hadn't ever got a copy of this one. I requested it straight away and moved it to the top of my pile. 
It was nice to see Isaiah and Rachel feature again and made everything tie up nicely, it even answered some questions I had about how their story ended which was an added bonus. 
I loved Hayley as a character, she is dealing with some pretty bad things and has no one she can really tell. Everything is piling up on her but she refuses to quit. She is naturally tough, and although she has moments where she breaks down - these just make her so much more human. I felt like she was the sort of girl I would have been friends with at school, if I wasn't scared of her tough exterior that is! 
She has a very level head and a very loyal heart, she will do anything to try and keep her family together and just do the right thing. 
West is more of an unknown, and although he plays the tough guy bit, he is actually very caring and sensitive, most of the fights he gets into are because he is trying to protect someone he loves, and once he's met Hayley this is no different. He can tell that she is the type of girl who can take care of herself, but he can also see through her facade and realises she needs someone at her side too. 
The pair work well together throughout the book, they have a fair share of arguments and fights but you can really feel the romance blossoming between them.
Katie McGarry is one of those writers who writes 'real'. the situations, the characters, the world. It all just comes to life on the page and makes you feel like you know the people and could just step through the pages of the book into their world.
I literally read this in one sitting, after saying I would put the book down and go to bed, I ended up sitting for a further 2 hours and finishing the whole thing. I just couldn't walk away, and everytime I considered it something would pull me back.
These books really are amazing and will make you have serious feels!
Maybe not appropriate for some younger readers due to the issues involved such as abuse. But otherwise I would recommend it to all!

My Rating
      

Princess of Thorns

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Princess of Thorns is a YA fantasy Sleeping Beauty retelling by Stacey Jay.

Sleeping Beauty’s story did not end with Happily Ever After.

Instead, she sacrificed her life in the arms of her seven year old daughter Aurora in order to give Aurora her fairy magic – and a chance to survive the coup of the murderous ogres.

Now, ten years later, Aurora has learned that magic always has an unexpected, bitter result – and though it has given her excellent fighting skills and a merciful heart, it also has barred her from ever having true romantic love.

When her younger brother, Jor, is captured by the Ogre Queen, she sets off to raise an army to rescue him while dressed as a boy and hunted by the Ogre Queen’s followers.

Meanwhile, Prince Niklaas is searching for Aurora – his life depends on it. A curse laid down by his own father leaves him with only days before his fateful eighteenth birthday – a birthday that will claim his humanity, as it did his ten older brothers.

His only hope, as he was told by a witch, is to find Aurora – so when he locates her brother Jor (or so he thinks) he is blackmailed into assisting “him” in finding an army.

Fighting against an ogre prophecy that foretells the end of human life and each of their own curses – will Aurora and Niklaas find the Happily Ever After that was denied Sleeping Beauty?

I have become a definite fan of Stacey Jay! Both of the Romeo & Juliet retellings were quite memorable – Juliet Immortal and Romeo Redeemed. And then her Beauty & the Beast retelling Of Beast and Beauty was hauntingly lovely.

Princess of Thorns didn’t leave quite as much of a lasting impression but it was still a great book!

Here we have a horrifying, intriguing, captivating start – a given with Stacey Jay, it seems. She breaks apart the lovely naiveté of the Sleeping Beauty story we know and gives it a darker edge.

The ogres are creepy, disturbing villains – yet I felt they were also the novel’s primary weakness. I felt the ogres could have been made clearer – what their intentions are, their motives, etc. We get a little but I felt like I needed more from that portion of Princess of Thorns.

We get an excellently tough, hardened yet spunky and goofy heroine in Aurora and a refreshingly flawed but still likable hero in Niklaas. Their love story was the strength of Princess of Thorns and made the novel very enjoyable to read! The gender roles were turned upside down, shaken up and scattered to the winds to make these characters individuals rather than caricatures.

Basing love on a foundation of friendship and then adding in misunderstanding, mistaken identity and the pressure and problems of magical curses created a very readable dramatic fantasy novel.

For some reason I wasn’t AS drawn in with Princess of Thorns as I have been by Stacey Jay’s other books – but don’t get me wrong, I’m still a big fan of this one.

In fact, I am crossing my fingers that Stacy Jay continues this trend of retelling fairytales – because it’s darn awesome!

Book Promo - Awoken

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Synopsis for Awoken:       
Around the world humans are hallucinating after sleepless nights.

In a sterile, underground institute the forecasters keep reporting the same events.

And in the backwoods of Texas, a sixteen-year-old girl is about to be caught up in a fierce, ethereal battle.

Meet Roya Stark. She drowns every night in her dreams, spends her hours reading classic literature to avoid her family’s ridicule, and is prone to premonitions—which are becoming more frequent. And now her dreams are filled with strangers offering to reveal what she has always wanted to know: Who is she? That’s the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. But will Roya live to regret learning the truth?

Links:
BIO
Sarah Noffke is the author of The Lucidites Series. She’s been everything from a corporate manager to a hippie. Her taste for adventure has taken her all over the world. If you can’t find her at the gym, then she’s probably at the frozen yogurt shop. If you can’t find her there then she probably doesn’t want to be found. She is a self-proclaimed hermit, with spontaneous urges to socialize during full moons and when Mercury is in retrograde. Sarah lives in Southern California with her family.

Book Promo - Tail Lights

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Preston and Nick endured the breakup of all breakups when Nick accused her of cheating on him. He insisted, and she denied while the rain pounded against her driveway and thunder roared in the distance. Then they both ran – Preston to a life of Rock and Roll, and Nick to a career in the Army. 

Over four years later, they’re damaged and broken almost beyond repair. He’s carrying baggage from his military days, and she bears the scars of living a lifestyle she’s grown to hate. 

When Preston’s label forces her to take time away from music, their paths cross in a parking lot not twenty-four hours after her hometown return, anger and sparks flying in a confusing blend. But regardless of the feelings neither has been able to shake, too many lies and secrets stand in the way of the one thing they need in order to recover. 

Each other.


http://www.amazon.com/Tail-Lights-Lyric-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00PBV1EEE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415548997&sr=8-2&keywords=connie+l.+smith


Author Bio:
Connie L. Smith spends far too much time with her mind wandering in fictional places. She reads too much, likes to bake, and might forever be sad that she doesn’t have fairy wings. And that she can’t swing dance. Her music of choice is severely outdated, and as an adult she’s kind of obsessed with Power Rangers. She has her BA from Northern Kentucky University in Speech Communication and History (she doesn’t totally get the connection either), and is currently working on her MA.

Links:
Main Site/Blog: http://clsmithbooks.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clsmithbooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7257320.Connie_L_Smith
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/conniel0194/
Readwave: http://www.readwave.com/connie.l.smith/

Book Extract
Surprisingly, he was leaving his apartment when I reached his floor, and he smiled at me like no animosity existed between us. “Hey, Preston.”
“Hey, Preston,” I mocked, then held up the figurine and fastened a glare on him. “Take it back.”
He had the nerve to smirk. “How do you know I gave that to you?”
“Who else would leave a dolphin on my doorstep besides the guy who knows I love dolphins and wants to suddenly fix four years’ worth of betrayal?” His smirk disappeared, and I shoved the object closer to him. “Take it back.”
He shook his head. “I don’t want it back.”
“Well, I don’t want it ether.” When he arched a brow, I rolled my eyes. “Okay, it’s cute. It’s absolutely adorable, and it would look fantastic on my end table, but I can’t take this.”
“Why not?”
“Because I know what it means! You made a mistake, and you’re trying to make up for it. But it’s too late, Nick. And if I take this, it’s like saying that you have a chance to make things right, and you don’t.”
His brow again lifted. “You sure about that?”
I frowned. “Which part?”
With a grin, he shrugged in an almost casual manner, far too comfortable in a conversation that made me anxious. Evidently he’d meant what he said about mending things between us, and he wasn’t about to let my reservations ruin his determination. “You’re absolutely right about what the dolphin means, but are you sure I can’t make things right?”
“I’m so far beyond sure that sure isn’t even in my line of sight anymore.” I held the dolphin farther out, hoping that he’d take it. “I can’t keep clinging to things that weren’t good for me in the first place if I want my next four years to be any better than the last four years.”
Then he scowled. “And you think I wasn’t good for you in the first place?”
“I know you weren’t. If you were, you wouldn’t have believed Dad and dumped me, and…” Sighing, I waved the figurine in his direction. “Take it.”
“Your sentence trailed off,” he pointed out, a small smile forming on his lips. “That’s a good sign for me.” Eyes on me, he stepped closer, completely invading my personal space and causing the hand holding the dolphin to fall back against my stomach. After a moment of silently looking at me, so intense and needing, he pointed a finger at my face.
“That’s exactly why I can’t take it back,” he whispered. His finger moved to brush my hair behind my ear, trailing along my jaw before tracing my lips. I knew I should move, slap his hand away, something. But I couldn’t. I just stared, my mouth gaping in shock, my mind consumed with Nick and his caresses. “That was the biggest mistake of my life. And you are my life.”
His index finger exchanged for his thumb, outlining my bottom lip over and over. “I should’ve fought for this, and I’m not making the same mistake twice. I’m getting my life back.” Then he stepped away, gesturing at the dolphin. “That’s only the first step.” Turning, he walked to the stairway entrance at the other end of the hall, leaving me standing – still gawking where he’d been and suddenly holding the dolphin figure much tighter. 

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

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The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making is a middle grade fantasy for all ages by Catherynnne M. Valente.

Twelve-year-old September has gotten rather tired of the sameness of each day – washing the same dishes, sleeping on the same pillow, etc.

That is why she leaps at the chance to go to Fairyland when the Green Wind and his flying leopard extend an invitation.

Adventure at last!

Yet Fairyland is in turmoil – things are not as they once were now that the evil Marquess is ruling after the suspicious disappearance of the beloved Queen Mallow.

With the help of a dragon-like creature who has memorized A-through-L of the encyclopedia and a blue boy who is almost, but not quite, human – September will try to restore Fairyland back to its former glory.

Days after finishing The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making I am still thinking about it!

The prose and plot is astonishingly rich in its cleverness, inventiveness and beauty. I had to extend some effort, initially, to get a grip on this unwaveringly intelligent and charmingly multifaceted tale. Just as in the marvelous Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, you have to absorb not only the amusing wittiness but embrace the oddities, the puzzles and the deeper layer that slowly reveals itself to be incredibly thought-provoking.

Stunning.

With that early effort came an extremely rewarding reading experience. The distance that my reading brain felt at the outset to this elegant story was overcome by an enchantment that forces the reader to slow down and savor.

Valente creates a truly new, magnificent Fairyland that is imaginative, visual and heart wrenching. It’s a perfect book for reading aloud – which I did often – with its complex dialogue and excellent, omniscient narration.

There truly are some new magical presentations – and a genuinely creepy, chilling villain in the hair-color-changing Marquess.

I found The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making to be remarkably moving and effective – and I cannot WAIT to read the next books.

Because – ever so happily – there’s many books to come!

Book Promo - The Last Enchantress

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last enchantress
The Last Enchantress by Scott & Judith Powell

Being nineteen for over three hundred years bites, and being single in New York with magical powers isn't much better.

Eva is trying to live an everyday life in New York. When this fails, she takes a seemingly unmagical job as a translator for a wealthy American family in Spain. Eva cannot stay out of trouble for long as she runs into a friendly but hungry vampire named Louis. Eva feels drawn to this handsome, dangerous stranger who has problems of his own.

Louis's life was just fine until Eva walked into his church. She smells like heaven. Or is it hell, always smelling but never partaking? Surely she is the devil coming to collect on his lost soul.
Download a FREE copy of The Last Enchantress
Available December 15th to 17th


Author Biography
Powell
Scott Powell was born in Burlington, Vermont, to a father who was a police officer and a mother who emigrated from South Korea. He received a degree in marketing from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, and a master's degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Scott served a two-year Spanish-speaking mission for his church. He is a mixed martial artist who continues to train with his father, a second-degree black belt in tae kwon do and a kick boxer.

Besides being married to Scott for almost seventeen years, Judith Powell is a stay-at-home mom whose whole life has been full of stories. Being raised by an Irish storytelling father and a Native American mother, stories have filled her life and her head until they finally had no choice but to flow out through her fingertips.

Praise for the Book

What fun, and new perspective on vampires. And the intro of new specie, Enchantress, gives this novel a wonderful and imaginative take.

It gives us another take on Vampires and the only Enchantress left in the world. The story flows smoothly and the characters are developed well.

Let me just start by saying for the record I am not a huge fan of Vampires or flying humans, but this book has led me away from that concept with a fantastic storyline that focused on a man and woman who were meant to be. The fighting scenes were very detailed and visual as you can tell the authors made this a point of emphasis in preparing this book.

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Excerpt

The sun was just starting to rise, and I knew that her disturbing dream would not lead to sleeping late. I could hear her heart beating faster as she began to wake up. Wrapping myself in my cloak to protect my skin from the dawn’s light (the sun’s rays felt like hundreds of tiny needles on my flesh), I departed the room. Closing the French doors behind me, I waited on the roof for her to appear. I planned to spy on her until she exposed herself as the typical mortal that I knew she must be.
A few moments later, she walked out through the same doors I had just used, dressed only in a cream translucent nightgown. Her ankles were bare and slight, and I could just see the outline of her slim legs beneath her nightdress as the sunlight began to touch her skin. She walked purposely to a small stone bench under a tree that had not yet awoken this year and most likely never would. Just as quickly as she had come, she stood and began to walk back toward her room. I was feeling playful. What did it really matter if I revealed myself? I jumped down without a sound and sat on the bench that she had just occupied. Even though she had only been here but a moment, I could still feel her warmth lingering on the surface. Somehow, she sensed I was there, and she began to run, which was not surprising. I was sure fear motivated her movement. There was no need to pursue. I could catch her easily. But then she did something that put all my old questions to rest and created new ones. She jumped up and grabbed the edge of the roof. Using it as leverage, she flipped her body up into the arch, doing more moves than a gymnast at the Olympics, and landed, facing me, on the roof.

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Blog Tour Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 12/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Book Review - Eternal

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Title: Eternal
Author: C C Hunter
Series: Shadow Falls After Dark (Book 2)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: 28 Oct 2014
ISBN13: 9781250044617

Synopsis
All her life, Della's secret powers have made her feel separated from her human family. Now, she's where she belongs, at Shadow Falls. With the help of her best friends Kylie and Miranda, she’ll try to prove herself in the paranormal world as an investigator—all the while trying to figure out her own heart. Should she chose Chase, a powerful vampire with whom she shares a special bond? Or Steve, the hot shapeshifter whose kisses make her weak in the knees? When a person with dark connection to her past shows up, it’ll help her decide which guy to choose–and make her question everything she knows about herself.  

My Review
As soon as I know there is a new book by CC out I go totally crazy, I couldn't wait for this one and discovering more about Della. The day this book arrived I was literally jumping up and down. There had been a few issues getting a copy and I actually wasn't expecting a paperback copy so when it appeared I was ecstatic! Thank you CC and team - you literally made my day.
I of course wanted to dive in straight away but I was already part way through a book and then I had a university assignment due in, but this was my motivation to get through. This was my reward for doing the hard work. And it was the best reward ever!
I started to read this in my lunchbreak at work and managed to read 60 pages in just 45 minutes, I was immediately immersed into the world again and it felt like I was being welcomed back by old friends, like I belonged in that world. When I got home from work I told myself that I would read for an hour and then catch up with emails and blogs and other bits and bobs (as I am not home much at the moment because of work, uni etc I have to do things when I can) But that soon went out the window - 3 hours later I had sat and read the entire book! I hadn't moved an inch in that whole time, I was in that world 100 percent and when I finished it was like waking up and finding myself back in reality. And I missed it, straight away, I didn't want to leave. I want more!!
Della is really evolving as a character, she is still her tough, sassy, sarcastic self but she is also letting her guard down a little bit and showing a more sensitive side and I feel honoured that I get to see that side of her. But don't be fooled, she could still kick you to the curb if necessary. I absolutely love her witty comments and the way she says exactly what's she's thinking with just a few words and a look. 
It's also great to see the other characters we love like Kylie, Miranda, Holiday and Burnett. And to know more about new boy Chase, he is really intriguing and hope his story will carrying on developing too.
There is a love triangle in the book, Della has to choose between Chase and Steve, but it's done really well and doesn't feel irksome at all. However I did find myself changing sides constantly throughout, I still couldn't tell you who I wanted her to end up with. 

There are so many things I want to still know, and for every question that is answered, you get given another mystery to solve, it keeps you totally hooked and begging for more, and I just have to know what happens to everyone. I need to know what Della is going to do about that situation- I mean Oh my goodness!!!
 
If you haven't read these books then you need to go and get them all, shut yourself in a room and not come out until you have finished. Start with the original Shadow Falls series, then move onto these After Dark books. You will not regret it for a second. 
In fact, if you are stuck for a Christmas gift - these are perfect! 
Now I am desperately counting down to the release of the next book.

My Rating