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Monday, January 28, 2013

Review - Tight Knit

You have seen this beautiful cover on here before. Today I'm review Allie Brennan's Tight Knit.

Goodreads Summary
Talia Gregory relies on her Nan for everything, especially helping her calm the anxiety that controls her life. But Nan gets sick, and it couldn’t be worse timing. Talia’s panic attacks are getting worse, her boyfriend is a jerk, her best friend is distant, her parents are more absent than usual and she’s stuck planning the Cozy Christmas Charity Drive for her knitting group in place of Nan. If that’s not panic inducing enough, enter Lachlan.

Lachlan McCreedy doesn’t rely on anyone. Not after what he’s been through. It’s him and Gram, nothing else matters but keeping his past buried, and his secrets hidden. So when Gram forces him to help with her Christmas sale, Talia is the last thing he expected, and trusting her with his secrets comes as a shock to both of them. But when he unexpectedly falls for her, the question becomes can he trust her with his heart?




 Buy on Amazon


This book is one of the cutest things I have ever read, and that’s saying a lot. It’s the debut baby of my genius cover artist, AllieBrennan, and I’m so glad I moved it up my list.

I was immediately drawn into Talia’s panic-driven world. I wanted to hug her, tuck her into my heart, and strip her of all her fears. With her sweetheart personality, it was heart-wrenching to see her suffer. But panic attacks are something that so many do suffer from, I appreciated this subject being brought to light. Though I do actually knit (I’m terrible at it) and crochet (pretty good at it), I wasn’t sure how I’d respond to the knitting aspect being such a big part of the novel, but I loved it. It was a great addition to the story, wonderfully unique. I was pleasantly entertained by each of the ladies Talia meets with. Nan and Georgina both made me laugh, made me cry. I have only one grandmother that I’m close with, but we live so far away. This story made me miss her terribly.

Lachlan was what I like to call a real dream. He was incredibly real and honest and hooked me from the get-go, but he’s a dream because he’s a dream. Duh. He’s cute and kind. Can be an ass at times, but what guy isn’t? And come on, girls. We can admit that the jerky part of a guy makes us swoon sometimes. Even prudish little jock-hater me can appreciate the swoon-worthiness of a guy being a guy. My heart also broke for Lachlan and the suffering her went through as a child.

What started as a classic case of two broken people finding each other became so much more. The characters were deep. They brought me to tears and wrenched at my heart more times than I can remember. For me, this novel was a slow read, which is not to mean that it was long and/or dreary. The opposite actually. When I term a novel a “slow read” it simply means that the story was so beautiful, I took my time reading it and digested every delicious word. I didn’t rush through paragraphs of inner monologue to get to the dialogue, I enjoyed it all.

If you haven’t put this on your to-read, do it now. And if you can, I suggest moving it up the list. You won’t regret it.

Connect with Allie:
Facebook

Oopsy, I forgot to add one of my favorite quotes:

She puts my arm in her lap and runs both her hands up and down it. The sensation is tormenting me, the mixture of desire for her to keep going and the pain of the memories those scars hold is too much... Talia drops my arm and my heart falls with it. There's no turning back now. 

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Review - There is No Light in Darkness

Goodreads Summary
A past hidden in darkness. Her present cloaked in secrets. The future holds the only truth that cannot be escaped.

After the mysterious and violent death of her parents, Blake Brennan finds comfort with an unconventional family. As the dramatic loss of her parents continues to haunt her—and hinders her from reciprocating love that others give freely—Blake embarks on a harrowing journey in search for the truth.

Living in a constant state of fear and need for control, vivid nightmares reveal details that lead to perilous situations. The past begins to collide with the present, and Blake must decide if the truth is worth losing the ones she loves.

Can love conquer all as her past comes to light? Or will Blake realize that there is no light in darkness? 

Book contains: Explicit language & sexual content.

 
 Buy on Amazon
Buy on B&N



There is No Light in Darkness… How to begin this review, because I have a lot of things to say. First, thank you Ana Zaun for adding me to Claribel’s Facebook Beta group. That’s right, folks. I got to beta this sucker. And, oh, was it so worth the eye ache I got after staring at my laptop for ten hours straight.

First, I have to commend Claire (I have to call her by her first name. It feels weird referring to any author as Ms. So-and-So when I know them.) for such a wonderful debut.

The book begins with Blake as an adult, but continuously flashes back to her childhood throughout the novel, giving us glimpses into the mystery that surrounds her mother’s death. This worked very well for this story, and it was woven seamlessly. I was never confused as to what was happening, where we were, past or present. The mystery drew me in instantly. I immediately wanted to know what happened to Blake’s mother. The situation behind it was intense and built beautifully as Blake begins to uncover details and the people behind everything.

Blake was strong, loving, vulnerable, and smart. She made mistakes, but she had a good head on her shoulders. Her burning curiosity kept her delving into the delicate details of her mother’s death, but her sense of self-preservation smartly kept her safe when necessary.

Cole. Holy Hot hot hothothot Cole. There are not enough words in the English dictionary to describe the hotness of Cole. He takes the cake on the piles of book boyfriends I’ve accumulated over the years. Not that he’s the Be All End All, but he is definitely in the that atmosphere. And the way he loved Blake… again, no words. He was honest and real and loved from the deepest core of his heart. I could feel it. Yet he was enough of an ass to make you want to just punch him in the arm really hard every now and then.

The rest of Blake’s family/friends make up a very entertaining and loyal band of misfits. They come to life on the page, and I wanted to squeeze each of them and thank them for making me smile.

But mostly, Cole… Okay. Nope. Not going to go there. There have been some recent cat fights in my circle over who is the reigning Mrs. Cole Murphy, and if I talk about him anymore, I’m afraid I will be showing up to work tomorrow with a black eye. So I’ll stop right there.

In all, this novel was awesomesauce, amazeballs, greatness, and a whole ton of other words I don’t really like to say out loud, or type, but I feel like I need to because I loved this story that much. Be on the look out for Claire’s next installment in this series.

Coming Soon!
Find Claire Contreras on Facebook and on Goodreads

Monday, January 14, 2013

Cover Reveal: The Forgotten Ones

Check out my friend, Laura Howard's, GORGEOUS cover! I am very much looking forward to her book The Forgotten Ones coming in May this year! Contest below for a chance at a $50 Amazon OR B&N Gift Card!


Title: The Forgotten Ones

Author: Laura Howard

Genre: NA Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Expected release date: May 15, 2013

Age Group: New Adult

Cover Designer: Stephanie Mooney 




Book Description:

Allison O'Malley just graduated from college. Her life's plan is to get a job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She doesn't have room for friends or even Ethan, who clearly wants more.

When Allison's long-lost father shows up, he claims he can bring her mother back from the dark place her mind has sent her. He reveals legends of a race of people long forgotten, the Tuatha de Danaan, along with the truth about why he abandoned her mother.







Share on Facebook and/or Twitter and you could win a $50 Amazon (or B&N) Gift card!



Monday, January 7, 2013

Review - Defy the Stars



Goodreads Summary 
Julia Cape: A dedicated classical piano student just trying to get through her last semester of high school while waiting to hear from music conservatories.

Reed MacAllister: A slacker more likely to be found by the stoners’ tree than in class.

Julia and Reed might have graduated high school without ever speaking to each other…until, during a class discussion of Romeo and Juliet, Julia scoffs at the play’s theme of love at first sight, and Reed responds by arguing that feelings don’t always have to make sense. Julia tries to shake off Reed’s comment and forget about this boy who hangs with the stoner crowd—and who happens to have breathtaking blue eyes—but fate seems to bring the two together again and again. After they share an impulsive, passionate kiss, neither one can deny the chemistry between them. Yet as Julia gets closer to Reed, she also finds herself drawn into his dark world of drugs and violence. Then a horrific tragedy forces Julia’s and Reed’s families even farther apart…and Julia must decide whether she’s willing to give up everything for love.

Find on Amazon


When I found out about this book, and that it was in verse, I was eager to start. Gimme gimme gimme. I have a soft spot for books in verse. I absolutely love how an author can pack a page with emotion in so few words. I didn’t feel Defy the Stars had that true verse-y flow, though it was still packed with emotion, just in a fuller way.

I loved Julia. She was driven, focused, and, let’s face it, MUSICAL. As a fellow pianist, I adored reading the scenes where Julia was playing the piano. She plays a Chopin Ballade that I PLAYED! It made me feel special, and I identified with her. The descriptions of her playing are so well done, and as a musician, I am extra picky with musical descriptions. I wanted to feel her playing, and StephanieParent definitely captured that.

Reed broke my heart a little. I hated his situation, his tragic past. I wanted so much more for him, and I thought Julia would be the answer. But instead of her pulling him out of his abyss, he dragged her into his. Unintentionally. Sort of. This isn’t your typical Bad Boy seducing Good Girl story. It’s much deeper than that. Julia is dealing with some self-made stresses that she is unable to suppress or cope with naturally, so when Reed presents an opportunity, she takes it.

This is where the drug use comes in. I admit, I was really shocked at first. Angry. Guarded. I wanted to scream at Julia for risking everything for a momentary high. But I understood it. I felt the pressure she was under, and her first experience was so impactful, she was left craving more.

Oh, Julia… Sad face. Sad heart.

This story is sort of a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and the underlying theme is brought about in their English class. Stephanie did a beautiful job of embedding the theme without overwhelming the story with “retelling”. This story was different, new, fresh, and vivid.

I am not ashamed to admit that my favorite scenes were during Julia and Reed’s drug induced hazes. The language is so vivid.

"This golden rush of energy blasts through my mind, invades my veins till it fills every inch of me. I've never felt this awake - the world has never been so clear, like I could reach out and hold it in my hand... I can actually feel the tension crackling between us until we collide and now I know what it feels like to be this close to someone, lips hands tongue teeth, breath mind soul, I will never ever go back to the way things were before."


Overall, this was a heart-wrenching, beautiful tale of love gone wrong, of the pressures of life, and of the things we will sometimes do to overcome – or bury – those pressures.

Keep an eye out for Stephanie Parent. She has a new novel coming out - Precious Things, coming out this Spring!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Tight Knit by Allie Brennan

Tight Knit is the debut novel of my Rockin' Awesome cover artist, Allie Brennan. I haven't read it yet, but I've heard some pretty amazing things. In another week or so, I'm going to curl up with it. Doesn't it look like the perfect winter read?!
  
CHECK OUT THIS COVER!



I mean, she's a cover artist, so Pshaw! But it's so stinkin' pretty,  I seriously wanna touch my screen when I see it.

I am gifting a Kindle E-copy of Tight Knit to two lucky commentors. Please include your email in the comment, and I will pick two at random at the end of next week!
 Add to Goodreads HERE

Goodreads Summary
Talia Gregory relies on her Nan for everything, especially helping her calm the anxiety that controls her life. But Nan gets sick, and it couldn’t be worse timing. Talia’s panic attacks are getting worse, her boyfriend is a jerk, her best friend is distant, her parents are more absent than usual and she’s stuck planning the Cozy Christmas Charity Drive for her knitting group in place of Nan. If that’s not panic inducing enough, enter Lachlan.

Lachlan McCreedy doesn’t rely on anyone. Not after what he’s been through. It’s him and Gram, nothing else matters but keeping his past buried, and his secrets hidden. So when Gram forces him to help with her Christmas sale, Talia is the last thing he expected, and trusting her with his secrets comes as a shock to both of them. But when he unexpectedly falls for her, the question becomes can he trust her with his heart?


To buy: 
Amazon
Kobo
Paperback

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

I'm Goin' Indie!



This will not come as a surprise to most of you. For those of you who don’t know, I am currently working on my fourth novel. My third has been finished for way too long. I admit, though, I have not done much querying. My original plan was to query in January. Through a long, thought-out process (talking to 3 friends), I have come the elegant conclusion (I pretty much screamed like a little girl) that in May, I will be joining the ranks of all the amazing and talented Indie authors I have had the privilege to cross paths with and/or befriend.

It’s been such an amazing journey, buying my first Nook (now Kindle), experiencing indie books for the first time, and falling in love! Then this birthing into the social networking world. Truth is, I’m sure I could spend the next few years querying and querying and querying. Maybe I wouldn’t end up with a Kathryn Stockett (The Help) story, but I’m sure I could get published if I worked hard enough. I just don’t want to. I have no drive to spend years doing this when all these other beautiful people are having such great success and – Shocker – HAVING FUN!

Not that traditional publishing would not be fun. What it really comes down to is I feel like the Indie world is where I fit. I’m looking forward to a year of finding a decent-sized space to squeeze my giant writer butt into. And I must admit, the idea of being the cute little arm candy was not appealing. I want my own whip and my own fedora! WhooTsh!

I hope you all will welcome me and enjoy my stories when you get to read them.

*runs and hides*

Just kidding. That is all any writer ever really dreams of: people loving their stories and routing for their characters.

And I’M ECSTATIC to share them with you!

My first novel is BITTER ANGEL(Goodreads link). I don’t have an exact date set yet, but it will be out sometime in May. There’s no cover yet (winks AllieB), but there is a summary. Please check it out!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! It’s going to be a great one ;)