Review: Happenstance by Jamie McGuire- Happenstance Novella Series-Book 1

Posted on 08/30/2014 by shellbellereads

Happenstance

Happenstance Novella Series- Book 1

By Jamie McGuire

Synopsis

#1 New York Times Bestseller Jamie McGuire returns to self-publishing with this page-turning YA account of Erin Easter, one of three Erins in the small senior class of rural Blackwell High School who not only share a first name, but also their birthday. Easter, raised by a neglectful single mom, keeps to herself and admires Weston Gates from afar. The other Erins, Erin “Alder” Alderman and Erin “Sonny” Masterson are the darlings of the community: daughters of the two wealthiest families in town, best friends, cheerleaders, and everything Easter isn’t–and they never let her forget it. Alder has even claimed Weston since the 8th grade.

Weston is a well-liked star athlete, and the son of two prominent attorneys. He struggles daily with the pressures of living up to his family name and secretly empathizes with Easter’s feeling that she belongs somewhere else; in a different life. Not until he begins sneaking nights out with Easter does he gain the courage to buck expectations and acknowledge his feelings … both for his future, and for her.

A shocking tragedy rocks the tiny town, and Easter’s life is turned upside down in the best way possible. But when the truth is revealed and everything she thinks she wanted falls into her lap, life only becomes more complicated.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Robin’s Review

Jamie McGuire has returned to self-publishing with her young adult novella, Happenstance. The events of this story take place in the small Oklahoma town of Blackwell. There are three young ladies in the senior class at Blackwell High School named Erin, and they each just happen to share the same birthday. Erin Alderman (Alder) and Erin Masterson (Sonny) both come from quality families and are on the cheerleading squad at school. But our primary character of this story is Erin Easter (Easter).

The mother of Erin Easter is Gina. Gina Easter drinks to numb the anger and resentment she feels for becoming pregnant at a young age and missing out on her dreams. Gina is poor and has spent some time in jail over the years. She is a neglectful mother, but Erin also goes out of her way to avoid interacting with Gina. After school and on the weekends, Erin works at the local Dairy Queen. The only parental influence she has in her life is Frankie, her coworker at Dairy Queen.

The three Erins were close friends when they were young children, especially during kindergarten and first grade. But sometime during fifth grade, circumstances changed between the three friends. Erin Alderman and Erin Masterson began to verbally abuse Erin Easter. The bullying has progressed over the years to include many other students and is nearly constant. Name calling. Cruel rumors. Slander. Social exclusion. Not only does Erin Easter experience verbal bullying at school, but it continues when she is working at Dairy Queen.

Erin Easter has admired Weston Gates for many years, although he has dated Erin Alderman since eighth grade. Weston is part of the popular crowd, and he is a star athlete for Blackwell High School. He has always felt an overwhelming burden to live up to the expectations of his wealthy parents and friends. One day, Weston decides to defend Erin Easter when she is being bullied by his friends. And then, he defends her again. And again. Weston and Erin begin to hang out during the evenings. Soon, they realize they have more in common than they thought they did, and a very sweet relationship develops between the two of them. Weston is very supportive of Erin when karma strikes during the last few weeks of high school.

Jamie McGuire grabbed my attention quickly with her interesting characters and a topic that carries a relevant message for people of all ages. Her writing in this story is beautiful, simple and crisp. The pacing of this novella is ideal, giving it the feel of a full novel. I found Happenstance to be the perfect, relaxing read. I truly enjoyed this story and definitely recommend it!

Author Bio:

Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, OK. She attended the Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.

Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with international bestseller, Beautiful Disaster. Her follow-up novel Walking Disaster debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. She has also written apocalyptic thriller Red Hill, a novella titled A Beautiful Wedding, and the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy.

Jamie lives on a ranch just outside Enid, OK with husband Jeff and their three children. They share their 30 acres with cattle, six horses, three dogs, and Rooster the cat.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway + Review : Guardian by Courtney Cole

Posted on 08/28/2014 by shellbellereads

We are absolutely over the moon excited about the Release Day Launch for Courtney Cole’s GUARDIAN!!! GUARDIAN is a YA Paranormal Romance, and a book close to Courtney’s heart. Not only is this fabulous book back in a big way, it’s Courtney’s birthday! To celebrate all of the awesome she is making a few select titles only .99 TODAY ONLY! Grab them all and thank us later.

Barnes and Noble Amazon iBooks

GUARDIAN Synopsis:

Sometimes, things that go bump in the night are real.

My name is Whitney Lane. I’m sixteen years old and at first, I thought I was crazy.

I kept seeing shadows move along walls, and hearing whispers around corners, but whenever I looked, there was never anything there.

Until one day, there was.

Our world isn’t what we think. There are things around us, good things, bad things, scary things.

Things that we tell ourselves aren’t real, but they are.

They’re very real, and they’re terrifying.

I’ve been swept up now, in a battle of good and evil, confused about love and what is supposed to be love, but isn’t. I don’t know what to think anymore. I can’t trust my emotions and I don’t know what is true.

There’s only one thing I know for sure.

Nothing is what it seems.

Excerpt:

Sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real.

Happy birthday to me.

I close my eyes and burrow into my pillow as I try to sleep, as I try to escape this life.

It’s a life I never thought I’d have, a life I most certainly don’t want.

I’m still feeling sorry for myself as the blackness of sleep finally overtakes me.

I don’t know what time it is when I shoot straight upward like a rocket. Something had yanked me from the oblivion of sleep, something loud and shrill scraping my window.

My room is completely dark and I glanceat my clock in confusion.

3:00 a.m.

As my heart pounds hard against my ribcage, I quickly scan every corner of the room.

In the last few hours, dark shadows had migrated onto my pink walls, but they’re familiar, nothing out of the ordinary, although in the night, they seem twisted and scary.

I remain motionless as I allow the sleep-induced fog to clear from my brain.

As I sit, I feel common sense and logic slowly returning.

Of course nothing had touched my window because my bedroom is on the second floor. Nothing can reach it. And there are no trees near enough to brush against it. It was just a dream.

It was only a dream.

I chant it silently to myself like a mantra as I consciously slow my breathing down, hoping that my racing pulse will soon follow. It was only a dream.

But just as I’m calming down, I hear it again.

A high-pitched shrill shriek, reminiscent of fingernails on a chalkboard, scraping down my window. I gasp and pull my feet up to my chest, which is when I notice the temperature.

I notice because I can see my breath.

Timidly, I blow a puff out again, watching the way my breath turns white in the air.

Holy crap. Oh my God.

What the hell?

The sound stops and stillness surrounds me once again, the silence so loud that it echoes in my ear.

Nothing moves around me, the shadows are perfectly still as they twist across my wall. They look like mangled fingers and arms and legs, but they don’t move.

My legs are weak and shaking, but I know I have to move. I have to move off my bed because it feels like something is under it. Something terrifying.

With a leap, I bound across the room, my feet hitting the floor several feet away from the edge of my bed.

The floor is ice cold, as though it had been covered in a blanket of snow.

I’m trembling as I race to the far wall and check the thermostat. Because that’s the only explanation. I must’ve bumped it earlier, I must’ve turned the AC way down.

But the luminous numbers stare at me in contradiction.

74 degrees.

It must be broken. It has to be broken.

My breath is coming in pants now, terrified, anxious pants.

My fear isn’t logical. I know there’s nothing here. I’m the only one in this room.

Or am I?

The air seems to push at me from all around, something dark, something heavy, something real. Something unseen.

My fingers shake, my legs tremble, and then all of a sudden, they can no longer support my weight. I go down like a pile of bricks, collapsing onto the floor. I lie still because I can’t move, because something seems to sit on my chest, holding me down.

The shadows start to move, to slither across the walls, to reach and pull and dance.

I struggle to focus, to see what it is.

But all I can see are the numbers on the thermostat suddenly moving, rapidly counting down from 74 to 20.

Twenty degrees?

The air is frigid as I suck it in, as I try to pull the ice crystals into my mouth so I can breathe.

All of a sudden, there’s a blackness in front of me. It hovers over me, a shapeless mass, sucking in the cells of the air, the atoms and the molecules. It’s darker than the blackness of my room, blacker than the blackest black.

Something is here.

With me.

“Dad?” I whisper in a white puff. Because what else could it be?

I reach out a finger to touch it, and then I can’t see anything else, because the darkness of it surrounds me, bleeding into everything else, even my vision. The shriek is back, screaming into my ears, bleeding into my brain.

Then there’s nothing.

Tracey’s Review

What do you do when the world that you know becomes one right out of your nightmares? Whitney Lane’s life has changed dramatically in the last few months. A freak accident has taken her father away, leaving Whitney and her family devastated. Her mother is too lost in her own sadness to care for Whitney and Whitney’s younger sister Ellie, leaving Whitney to shoulder the burden of moving forward and keeping everything together. With the steady and loving life she’s always known unraveling before her eyes, Whitney hardly knows how to react when strange events begin occurring, events that she’s only ever seen in those really scary movies she’s watched. And when she’s forced to confront an evil darker than she could ever have imagined, who will be at her side? Will it be Brady, the golden boy that seems to be her pillar of strength? Or Carter, the mysterious boy with the bad attitude and dark good looks? Sometimes it’s the people that we least expect that give us just what we need.

I have read and loved Courtney Cole’s New Adult novels, and was so excited to see that she had also written a YA title. ‘Guardian’ grabbed me from the get-go, and held me captive through all the crazy twists and turns and unexpected plot twists. I had no idea what to expect, but can absolutely say that Courtney has delivered a page-turner that I would recommend to any fan of a paranormal storyline coupled with well-written characters and a plot destined to grab you and keep you reading until the very last page. I really hope that Courtney has more YA magic up her sleeve, and look forward to reading more in this genre.

To celebrate the release of GUARDIAN and Courtney’s birthday the following books are on sale for .99, today only!

GUARDIAN
Confessions of an Alli Cat
Dante’s Girl
Mia’s Heart
The Minaldi Legacy
Soul Kissed
Soul Bound

ABOUT COURTNEY COLE:

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people.

Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.

Website |Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp| Pinterest

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway + Review: Her Destiny by Monica Murphy

Posted on 08/25/2014 by shellbellereads

Her Destiny

Sequel to His Reverie

By Monica Murphy

Synopsis

I knew from the moment I first saw him he was the one. The only boy I could ever want.
The only boy I could ever love.
They say he’s bad for me.
But I know he’s not.
Until the day he rejects me.
And breaks my heart.
Completely.
Everything changes in the blink of an eye. My entire life as I’ve known it is…gone. Secrets are revealed. Promises once made are irrevocably broken. There’s no way my family can get back to what we once were.
So when Nicholas Fairfield walks back into my life like he never left it, I’m furious. Thrilled. Irritated. Excited.
Conflicted.
Despite my confusion, I want to be with him. I love him. But danger lurks where we least expect it. Someone will do whatever it takes to tear us apart. All I know is: I won’t let them.
Because Nick Fairfield? He’s mine.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

Excerpt

“You sure Evan doesn’t mind me being here?”
“He probably hates that you’re staying the night, but he’ll get over it.” I take a step toward him and pat him on the shoulder, marveling at the solid feel of muscle beneath my palm, beneath the thick fabric of his sweatshirt. Has he gotten taller since the last time I saw him? Broader? He’s so big, standing next to him makes me feel small. “Do you need anything else?” I remove my hand from his shoulder, wishing I could touch him more.
“Nah. I’m gonna change, brush my teeth and go to sleep.” He smiles, looking cute, like a little boy and my heart flutters. When he reaches for the hem of his sweatshirt I step away, watch in silent fascination as he pulls the fabric over his head, taking the T-shirt he’s wearing beneath it upward so I catch a glimpse of his flat, perfect stomach, the little trail of dark hair that starts just under his navel.
I’m breathless, my skin is tingling and when he tosses the sweatshirt onto the couch, I start to walk backwards. “Okay well, good night.” I need to get away from him before I do something really stupid.
Like jump him.
“Night, Reverie,” he calls after me as I hurry to my bedroom. Glancing over my shoulder, I find him watching me with that penetrating, thoughtful gaze and I turn away, practically tripping over my feet in the hall. I rush into my room, shutting the door quietly before I slump against it, closing my eyes and pressing my forehead against the rough wood.
My feelings for him haven’t stopped. I still want him. I’m still in love with him. So why am I denying myself from being with him? Because I’ve changed and I’m worried he won’t accept me for who I really am? And because my life is so crazy the last thing I need is another complication to muck it all up?
Valid reasons, but why would I deprive myself from being with him? He’s the only one who understood me. Who listened to me. Who cared about me.
I think he still does.
Cracking open my eyes, I push away from the doorway and shut off the light before I crawl into bed. I lay there in the dark, listening to him move about inside the bathroom, which is right next to my bedroom. He finishes brushing his teeth before he exits the room and I swear I can feel him standing on the other side of my closed door, waiting. Listening for any sign of life coming from within.
I can’t move. I’m frozen, holding my breath, waiting for him to knock on the door, to turn the knob, anything to show that he wants to see me. I want him to both respect my brother’s wishes and defy them. I want him overcome with need yet cautious. I want…everything.
All of him.
Disappointment crashes through me when I realize he is definitely obeying Evan’s wishes. He doesn’t sneak into my room, doesn’t attempt to talk to me, nothing. I should be happy. Pleased that he doesn’t want to upset anyone.
Instead, I’m sad.
Rolling over on my side, I punch the pillow beneath my head and settle in for the night, willing myself to fall asleep. I get to spend pretty much the entire weekend with him. Maybe we can work it out then since we’ll have plenty of time. But for now I’ll have to settle for Nick visiting me…
Only in my dreams.

Michel’s Review

Her Destiny by Monica Murphy is the sequel to His Reverie, that released a few weeks ago. I was happy I didn’t have to wait a long time to get the grand finale of this story.

Her Destiny begins a few months after the summer has ended. Nick and Reverie’s relationship ended when Nick was taken in by the police for the murder of his ex girlfriend. At the same time, Reverie’s family is falling apart. Her father is being exposed for embezzlement from his church/followers. He is under investigation and family secrets are exposed.

Reverie is now back in school. Her life has spiraled out of control. She has become a wild child to deflect from the actions of her father and mother. She is living with her older brother Evan. She has lost her old friends because of the scandal and is having trouble finding where she fits. Her grades are plummeting. Her financial security is gone. Her mother and father have more or less abandoned her. And the worst of all it is that she lost Nick.

Nick turned Reverie away after while he was being held for questioning by the police. He did want this scandal to touch Reverie’s perfect reputation. When he is finally released from the police Reverie is long gone.

After several months of separation Nick finally finds Reverie. Can these two overcome the scandal, the accusations of murder, and the desperation their lives have become? Will the real truth come out? Will the truth be enough? Will they be able to let go and find their love again?

All will be revealed in Her Destiny.

Monica Murphy did an excellent job with the sequel to His Reverie. She solved the mystery, strengthened her characters, and gave them their second chance at love. She handled the maturity level, content, and realism of the Mature Young Adult genre with extreme care and very believable characters. I think most teenage readers are going to love this romance.

About Monica Murphy:

I write books. I have the best job ever. New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Writer of new adult contemporary romance-ish stuff. Published with Avon and Bantam. Mom and wife. Native Californian.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/OTE3MmMxYTA5NWI0YjhkMjZkNWU0YzM1M2E1YzU2OjE4Ng==

ARC Review: Dear Jon by Lori L. Otto- Choisie Series- Book 3

Posted on 08/19/2014 by shellbellereads

Dear Jon

Choisie Series- Book 3

By Lori L. Otto

Synopsis

A summer with his family in Utah is all Jon Scott needs to pull himself together. It’s time to focus on his mom’s sobriety and the continuing education of his two younger brothers, Will and Max. For once, things seem to be on track with that part of his life. For the first time, he sees real hope for his family.

This family time is a much-needed distraction from the relationship he walked away from in Manhattan. Livvy Holland, the girl he’s loved since they were children, has let him down for the last time. He doesn’t want to waste his time dwelling on the fight they had, or the shocking incident that happened the next day, after her graduation. It’s something he’ll never forget, or forgive.

Things never go as Jon plans, though. Despite her actions and a distance of two thousand miles, Livvy has every intention of keeping Jon’s attention throughout the summer with a series of 30 letters: three a week for every week he’s gone. He doesn’t have to read them; there are times when he simply doesn’t want to. He has plenty of things keeping him busy: a job that requires long hours, family friends that come over for parties, brothers that ask too many questions, and a girl that’s very unlike anyone Jon’s dated before.

But there’s something about Livvy Holland that keeps drawing him back to her. Reading the letters will either break the ties, or eventually reunite them. His brain wants one thing; his heart wants another.

By the end of the summer, Jon will return to Manhattan. He’s come to terms with his past. He has a bright future. Back at Columbia, though, he must accept choices Livvy has made without him that will change his present plans.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes

The Choisie Series

Contessa – Book 1

Book one of the YA/New Adult Choisie series by the author of Emi Lost & Found!   When she was four, a generous couple welcomed orphan Olivia Sophia into their lives. As she grew up, her parents made good decisions for her, raising “Livvy” to be an intelligent and creative young girl. Now sixteen, three people influence many of her choices: her first love, her second father, and a third man who speaks to her through his artwork.   Livvy’s father is practical and steadfast; even-tempered and quietly observant. She’s an artist who acts on her emotions and thrives on attention. Unhappy with their differences– and misunderstanding her father’s methods– Livvy chooses to focus on the similarities she shares with an enigmatic painter from her mother’s past. Her overactive imagination leads her down an obsessive path– one that only stands to hurt everyone around her.   The distraction of a new boyfriend has the potential to end her search and reunite her family, but his involvement in her life could be just as devastating, taking Livvy away from her father for good.   Mature YA for limited sensual content.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Olivia- Book 2

When devastating news brings an abrupt end to a romantic rendezvous, Livvy Holland struggles to accept the death of one of her closest mentors. Livvy’s artwork has always been an expression of her emotions, and avoiding the pain she feels from her recent loss makes painting seem impossible. Her inspiration gone, she devotes her attention to the future she’s planning with Jon Scott.   Blissfully happy in her own denial, all of Livvy’s free time has been given to the boy she’s always loved. Facing grown up decisions, she finds it hard to live up to her parents’ expectations of her as a daughter and an artist. Under her father’s constant scrutiny and persistent surveillance from curious paparazzi, Livvy finds it difficult to maintain the adult relationship she’s begun with Jon.   The changes in Livvy are evident to those closest to her, and a few that were once her allies begin to interfere with her personal life. This newfound attention – along with distractions that take Jon’s attention elsewhere – cause Livvy to question all the choices she’s made: what college she’ll attend, what man she should be with, and what she thought was her life’s purpose.   Livvy faces her greatest challenge when Jon’s unanticipated plans derail her own. Overwhelmed, confused, and longing to satisfy her own wants and needs, Livvy must endure more heartache before finding herself.   This book is intended for mature teens and adults.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Robin’s Review

“****If you have not read Olivia or the synopsis for Dear Jon, this review will contain spoilers.****

“While Olivia was in the process of being written and published, I was intrigued to discover Lori Otto had plans to add an additional novel to her Choisie series titled Dear Jon. After reading Olivia – after reading Jon Scott had walked away from his relationship with Olivia Holland – I was immediately eager beyond words to read the coming novel to be written from Jon’s point of view. Two short months later, I am eager to share with readers that Dear Jon was absolutely worth the wait! I am overjoyed by these emotions, thoughts and feelings dancing around in my head! I hope I am able to write a review which will properly convey my thoughts and feelings, a review that is worthy of Dear Jon.

Before discussing the content of this novel, I should mention Dear Jon has a different format from previous novels written by Lori Otto. It consists of a prologue and thirty-one chapters, with each chapter representing a letter written to Jon by Livvy Holland. Each letter begins with the same four words. Each letter ends with the same three-word sentence. And each of the thirty-one letters has its own theme. We are able to enjoy the experience of Jon reading Olivia’s letters, and we know his thoughts, feelings and emotions as he reads each of them! With respect to time, the events of Dear Jon take place over the summer months following Olivia’s high school graduation. Jon spends the summer in Utah with his Aunt Patty, mother and two brothers, Will and Max. While enjoying some quality family time, Jon also gets a much needed break from his relationship with Olivia. But he has plenty of time to reflect on the content of the letters being mailed from Manhattan.

The outpouring of love and emotion Livvy has written in each letter to Jon breaks my heart, while also filling me full of hope. In each letter, Livvy reflects on moments of importance shared between the two them – decisions about their relationship, struggles dealing with family, moments full of love and happiness, and even the low points of their relationship. She shares her private thoughts and feelings with Jon about each of these past experiences, and how they relate to what she is presently feeling. Livvy takes an honest look at her life. She opens up about her own faults, how she wants to change, how she is changing. With each letter, Jon is able to notice a palpable change in Olivia. She is maturing and becoming more selfless. She understands how her actions have affected those that she loves. She continues to mature as an individual, while her doubt about any reconciliation with Jon continues to grow. This made me feel so sad, but in the overall process, Olivia Holland does grow up. She takes responsibility for her actions, becomes more confident in her individuality, and accepts that she may have to move on from her hope for a future with Jon.

For the most part, I was delighted for Jon throughout this novel. Spending the summer in Utah was the very best decision he could have made for himself. He recognizes that he needs quality time with both brothers. Long ago, Jon accepted the responsibility as a role model and father figure to them both. He knows he will not be around for them when he returns to Manhattan for his fall semester at Columbia. Jon discusses some very relevant topics with Will, and impresses upon him the importance of being a positive role model for Max. Jon encourages Will to participate in school, sports and social events for his younger brother. He emphasizes the importance of keeping a watchful eye on their mother, a recovering alcoholic, and to encourage her stay focused on her recovery. Jon gains valuable experience with his summer job, as he assists building new homes. Jon also meets Audrey, and she becomes a very important part of his life. Jon Scott is one of the very best characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. Although forced to grow up at a very young age, he stays focused on school and goals, hoping to provide a positive future for his brothers and himself.

Dear Jon was everything I had hoped it would be, but it was so much more! Knowing how heartbroken Olivia was after Jon walked away from their relationship, I was thrilled with the opportunity to read each letter she addressed to Jon. I was captivated by his emotions, thoughts and feelings as he read what was spilling from her heart. Jon was such a pleasant surprise! Jon feels so much, and he loves hard. Olivia and Jon fell in love at such a young age, and we all know it is very hard for first love to last. Lori Otto has a special talent for writing stories that feel authentic. I learned early on that you can never know what future to expect for her characters. Her outcomes are not predictable. Olivia and Jon have grown so much as individuals. Their character growth feels realistic. They have each faced hardships, even though they come from completely different backgrounds. My love for Olivia Holland and Jon Scott has grown exponentially since I first read Contessa. I have no idea what the future may hold for this young couple, but I am excited to find out! I am giving a rare 6-star review to Lori Otto for Dear Jon!

Author Bio:

After graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1997 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Lori Otto worked in the billboard industry for ten years. Frustrated with trying to communicate entire messages in “seven seconds or less,” she decided to leave outdoor advertising and return to her love of creative writing.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Release Day Blitz: Lux Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Posted on 08/05/2014 by shellbellereads

We are ridiculously excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s OPPOSITION! OPPOSITION is a young adult Paranormal Romance being published by Entangled Teen and the fifth book in her LUX Series!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | IndieBound | Others via Entangled

About OPPOSITION:

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can’t believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

EXCERPT:

Katy

I still stared at Daemon, completely aware that everyone else except him was watching me. Closely. But why wouldn’t he look at me? A razor-sharp panic clawed at my insides. No. Thiscouldn’t be happening. No way. My body was moving before I even knew what I was doing.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Dee shake her head and one of the Luxen males step forward, but I was propelled by an inherent need to prove that my worst fears were not coming true.

After all, he’d healed me, but then I thought of what Dee had said, of how Dee had behaved with me. What if Daemon was like her? Turned into something so foreign and cold? He would’ve healed me just to make sure he was okay.

I still didn’t stop.  Please, I thought over and over again. Please. Please. Please. On shaky legs, I crossed the long room, and even thoughDaemon hadn’t seemed to even acknowledge my existence, I walked right up to him, my hands trembling as I placed them on his chest.

“Daemon?” I whispered, voice thick.

His head whipped around, and he was suddenly staring down at me. Our gazes collided once more, and for a second I saw something so raw, so painful in those beautiful eyes. And then his large hands wrapped around my upper arms. The contact seared through the shirt I wore, branding my skin, and I thought—I expected—that he would pull me against him, that he would embrace me, and even though nothing would be all right, it would be better.

Daemon’s hands spasmed around my arms, and I sucked in an unsteady breath.

His eyes flashed an intense green as he physically lifted me away from him, setting me back down a good foot back.

I stared at him, something deep in my chest cracking. “Daemon?”

He said nothing as he let go, one finger at a time, it seemed, and his hands slid off my arms. He stepped back, returning his attention to the man behind the desk.

“So . . . awkward,” murmured the redhead, smirking.

I was rooted to the spot in which I stood, the sting of rejection burning through my skin, shredding my insides like I was nothing more than papier-mâché.

“I think someone was expecting more of a reunion,” the Luxen male behind the desk said, his voice ringing with amusement. “What do you think, Daemon?”

One shoulder rose in a negligent shrug. “I don’t think anything.”

My mouth opened, but there were no words. His voice, his tone, wasn’t like his sister’s, but like it had been when we first met. He used to speak to me with barely leashed annoyance, where a thin veil of tolerance dripped from every word.The rift in my chest deepened. For the hundredth time since the Luxen arrived, SergeantDasher’s warning came back to me. What side would Daemon and his family stand on? A shudder worked its way down my spine. I wrapped my arms around myself, unable to truly process what had just happened.

“And you?” the man asked. When no one answered, he tried again. “Katy?”

I was forced to look at him, and I wanted to shrink back from his stare. “What?” I was beyond caring that my voice broke on that one word.

The man smiled as he walked around the desk. My gaze flickered over to Daemon as he shifted, drawing the attention of the beautiful redhead. “Were you expecting a more personal greeting?” he asked. “Perhaps something more intimate?”

I had no idea how to answer. I felt like I’d fallen into the rabbit hole, and warnings were firing off left and right. Something primal inside me recognized that I was surrounded by predators.

Don’t miss the books that started it all…

LUX: BEGINNINGS…

&

LUX: CONSEQUENCES…

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website Twitter Facebook Author Goodreads OPPOSITION on Goodreads

We will be giving away a Lux Series Basket with Lux themed jewelry, a signed set of the Lux Series and a $50 gift card to a retailer of the winner’s choice (Amazon, Barnes&Noble, or Indiebound).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Olivia by Lori L. Otto -Choisie Series- Book 2

Posted on 07/31/2014 by shellbellereads

Olivia

Choisie Series- Book 2

By Lori L. Otto

Synopsis

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Robin’s Review

Lori Otto is best known for her Emi Lost & Found series – a series about the life of Emi Hennigan, including a prequel and three of the most beloved and heartbreaking novels that I have ever read. If you have not yet read the Emi Lost & Found series, I highly recommend it! Be sure to read Not Today, But Someday, Lost & Found, Time Stands Still and Never Look Back – in that order – before beginning the spin-off Choisie series.

Lori Otto introduces her readers to a charming young lady named Olivia Sophia Holland in the Emi Lost & Found series. The novels of the Choisie series center on the life of Olivia Holland. They are titled Contessa, Olivia and Livvy. I would like to express my appreciation to Lori Otto for the opportunity to review an advanced reader copy of the second novel of her series – Olivia – in exchange for my honest review.

Olivia Holland is a sixteen year-old high school senior at the beginning of Olivia, having skipped a year ahead in high school. We are told that her Granna (Donna) passed away while Olivia was out of the country. Olivia was commissioned to paint a portrait of Donna prior to her death. The portrait was to hang next to the portrait Olivia had already painted of Donna’s son, Nate. Donna was always a positive force for Olivia. She was her teacher and mentor, encouraging Olivia to discover her creativity and to grow as an artist. Olivia knows that she disappointed her Granna because she had not finished her portrait prior to her death. She feels incredible grief and guilt, which results in her loss of direction and incentive to paint. Olivia also does not want to move on to other projects until she has finished Donna’s portrait. She loses sight of many things that are important to her – her artwork, education and the relationship she has with her father and family.

Olivia’s artwork has always defined a part of who she is. Without her art, she becomes absorbed in her relationship with Jon. He becomes the primary focus of her spare time. At the beginning of the novel, Jon is eighteen and beginning his freshman year of college at Columbia. He has his own struggles in Olivia. His mother and brothers are extremely important to him. Jon has accepted a role as a father-figure to his brothers because they have no father in the picture. Jon attends college classes and attempts to maintain his grades, while also hoping to give his brothers some stability at home. Their mother is an alcoholic. When she loses custody of his younger brothers, the boys are eventually placed in the custody of their aunt in Utah.

Olivia and Jon have grown up together. They have a very tangible love for each other, but they are both very young. Jon gave Olivia a promise ring in Contessa – they are both extremely young to be involved in the type of emotional and physical relationship they have found themselves in. At times, Olivia can be bratty and self-destructive, whereas, I felt that Jon had matured quite a bit in this novel. Although Jon obviously loves Olivia, his primary focus is on his family and studies. He is willing to sacrifice his teenage freedom to provide for his brothers. Jon realizes that Olivia is still very self-centered and not mature enough to handle the serious type of relationship that they have. I believe he understands that Olivia needs to experience life and grow as an individual before they can make a serious commitment to each other.

I found the character growth in this novel to be brilliantly written. It makes perfect sense that Jon would be more responsible and self-sacrificing; not only is he older, but he has experienced a harder life. Olivia has always had what she needed. She has wonderful parents, but they have micromanaged her life to protect her from the press, paparazzi and people that would take advantage of their family wealth. It is very obvious that Olivia has some growing up to do. I want to commend Lori Otto for writing the perfect ending to Olivia. I have no doubt that great things are ahead for Jon and Olivia in the final novel in the series, Livvy. Five outstanding stars for Lori Otto’s Olivia!

Choise Series:

Contessa – Book 1

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Author Bio:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

ARC Review: His Reverie by Monica Murphy

Posted on 07/28/2014 by shellbellereads

His Reverie

A Mature Young Adult Romance

By Monica Murphy

Synopsis

I knew from the moment I first saw her she was the one. The only girl I could ever want.

The only girl I could ever love.

She is light.

I am darkness.

She is innocent.

I’ve done too much.

She is good.

I am bad.

She is my every dream.

I should be her every nightmare.

We come from different worlds. She’s…perfect. And I’m…

Somehow she wants me anyway. So we’ll grasp at what we can. We’re going to make this summer count. She’s my secret. And I’m hers.

The problem with secrets is they never last for long. And when others discover we’re together, they’ll do whatever it takes to keep us apart. All I know is: I won’t let them.

Because Reverie Hale? She’s mine.

Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Michel’s Review

3.5 Stars

His Reverie by Monica Murphy is different from her previous series. I am not sure if it falls under the YA genre or mature YA genre.

His Reverie is a sweet romance between two young people. One is still in high school and the other is barely out of high school. The romance between these two is sweet and does not have the erotic edge that previous books have had. But this is a very good thing and very appropriate for this kind of book. The book focuses more on the characters as young people trying to find their way in the world of which they were born. It is somewhat a Romeo and Juliet story with the forbidden love factor.

Reverie is from the perfect world. She has been the perfect daughter, the perfect sister, and the perfect friend. She is a princess in her world. Her father is a well known evangelist with a national cable show and huge ministry. Her life has been influenced by her father’s calling. But like any normal teenager she wants to experience young love, dating, hanging out with friends, and fun.

When she meets Nick, a young man from the wrong side of the tracks, her heart yearns for him.

Nick has had a very rough go of it in his young life. He spent eleven months in jail for a crime he did not commit. He lost his mother to cancer shortly after he was released. He has been forced to grow up and become a man too early. He is struggling to survive in the adult world. When he gets a summer job working at Reverend Hales’s estate. When he meets Reverie Hale his life is turn upside down. She is the purest, nicest, and most beautiful person he has ever been around.

Nick and Reverie are drawn to one another. They begin a secret relationship that leads into love. But both of their worlds collide. Nick has been keeping his former life a secret, a past girlfriend is threatening to expose their relationship, and Reverie’s family is starting to fall apart.

When someone is murdered, Nick once again is blamed. He is willing to take the blame to protect his Reverie.

His Reverie ends on a cliffhanger. Readers will find out all the answers on August 25, 2014 when His Destiny releases. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.

I liked the characters and the nature of this story. There were a few things that kind of were hard to swallow but I had to remember this is a fictional story and that the book is geared more towards the younger adult audience. They are not sticklers for details and are more into the fantasy of the perfect romance. They like the aspect of forbidden love, characters with a truckful of angst, and finding true love. I think they will love this book. Monica Murphy captured the teenage spirit and young love.

Author Bio:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Saucy Southern Readers

professional, honest, and timely book reviews

Category Archives: Young Adult

Review: Happenstance by Jamie McGuire- Happenstance Novella Series-Book 1

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway + Review : Guardian by Courtney Cole

Barnes and Noble Amazon iBooks

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway + Review: Her Destiny by Monica Murphy

ARC Review: Dear Jon by Lori L. Otto- Choisie Series- Book 3

Release Day Blitz: Lux Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

We are ridiculously excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s OPPOSITION! OPPOSITION is a young adult Paranormal Romance being published by Entangled Teen and the fifth book in her LUX Series!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | IndieBound | Others via Entangled

LUX: BEGINNINGS…

&

LUX: CONSEQUENCES…

Website Twitter Facebook Author Goodreads OPPOSITION on Goodreads

Review: Olivia by Lori L. Otto -Choisie Series- Book 2

ARC Review: His Reverie by Monica Murphy

Share this:

Barnes and Noble ** Amazon ** iBooks

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

We are ridiculously excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s OPPOSITION! OPPOSITION is a young adult Paranormal Romance being published by Entangled Teen and the fifth book in her LUX Series!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | IndieBound | Others via Entangled

&

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Author Goodreads ** OPPOSITION on Goodreads

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Barnes and Noble Amazon iBooks

Website Twitter Facebook Author Goodreads OPPOSITION on Goodreads