Wednesday, July 31, 2013

5 STARS | Everybody Falls by J.A. Hornbuckle + Excerpt

Title: Everybody Falls
Series: Wynter's Vicious #1
Author: J.A. Hornbuckle
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Music, Erotica
Publisher: J.A. Hornbuckle
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00DELS7HU
Published: June 13th, 2013
Source: Reading Addiction Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★






At 25, Jax Wynter lost his life.
As the youngest member of America's number one rock band, Wynter's Vicious, Jax lived a life with no rules or responsibilities. At least until his older brother, founding member and vocalist, died in a fiery car crash. Jobless, clueless and deemed unfit to handle his own affairs, Jax must sober up, man up and adjust to living as a 'normal person' in the 'real world'.

At 24, Lacey Emerson found hers.
Shuffled between her bi-polar mom and her former hippie grandmother, Lacey had no choice but to become responsible at a young age. Her chaotic childhood, though, gave her the skills and determination to succeed when she inherited her grandmother's bakery. Her life was finally normal, real but very, very boring.

All it took was a five-point face plant to turn both their lives upside down.

From the author of Pole Dance, Human Hieroglyphix I & II and Tap Dance, comes the new novel, "Everybody Falls", Book One of Wynter's Vicious Series. Set in the beautiful town of Auburn, California and filled with a cast of quirky characters, it’s a story about learning to live, learning to love and learning to hold on when your brand of 'normal' comes undone.

Sometimes you have to fall from grace before you can fall in love.
I absolutely LOVED Everybody Falls. I've really been getting into the who rocker thing in books, and I fell for Jax right away. There's just something about Jax that you can't help but love, as Lacey finds out firsthand. There are some really heartbreaking moments that just broke my heart. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.
He'd become such a fixture of the morning scenery, the sounds of his feet on the asphalt keeping time to whatever was in his head. I had taken to putting on music that had a beat to match his cadence. Today, my MP3 in the store was playing Soundgarden's 'Black Days'.

The low volume of such a rock anthem was probably illegal in more than a few states.

In fact, the hard-driving rock anthems seemed to be my music of choice when I waited for him. There was something about the set of his shoulders, the tattoos that fully covered his arms spoke to me of deep pain when I watched him run, but I couldn't have told you why.

Normally, he'd run right by me with only a quick wave, which was more than alright by me.

Today, he'd stopped.

But, not by his own volition.

He tripped, wind-milling his way past me on the porch steps. Taking giant, wobbly steps trying to find his balance before failing, before falling.

Before doing a skidding face plant on the asphalt not ten feet away from me. Just there on the other side of the road, yet still on the asphalt. That cold, hard surface, sprinkled with the various pinecones from the beautiful tall, tall trees on the other side.

"Arrg," he shouted as his face had hit the ground.

I placed my new bright blue mug on the worn piece wooden step and made my way slowly to his still figure sprawled on the blacktop. I could see his back rising and falling with his breaths, so I figured he was, at least, alive after his dive. That would've been a horrible epitaph, 'Death by Pavement'.

Either that or a great name for a band.

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Even as a young girl, J.A. couldn't wait to read. In fact, her first real temper tantrum was at the end of first grade when she realized that unless the book or magazine included the words, "Dick", "Jane" or "Spot", she was still at a loss.

The thirst for the written word has never left her.

But after reading three crap books in a row on her Kindle (or Ken-doll, as she calls it) in July 2012, she decided she could do better. Armed with a few notes, she blithely wrote out the first draft of her first novel and found her first book was worse crap than the stories that had started the whole cycle. Taking the advice of another author, she studied and learned, re-wrote and re-edited. As of June 2013, she's published five books with another in progress.

J.A. has been fortunate to travel throughout the U.S. and overseas, though she's now calling the Phoenix, Arizona area home. Those travels, places and the people she's met help provide fuel for her books which is always why she includes the verbiage, 'Although, if you recognize yourself in any character represented …maybe we need to talk.' She calls it her rider to the disclaimer assuring readers that her characters are not based on any one particular person.

When asked to sum up what she wanted others to know about her, she simply says, "For those that have been with me on this life's journey…Thanks for the memories! And those that are still on their way…Where've you been? My heart's been waiting for you."


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

Monday, July 29, 2013

4 STARS | Ablaze by Morgana Black

Title: Ablaze
Series: Fireside #1
Author: Morgana Black
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Erotica, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Metamorphosis Books
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00B0JG626
Published: January 12th, 2013
Source: Indie Inker Promotions
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★






Cheyenne is planning the perfect weekend with her partner to be Collin. But when the weather turns ugly she finds herself trapped in a cabin with dangerously attractive Luke, one of her father’s ranch hands. When the power goes out Luke and Cheyenne make the decision to keep each other warm, in more ways than one.
What I liked the most about this short novella was that even for such a short read, the characters had quite a bit of depth to them. Though I wish that Ablaze was just a bit longer with more story development, I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next with Cheyenne and Luke.

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Morgana Black is a hair stylist by day and hottie writer by night. She walks her dogs in high heels and never leaves the house without red lipstick. She firmly believes in the power of Zen, and does Yoga freely in her backyard, in her favorite set of pumps.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

5 STARS | Armored Hearts by Melissa Turner Lee & Pauline Creeden

Title: Armored Hearts
Series: Armored Hearts #1
Author: Melissa Turner Lee, Pauline Creeden
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Science Fiction, Steampunk, Fantasy, Romance, Historical, Paranormal
Publisher: AltWit Press
Format: PDF
ASIN: B00CL12T8M
Published: April 29th, 2013
Source: Reading Addiction Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★





When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother's side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales.

Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park and left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair.

Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.
I absolutely loved Armored Hearts. I was so caught up in the story that when I came to the end I was kind of disappointed and shocked that I had reached the end. AND...that was not a nice cliffhanger! I wanted to continue reading so much that I also picked up the prequel, Winter Fae. Armored Hearts is just so enthralling and I just couldn't stop reading. Just stunning!

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Melissa Turner Lee holds a BA in Communications with a concentration in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. She has studied fiction writing since 2008, attending various writing conferences and workshops, along with guidance from professional writing coaches. She resides in Spartanburg, SC with her husband and 3 sons.



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Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

Monday, July 22, 2013

5 STARS | Savage Smoke by Kay Dee Royal

Title: Savage Smoke
Series: Lycan International Investigation Agency (LIIA) #2
Author: Kay Dee Royal
Age Group: Adult
Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal
Elements: Werewolves, Vampires, Shifters
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Format: PDF
ASIN: B00DIGGBYW
Published: June 19th, 2013
Source: Bewitching Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★
Series Reviews: Staring Into the Eyes of Chance




Chance and his LIIA pack of agents search for rogue Lycan mastermind, Smoke, kidnapper of Lindsey and fifteen other human women he plans to use for procreating his own army.

Trevor, Chance’s right-hand Lycan, wants his mate back, but believes she’s fallen for her captor. Lindsey loves Trevor but believes he’s given up on her.

Will Trevor come around in time to rescue Lindsey and save her from shifting into Smoke’s pack, and will she even want back with Trevor after spending so long apart?
I am totally in love with this series! Savage Smoke brings us a resolution to Lindsey and Trevor's separation, and we also meet a number of new characters. To be honest, I was kind of disappointed with how things happened with Smoke, BUT I have a feeling this isn't the last we've seen of him. I mean, hundreds of years of hate can't just disappear. If we don't see Smoke again, then I'll be extremely disappointed. Two characters that we meet in Savage Smoke, Kodiak-weres Zander and Rynd, were really entertaining (in many ways *winks*). I'm really looking forward to seeing more of them in the next arc of the series. I was really happy with the little surprise that was awaiting Chance and Olivia. I just hope everything works out for them. And what's going to happen with Jase and the vampire Ria? I just really want the next book!

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Kay Dee Royal writes paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary erotic romance—maybe because it's also her favorite genres to read! She pens tales with wild, rugged heroes and strong, intelligent heroines. She'll give them both a few shadowy secrets, making her stories intriguing and fun. She resides in Southern Michigan with her family (her dogs, her cats, her caged husband... you get the idea). You can reach her at her blog and find the latest on her titles from her publisher, MuseItHot.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

4.5 STARS | ReVamped by Ada Adams

Title: ReVamped
Series: Angel Creek #1
Author: Ada Adams
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Elements: Vampires, Werewolves
Publisher: Ada Adams
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B007BDZ6X0
Published: February 20th, 2012
Source: Girls Heart Books Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★.5






A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.
I loved ReVamped! The characters were fun and the story was intriguing. Each character has their own story and their own pain to work toward being healed, and the whole team is there to help. Dawn's story was the most interesting, as it should be since she's the main character. Once I thought I had it all figured out, something new came up to make me think again. The love interests, Ethan and Sebastian, one human and the other a vampire, are both hot, but I still gravitated toward Sebastian. I'm just really excited to read the next book, ReAwakened!

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"Many people sing in the shower. I write scenes in my head and act them out."

In her career as a writer and an actress, Ada spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the kick-butt female characters she enjoys playing and writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a Masters of Science in Education.

Ada began her writing career at age three with a string of short stories that only a mother could love, and has been inventing quirky characters and imaginary worlds ever since. Her readership has now grown to include people who aren't directly related to her. A passionate advocate for the arts, Ada is also an editor-in-chief of VEUX Magazine - a fashion/literary publication which showcases up-and-coming talent from all over the world. Amongst other things she enjoys are zombies, chocolate, and bubble tea.

Ada lives in Toronto, Canada, and when she's not writing you can find her on an adventurous nature hike with her puppies, Caramilk and Oreo. Or deep in a jar of Nutella.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

Friday, June 21, 2013

3 STARS | Marcie by Carly M. Duncan

Title: Marcie
Author: Carly M. Duncan
Age Group: Adult
Genres: Contemporary
Publisher: Carly M. Duncan
Format: PDF
ASIN: B00CQ3BPTO
Published: May 9th, 2013
Source: Release Day Diva
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★







When Kate's mother, Marcie, dies mysteriously she is forever tormented by the many questions surrounding her mother's death. In Marcie's absence Kate clings to her mother's husbands, searching for solace.

As family secrets are revealed Kate works to build her own life and family, but the mystery of her mother's death sidetracks her until she finally gets the answer she's always hoped for.
I honestly don't know what to say. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. I really liked how Kate was able to build the life she always wanted as a child for her daughter. She's able to give her daughter the love she never felt from her mother. And she has an amazing husband that loves her deeply. There are only two things that kind of bothered me: 1.) we are never told Kate's daughter's name, and 2.) the ending was kind of anti-climatic. I was kind of like, "Oh, really?" Otherwise, I enjoyed reading this book and I liked how the story would be told from the present but then flashback to the past.

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Carly Duncan is a television producer by day and a writer whenever there is time. She lives with her husband, two daughters and beloved Westie in Brooklyn, New York.








Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

4.5 STARS | I Remember You be Scarlett Metal

Title: I Remember You
Series: I Remember You #1
Author: Scarlett Metal
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, Music
Publisher: Scarlett Metal
Format: PDF
ASIN: B00CJ17754
Published: April 25th, 2013
Source: Bewitching Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★.5






Lance never got over his teenage love despite years of trying to forget her with with alcohol, music, and other women. He runs into her when he’s back into town for a show with his band. Will he be able to move on or will he finally realize she’s the piece missing from his life?

Samantha dated lots of different guys after Lance, guys most girls would love to have even a chance with. No one can make her happy though; she compares them all to Lance. She sees Lance again after ten years apart. Will he be all she remembered, or will she finally be able to move past that part of her life?

They spend a passionate together but can they be more? Or will the differences that drove them apart when they were young threaten to keep them apart now? And when tragedy strikes, will they put that all aside and find happiness together?
I loved I Remember You! I was kind of heartbroken in the beginning, it was pretty sad what happened between Samantha and Lance. But their "chance" meeting about 10 years later had me hoping that everything would work out for them in the end, that they would have their happily ever after. I was extremely happy with how this book ended. I do wish it were longer, though.

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Scarlett lives in the Midwest with her family. When she's not busy writing steamy stories, she can be found with her nose in a book, camping, or geocaching with her family. She loves Diet Coke, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and 80's hair bands.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

Monday, June 17, 2013

5 STARS | Gravitational Pull by Marissa Carmel

Title: Gravitational Pull
Series: Vis Vires Trilogy #2
Author: Marissa Carmel
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Elements: Psychic Abilities, Angels, Demons, Pixies, Unicorns
Publisher: Libertine Press
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00C6R4MD6
Published: April 3rd, 2013
Source: Good Choice Reading Promotions
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★
Series Reviews: iFeel



Touch me, and bring me to life...

How do you move on when you don't even know where you were going in the first place?

The Spirit Stalker is dead and I have finally started to erect my life. But I quickly discover, that just because the structure is built doesn't mean the foundation is sturdy. As much as I try to manage my abilities, I can't completely control them. The physical impossibility of the relationship I have with Justice has reached a boiling point; our fundamental problem, my inability to control myself from absorbing his power, and his fear of touching me because of it.

As if that wasn't deal-breaker enough, a new threat looms on my horizon - Darklings. They are grim reapers of the immortal world who surface every five-hundred-years to feed off the souls of magical beings who are weak, aimless, lost; those who have given up and want to move on.

They also hunt power. Which means, they're hunting me.

Abandoned by the one person I need the most, I find myself in Melenia's realm. There, I’m courted by Siberian, a dangerous pixie who covets me, hunted by Death personified; all the while hiding my powers and my ancient bloodline. The pixie prince is alluring, and I feel so broken and vulnerable. I know giving in to him means giving myself over to him. But right now, I don't care. All I want is to feel anything other than the loss and rejection Justice left me with. Anything other than pain.

So what do I do when I'm scared to be touched, even though I know it's the only way to bring my soul back to life?
I'm completely in love with this series! When I finished iFeel, I desperately wanted to start reading Gravitational Pull. I loved it that much. And after reading Gravitational Pull, I feel that same way about reading the third book, Constellation. There were so many times in this book that I thought my heart was going to break for Liv, and I was so angry with Justice. He was a complete coward in this book. If he hadn't run from what he was feeling, a lot of heartbreak could have been avoided for both himself and Liv. I am so intrigued by the presage's warning and Liv's feeling of deja vu when saying or hearing a certain line (readers will just have to read the book to find out what I'm talking about). I'm close to pulling my hair out I want to read the next book so badly. Marissa Carmel has done an amazing job creating a world and characters that just pull the reader in and not letting them go. Bravo!

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Marissa Carmel has been writing since a young age and although it has always been for personal enjoyment, she finally decided breakout and share her imagination with the world. She hopes that her universe is as fun and intriguing to her readers as it is to her. Marissa Carmel is originally from NJ but moved to Maryland several years ago, she enjoys reading, writing, and catching up on her ever growing DVR library. She is currently working on the sequel to iFeel, Gravitational Pull and the third and final installment of the Vis Vires trilogy, Constellation.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

4 STARS | Carry Your Heart by Audrey Bell

Title: Carry Your Heart
Series: After Forever #1
Author: Audrey Bell
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Romance, Sports, Contemporary
Publisher: Audrey Bell
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00CMYSI7O
Published: May 3rd, 2013
Source: Bewitching Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★






Champion skier Pippa Baker lost everything in the avalanche: her boyfriend, his best friend, and her will to win. After a year of grief, she returns to competition.

She finds more than buried memories and steep slopes in Utah. She finds Hunter Dawson, a heartbreaking daredevil with the gold medals to prove it. And she finds that his reputation doesn’t stop her from falling hard, and that her heart might not be as broken as she once believed.

But, Hunter has scars and memories too—scars that make him believe falling in love might hurt too much, scars that make him run.

Pippa knows how much love hurts when it’s gone. Will she stop herself before she’s in too deep? Or will she let herself fall?
Carry Your Heart was a highly enjoyable read! I really liked the winter sports element in this book. I don't read very many books with a sports angle, but this one was very well written. I loved the main characters, Pippa and Hunter. Both have pasts that weigh heavily on them and have to find the strength to overcome them if they want a chance to be able to open up to someone else. These are the kinds of stories that I really enjoy, when the main characters have a seemingly impossible summit to crest to be able to open themselves up to loving another. These are always the really beautiful stories, and Carry Your Heart fits this perfectly.

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Audrey Bell lives in New York City, where she indulges her SoulCycle addiction and expresses her passionate hatred of the 6 Train. You can find her reading in Central Park, overcaffeinating at Starbucks, or trying to kidnap her neighbors’ Maltese puppy. She loves hearing from readers. Check out her blog at audreybellbooks.blogspot.com.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.