5 STARS | What Endures by Katie Lee

Title: What Endures
Author: Katie Lee
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Sports
Publisher: Katie Lee
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00E7JO69G
Published: July 28th, 2013
Source: YA Bound Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★

Jason Kincaid is young, hot and successful.

An All-Star outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, he finally had everything he ever wanted, including a second chance with his high school sweetheart, Megan Williams.

But their hopes for a ‘happily-ever-after’ are dashed by tragedy.

A horrific car accident wipes out most of Jason's memories. Unable to recall anything from the last fifteen years of his life, Jason is suddenly adrift, his once charmed life now in ruins.

Megan finds herself in the untenable position of having to deal with the fact that the man she’s helping to rebuild his life may look, and even act, like her beloved fiancé, but in reality, isn’t any longer.

Trying to protect herself, as well as Jason, Megan fights the attraction between them. . .to no avail. As their potent connection inevitably draws them closer, Megan wonders,

With the memories of their relationship gone, can love endure?

Stories like What Endures are always kind of heartbreaking, but in What Endures there is a ray of hope that Jason will be able to remember Megan. Emotionally charged stories have always been my favorite, especially when I'm drawn into the story and am able to really feel the emotions of the characters. And What Endures does exactly that. I really enjoyed this book very much!

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Katie Lee has had a lifelong love affair with books. She fell in love with her first book in the second grade and hasn’t looked back since. She first took up writing as a hobby, wanting to craft her own magical adventures, and through the love and encouragement of family and friends, decided to get serious about writing and share her stories with the world.

She currently resides in Maryland in the United States. She works for the government during the day, and her spare time is devoted to writing. She gains inspiration from all sorts of things, but mostly from the fun and adventurous trips she takes when she can.

She loves hearing from her readers so drop her a note! She can be found in the following places (when not writing or curled up in bed with a good book!)


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

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5 STARS | Belonging by Karen Ann Hopkins

Title: Belonging
Series: Temptation #2
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00B0A5XTC
Published: April 30th, 2013
Source: NetGalley
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★
Series Reviews: Temptation

He's Amish. I'm not. Will love be enough?

I left everything I knew behind.
But it was worth it. He was worth it.

No one thought an ordinary girl like me would last two minutes living with the Amish, not even me. There are a lot more rules and a lot less freedom, and I miss my family and the life I once had. Worst of all, Noah and I aren't even allowed to see each other. Not until I've proven myself.

If I can find a way to make it work, we'll be NOAH & ROSE

together forever.

But not everybody believes this is where I belong.

Rose has begun her life as an Amish woman and is succeeding, much to her family's dislike. But it hasn't been an easy experience: the work is hard and the rules are constricting, and Rose's love for Noah is sometimes the only thing pulling her through the hard times. Rose is accepted by Noah's Amish community and they are officially allowed to court each other, and they are happy. But Rose's and Noah's happiness is suddenly brought to a screeching halt. Rose made it three months in the Amish community, but then her father had had enough and used lies and deceit to get her back. Trying to move past the pain of their forced separation, they both move on with their lives and move on to new people. The truth is brought to light by Rose's older brother Sam before either of them can move on in a permanent way, and Noah rushes to Rose's side and they find happiness again. But it's not only those close to them that threaten their happily ever after. A former peer with a sick obsession is out for revenge. And Rose's life is in danger.

Rose shows a great deal of strength, determination, and stubbornness during her three months with the Amish. Her love for Noah keeps her going when it feels like everything is closing in on her. Rose doesn't mention it, but her family's obvious dislike for the Amish lifestyle and their unsupportiveness takes its toll on her. It's during these moments that Noah fears that Rose has second thoughts about being Amish. While he is proud that Rose was able to succeed in becoming a member of his community and is overjoyed that their relationship is now official, Noah can't help but doubt Rose's resolve when she refuses to discuss their future. They both show how much their experience has taken its toll on them both when Rose is forced to leave and there is now a separation between them. That space eventually tears them apart and its takes Sam and Summer to bridge the gap.

The first thing I noticed in Belonging is that it seemed like Rose was the only one sacrificing anything for their relationship. Rose showed how much she truly loves Noah by not hesitating to become Amish when she finally made the decision, but Noah didn't seem willing to sacrifice anything at all if she had refused. And this was very frustrating for me while I was reading. I also couldn't stand Rose's family's happiness at making her unhappy. It's like, Really? You're happy that yourr daughter/sister is miserable? Now, Hunter impressed me greatly in this book. He doesn't get any kind of joy out of Rose being unhappy and does what he can to change that. I felt kind of bad for him, because he genuinely cares deeply for Rose but she can't show that same kind of commitment with Noah still in her heart. I absolutely loved Summer and how she has Sam wrapped around her finger. And she is a very good friend to Rose, loyal and not to a fault either. Rose desperately needed someone there for her and her alone.

That cliffhanger at the end was a real killer! I've been agonizing over not being about to read the final book in this series, Forever, until January 2014. That is just too far away to learn about what happens after the big reveal at the end of Belonging. I'm just so looking forward to the next book that I'm ready to burst.

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A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.


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

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5 STARS | Reveal by Brina Courtney

Title: Reveal
Series: Cryptid Tales #1
Author: Brina Courtney
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Elements: Ghosts, Shapeshifters
Publisher: Laurelis Press
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B006MOTN42
Published: December 15th, 2011
Source: Amazon
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★

You think seeing ghosts is weird? Tell me something I don't know.

Shay Tafford's childhood has been fatherless, filled instead with memories of speaking to the dead. She is forced to hide her unique ability from those living around her. That's why it's been comforting to have Jeremy, a child ghost, as her confidante. But recently he's been absent, perhaps lost as her father is. When Shay meets Hugh, the guy she's had a crush on for weeks, and finds he can speak to ghosts too, she's just starting to find a normalcy in her life.

But as Hugh reveals the truth to Shay, about who she really is and about what it is she can do, he erases all chances she had at a normal existence. Turns out talking to ghosts is just scratching the surface of her genetically engineered gifts. Shay learns she may be part of an age old prophecy that could save the entire race of cryptids. But can she?

I really enjoyed Reveal! I liked how we learn everything about who and what Shay is to be along with her. I also liked how different the shapeshifting Cryptid's origin was from the usual. And of course there is Hugh (I don't think I really need to explain that). The cliffhanger at the end has me wanting the next book right now!

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Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She's spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.


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

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5 STARS | Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Title: Temptation
Series: Temptation #1
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B007UNC27E
Published: June 26th, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★

What is forbidden cannot be forgotten...

Your heart misleads you.
That's what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah.
And he loves me.

We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms.

It should be

ROSE & NOAH

forever, easy.

But it won't be.

Because he's Amish.
And I'm not.

Temptation is the story of Rose and Noah. Rose's family moved to the small town of Meadowview, Ohio, which had a large Amish community, and that was where she met Noah. They are star-crossed lovers in the sense that Noah is Amish and Rose is what they refer to as English. No one was okay with their relationship: their parents were vehemently against Noah and Rose being together, their siblings didn't understand what they saw in each other, and their friends were doubtful that they could make it work. But none of that mattered to Rose and Noah. Their connection was strong from the beginning, their feelings for each other intense, and their determination to be together pushed them to do things that had serious consequences. The future for Noah and Rose is very uncertain, sacrifices are made, and their bond is tested.

Rose is a very spirited person, and Noah even refers to everything about Rose as being like fire. She loves with her entire heart, but because of that she's easily hurt. Rose is a very good friend. She's loyal, protective, and always has her friend's back. But her stubbornness can be a blessing or a curse depending on who you ask. The things she enjoys the most about her English world are dancing, music, horseback riding, and the conveniences her world has to offer.

Noah, on the other hand, lives in a world of hard work, discipline, and rules. And he's fine with that. In fact, he loves it and doesn't want or need anything from Rose's world of convenience. Except her. Noah is a very handsome (and surprisingly passionate) young man in his Amish community, and a much sought-after marriage match. His world is turned upside down when he meets Rose. Their secret relationship, when brought to light, causes and uproar in both their worlds, and everything comes crashing down around them. But neither of them is willing to give up on their relationship, no matter the consequences.

The differences in their backgrounds and the people around them bring conflict to their lives and relationship. It's obvious how their differences in upbringing would cause ripples, but it's the people in their lives that cause the waves to come crashing against them and test the strength of their bond. First there are the rivals for Rose's and Noah's attentions, respectively. Ella Weaver had expected Noah to court her, but when Rose snatched his attention away, Ella became a potentially dangerous enemy. Then there is Levi Zook, who has a very unhealthy obsession with Rose. He's a creeper through and through, and very dangerous. Both Ella and Levi are a part of Noah's Amish community, and if these two were to ever team up against Rose and Noah, it could be disastrous. Finally, there is Hunter Braxton, a new friend and teammate of Rose's older brother Sam. He didn't leave a good impression on Rose after a drunken incident at a party, but he seems to have genuine feelings for her.

But the biggest obstacle to their happily ever after is their parents. Noah's parents were very unhappy to learn that their son was in love with an English girl, but when they saw how serious he was about Rose, the relented. But there's a catch: Rose must become Amish. Rose's father wouldn't allow his daughter to have anything to do with their "cult." However, his girlfriend suggested allowing rose to experience the Amish life and come running back on her own. But they're all in for a big surprise, because Rose refuses to give up so easily.

I'll be honest, I was skeptical about this series. Why would I want to read a book with Amish characters? But once I started reading I was instantly hooked. This was the first book I ever read with an Amish atmosphere, so it was definitely a new experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked how this story showed that the Amish are not perfect, like a lot of us "English" would believe. They are human and they make mistakes just like everyone else.

And I'm a totally sucker for star-crossed lovers stories. Noah and Rose are just amazing. Their story seemed very real to me and I just couldn't help but love them and desperately hope that they could make it work. I also liked how there are characters, the people in their lives, who don't make it easy for them. There are those who want either Rose or Noah for themselves, there are those who just want to protect them, and then there are those who want to hurt them. It's a very...intense story and atmosphere. It always feels like there is danger just around the corner.

And I definitely like how this book ended. The conclusion was very clean and while there was no huge cliffhanger, it leaves you wanting to know what happens anyway. It's the beginning of Rose's life as an Amish woman. Will she be able to handle all the hard work and rules? Will she go running back home like her family believes she will? Or will she tough it out and finally have her happy ending with Noah? I'm just so hooked on this story and feel so connected to these characters, that I don't think I'd be able to leave this series even if I wanted to. Which I resolutely do not.

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A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.


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

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4 STARS | The Emblazoned Red by Dawn McCullough White

Title: The Emblazoned Red
Series: Trilogy of the Tyrant #1
Author: Dawn McCullough White
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Historical
Elements: Vampires, Ghosts, Zombies
Publisher: Claypipe Press
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00D38X41I
Published: May 28th, 2013
Source: Kismet Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★

Once, in another world—a dark world, the world of Faetta—there lived paladins and pirates, tyrants and scallywags, vampires and the undead. In this world a revolution is brewing. The royalty of Sieunes are in chains, and those priests and paladins who follow the holy word of the gods are under attack. In the west, the kingdom of Kellerhald receives the fleeing priests in their temples of the paladins of Silvius, god of the Sky.

Here, a young woman has just passed her tests to become a paladin. A pirate crew raids along the Azez Sea. An undead creature, wielding great power, roams the graveyard of Yetta. And a lost soul, crying out from beyond the veil, seeks out a pure hearted warrior to hear its plea.

Amid the turmoil of the revolution, Ilka’s mettle is tested. Rescued by pirates, she ends up with an unlikely ally: the pirate captain himself. The newly trained paladin finds herself collaborating with the undead, working with a vampire, and worst of all, longing for revenge against the man who has ignited the revolution in Sieunes: Francois Mond...

Death of an Innocent. Rise of a Paladin.

Book One in the Trilogy of the Tyrant, a stand-alone series set fifteen years after the Trilogy of Shadows.

The Emblazoned Red was a book that I just couldn't put down, and when I had to, it was with reluctance. Ilka and Captain Nate were two characters that I couldn't help but love, and I was rooting for them from the very beginning. Waiting for Ilka to realize her feelings for Nate was so frustrating! But when that moment came I really wanted to scream, "YES!!" really loud. And of course there were characters that I really just did not like, Ilka's fellow Paladins and supposed friends, for one. They really proved where they stood and it definitely wasn't with Ilka. And the story itself is just amazing. There are still so many things left unsaid by the end and the cliffhanger has me desperate for the next book.

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Dawn McCullough White is known for her strong female protagonists, and gritty dark fantasy.

Ms. McCullough-White has lived the majority of her life in and around Rochester, NY with a brief stint in Tucson, AZ. She is pursuing a degree in psychology at R.I.T. Dawn is a history buff and was a member of the Society of Creative Anachronism for years, active as a heavy weapons fighter. She currently resides with her husband and son in a quaint neighborhood next to an old cemetery.



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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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