WIN signed copies of Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

How would you like to win a SIGNED UK PAPERBACK of Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire?  Whether you've read the book or not, you need to enter this contest! It's no secret that I absolutely love these books with a passion and the first time I read Beautiful Disaster, I flipped back to the beginning and read it all over again.  True story!  Not only that but I couldn't read another book for at least a week after that.  See?  You NEED these books. 

I am honoured to have been invited to a special blogger event on Monday 3rd June to meet Jamie in London (yes that's right UK folks, Jamie is coming to London).   I will of course be telling you all about it afterwards (God, I hope I can shut up about it eventually) and in honour of that meeting, I'm offering a signed copy of the UK paperbacks to one lucky winner. AND...if you get back to me in time, I'll even have them personalised for you.  

Now for the rules.  This contest is INTERNATIONAL and you can earn extra entries if you so desire but they're not mandatory, it just means you have a better chance of winning.  The deadline for entries is Sunday 2nd June and the winner MUST get back to me within 24 hours of being notified, especially if you want it personalised.  As always, the winner will be chosen at random courtesy of Rafflecopter. 

As one of the extra entries, if you have any burning questions for Jamie about her books or well, ANYTHING then please leave a comment and I'll do my best to get it answered for you.  Also, if you don't want to enter the contest or you don't win, don't despair!  Jamie is actually doing a public signing on the same day (Monday 3rd June) at Watermark in Kings Cross station from 6pm to 7 30pm.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

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Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Soul Taken by Katlyn Duncan.  Here's the synopsis: 

 After-life just got a lot more complicated

Maggie is a Soul Collector. It’s her job to transport souls from the Living Realm to the After – but during a mission to find a stolen soul, she ends up stuck in a teen mean girl’s body.

Trapped, Maggie’s soul is catapulted into Ally’s life – and the human world she hasn’t experienced for one hundred years. But, as a descendant of the most powerful beings in the After, Maggie must rescue Ally before the girl’s soul dies…

To survive, Maggie must uncover devastating secrets – because with one soul taken by a terrifying enemy, Maggie’s could be next!

I am ecstatic that this book is being published as I had the privilege of beta reading a VERY early copy of this for my good friend, Katlyn.  It may have changed somewhat during that time but now that makes me even more intrigued to read it!!!  You may not know this but Katlyn used to be a book blogger and ran I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read which had one of the prettiest blog designs I had ever seen at the time.  Put this one on your list and enjoy one of the first titles from Carina Press.

 Soul Taken is published on 4th June, 2013.  To find out more about Katlyn Duncan and her books, please click here to visit her website. 

The Edge of Never Review

Sometimes life takes you off course . . .

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett thought she knew exactly where her life was going. But after a wild night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she shocks everyone-including herself-when she decides to leave the only life she's ever known and set out on her own. Grabbing her purse and her cell phone, Camryn boards a Greyhound bus ready to find herself. Instead, she finds Andrew Parrish.

Sexy and exciting, Andrew lives life like there is no tomorrow. He persuades Camryn to do things she never thought she would and shows her how to give in to her deepest, most forbidden desires. Soon he becomes the center of her daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But there is more to Andrew than Camryn realizes. Will his secret push them inseparably together-or destroy them forever?

You may not know this but The Edge of Never started as a self published book that went on to become hugely successful and ultimately it got picked up by a big name publisher. With a story like this one, I’m not surprised at its success.

Have you ever wanted to buy the first ticket to anywhere and just get away from your life for a while?  I know I have and that’s what Camryn does.  After a fight with her best friend, on top of everything else she’s been through lately, that really was the last straw and so she got on a greyhound bus and never looked back. Camryn is a girl who suffers from clinical depression but is trying to heal herself, a girl who’s forgotten how to cry, a girl with her guard well and truly up.  There’s no way she is EVER letting love into her heart again, that’s for sure.  Until she meets Andrew Parrish, just a stranger on the bus to nowhere.  They spend a lot of time on that bus together, slowly getting to know each other while keeping their cards close to their chests and when it’s time to part, they both find it hard but it’s not so easy to confess this, especially when love was never supposed to be part of the journey.  For either of them.

Oh my goodness, how I loved this book.  This is not the average New Adult book and the story is just fantastic.  It has heart and soul, courage of conviction and let’s just say that I was in tears by the end of it so you know it’s got to be good.

Andrew comes across as a happy go lucky kind of guy that takes life by the horns but in reality he is hiding some pretty devastating secrets.  I really enjoyed the banter between him and Camryn and I also enjoyed the protective vibe he developed for her, especially when he saw some weirdo leering at her on the bus whilst she was oblivious to it.   What a beautiful journey, this was one of the best book relationships I’ve seen as it developed slowly and naturally.  In a lot of ways, it reminded me of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, another book I greatly enjoyed.

I’m not going to say too much about the plot but rest assured that there is one and it’s going to knock you for six when you put all the pieces together to see the big picture.  I will say that I loved the tattoo thing and leave it at that.  In the original eBook, it says that The Edge of Never is a standalone and it totally could be BUT I’m pleased to tell you that there will indeed be a sequel, entitled The Edge of Always and it’s definitely on my wish list.

The Edge of Never is a fantastic, heartfelt story that will stay with you long after reading.  I implore you to go on a journey with Camryn and Andrew, one that you’ll never forget and one that will touch you in all the best ways possible.

The Edge of Never was originally published as an eBook on 15th November, 2012 and published in the UK as an eBook on 28th February, 2013 with the paperback release scheduled for 4th July, 2013. To find out more about J.A. Redmerski and her books, please click here to visit her website.

(Trailer courtesy of Stephanie Hayes)

Letterbox Love (#54)

As always, Letterbox Love is a weekly feature that I'm hosting on the blog and basically, the idea came out of a discussion with other UK book bloggers about the need to do a weekly meme with more of a British feel to it. Therefore, Letterbox Love was born and the logo was lovingly designed by Dark Readers. Letterbox Love is a way for us to share the books that come through our letterbox, galleys and e books (through our electronic letterbox) and any other bookish goodies that we want to tell you about. Letterbox Love is intended to showcase upcoming books and build up some excitement for them as well as let you know what is available out there. It is not about competing with other bloggers or boasting of any kind (c'mon, we're British and we don't do drama!)

Behold, the week of awesome books...

Review Books

Invisibility by David Levithan and Andrea Cremer

I've been wanting to read this for ages now and I'm so glad that it's being published in the UK.  I love both of these writers. This is about a boy who is invisible and a girl who is the only person who can see him.

Transparent by Natalie Whipple

This has been a long time coming! I've been reading Natalie's blog for a couple of years now and I can't believe that her book is FINALLY here.  This is a book about a girl who's invisible.  Literally.

Vortex by S.J. Kincaid

I LOVED Insignia (the first book) and I'm even quoted in the UK paperback.  This is the sequel which I'm very excited to read!

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

The cover of this book reminds me of the US cover of Divergent or even The Hunger Games.  This is a YA dystopian novel and sounds like it could have a lot of potential.

Nowhere by Jon Robinson

This sounds awesome, I love a good mystery novel where the characters and the readers have to go on a journey together to figure out what the hell is going on.

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Don't be too shocked but I've never read a Sarah Dessen book.  I figured I would start with this YA romance that sounds like a perfect Summer read.

Oksa Pollock: The Last Hope by Anne Plichota and Cendrine Wolf

I'm not quite sure what to make of this one, especially as the protagonist is a thirteen year old girl.  Sounds like a supernatural fantasy that's had some comparisons with the Harry Potter series. 

Shift by Hugh Howey (Unsolicited)

This is the sequel to Wool, a book I haven't read yet but one that's had some pretty amazing reviews.  I can't work out if it's a YA or an adult dystopian but it's had some comparisons to The Hunger Games.  I'm definitely intrigued to start reading the series.  

Dusk by Eve Edwards

I'm really looking forward to this one as it's billed as a beautiful love story set against the backdrop of World War I and it's Young Adult.  I do love these sorts of books. 

Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren

I really enjoyed Beautiful Bastard and this is the sequel.  Looking forward to a sexy, funny read.

Spy for the Queen of Scots by Theresa Brelin (Unsolicited) 
I don't really know why I was sent this and I can't see myself getting round to reading this so I think this is one for the library I'm afraid. 

Fire (Hammer) by Sara B. Elfgren and Mats Strandberg (Unsolicited)

I didn't realise at first but this is the sequel to Circle - which I haven't read yet.  It's about witches and it's probably something I would enjoy. 

Thank You Publishers!!!!

Books Bought

September Girls by Bennett Madison

This has a gorgeous cover and looks like a good Summer read.  I believe it has something to do with mermaids but the real reason I wanted this book was because it's a YA book written by a guy and that always intrigues me.

eBooks

Safe Word by Teresa Mummert (Bought)
This is a contemporary romance/erotic title with a very sexy cover.  I saw some quotes from this book on Facebook that made me want it so I pre ordered and it's been released early!

Juilliard or Else by Nichele Reese (Bought)
This is a New Adult contemporary book that reminds me A LOT of Save The Last Dance, a movie I really liked.  I think it sounds awesome. 

Locked by Maya Cross (Bought)
This is a novella and the start of a new and erotic sounding series (think Fifty Shades).  I'm intrigued enough to give it a go and at only 76p, you can't really go far wrong. 

Lockout by Maya Cross (Bought)
Another short novel and the second book in this series.  I'm confused as to why this is a short novel and could it not have just been joined with the first book to make an actual full length novel?

Playing Patience by Tabatha Vargo (Bought)
I've read some reviews that say this book reminded them of Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire and I've seen someone else describe the book as "disturbing".  Those comments alone made me want to read this New Adult contemporary romance.

Tangled by Emma Chase (Bought)
I'm a huge fan of Wallbanger by Alice Clayton and this book sounds a lot like the same style.  I've heard that it's funny as well as romantic and it sounds like it's got my name all over it.  I wanted to wait for the price to come down but in the end, I couldn't!

The Do Over by A.L. Zaun (Bought)
A book about a girl who prefers book boyfriends to real guys until her friends stage an intervention and then she meets a firefighter?  OMG, WHAT?  I definitely want to read this one.

Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely (Bought)
This sounds awesome and I've been waiting for it to be released for some time now, I just hope it lives up to my expectations!

Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett (Bought)
This is a contemporary romance novel, not sure if it's New Adult but it sounds like it.  I've seen nothing but good reviews for this.

Off Limits by Sawyer Bennett (Bought) 
I think this is more like a companion novel rather than a sequel and it sounds like you don't have to have read the first book to enjoy this one.  I have to admit that this grabbed my attention first as one of the main characters is an ex military man back.  Initially, I thought this was written by a guy but nope, the author is indeed female. 

Stealing Harper by Molly McAdams (Bought)
It's hard to explain why I bought this book especially as I had A LOT of issues with Taking Chances - I never did post my review as it was basically one big rant.  With that in mind, it seems strange that I wanted to read this book which is basically the same story, told from Chance's point of view.  I do hate myself for wanting to read it but I have to.  I can't help myself.  It's like not being able to turn away from a car wreck or something like that. 

Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry (Free)
This is a Pushing The Limits novella and a must get as I loved the first book.

How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman (Free)
I admit it, I've never read a Neil Gaiman book and this short story seems like as good a place to start as any. 

Inhale by Kendall Grey (Free)
Sounds interesting as it has a touch of the paranormal about it and this is the first book in the series.  It was free so I will see if I like it.

Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan (Free)
I've heard great things about this book and whilst I have a paperback (that I still haven't read) I saw that this was free and thought I'd get it for my eBook collection as sometimes I prefer to read on my iPad.

Rebel by Dawn Rae Miller (For Review) 
I'm a massive fan of Dawn Rae Miller and this is her latest book in the Larkstorm saga and a must read for fans like me.  

Take me Back by Kelli Maine (Netgalley - For Review)
I am a HUGE fan of Kelli Maine and I've read every book in this series so far, despite the challenges of being declined on Netgalley ALL THE TIME and the difficulty in obtaining these books in the UK.  I persevere though and this is a read it now galley for a limited time.  Obviously, you should have read the other books in the series before this one otherwise nothing will make sense but I highly recommend them!

So yes, this week has been AWESOME for books and once again I am overwhelmed with what to read next!  I also have a few books I need to beta read for people (not listed here of course) so I might start with those and give myself a break while I work on reviews.  I'm also going on holiday soon so expect a little break there although I'll try to post SOME things.  I just finished reading Raine Miller's series (I started so I thought I may as well finish) and trust me when I tell you that you need to pre order All Our Yesterday's by Cristin Terrill which is AMAZING and my new favourite book of the year.  In the meantime, I hope you had a great week for books and as always, please share your links below.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Alienated by Melissa Landers.  Here's the synopsis:

Interplanetary relations have never been more exciting! The first in a funny, romantic YA sci-fi series.

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

I absolutely LOVE the sound of this book and I think the cover is amazing - it reminds me of the movie Upside Down (which I saw recently and OMG it is awesome, please go and watch it).  Besides time travel, I really do love reading books featuring aliens and there is always plenty of room in this genre for another book.  I can't wait to read this and I hope it lives up to my expectations!  Sadly, we've got a huge wait for this book so I can only hope that it get's released much sooner!!!

Alienated is published on 4th February, 2014.

Imposter Blog Tour (and win a copy)

I'm VERY excited to be taking part in the Imposter Blog Tour and let me tell you, I can't wait to read this book!!!  Just in case you haven't heard about it, here's the cover and synopsis:

Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late? 

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

Sounds awesome, right?!  And that cover is amazing.  Anyway, as part of the blog tour I just so happen to have been granted an interview with one of the characters.  Please welcome Alec who is one of Tessa's best friends and a fellow FEA agent.  

NS: Hi Alec! *swoons* Tell us a bit about yourself.

Alec: I’m an agent for the FEA. I’ve been living with them since I was a little kid.


NS: I guess that means you’re a Variant like Tessa, right? So, what can you do?

Alec: I have physical Variation. I’m stronger and faster than ordinary people.


NS: Kinda like Superman ;) When was the first time you met Tessa?

Alec: Two years ago. Major and I went to pick her up from her home.


NS: You’d make a cute couple.

Alec: *Tenses* Tessa is a capable agent and a friend.


NS: Hmmm...A cryptic reply.

Alec: *Stares*


NS: Okay. Next question. Why did you choose to join FEA?

Alec: Choice wasn’t involved. FEA found me after I survived a fall that should have killed me. They took me in and taught me everything I know.


NS: What did your parents say to that?

Alec: *Pulls down the collar of his shirt, revealing a black dragon tattoo on his shoulder* This tattoo hides a scar I got thanks to those people. They couldn’t have cared less if I lived or died. FEA saved me.


NS: Tell us, what was your most exciting mission?

Alec: I don’t talk about missions. And excitement isn’t really my main concern when it comes to them.


NS: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Alec: Hopefully alive. *Gets up* *Glances at his watch* Are we done?


NS: Of course. Thank you so much for being on the blog today! *shouts* GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR MISSION!!!


Imposter is published on 28th May, 2013 in the US and I am pleased to tell you that it will be published in the UK in February, 2014.  The book has already been optioned for TV by Warner Brothers!

Susanne Winnacker studied law before she became a full-time writer. She lives with her husband, a dog that looks like a sheep and three bunnies that have destroyed every piece of furniture she's ever owned in Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals. When she isn't writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen, experimenting with new vegan dishes.  She blogs for The League of Extraordinary Writers.

To find out more about Susanne and her books, please click here to visit her website.  You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

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How do you organise your TBR Pile?

This is something I've been thinking about for a LONG TIME now and it's definitely an issue that affects ALL book bloggers which is why I'm asking you to please weigh in on this post.  Basically, I'm interested to know how other book bloggers organise their TBR (To Be Read) piles...

I used to have a shelf dedicated to my review books but when I started running out of space, that was the first shelf to go and then review books got piled up on top of the shelves as that was the only space left for them.   For people that DO use this method, I do wish that ALL British publishers would put the publication date on the spine of the ARC's (like the American publishers do) which would make it easier to organise the books in order of release date but that's no longer an issue for me now.

At present, I really have no system apart from choosing what I want to read when I want to read it.  Obviously this doesn't help with review copies and if I don't get to the Netgalley books for a while, then no reviews go up and I won't be accepted for books that I really want to read on there.  So, with that in mind I've been thinking of alternative ways of being organised.  I can say off the bat, that I don't think a paper diary or an electronic diary would work in this instance but what about a database or spreadsheet?  It's a little geeky but whatever works, right?!  When a review copy comes through the door, it could be entered into an excel spreadsheet that's in order of publication month and then you could see at a glance exactly which books are being published that month.  This also works for netgalley books, eARC's and physical ARC's.  I can't see any other way of being organised but that's where you come in.  I'm interested to know what methods YOU use to stay organised? How do you juggle your bought books, your review copies, your eBooks, your Netgalley books?  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE leave a comment and let's see if we can't come up with a way to do this, a way that will help all book bloggers!  I'll post a list of the best suggestions.

Letterbox Love (#53)

As always, Letterbox Love is a weekly feature that I'm hosting on the blog and basically, the idea came out of a discussion with other UK book bloggers about the need to do a weekly meme with more of a British feel to it. Therefore, Letterbox Love was born and the logo was lovingly designed by Dark Readers. Letterbox Love is a way for us to share the books that come through our letterbox, galleys and e books (through our electronic letterbox) and any other bookish goodies that we want to tell you about. Letterbox Love is intended to showcase upcoming books and build up some excitement for them as well as let you know what is available out there. It is not about competing with other bloggers or boasting of any kind (c'mon, we're British and we don't do drama!)

Review Books

Imposter by Susanne Winnacker

This sounds a little bit awesome and the main protagonist immediately makes me think of  Mystique from X-Men. I've heard recently that this is going to be published in the UK by Hodder but not until February, 2014.

Tidal by Amanda Hocking (Unsolicited)

 I don't think I've actually started this series yet but this is the third book in the Watersong collection.  I did like the Trylle series so I'm sure I'll like this too.

Leopard's Prey by Christine Feehan (Unsolicited)

This is the sixth book in the Leopard's People series, a series I've never read but I'm guessing (and it IS only a guess) that you can read this as a standalone otherwise I have no idea why the publisher would send it to me.  I can't say for sure that I will read it but if I don't, I will donate it to my local library. 

 
  Thank You Publishers!!!!

Books Bought

I did not buy any physical books this week.

eBooks

Holding On by Emma Hart (Bought)
This is a New Adult contemporary romance book from the Memories series and it's written by a British author, and set in England.  It sounds like a cute Summer romance kind of book. 

Always Remember by Emma Hart (Bought)
This is a companion novella to Holding on and a prequel to the next book, Always Remember. 

Until I Break by M. Leighton (Bought)
I'll be honest, I was waiting until the price went down for this one but when I heard that Michelle was pulling it from the virtual shelves (apparently, there had been some negativity over the story although I cannot see where as all the reviews are 4-5 stars) I jumped on it.  

The Next Forever by Lisa Burstein (Bought)
I thought I already had a copy of this but apparently, I didn't.  This went down in price and so I bought it while it was on sale. I have yet to tackle Lisa's books but I love her online presence and think me and her could be besties in real life so I have high hopes that I'll enjoy her writing!
 
Allusive Aftershock by Susan Griscom (Bought)
This is a Young Adult novel with the same cover novels for Jennifer L. Armentrout's books!  When I read "What happens when a major earthquake changes life as you know it and the boy you thought you hated ends up saving you? Three times!"  I WAS HOOKED. 

Anathema by K.A. Tucker (Bought)
I paid 77p for this but it's currently free.  This is a New Adult Paranormal book and that's why I wanted to read it. 

Love Me by Diane Alberts (Bought)
This is the sequel to Try Me, a book that I enjoyed and so I thought I'd get the next one.  I'll have to look at my notes to remind myself of the story, hell I might even re-read it if I have to but this is in the queue to be read.

Madly by M. Leighton (Free)
This is a novelette that introduces the reader to the series. I'm not sure if this is a book for me so it's good that this is free so I can try it before deciding whether or not to carry on with the rest of the series. 

Love by Beth Boyd (Free)
Charming, funny AND romantic? Yes please. 

Blurred by Tara Fuller (Won - For Review)
I absolutely LOVED Inbetween and Blurred is the sequel AKA Cash's story.  I actually won this for making a book trailer -  I know, I can't believe it either but I'm so pleased to finally have this on my iPad.

No Strings Attached by Nicolette Day (For Review)
This is an adult contemporary romance by Brazen Books (LOVE Brazen).  You also should know that it's Tara Fuller's alter ego and so it makes me doubly excited to read it!

False Sight by Dan Krokos (Netgalley)
This is the sequel to False Memory which I can't believe I haven't read yet (although I've had it for ages).  I've heard that this is just as amazing as the first book and I'm looking forward to finding that out. 

Every week I tell myself that I'm not going to buy any eBooks and every week, I fail!  I didn't buy any physical books this week though, so there's that.  I still haven't gotten round to reading Goddess because I'm working my way through the Raine Miller books.  Even though I wrote a mixed review for the first one, I feel like I have to see the series to the end and at least they are somewhat entertaining.  What are you reading? As always I hope you had a good week for books and please share your links below.

Naked Review

Brynne Bennett is living the good life. An American art student at the University of London and part-time photographic model, she’s putting her life back on track with school and lots of hard work. When ultra successful London businessman, Ethan Blackstone, buys her nude portrait, he isn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. He wants Brynne in his bed and makes plans to keep her there no matter what. His dominant nature captivates and ensnares despite the demons she carries inside her. But there are secrets in this relationship. Huge ones. Can Ethan free Brynne from the past that has marked her? Will Brynne let him or will the specters tormenting her resurface to destroy them both…
I’ve heard a lot of positive things about this series and for that reason alone, I’ve been dying to read the books for months now but I was umming and ahhhing over the high kindle price.  When a book is £5.99, as it was at the time of buying, a certain expectation is set up.  After all, I’m used to paying no more than £2.99 for an ebook most of the time and often just 99p or less gets you a fantastic read.  So, let me summarise for you – Naked was hyped up, not only by bloggers but also by authors and the high price set up a high expectation for me (if it’s pricey, it must be good, right?)

Not necessarily so.  Sadly, this book suffered from ‘over hype syndrome’ for me.  Naked is set in London and whilst our main protagonist, Brynne (and I assume the author) is American, her love interest, come sexy alpha male, successful CEO Ethan Blackstone is British.   I think considering *I* am British, you might know where I’m going with this next sentence.  Because I’m British, I picked up on a lot of mistakes, things that didn’t sound quite right, things us Brits wouldn’t say.  The editor in me also picked up some niggles over word choices. I have no idea if this book was self published at the time, whether it had an editor or whether it has been edited since but all it needed was a British person to look over it and forgive me if I’m wrong but it doesn’t look to me like that took place.

Naked is a really fast read despite the fact that nothing really happened apart from the constant push and pull between Ethan and Brynne.  There was no relationship build up, no getting to know each other, just pure animal attraction and primal urges although apparently, Ethan WANTS a relationship with her.  The question is why?  At first I thought it was just about sex but it appears that Ethan knows a lot more about her than he’s letting on and I’m looking forward to (hopefully) seeing this information surface properly in book two.  That’s right, despite the negatives so far, the book was at least somewhat entertaining and whilst there were no satisfying conclusions to ANY of the themes/sub plots within the book, I still want to read the next book - mostly because Naked felt like it was only the beginning of a bigger book.  I’m not sure how many physical pages there are since I read it on my kindle but it felt like half a book to me.   I really enjoyed the set up and I like reading about alpha male characters.  I do sometimes think though that it would be funny if one of these days, the woman just turned round to the overbearing, control freak of a guy and told them to fuck off otherwise she would get a restraining order.  I guess there wouldn’t be much of a story then though, more of a short novella ;)

This is a very difficult review for me to write as I strive to be true to myself and my blog readers whilst being respectful to writers and I really do want to love all the books.  With a heavy heart, I’m sad to say that Naked wasn’t as good as I’d hoped and whilst it was entertaining, it certainly doesn’t warrant the high kindle price.  Sorry.

Naked was originally published in August, 2012. To find out more about Raine Miller and her books, please click here to visit her website.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. Here's the synopsis:

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

I absolutely LOVED Throne of Glass and don't be fooled by the fact that my review isn't up yet - I've been working on it for so long as I'm a bit behind and I find it really hard to write reviews for books I loved (strange, I know).  Anyway, may I say that the cover is as KICK ASS the first one and I'm delighted to see that the Americans have finally come around to our way of thinking and are using the same image.  I only wish they had done that for the first book as now the hardbacks won't match.  Special edition, anyone?  I can't wait to read the next installment in this series and I only wish it was August already!  Pre-ordering!

Crown of Midnight is published on 15th August, 2013 in the UK and 27th August, 2013 in the US.  

The 5th Wave Blog Tour

Today on the blog, I am thrilled to be taking part in the official GLOBAL blog tour for one of the biggest releases of the year, The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey.  Just in case you haven't heard of the book or are dying to know more, here's the synopsis...

The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

Exciting, right? I have heard SO MANY good things about this book and I'm definitely reading this next!!  For this stop on the tour, I have an exclusive extract of the audio book which you can access here and trust me when I tell you that you're going to want to listen to it because you can win prizes!  There are TEN signed copies of The 5th Wave up for grabs. Each stop of the blog tour has an audio extract and, at the end of the tour, the extract in full will be available on the Penguin soundcloud.  Click on that link to enter the competition.

In The 5th Wave, our protagonist Cassie packs some essentials in her backpack before heading out on her own. As part of the blog tour, I was asked what I would put in my alien invasion survival backpack and here are my essential items (apart from food and water of course):


1. A survival handbook - This is ESSENTIAL advice for what to do and how to do it.  I'm going to need this to get me out of some sticky situations.

2. A HUGE book of waterproof matches - I know that these are going to run out eventually but I'm going to need them, at least in the beginning until I can figure out how to make fire on my own (presumably using my trusty survival handbook!)

3. Swiss Army knife - This is very lightweight and the tools would come in handy.   I actually have one of these somewhere.

4. A weapon of some kind - It sounds awful but in these kinds of situations, everyone is out for themselves and you need to protect yourself.  Of course, it could also double up as a tool, especially if it was a large knife or axe.

5. Wind up torch - I can't take a regular torch as the batteries are going to run out at some point.  I used to have a wind up torch and whilst it wasn't brilliant, it does the job and will last forever (until it breaks or you lose it).

6. Wind up radio - I expect the first thing to go would be TV and then possibly phone communications but there might still be a chance that someone could get a message out over the radio.  Again, a battery operated or plug in radio is out so a wind up one is the only way I could scan the airwaves for news, announcements or important messages.

7. A first aid kit - I'm a nurse, I'm going to need this for minor injuries and to treat others who need help.

8. Water purifying tablets - There may come a time when the only water I can access is ponds, rivers etc and so these will come in handy to make water safe and drinkable.

9. Lightweight, waterproof sleeping bag (and pillow) - I need my sleep and unfortunately, I'm not one of those people who can just sleep anywhere.  At least with a sleeping bag, I can guarantee some warmth and comfort WHEREVER I am and by God, that small pillow is coming with me!

10. A journal and pens - It might surprise you to see that the only book I've brought so far is a survival handbook but I would really love some sort of journal/diary to record my thoughts and experiences, even just as a way of recording what day it is and how long things have been going on.  I think it would also help psychologically to deal with the events. 

11. Roll up Ladder - When I was a kid, I was obsessed with the fact that a fire could break out in the house and I often spent time trying to think about potential escape routes (Yeah, I know...).  I always wanted a roll up ladder that you could throw out of a window to help me escape.  Also, the ladder could be used to get IN to places, not just out of places. 

12.  Lightweight bowl and spork (and can opener) - This might seem trivial to some but it would be nice to have something to eat out of and a spork is a cross between a spoon and a fork.  I also think a can opener is pretty essential as cans are going to be left on the shelves after all the fresh stuff has gone. 


What would YOU take with you?  Make sure you check out all the other stops on the tour (banner below) and enter the contest to win a signed copy of the book.  Also, have a look at the official 5th Wave website here and follow Rick Yancey on Twitter. You can also follow Penguin on Facebook and Twitter:

UK: Facebook, Twitter, Puffin Books Twitter  and also, check out Spine Breakers
US:  Facebook, Twitter
Aus: Facebook and Twitter

Letterbox Love (#52)

As always, Letterbox Love is a weekly feature that I'm hosting on the blog and basically, the idea came out of a discussion with other UK book bloggers about the need to do a weekly meme with more of a British feel to it. Therefore, Letterbox Love was born and the logo was lovingly designed by Dark Readers. Letterbox Love is a way for us to share the books that come through our letterbox, galleys and e books (through our electronic letterbox) and any other bookish goodies that we want to tell you about. Letterbox Love is intended to showcase upcoming books and build up some excitement for them as well as let you know what is available out there. It is not about competing with other bloggers or boasting of any kind (c'mon, we're British and we don't do drama!)

Review Books

Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto (Unsolicited)

This is a series I have always wanted to read but have never gotten round to it.  I have no idea if this is the FINAL book in the series but I know it's the third book.  I think the angel theme is a bit fatigued in the YA genre at this point but I still enjoy these kind of stories as along as it's fresh and/or different.  I've got the books on the shelves and one day, I'm going to read them!

Rules of Summer by Joanna Philbin (Unsolicited)

This sounds like a Summery read and possibly one for a beach holiday, although I'm not sure I'll be getting one of those any time soon.


Thank you, publishers!!!

Books Bought  

Taken by Erin Bowman
So, I thought I had pre-ordered this and when it was published, I was all "Where's my book?".  Then I realised, I hadn't even ordered it so that has been rectified now. This is a dystopian novel written from a male POV and I've been wanting to read it FOREVER.  The plot sounds awesome.

Reboot by Amy Tintera
This book cover looks like a movie poster.  This is another book I've been wanting to read for ages, since I read the synopsis.  It's futuristic and high concept and it just grabbed me immediately.  It sounds a bit like a YA robocop novel and I'm looking forward to reading it. 

The Originals by Cat Patrick
Although I received a UK paperback recently, I had forgotten that I'd pre-ordered a hardback of this.  Again, high concept, grabbing plot and looking forward to reading it.

Ebooks

Strings by Kendall Grey (Bought)
Read the synopsis for this book as it's a really clever marketing ploy which MAKES you want to read it despite the fact that the plot has undoubtedly been done before. 

Scanguards Vampire Box Set (1-3) by Tina Folsom (Bought) 
I read and reviewed the first book in this series a little while ago (Samson's Lovely Mortal) and really enjoyed it!  Whilst the individual books are a couple of quid each, this box set was 99p so bargain!

Searching for Moore by Julie Richman (Bought)
This is on sale at the moment and whilst initially you might not like the sound of it (the main guy is in his forties) you may change your mind when you realise that the story starts in the 1980's and spans across the years, right up to present day.  It kind of reminds me of One Day in that respect and I think it's going to be good.

Undeclared by Jen Frederick (Bought)
I was hooked immediately when I read the synopsis for this New Adult contemporary book and even though I entered a contest, I couldn't wait so I bought it.  The funny thing is, I then won it so I'm gifting my winning copy to a friend.  I love the idea of a girl writing to a marine :)

One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy (Bought)
I will admit that I panic bought these books by Monica Murphy because I heard that she had gotten a publishing deal and that inevitably means that they will disappear for a while and if and when they do reappear, the price will have gone up.   Yes, I'm catching on to this now ;)  This is a New Adult contemporary romance.

Second Chance Boyfriend by Monica Murphy (Bought)
See above.  This is the second book in the series.

Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren (Bought)
I really enjoyed Beautiful Bastard (although I sorta hate myself for loving it) and so I thought I'd treat myself to the sequel. 

The Selection by Kiera Cass (Bought)
I've already read, reviewed and loved this title and I have the book in hardback, paperback and electronic ARC but this was on sale and so I thought I'd buy a copy for my kindle collection.  I swear, I'm probably going to be funding Kiera's kids college education LOL

Allies (an Insignia novella) by S.J. Kincaid (Bought)
I loved Insignia and am even quoted in the UK paperback! I found out recently about this novella and of course, I had to get it.

Faith by Brei Betzold (Bought)
I haven't read the first book My Misery Muse yet but the sequel went on sale and so I jumped on it. 

Levitating Las Vegas by Jennifer Echols (Bought)
I'm a huge fan of Jennifer Echols and I'd read anything she had written, regardless of plot/synopsis.  This is the first New Adult offering from Jennifer and I am all over this one. 

Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer (Bought)
I love this series and whilst I'm a bit behind, I'm still buying the books and plan to read them when I can. 

Inhale Exhale by Sarah M Ross (Bought)
This is a New Adult contemporary romance novel about a girl in college.  Okay, it's about more than that and I want to give it a go. 

Rush by Maya Banks (Bought)
This is the first book in the Breathless trilogy and one I stumbled across by chance.  It's an Adult contemporary and probably comes under the erotica/romance category.  It sounds hot as hell and I can't wait to feel the burn ;)

Fever by Maya Banks (Bought)
This is the second book in the Breathless trilogy and the spotlight is now on of the other three friends/business partners.  I do like the sound of this series!

Taken by Storm by Kelli Maine (Bought)
I LOVE this series and there was no way I was ever going to miss out on reading this.  This is MJ's story and I highly recommend you check it out.  Coming soon to a UK publisher ;)

When We Wake by Karen Healey (Bought)
This is a futuristic Sci Fi novel with a high concept and a gripping plot.  I thought Karen's first book was highly original (albeit a little weird) and I'm really looking forward to reading this! 

Naked by Raine Miller (Bought)
I have ALWAYS wanted to read this series as a lot of my author friends rave about it.  It's about an American girl at college in London and for that reason alone, I'm surprised that UK publishers haven't picked it up yet.  It sounds very racy, maybe even a little bit Fifty Shades like but we shall see ;) 

All In by Raine Miller (Bought)
This is the second book in the series and I just know I'm going to want to read it immediately after finishing the first book so I bought it at the same time as the first one. 

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson (Bought)
I LOVED Touched and am desperate to read the sequel Pushed (which isn't out yet).  I found this other book by the same author, I believe this was her debut novel.  It's a contemporary YA novel and it's got military guys in it so I'm sold.   

His Risk to Take by Tessa Bailey (Netgalley)
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Brazen books from Entangled Publishing and this is one of their newest offerings.  This is an Adult love story featuring a cop - well, it makes a change from a bad boy although I suspect the female love interest is likely to be no angel ;)  

Dream Nights with the CEO by Kathy Lyons (Netgalley)
Another book from the Brazen line, I do love a good romance where two people resist each other for the longest time.  The angst, the tension, the lust...  For this reason, I will try to forget the fact that the guy is a hot millionaire.  Who am I kidding, I'm just jealous ;) 

The Summer I became a Nerd by Leah Miller (Netgalley)
I LOVE the fact that this book is about a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body and I had an idea to write something similar a couple of years ago.  Looking forward to reading this one, another great offering from Entangled.

Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore (Netgalley)
I'm not entirely sure whether this book is for me but I'm really willing it to win me over.  Billed as a contemporary family saga, with love, lies and betrayal on the cards, I think this sounds like a coming of age story about a young girl called Anna.  

Playing Tyler by T. L. Costa (Netgalley)
I do think this sounds a little bit awesome and fans of Insignia by S.J. Kincaid will probably like this one.  This is my first request for a Strange Chemistry/Angry Robot book and I am definitely intrigued.

Hush by Stacey R. Campbell (Netgalley)
This sounds to me like the kind of book you need to read if you're mourning from finishing The Elite by Kiera Cass and Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase.  I have high hopes for this one!

Eyes Wide Open by Raine Miller (Netgalley)
This is the third book in this series and one that I've always wanted to read.  I actually didn't think I would be accepted for this since I hadn't read the first two books yet (I also requested them, too) but I'm happy to get it and I'm going to start reading the first book soon. 
 
Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens (Free)
This book is one of my favourite angel books EVER and I read and reviewed it a couple of years ago.  The rest of the series is just as awesome and it comes highly recommended by me.  I got it for my kindle collection.

So, as you can see, I went a little mental with the ebooks this week (oops) and am going to have to calm it down at least until I get paid LOL.  I think there's a great mix of books in there and I can honestly say, that they all sound really interesting for one reason or another.  I read a fantastic book recently called All Our Yesterday's by Cristin Terrill that's coming to the UK soon so look out for that one and I'm about to start reading Goddess by Josephine Angelini (I LOVE that series!!!)  What are you reading at the moment? I hope you've all had a good week for books and as always, please share your links below.

This Man Review

Young interior designer Ava O’Shea has an appointment for a first consultation at The Manor with the owner, Mr Jesse Ward. She is expecting nothing more than an overweight, cravat wearing, well-to-do countryman, and on arrival, nothing would suggest otherwise. How wrong could she be? This Man is devastatingly handsome, charming and confident. He is also a conceited, hedonistic playboy, who knows no boundaries. Ava desperately does not want to be attracted to him, but she can’t control the overwhelming affect he has on her. Every instinct is telling her to run, so she does, but Jesse Ward is not so willing to let her go. He wants her and is determined to have her. She knows she is heading for heartbreak, but how can she run when he won’t let her?
I’m just going to come right out and say it.  I LOVE this book.  If you’re looking for a sizzling hot read that’s all kinds of sexy, funny and entertaining, This Man by Jodi Ellen Malpas is the book for you.  Please bear in mind that this is an adult erotica title and if sexy, alpha males don’t do it for you, then by all means, look away now. 

Ava is our protagonist, a young, fairly wealthy interior designer who has been asked to come to ‘The Manor’ to meet with the owner, Jesse Ward who wants to be her next client.   But when she gets there, she finds that Jesse is so damn good looking that she’s struggling to even look him in the eye let alone hold a conversation.  She also knows that he’s a playboy and her instincts are to run away as fast as she can but Jesse won’t let her go so easily, and he always gets his way.  Mostly.  Perhaps, just not with Ava ;)

What I like most about Ava is that she really did stick to her guns in the beginning.  She turned him down again and again and again but he wasn’t giving up and I can’t blame her for finally giving into her attraction to Jesse.  I do admire her for resisting for as long as she did though.  And although Jesse can be controlling, Ava is also a strong character and she challenges him on a regular basis.  She’s not just going to lie down and roll over, thank you very much.  One of the things I enjoyed the most was the fact that Jesse wouldn’t tell Ava his real age.  And so, like a dog with a bone, Ava kept asking and every single time, he would give her a different figure that was slowly increasing in age.  At first, I really didn’t catch on to this and when he said he was nineteen in the beginning, I thought I was reading a WHOLE DIFFERENT BOOK to the one I thought I was.  Eventually though, I was let in on the joke and I enjoyed the fact that it’s a running joke throughout the entire book. 

Jesse is just all kinds of gorgeous.  He’s good looking (without being arrogant), confident (without being conceited), rich (without being over the top) and naturally, he’s good in bed as I assume he’s had a hell of a lot of practice.  I don’t normally fall for players but I do swoon when they find someone special that they want to commit to and end up proving to the reader, that they were just looking for her all along.  The only bad thing about Jesse is that he is really controlling with Ava and just sometimes, this ventured outside of my comfort zone despite the fact that I like the idea of being someone’s sole focus of attention. What kept making me laugh however is how everyone else in the book would tell Ava how laidback Jesse was LOL.  His behaviour changed around her and was mostly borne out of fear – fear of losing her and the connection that they share.  Speaking of which, they often fell down when it came to communication and tended to jump into bed with each other rather than talk BUT it was rather amusing discovering just how many labels they put on their activities – I’m particularly partial to the ‘sense fuck’ and the ‘reminder fuck’.   Not that Ava is allowed to let the word fuck come out of her mouth without being reprimanded for having a dirty mouth.  That made me laugh too and by the way, just so you know, he’s a god damn hypocrite ;)

I also really enjoyed the setting and the fact that this book is set in and around London, which is very rare in this genre.  The only slight criticism I have is that I found some American spellings and the occasional American word that didn’t fit with how a British person would speak which led me to believe that either the author or the editor must be American.  THEN, I found out that Jodi was British and lives in the UK *high fives* so maybe it’s the editor.

The ending of the book is VERY revealing and it appears that Jesse has been hiding some very big secrets from Ava.  That is, until Ava finds out and all hell breaks loose which sets us up perfectly for the sequel. I did guess the little twist early on in the book but believe me, it didn’t ruin the story in the slightest for me and I enjoyed how it reached its conclusion.

This Man definitely kept me entertained and I couldn’t wait to dive into the sequel and carry on where it left off.  I bought it immediately and thankfully, I didn’t have to wait as it was published at the beginning of this year.  The only problem now is that I am DESPERATE, DESPERATE I tell you for book three!!!!

This Man was published on 20th October, 2012.  The Sequel entitled Beneath This Man was published on 15th January, 2013.  To find out more about Jodi and her books, please click here to visit her website.  This Man is originally self published and has now been picked up by a traditional publisher in the US.  Paperback copies will be available in 2014 but you can buy the kindle version now.  If you’re interested in reading,  I would recommend getting it now as after 18th June, it is being re-published and I do think it will probably increase in price.   At present, there is no UK publisher but OMG do they need to jump on this one!

This is a fan made book trailer I found that sums up the book perfectly and all credit goes to Jenna Bananas.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Soulmates by Holly Bourne. Here's the synopsis:

Every so often, two people are born who are the perfect matches for each other. Soulmates. But while the odds of this happening are about as likely as being struck by lightning, when these people do meet and fall in love…thunderstorms, lightning strikes and lashings of rain are only the beginning of their problems.

Enter Poppy, the 17-year-old cynic with a serious addiction to banana milk, and Noah, the heart-throb guitarist; residents of mediocre Middletown, sometime students, and…soulmates.

After a chance meeting at a local band night, Poppy and Noah find themselves swept up in a whirlwind romance unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before. But with a secret international agency preparing to separate them, a trail of destruction rumbling in their wake, (and a looming psychology coursework deadline), they are left with an impossible choice between the end of the world, or a life without love…

Let me tell you that I am DYING to read this book.  It sorta reminds me of Hancock (the movie with Will Smith) where Greek Gods and Goddesses who are soulmates cannot be together otherwise their powers don't work and they become mortal.  I don't know, maybe it's just me that's making that comparison.  REGARDLESS, I really want to read this book, like now!

Soulmates is published on 1st September, 2013. 

Taken By Storm Review

 DECEPTION

Maddie Simcoe knows the devastation that comes from keeping secrets. Now, she's desperate to move on from the heartbreak that almost destroyed her -- trading wild passion that once made her knees weak for a life of comfortable stability. But before Maddie can start over, she must return home to put the past behind her once and for all...

PASSION

When Maddie blows back into MJ Rocha's life, nothing will stop him from proving to her that walking away from him was the biggest mistake of her life -- not even the engagement ring she wears. Her every look, every touch tells MJ that the fire that once raged between them still burns hot, and MJ won't give up until Maddie gives in to the inferno.

REDEMPTION

Trapped by a hurricane roaring through Turtle Tear Island, MJ and Maddie find shelter in each others' arms. While the lightning flashes, MJ and Maddie are helpless to fight bonds of desire that tie them together. But just as they're about to surrender to the torturous longing that consumes them both, the storm unleashes violent secrets from MJ's past...secrets that could wash away all MJ and Maddie's hopes of forever...

Back in November 2012, I fell in love with a little self published book called Taken by debut author Kelli Maine.  It was a WOW book for me and thank God the sequel, No Take Backs was immediately available as I quickly devoured that too.  No Take Backs left us with a hell of a revelation and now comes the aftermath in Taken by Storm, a highly anticipated book that I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to read.  I must advise that you should read Taken (review here) and No Take Backs (review here before continuing to read this review as you will encounter spoilers for the series.  Also, please bear in mind that these are adult books (although you could consider Taken by Storm to be a New Adult book because of the age of the main characters) but I’m trying to tell you that the series does have mature content and scenes of a sexual nature.

Taken by Storm is MJ’s story – that’s Merrick Junior to those of you who haven’t been paying attention ;)  As a teenager, Merrick got a girl pregnant and his father ‘made the problem go away’.  Merrick had no idea that he had a son in the world until recently when Rachel found out the real reason Merrick’s father was going after his fortune – for MJ’s sake.  At least that’s his story and he’s sticking to it.  MJ is now twenty years old, about to meet Merrick for the first time and he’s nervous as hell.  Throw in a rocky romance with a childhood sweetheart who broke his heart when she left town and now she’s back on the scene.  MJ is in a bit of a state, God bless him.

Taken by Storm is written in the third person which allows us to explore both MJ and Maddie’s point of view, something I greatly appreciated. MJ was wonderful to watch in action, he really is just a less mature version of Merrick and I loved his history with Maddie.  I have to say that I didn’t think I could fall for TWO Rocha men simultaneously but apparently I can!  As MJ is a little young for me though, I’m going to stick with the original ;)

Maddie is the housekeeper’s daughter and has grown up with MJ.  As young teenagers, their feelings morphed into something more but Maddie got scared and ran.  Now she’s back and MJ wants to know why she left and broke his heart but Maddie is hiding secrets bigger than the both of them. MJ and Maddie were basically on a collision course with each other from the moment they met and I really didn't think that anything was going to keep them apart, but not for want of trying!  I remember hearing Kelli say once that she struggled sometimes to write the romance and to this I say pffttt.....It was DEFINITELY romantic.  Rachel and Merrick do obviously make appearances throughout the book as well as Enzo Rocha and all the old characters from the first book.  We’re also introduced to a couple of new ones that I have a feeling are going to play a very big part in future books.

I really enjoyed the story (as always) and I always love returning to Turtle Tear.  I especially enjoy the continuing theme of finding out the history behind Ingrid and Archibald Weston (the founders).  I’m wondering if we’ll see more of that in book three (Okay, I KNOW we will!)

I can’t wait to read more from this series and the spin off series featuring MJ.  The only downer is that at the moment, the books are not available on kindle in the UK because Taken is now being published traditionally and at present, the series does not have a UK publisher.  You can still get the paperbacks but it would be nice to have the option.  I keep saying that a UK publisher needs to pick this series up as it TOTALLY deserves it!! I just wish they'd listen *sigh*

Taken By Storm is published on 7th May, 2013. To find out more about Kelli Maine and her books, please click here to visit her website.

I did promise that with this review, I would include a picture of me rocking my TEAM MERRICK t-shirt and so here I am in all my glory! (Sorry about the shocking quality).