Letterbox Love (#70)

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

Blackberry Blue by Jamila Gavin (Unsolicited)

I've never heard of this pretty little hardback that's just come through my letterbox but I love the cover and it's a selection of fantastical tales which can be read a bit at a time.  

Red Hill by Jamie McGuire

I think my review of Beautiful Disaster has got to be one of the best, most honest reviews I've ever written and to say I fell in love with Travis would be the understatement of the century.  That book pretty much guaranteed that I will read ANYTHING written by Jamie and this is her new book.  I'm thrilled to have received a signed, limited edition hardback and I can't wait to get stuck in.  I will admit to not being the greatest zombie fan but I'm slowly coming round ;)

Eternity by Elizabeth Miles (Unsolicited)

I am extremely behind with this series as I've only read the first book. I thought it was interesting for sure but honestly speaking, I don't know whether I have the inclination to read the rest.

Thank You Publishers!!!!

Books Bought

Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer

This non fiction book looks fantastic.  It's an illustrated guide to writing imaginative fiction and I bought it because I thought it would help with writing fantasy.  Might even take this one on holiday with me.

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm a huge fan of Maggie's and I'd buy anything she wrote. Period.  I've got multiple copies and editions of all her books and I can't believe I still haven't started this series yet! I must rectify that as soon as I can!

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

This has got to be one of the prettiest book covers ever and I'm glad to have it on my shelves, despite the fact that although I have all of Kiersten's books so far, I've never read them.  Yes, I know. Shame on me. However, I love the fact that this book features a lot of Egyptian mythology which is a nice change from all the Greek God stuff we've gotten a lot of in recent years ;)

EBooks

All of You by Christina Lee
I've wanted to read this New Adult book since I first heard about it.  Not only does it feature a female nursing student (which interests me due to my own career, obvs) but the guy of the story is the more innocent one and that makes a refreshing change. 



So, how proud of me are you that I only bought ONE ebook this week?  Not having much money is definitely making me question how much I want to read a particular book and I'm getting choosier by the second.   The hardbacks I had on pre order so they just turn up when they get released but I've even had to go through them and make some hard decisions about whether I REALLY wanted the book, again due to financial reasons.  Times are tough and they're going to get worse before they get better (isn't that always the way, though?)

This week I've been reading THE 100 by Kass Morgan which was FANTASTIC and I cannot bloody wait until the TV series is released next year.  I think I might start Angelfall next since I still haven't read it and apparently it's amazing, and the sequel has just been released.  Have you read it? Is it as good as they say?  As always, I hope you've had a great week for books and 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 Sing Sweet Nightingale by Erica Cameron. Here's the synopsis:

Mariella Teagen hasn't spoken a word in four years.

She pledged her voice to Orane, the man she loves—someone she only sees in her dreams. Each night, she escapes to Paradise, the world Orane created for her, and she sings for him. Mariella never believed she could stay in Paradise longer than a night, but two weeks before her eighteenth birthday, Orane hints that she may be able to stay forever.

Hudson Vincent made a pledge to never fight again.

Calease, the creature who created his dream world, swore that giving up violence would protect Hudson. But when his vow caused the death of his little brother, Hudson turned his grief on Calease and destroyed the dream world. The battle left him with new abilities and disturbing visions of a silent girl in grave danger—Mariella.

Now, Hudson is fighting to save Mariella's life while she fights to give it away. And he must find a way to show her Orane’s true intentions before she is lost to Paradise forever.

I think this book sounds awesome, I love the idea of being able to stay inside your dreams, especially if it's paradise.  I love the idea of the other guy fighting to save her, can you SAY romantic?  Okay, I have no idea if there is any romance but I like the idea that there is.  

Basically, I love the concept, the title, and the cover and I can't wait to read it. 

 

Sing Sweet Nightingale is published on 4th March, 2014 with no news at present of any UK release.  

Letterbox Love (#69)

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!)

Firstly, I need to apologise for not participating in Letterbox Love last week.  Unfortunately, life events got in the way and have actually been putting things like reading, writing and blogging on the back burner for a while.  I'm hoping this will change in the near future but I can't say anything more about that at the moment. 

Review Books

World After by Susan Ee

This is another series I need to start, especially as the covers are amazing and the reviews have been fantastic.  I need to read the first book STAT.

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

I'm quite excited to read this one, especially as I saw one US book blogger recently give it five stars and this is a rare thing for her to do! I love the title and I definitely want to know more. 

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater but I still haven't started this series yet.  I must rectify that!!

Thank You Publishers!!!

Books Bought

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

This is another book I'd heard amazing things about from across the pond.  I love YA fantasy and as long as it has some romance, then it's something I want to read.  I have high hopes for this one. 

Scorched by Mari Mancusi

I bought this based on the amazing things I'd heard about it and also the awesome cover.  I've not read a book about a dragon before (although I know there have been predecessors) and in some ways, it might take me out of my comfort zone because of that but I'm excited to read it and wouldn't have bought it if I didn't see something in it. 

The Liberator by Victoria Scott

I really enjoyed The Collector by Victoria Scott and while I may not have been given an ARC of the second book (I did receive and ARC and reviewed The Collector), I still bought a copy of my own because I enjoyed the story so much. 

EBooks

The White Aura by Felicia Tatum (Free)
Soulmates that can't be together? This has my name written all over it. 

Demon Possession by Kiersten Fay (Bought)
This sounds very futuristic and is apparently unputdownable.  What I am a little annoyed about is that this is 77p but subsequent books are over a fiver.  That's a huge jump and puts me off reading because if I like it, it's going to cost me more than I'd like to pay to get the rest of the series.  It's a dilemma.

Unchained by J. Lynn (Bought)
I'd been waiting for this book for forever and even pre-ordered it at one point but it was in the early stages and that all went to hell so when it was finally released, it snuck up on me. I'll be honest and say the only reason I want to read it is because it's Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Endless by Amanda Gray (Netgalley - For Review)
A time travel book? With romance? Could this BE any more me?

Once a Seal by Anne Elizabeth (Netgalley - For Review)
This sounds like a book about what it's like to be a Navy Seal's wife - i.e. lonely and hard.  I like the smoking hot cover but I wonder if that's a bit misleading.  I'll give it a go though.



You can always tell that it's getting close to pay day as the amount of ebooks I buy starts to dwindle (as I run out of money) LOL.  You know what I don't understand?  Why publishers release ALL THE BOOKS in September, October, November.  I swear, they're trying to bankrupt me! 

Just as an aside, if you're a book blogger and you read/review Young Adult/New Adult, you might want to sign up for this year's UKYABB Secret Santa.  More about that later but keep it in mind! Anyway, I hope you all 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 Mine by Katy Evans. Here's the synopsis:

I belong to him. He belongs to me. Our love is all-consuming, powerful,imperfect, and real...

Short, sweet and effective.  I really enjoyed Real and I can't wait to read the sequel.  Simple as that! 

Mine is published on 12th November, 2013 and so not long to wait now.  

Come Undone Review

  On stage he’s dynamite. Off stage he rocks her world.

When red-hot, Goth-metal band, Black Halo, split live on stage, fate throws Daniella Fosbrook into the path of sexy vocalist Xane Geist. Initially, Xane’s only looking for a ride home, but Dani tempts him in a way a thousand other women haven’t. Determined to explore their heady chemistry and avoid hashing things out with the band, Xane whisks Dani off to Monaco for a steamy weekend.

There, Dani tries her best to hang onto her heart and some clothing, while Xane soon loses both. However, Xane isn’t being entirely honest about the reason for the band’s demise. When the truth comes out, can Dani accept the facts, or will everything come undone.

When I picked up Come Undone by Madelynne Ellis, I thought I was in for another bad boy, hot rocker read.  Boy was I wrong.  Come Undone should really be called Come All the Time as if the characters aren’t actually having sex; they’re either thinking about it or talking about it.  Sadly though, what this book had in the trouser department, it severely lacked in the romance department. Don’t get me wrong, I like a bit of spice in my books as much as the next person but when it’s just sex, it becomes monotonous and meaningless, and dressing up the sex in different positions or in different locations really doesn't help.

I think for me, there was one major thing that stopped me from caring about these characters and that’s just how stupid they were.  Xane (bad boy, hot rocker) was super upset about the fact that his “girlfriend” had married his best friend and neither one had thought to tell him.  He was so upset in fact, that it was a major contributing factor to him splitting up the band and taking off.  So what really pisses me off here is the fact that one of Black Halo’s greatest fans who thinks she knows the real Xane enters his life and ends up spending a few days fucking him even though she knows he’s upset over someone else.  Now, if I knew a guy was upset over someone else and you know, it looked like he was in love with them, there is NO WAY IN HELL I would subject myself to being used as a sex toy or a distraction.  I just didn’t feel like Dani had any self respect at all and let Xane lead her down a very devious sexual path, doing things that he liked to do.   Bottom line, Xane used Dani and Dani let herself be used because she is stupid and has no self respect so when Xane turns round after a few days of banging Dani (and a few days after he finds out his “girlfriend” has married his best friend) and says he loves her, guess what? I DON’T BELIEVE HIM.   And Xane is fooling himself if he thinks that Dani can see the real him.

To be honest, in some ways I’m quite surprised that I actually made it to the end of this book as there were times I wanted to put it down.  Perhaps it was because the ending crept up on me and was so abrupt; it didn’t feel like the end at all.

Another thing worth mentioning is the fact that I learned after reading that the author is British but what I saw in the book was a mixture of British and American words/spellings which was really confusing – I thought it might be that the editor was a different nationality to the author. Regardless, these inconsistencies should have been picked up and one can only hope that they will be corrected in the final copy.

Now I know the big question you’re all asking is, will I be reading the sequel?  And I’m sure you’re not overly surprised to hear that the answer is no.  To put it bluntly, I just don’t care about the characters and their deluded ways.  What I will say however, is that if I found a book by the same author and the synopsis grabbed me, I would still give it a go.

I always want to like books and so Come Undone was a huge disappointment for me but at least it was somewhat fresh and different from the normal bad boy, rocker book.  Just not in a good way.

Come Undone was published on 29th August, 2013.  To find out more about Madelynne Ellis and her books, please click here.

Victoria Schwab is a genius (sort of)

You all know Victoria Schwab, right? Author of The Near Witch, The Archived, and her upcoming novel Vicious.  Victoria is a prolific writer/blogger/vlogger and she recently shared one of her productivity secrets AKA the best writing trick she knows, which should interest the writers and aspiring authors out there.  Victoria uses a calendar to chart her writing progress but it also serves to motivate her into achieving goals.  I think this idea could be taken a step further and used for ANYTHING that you need motivation and accountability for such as weight loss, fitness charting, and basically any activity where you need to set manageable goals. It's such a simple yet effective idea and let me tell you something, I've been out today to buy my very own star stickers *grin*



Victoria's original post is here

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 The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian. Here's the synopsis:

Evalyn Ibarra never expected to be an accused killer and experimental prison test subject. A year ago, she was a normal college student. Now she’s been sentenced to a month in the compass room—an advanced prison obstacle course designed by the government to execute justice.

If she survives, the world will know she’s innocent.

Locked up with nine notorious and potentially psychotic criminals, Evalyn must fight the prison and dismantle her past to stay alive. But the system prized for accuracy appears to be killing at random.

She doesn’t plan on making friends.

She doesn’t plan on falling in love, either.

Okay, so firstly the book cover is simple, effective and a little bit gorgeous.  Secondly, the story sounds interesting as hell and has me salivating over reading this book and finally, this is a NEW ADULT story which is even better. I can't wait.  

The Wicked We Have Done is published on 18th March, 2014. There is no news at present of any foreign rights sales/UK release.

Indie-Credible Authors Tour: Spotlight on David James (and giveaway)

I am incredibly excited to be part of the Indie-Credible Authors Tour hosted by Creative Deeds Reads and Little Read Riding Hood and today, I want to tell you what makes David James, author of Light of the Moon (and subsequent books in the series) indie-credible...

It could be the fact that we like all of the same books and authors (evidence here), or that he is an amazing writer that inspires ME to become a better writer (see my review below for examples).  It could be that he's the nicest, friendliest guy you'll ever talk to or that he has the most beautiful book covers...

I think after you've read this blog tour post, you will agree that David James is truly indie-credible.

First up, is my review of Light of the Moon, the first book in the Legend of the Dreamer series.

A lyrical and romantic story of true love and dark curses, Light of the Moon is an enchanting read for fans of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Kami Garcia's and Margaret Stohl's Beautiful Creatures.

One night long ago, a constellation disappeared and fell from the sky in the form of a boy...

Secrets are being kept in the sleepy town of Lakewood Hollow, Colorado. Life unfolds in shades of red for Calum, until a mysterious girl named Kate Black enrolls at his school and everything changes. Suddenly a dangerous world of demons, enchanters, and witches unfurls before Calum. He learns that the stars have forever held his destiny, and that the constellations above are much more than what they seem. But life is not so easy for Calum, and he can feel his heart beat faster whenever Kate is close. Worse, Kate's blood holds a dark secret even more dangerous than the war between the demons and enchanters. Soon the two find that there are worse things than loving someone you shouldn't. For Calum and Kate, even love and the fiery power of stars may not be enough to break a curse as dark as the blood that binds their destiny.

Sometimes being brave just means falling in love.
One of the good things about reading on a kindle is the capability to highlight passages that you love and when I read Light of the Moon by David James, I had NEVER used that feature so much. Ever. Before reading this book. David’s writing style is both lyrical and beautifully poetic, with rich, vivid description and prose that is quite often profound.  I found myself stopping in my reading tracks to read a passage out loud, marvel at it and then carry on.  Here are some examples:


“The woman’s eyes were white clouds in a dark sky,
covered by a mist so fine many often forgot she was blind.”

I would have just said the woman had milky eyes and was blind and so I’m kind of in awe over this description.   And how about this one:

“Now, in a world as gray as the sky outside, I was just as lost as the sunlight.”

Or this one:

“Words thick with the poison of sadness caught in my throat and fell out in a burning whisper.”

One of my very favourite lines:

“Sometimes bravery comes from letting your heart make choices your mind cannot.”

And my ultimate favourite:

“I don’t think a hero ever believes in himself until the story is almost over.”
With regards to the story, Light of the Moon is told from dual perspective and simply put, is about a boy and a girl, and a curse. This may be a paranormal story but let me reassure you that despite the title, there are no werewolves in sight.  What you have instead is a beautiful story about a boy that fell from the stars and is destined to live the same cursed life over and over again...unless he figures out how to break the spell, but the stakes are much higher than this, as Calum has no idea who he is and is thrust right into the middle of a war that’s been fought for centuries.  But why him?  Who is he really?  What has he got to do with all of this?  In the middle of everything, ordinary people are going missing and and all that’s left is their blood, leading news crews to nickname the culprit ‘The Bloodletter’.  At the same time, there’s a new girl at school who takes an immediate dislike to Calum but there’s something in her eyes that looks familiar.  Is she really as dangerous as she first appears?

Even after I’ve finished reading, I am still thinking about this story.  In all honesty, it is somewhat complicated but it’s rich in detail and requires you to savour the story slowly like a fine wine.  To devour it quickly would be to miss the poetic lull of the words, and a lot of the back story, so I advise you to take your own sweet time with it.

Obviously I don’t want to give too much away about the plot but there is so much more to it than you could imagine and a twist that you probably won’t see coming.  I know I didn’t and I pride myself these days on being able to tell you what’s going to happen in a story before it unfolds.
 
With regards to the characters, I felt really sorry for Calum.  He’s a sensitive creature who has lost his father and his mother who can barely look at him, pretty much drowns her sorrows in the bottom of a bottle. He feels unloved, unwanted and an outsider in his own life.  He feels lost and it shows through his jumbled thoughts, vivid nightmares and lack of sense of self.  Light of the Moon is a journey of ultimate self discovery for Calum as he learns who he is and what integral part he must play in a prophecy told centuries ago and handed down through the ages.

Where Calum is sensitive and kind, we find that Kate is the opposite and I liked this contrast.  She’s tough, a warrior taught to fight from an early age but beneath the tough exterior, we learn that she’s known and lost love which has hardened her heart but is Calum the one who can break through her walls?  There’s definitely a connection between them, you know, besides her wanting to tear his heart out but can he live long enough for them to figure it all out?

I can’t not mention Calum’s best friend and sidekick Tyler who I became quite fond of.  I could not help but picture the cast of Teen Wolf as Calum and Tyler’s bromance is just like Scott and Stiles, so much so that I picture those actors in these roles now.

 Calum

 

Tyler

 

 

Kate

   
David James reminds me a little of a male Victoria Schwab and I can see influences from Maggie Stiefvater and maybe even Tahereh Mafi.  He’s definitely got talent and I’d say he was an author to watch.  If nothing else, he makes me want to be a better writer and for that I’m truly grateful.

Light of the Moon was published on 30th October, 2012.  To find out more about David James and his books, please click here to visit the website.

Often authors have playlists or songs that inspired them to write scenes from the book and I just wanted to show you the song I personally associate with the book:

Next up, we have a bunch of character profiles so you can find out more about them...

Calum is one of the main protagonists of the story.

Tyle is Calum's best friend and sidekick.

 Kate is one of the main protagonists of the story.

 Magda is the woman of prophecy and a witch.

  Gae is one of the elder's of The Order.

Light of the Moon is about The Legend of the Dreamer and here is that legend, in full detail for you to enjoy...

Legend of the Dreamer:

“Light floods over all,
Stars of the dream filled minds
Smile like white pearls above-

Until- They come,
Three kin with hearts so black,
Weaved tightly within dark.

Stars twinkle and fade,
So lost in the rising darkness,
Sun too weak to rise.

Then is hope, the time of the Dreamer.
The one who is lost but will be found.
The soldier who once was and will be always again.

Hope is dangerous.
Darkness will rise to meet it,
Wild and burning and cruel.

A commander will fall in blackness,
Leaving behind a ruling of false order.
They will be deceived and deceiving.

One will be two,
Heavy mind torn between those of truth,
And those of savage trickery.

Truth will be found for two,
Destroying all that was before,
And the heart of thieves will be clear.

Hope will come by two:
Two souls born as one,
Two hearts beating as one.

For one of two, shadowed heat of red will wage,
A future angered by the dwindled fire storms,
Vast as the Destroyer.

For two of one, a path not found will be taken,
Lost in dark places,
Found in light escapes.

Then, when all is lost, the time of hope is near.
One action will save them all.
One action to save the world.”

David James writes books about stars and kisses and curses. He is the author of the YA novel, Light of the Moon, the first book in the Legend of the Dreamer duet, as well as the companion novellas, The Witch's Curse and The Warrior's Code. A Legend of the Dreamer anthology, Shades of the Stars, was released July 2013, and includes the exclusive novella, The Enchanter's Fire. The final book in the duet, Shadow of the Sun, will be released in late 2013. Living in Michigan, David is addicted to coffee, gummy things, and sarcastic comments. He enjoys bad movies, goofy moments, and shivery nights. To find out more about David James and his books, please click here to visit his website.  You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter.





And now for the giveaway...

There is over $250 in cash and prizes to be won and all you have to do is fill in the rafflecopter form. Please bear in mind that you don't have to click on every link but the more you do, the more chances you have of winning.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Letterbox Love (#68)

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

 

  

How To Love by Kate Cotugno (Unsolicited)

This is a messy love story and I *think* it's bordering on the fringes of older YA.  I think it sounds awesome and has had a good reception from across the pond.

Styx by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Unsolicited)

This is book TWENTY THREE in the Dark Hunter series, a series I've never read and am not about to start now.  This is one for the library, I'm afraid.

Shine by Candy Gourlay (Unsolicited)

This is the latest offering from the author that wrote Tall Story.  It's about a thirteen year old girl and so I'm not sure that I will read it to be honest. 

 Monsters by Ilsa J. Blick (Unsolicited)

This is the third book in the Ashes series, and not a series I've started YET.  Mostly, I think,  because I was afraid to LOL.

A Foot in the Grave by Joan Aiken and Jan Pienkowski (Unsolicited)

Apparently, this is a collection of spooky ghost stories that are good for people who scare easily.  Sounds like a book I can actually read this coming Halloween!  This is an old book I believe, and has been re-released just in time for Halloween.

Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma

It's no secret that I didn't enjoy Tabitha's first novel.  In fact, it's one of the only books I've ever DNF'd and it had nothing to do with the controversial content, as I hadn't even got to that bit yet!  I'm always willing to give an author another chance though, especially if the synopsis intrigues me therefore, I'm diving in with this one and going to give it my best shot. 

 

The Backs by Alison Bruce (Unsolicited) 

I have no idea why I was sent a crime novel as I don't read this genre and it's a shame it turned up the day after my dad left as he would have been the most likely recipient.  I guess I'll be sending it to him then. 

Thank You Publishers!!!

Books Bought

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

This is one of my favourite books in the entire world. EVER. I might have a UK copy already but I pre ordered the US hardback eons ago because THAT'S how awesome this book is.  I can't recommend it highly enough.

Deception by C.J. Redwine

This is the sequel to Defiance, a book I thoroughly enjoyed.  I'm a huge fan of C.J. both as an author and as a person so I can't wait to read her next book.  Naturally, this is the US hardback to add to my collection. 

EBooks 

The Boy Who Loved Me by Dusti Bowling (Bought)
I love the synopsis for this book - a rich girl goes to a party where the aim is to bring the worst date you can, and she brings a church boy but he happens to get under her skin and then she can't stop thinking about him.  I'm intrigued.

Chosen by Emma Clark (Bought)
This is a short, adult novella with very adult themes.  It sounds a bit sick but I'm wondering if there might be an element of Stockholm Syndrome in there which is something that fascinates me.  Not a book for everyone but I'm intrigued enough to give it a go.

Teaching Melody by Emma Clark (Bought)
This is another short novella, possibly adult, possibly New Adult since it features an eighteen year old girl having an affair with her friend's dad.  Again, possibly not a book for everyone but I think Emma Clark writes some really intriguing stories from the sounds of things and they sound like quick reads.

Troll by Emma Clark (Bought) 
Hands up if you thought this was a love story about a troll? Well, you'd be wrong.  This is an erotic short story about someone trolling the internet (hence the title). 

Baby Daddy by Emma Clark (Bought)
Another adult, novella about a woman who has a baby with her nineteen year old step son.  Sometimes I think Emma Clark is out to shock with her synopses but they definitely do catch my attention as being something different from the norm and worth investigating.

Stripped by H.M. Ward (Bought)
This is a New Adult romance that sounds great but I get really confused when prolific writers bring out new books and new series, I'm hoping this is the first book in the series. 

Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin (Bought)
This is a New Adult offering from Diane Alberts writing as Jen McLaughlin featuring a marine by day and a surfer by night.  YES PLEASE. 

Girl with Guitar by Kylie Ryans (Bought)
I might have lost the plot with Nashville but now I can live vicariously through this book.  I like the fact that the main protagonist is a girl since so many books feature hot male rockers these days.

The Transfer by Veronica Roth (Bought)
I'm a HUGE fan of Veronica Roth, and so there was no way in hell that I wasn't going to get this.  

On Christmas Hill by Nichole Chase (Bought)
I loved Suddenly Royal, and so when I saw this book by the same author, I jumped on it.  It's a short Christmas story and you can never start gathering Christmas books too early.

Hydraulic Level Five by Sarah Latchaw (Bought)
I keep hearing about this book and whilst I'm still not clear on the reasons for the title and what it's about past two people who were in love and their relationship ended, I'm still intrigued, mostly by the title. 

Warm Up by V.E. Schwab (Bought)
I love short stories, especially if they relate to longer books from the same author.  I'm incredibly curious about Vicious (which comes out soon) and this is a prequel to that book.  You can actually read it for free on Tor.com but I wanted my own copy.

The Things I do for You by M. Malone (Bought)
I love books about brothers and this is the second book in the Alexander's series.  
 
Chasing Mrs Right by Katee Robert (Bought)
I loved the first book in this series and so naturally, I had to follow on with it. A sexy soldier with a wounded soul? Yep, I have to read about that.

Two Wrongs, One Right by Katee Robert (Bought)
This is the third book in the series and again, I love these books so I had to get it.

Unteachable by Leah Raeder (Bought)
This book kind of reminds me of the teacher plot line in Pretty Little Liars.  Girl meets a guy and has a one night stand with him and then he turns out to be her teacher.  It's been done before but it's a successful trope and one that I still want to read about.

Diary of a Dieter by Marie Coulson (Bought)
I've seen nothing but five star reviews for this book and you know what? Everyone says it's hilarious and I love a funny book so I had to get it.  Can't wait to get started.  Also, YAY for a curvy protagonist.

Arclight by McQuien L.Josin (Bought)
It was BookAngel Emma's fault that I bought this since I read her review of it (we have the same tastes and could basically be twins). I think the concept sounds interesting and I'm definitely intrigued.

The Bane by Keary Taylor (Bought)
This was a book known as Eden but the title has recently changed due to reader demand apparently.  It's futuristic and almost sounds a little zombie like with words like 'infected' being thrown around.  I've always been against zombie novels but always loved zombie movies (I just watched World War Z and WOW, it was awesome) but I might just be coming around to zombies in books after all.  Sounds interesting and is part of a series.

Come Undone by Madelynne Ellis (Netgalley - For Review)
I like the synopsis for this book and whilst it features a hot rocker, the plot sounds fresh and interesting.

Note to Self by Peter Ward (Netgalley - For Review)
This is a little known book by a little known author that I think sounds really interesting.  It's a bit futuristic and I love the cover.

One of the good things about doing Letterbox Love each week is that it makes you keep a track of what you're buying and when you need to reel it back in a bit - I definitely need to stop buying so many ebooks as no wonder I have no money!  I'm currently reading Light of the Moon by David James and after that, I have no idea yet.  I'm surrounded by awesome books that sometimes it makes it hard to choose what to read next!  Anyway, I hope you had a great week for books and as always, please share your links below.

A Little Too Far Blog Tour (and giveaway)

I am ECSTATIC to be taking part in a blog tour for A LITTLE TOO FAR by Lisa Desrochers.  I'm a huge fan of Lisa's writing and it's like she plucked this story right out of my head and gave me what I wanted. I've read it and I loved it because it's a refreshing New Adult story about growing up and finding yourself.  And it just so happens to feature a trip to Italy and a hot Italian priest.

Just in case you haven't heard of the book, and obviously you're going to want to read it if you haven't already, here's the synopsis:

Have you ever gone just a little too far?

Lexie Banks has.

Yep. She just had mind-blowing sex with her stepbrother. In her defense, she was on the rebound, and it’s more of a my-dad-happened-to-marry-a-woman-with-a-super-hot-son situation. But still, he’s been her best friend and confidant for the better part of the last few years … and is so off limits. It’s a good thing she’s leaving in two days for a year abroad in Rome.

But even thousands of miles away, Lexie can’t seem to escape trouble. Raised Catholic, she goes to confession in hopes of alleviating some of her guilt … and maybe not burning in hell. Instead, she stumbles out of the confessional and right into Alessandro Moretti, a young and very easy-on-the-eyes deacon … only eight months away from becoming a priest. Lexie and Alessandro grow closer, and when Alessandro’s signals start changing despite his vow of celibacy, she doesn’t know what to think. She’s torn between falling in love with the man she shouldn’t want and the man she can’t have. And she isn’t sure how she can live with herself either way.

"Sinfully sexy, but utterly unique. My favorite New Adult book of the year!"
--CORA CARMACK, New York Times bestselling author of LOSING IT

“More than a ridiculously sexy, HOT read, Desrochers takes you on a wild ride of self-discovery and bittersweet romance.”
— JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT, #1 New York Times bestselling author of WAIT FOR YOU

“This is forbidden love and longing done absolutely right! Complicated and sexy doesn't even begin to cover Lexie's journey.”
--JAY CROWNOVER, New York Times bestselling author of RULE

AFTER READING THAT, HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY NOT WANT THIS BOOK? 

As I've already mentioned, one of my favourite things about the book is that it takes place primarily in a country I love and that's Italy, more specifically, my favourite city in the world: ROME. As part of the blog tour, I thought it would be fun to do a virtual tour around some of the places mentioned in the book.  

This is what Lexie's apartment in Rome looks like.  I love the narrow, cobbled streets and you can see why most people ride mopeds here.

This is John Cabot University in Rome where Lexie is studying.  I'm not sure this is the most impressive picture in the world but who cares, she's studying in Rome and that's exciting enough!

 This is the cafe where Lexie regularly hangs out with her British friend Abby, whom she met at John Cabot University.  

This is the market at Piazza Campo de Fiori where Alessandro first takes Lexi produce shopping and she visits the market again with Abby, close to the end of the book.  

This is the view from St. Peters Dome (The Vatican) which is a pretty significant moment in the book.  

This is a picture of Corsica and don't tell me that after seeing this, you don't want to go there (I know I do).  Alessandro's family live in Corsica and this is where he grew up. 

This is a picture of Alessandro's grandparents house in Cardiglione, Corsica where he takes Lexie.

As for the characters themselves...

To be quite honest, I think anyone could play the part of Lexie and I mean that in the nicest possible way - her character has been written in such a way as you can imagine yourself being in her shoes.  I'm probably being influenced by UNDER THE DOME by Stephen King which I am watching and loving right now but I've always liked Britt Robertson who would bring an "All American" look to Lexie. 

I'd always pictured Trent as a blonde haired, blue eyed boy and again, I'm being heavily influenced by recent movie news (of THAT book) but seriously, when DOESN'T Charlie Hunnam fit the bill?  Seriously, I'd watch him in anything.

 As for Alessandro, I think this guy (whoever he is) fits the bill VERY nicely, thank you very much.  He'd certainly be enough to tempt me ;)

Just so you know, no copyright infringement intended with the photographs. Please don't sue me, I don't have anything anyway. 

I hope you enjoyed the tour around some of the parts of the book and feel free to pop back as you're reading the book so you can imagine what things look like.  I have to say that I thoroughly loved the book (review coming soon) and I cannot wait for the sequel, entitled A LITTLE TOO MUCH (November, 2013) Seriously. Can't. Wait. 

A LITTLE TOO FAR is published on 17th Septermber, 2013. To find out more about Lisa and her books, please click here to visit her website.  Click here to see the blog tour schedule and where to go for the next stop!

This wouldn't be a blog tour without a giveaway, now would it?!  How would you like to win the following prizes:

-    An iPad Mini - one winner

-    A knowledge pendant, tote bag, and tattoos (Trent’s tattoo!) - one winner

-    A signed copy of HarperCollins’ BETWEEN THE COVERS sampler with the 1st two chapters   of A LITTLE TOO FAR annotated, knowledge tote, and tattoos - one winner

-    A signed copy of BETWEEN THE COVERS with the 1st two chapters of A LITTLE TOO FAR annotated, and tattoos - two winners

All you have to do is enter via the rafflecopter link.  Easy.  There will be five winners in total and apologies to my British counterparts but this contest is US/Canada only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Letterbox Love (#67)

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

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

This is the finished UK paperback and a book I'm not sure I want to read, simply because I'm a scaredy cat.  However, it's marketed as a psychological thriller so perhaps I could handle that and I've only heard good things about both the writer and the book. 

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia (Finished UK Paperback)

Whenever I hear this title, I always think of the Bruce Willis movie and the concept of arch nemesis.  THIS is not what this story is about.  I'm surprised to see that it's a paranormal since that has become a bit of a dirty word in publishing (what I mean by that is that it seems most agents/publishers aren't looking for these kinds of stories anymore) but I guess it's easier if you're already a well known, published author.  I'm intrigued by the story and will definitely give it a go. 

Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy (Unsolicited)

This is not the usual kind of book that I read and for that reason alone, I think I should give it a go.  I like the idea of reading outside of my comfort zone. 

Dark Storm by Christine Feehan (Unsolicited)

I do find it laughable that a publisher thought to send me the twenty third book in a series I've never read.  I don't mean to sound ungrateful but what were they thinking?!  I'm not about to read twenty two books just so I can catch up therefore, this is one for the library. 

Deception Cove by Jaybe Ann Krentz (Unsolicited)

This is the tenth book in a series that I've never read and whilst it does sound quite interesting, again, I'm not going to read  nine books so I can catch up.  Another one for the library.

Thank You Publishers!!!

Books Bought

I have not bought any physical books this week.

EBooks

Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki (Bought)
This is a dystopian New Adult book and I find the synopsis of this book so interesting hence the reason I bought it ;)

Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Bought)
This is the fourth book in the Lux series and quite frankly, I'm surprised I haven't read it by now as I'm desperate to know what happens (especially after the ending of the last book!)  If it weren't for a couple of blog tours I have to prepare for, I would totally be reading this TODAY. 

You Are Mine by Janeal Falor (Netgalley - For Review)
I'm extremely intrigued in this Witch/Warlock book but for me, the synopsis reads like it should be New Adult or Adult rather then YA.  It could have taken a darker or more erotic turn then since it's about "being owned".   Maybe that's just my mind, I don't know LOL

Keeping Her by Cora Carmack (Netgalley - For Review)
This is the sequel and a short novella to Losing It, a book I really enjoyed when I read it ages and ages ago.  It's nice to see that this series has now come to the UK and I'm looking forward to continuing the story.



This has been a week of re-reading for me.  Don't ask me why because I have no idea, especially when I have a ton of books I want to read but sometimes a particular book will call to you and you either ignore it or give in to it.  I gave in.  I'm re-reading The Secret for a little spiritual intervention whilst simultaneously revisiting the world of Christian Grey.  I can't help myself. I'm about to start Light of the Moon by David James as it keeps calling to me!! What are you reading? As always, I hope you had a great week for books and please share your links below.