Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday - 11.30.16

Waiting on Wednesday
sponsored by Jill at Breaking the Spine (details)

~*~

I'm waiting for...

Affliction
(Withered series bk3)
by Amy Miles
-Zombies, Post-Apocalypse
Release date: December 6, 2016
Amazon | Goodreads

Though Avery Whitlock may have won the battle of the Grand Opry hotel, she knows the war is just beginning. Cable would stop at nothing to have her now that she was within his grasp—but to stay meant endangering innocent lives. No longer fully human and unwilling to accept her fate as a flesh-eating zombie, she must abandon the only place she could call home in order to save Nox and his people.

Driven to prevent anyone else from suffering from the same fate, she follows the trail of the doctor responsible for the heinous mutations as he races to reach the Atlanta Safe Zone. But with spilled blood on her hands and malice in her heart, her cravings to kill become amplified—and her grip on her humanity begins to slip.

Only the love of those closest to Avery can bring her back from the edge, but will they be able to reach her in time to save their own lives?


=====> I featured the first two books in this series and have not yet started reading it. However, the covers draw me in every time. I will most likely feature these in next year's batch of zombie reading ;-)


~*~

* heads-up - December Zombies, a virtual book event, starts tomorrow

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Winners for November pt3


Here are the winners for giveaways that
ended November 28, 2016
during the Black Friday Book Bonanza event (here)

Thanks to all contestants!

~*~

First Comes Love
by Emily Giffin
-ChickLit
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

AND

The Regulars
by Georgia Clark
-Chick-lit
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

Winner: Morgan of Reader of Romance

~*~

* I will email winners for mailing addresses within two weeks.
Winners, feel free to contact me with your info if you don't get my email
or if you are just too darn excited and want to let me know -- like NOW ;-D

* contest policy

* if not this time, maybe next time

--> check out the current giveaways and upcoming events on my sidebar

Love Connection by Camilla Isley

Love Connection
by Camilla Isley

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon | Goodreads -giveaway ends Dec 6
iBooks | Kobo | Google Play
Website | Facebook
Instagram | Pinterest
YouTube
Twitter @camillaisley

Just released: October 8, 2016
Publisher: Pink Bloom Press
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Chick Lit
ebook
Rating: 4

First Comes Love series:
Love Connection
book 2 - tba

Zombie sighting:
When she's accomplished the look of a zombie bride from Dawn of the Dead, she starts pulling at the dress like a mad woman. -chapter 4

First sentence(s):
"You've been staring at those two plane tickets for almost an hour now. My role as bartender compels me to ask: what's the big dilemma?"

Have you ever wondered what might have been?

Gemma Dawson is at the airport, staring at two plane tickets to two different cities. Two different weddings. Two possible futures. She’s at a crossroads.

Be maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding or crash her ex’s?
Gemma’s decision, unknown to her, hinges on a delayed flight and a chance meeting. Now her life is about to go down two parallel tracks—will Gemma fly toward a life with her first love or a future with a man she’s not even met yet?


My two-bits:

This is a two-in-one kind of romance told with parallel story lines with generally feel good moments.

The characters are likable and stay true in each scenario. Love all around.

Lots of fun references to the 1980's. Loved the mention of the love of burgers ;-)

Got me thinking of fate and following gut feelings.

~*~

* review copy courtesy of author

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin

Please Look After Mother
by Kyung-Sook Shin
transalated by Chi-Young Kim

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Published: 2012
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Family, Korea
Paperback: 272 pages
Rating: 4

First sentence(s):
It's been one week since Mom went missing.

MAN ASIAN LITERARY PRIZE WINNER

When sixty-nine-year-old So-nyo is separated from her husband among the crowds of the Seoul subway station, her family begins a desperate search to find her. Yet as long-held secrets and private sorrows begin to reveal themselves, they are forced to wonder: how well did they actually know the woman they called Mom?

Told through the piercing voices and urgent perspectives of a daughter, son, husband, and mother, Please Look After Mom is at once an authentic picture of contemporary life in Korea and a universal story of family love.


My two-bits:

How well do we (can we) ever know close loved ones? This story presents the question through the voices of different family members in regards to a mother.

Spoken in first person mode with each family member, the inner feelings and reflections give a complete picture of the mother.

Snapshots of living in the city and countryside of South Korea provide some insight into the place and culture.

~*~

* part of Korean Book Challenge

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Stacking the Shelves - 11.26.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

For Review:

The Return of Sir Percival:
Book 1, Guinevere's Prayer
by S. Alexander O'Keefe
-Historical, Arthurian
courtesy of author -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

You First
by Stephanie Fournet
-New Adult, Contemporary Romance
courtesy of tour -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads


UNBOXING:

From Owlcrate package (details & signup):
OwlCrate is a subscription service that sends you magical monthly boxes tailored to a chosen theme. Each OwlCrate will contain one new Young Adult novel, as well as 3-5 other bookish treats to help you get your nerd on. @owlcrate


November Box includes:
theme: Wonderland
- Wonderland tea blend from Riddle's Tea Shoppe
- Wonderland bookmark from Authored Adornments
- Wonderland magnet from Evie Bookish
- Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll exclusive paperback edition with matching bookmark from Rock Paper Books

AND this book...

Heartless
by Marissa Meyer
-Fantasy, Retelling, YA
Amazon | Goodreads -giveaway for CD ends Dec 7

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland―the infamous Queen of Hearts―she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland, she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.



OTHER things on my shelf: kinda book-related

December Zombies
a virtual book event
December 1-6, 2016

=====> JOIN me for zombies in the YA genre later this week.


~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Friday, November 25, 2016

Black Friday Book Bonanza

Black Friday Book Bonanza
November 25-28, 2016
hosted by Reading Reality and Caffeinated Book Reviewer
details and complete list (here)

Get cozy with us in your jammies with some hot cocoa, and enter to win some new-to-you books and/or gift cards!

First Comes Love
by Emily Giffin
-ChickLit
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond.

Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and this close to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands.

On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.

As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew... and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first.

Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead.



The Regulars
by Georgia Clark
-Chick-lit
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

A fierce, feisty, and “wonderfully entertaining” (Scott Westerfeld, author of Uglies) debut with a magical twist about three ordinary, regular girls who suddenly have their fantasies come true…or do they?

Best friends Evie, Krista, and Willow are just trying to make it through their mid-twenties in New York. They’re regular girls, with average looks and typical quarter-life crises: making it up the corporate ladder, making sense of online dating, and making rent.

Until they come across Pretty, a magic tincture that makes them, well...gorgeous. Like, supermodel gorgeous. And it’s certainly not their fault if the sudden gift of beauty causes unexpected doors to open for them.

But there’s a dark side to Pretty, too, and as the gloss fades for these modern-day Cinderellas, there’s just one question left:

What would you sacrifice to be Pretty?



WIN my review copies!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: November 29, 2016

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. READ and comment on one of my Happy Release posts (here).

2. LEAVE a comment with your email.

NOW, hop-along to these other sites for more goodies… (here)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - (winner is here)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving 2016


Happy Thanksgiving!

AND we're off to go a feasting...


~*~

* image source: vintage thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Outward Blonde by Trish Cook

Outward Blonde
by Trish Cook

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
Goodreads
Website
Instagram
Twitter @trixcook

Release date: April 18, 2017
Publisher: Adaptive Books
Genre: Coming of Age, YA
Paperback: 288 pages
Rating: 5

First sentence(s): from ARC
"You're not gong to believe this, Jem!" I say when my best friend finally picks up FaceTime.

Zombie sighting:
Besmirch is a funny word and I'd totally laugh, but I don't because I've never seen her so angry. She's scaring me I'm used to zombie Mom, not zombie apocalypse Mom. -page 34, chapter 4

Sixteen-year-old Lizzie Finkelstein is a hard-partying socialite who lives a charmed life with her mother in Manhattan. After a public drunken escapade results in both an arrest and an embarrassing viral video online, Lizzie’s parents stage a late night intervention. Lizzie finds herself whisked away to Utah to learn a lesson or two about taking responsibility at Camp Smiley, a wilderness survival program for troubled kids.

Camp Smiley is a far cry from Lizzie’s high society life in New York. Without her stable of luxury hair/makeup items, her teacup Pomeranian, contact with the outside world or access to social media, Lizzie must face the harsh conditions of the outdoors. Grouped with troubled campers in which she’s certain she has nothing in common (except Jack, who’s pretty hot), Lizzie must now learn to dig her own toilet in the woods and build a fire by rubbing two sticks together before the camp will ever let her go back to her former existence. She has a choice: get with the program, or get out of there.


PeekAbook:



My two-bits:

When teens take it too far. Parents wonder what to do?

This story gets into one way to handle unruly, out-of-control teens in a light tone. Not preachy. And not too heavy.

Loved to see how the characters transform after they experience coming of age growth moments during their stint in a wilderness survival program.

The main character, Lizzie, has some LOL moments along her journey to seriously dealing with her issues. Also, along the way she forms true friendships and better perspective on her relationships.

A sweet romance included.

~*~

* review copy courtesy of publisher

Monday, November 21, 2016

Winners for November pt2


Here are the winners for giveaways that
ended November 20, 2016

Thanks to all contestants!

~*~


FOR the Jane Austen-ish event (here)...

Jane Austen
(Adult Coloring Book): 55 Removable Coloring Plates
by Abrams Noterie (Creator), Anita Rundles (Illustrations)
Amazon | Goodreads | giveaway
Winner: Carrie of In the Hammock


Secrets in the Snow
by Michaela MacColl
-Historical, Jane Austen theme, YA
Amazon | Goodreads | giveaway | my review
Winner: Anji


~*~

* to see the original giveaway offer, click on the signup link

* I will email winners for mailing addresses within two weeks.
Winners, feel free to contact me with your info if you don't get my email
or if you are just too darn excited and want to let me know -- like NOW ;-D

* contest policy

* if not this time, maybe next time

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Stacking the Shelves - 11.19.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

Bought:


=====> Book Passage, Corte Madera, hosted an event with, Isabel Allende to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Japanese Lover. She spoke about the book inspiration which was prompted by a conversation she had with a friend. Isabel also handled Q&A from the audience.

Japanese Lover
by Isabel Allende
-Historical, Romance, WWII
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> I plan on reading this, but I decided to give this copy to my auntie.

The Improbability of Love
by Hannah Rothschild
-Art, Historical, Romance
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Got this because the perspective and the main character of this tale includes the viewpoint from a painting.


Freebie: from publisher

Reputations
by Juan Gabriel Vasquez
-Contemporary Fiction, Politics, Spain
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Picked this up at a table full of ARC freebies.

AND watched: in theatre

National Theatre Live: Hamlet (2015)
Director: Robin Lough
Based on play by: Shakespeare
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 5

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his Uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans his revenge.

=====> Another stellar live performance from Cumberbatch. So depressing. So emotional.

Dr. Strange (2016)
Director: Scott Derrickson
Writers: Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill
Based on Marvel comics by: Steve Ditko
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 4

A former neurosurgeon embarks on a journey of healing only to be drawn into the world of the mystic arts.

Oscar nominated for Visual Effects.

Fun cast! Loved Tilda Swinton's performance as the Ancient One. What I found strange was hearing Cumberbatch without his English accent ;-) Oh, and stick around for all of the end credits for some easter eggs.


Currently flipping through: from the library

Demon
Volume 1
by Jason Shiga
-Graphic Novel, Horror, Humor
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Hilarious. Who knew being an actuary could come in handy.

~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Friday, November 18, 2016

In America by Nina Romano

In America
(Wayfarer Trilogy #3)
by Nina Romano

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Twitter @ninsthewriter

Just released: July 19, 2016
Publisher: Turner
Genre: Historical
Hardback: 324 pages
Rating: 4

Wayfarer Trilogy:
The Secret Language of Women
Lemon Blossoms
In America

First sentence(s):
Since the day I made my First Communion when I was five, in the lacy dress that looked like a wedding ensemble with veil included, I attended Mass with Mamma or Papa or both of them in Our Lady of Angels.

Beautiful, headstrong Marcella Scimenti has the affection of a handsome neighborhood boy, the love of her large Italian family, and serious dreams of singing in Hollywood. But the course of true love―nor the journey to finding one’s true self―never did run smooth. In America follows the story of Marcella, the daughter of the characters at the center of Nina Romano’s continent-spanning Wayfarer Trilogy, as she comes of age in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, in the late 1920s. In the trilogy’s heartwarming conclusion, Marcella must learn to balance new friendships, promising suitors, and life as a modern working girl with the expectations of her tradition-bound family, all against the backdrop of a looming economic depression and a changing world. Along the way, she unearths a devastating family secret that shakes her to her core and tests the boundaries of her love, loyalty, and faith.

My two-bits:

Although the 3rd book in a series, this books works alright as a standalone.

This family saga tells the story from the viewpoint of two family members, a father and daughter.

Set in the 1920s, the customs and signs of the times are present. The family is Italian and many scenes include delicious sounding meals with lots of yummy dishes described.

The experiences of an independent female protagonist, Marcella, makes her endearing and fun to follow along her journey in life.

~*~

* review copy courtesy of publisher

Thursday, November 17, 2016

How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran

How To Be A Woman
by Caitlin Moran
narrated by author

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website | Facebook
vimeo | YouTube
Twitter @caitlinmoran

Published: 2011
Publisher: Ebury
Genre: Feminism, Memoir, Humor
Paperback: 320 pages
Rating: 5

First sentence(s):
Wolverhampton, April 5, 1988
Here I am, on my 13th birthday. I am running. I'm running from the Yobs.

1913 - Suffragette throws herself under the King's horse.
1969 - Feminists storm Miss World.
Now - Caitlin Moran rewrites "The Female Eunuch" from a bar stool and demands to know why pants are getting smaller. There's never been a better time to be a woman: we have the vote and the Pill, and we haven't been burnt as witches since 1727. However, a few nagging questions do remain...

Why are we supposed to get Brazilians?
Should you get Botox?
Do men secretly hate us?
What should you call your vagina?
Why does your bra hurt?
And why does everyone ask you when you're going to have a baby?

Part memoir, part rant, Caitlin Moran answers these questions and more in "How To Be A Woman" - following her from her terrible 13th birthday ('I am 13 stone, have no friends, and boys throw gravel at me when they see me') through adolescence, the workplace, strip-clubs, love, fat, abortion, TopShop, motherhood and beyond.


PeekaBook:



My two-bits:

Contemporary perspective on feminism with a humorous touch.

Some women's issues continue to prevail which this book lays out along with personal stories as examples.

This is one of those books that creates a certain awareness to guide in life conduct and living.


~*~

* part of Audiobook Challenge

* part of Our Shared Shelf Book Club (Emma Watson)

Interview with Emma Watson...




Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday - 11.16.16

Waiting on Wednesday
sponsored by Jill at Breaking the Spine (details)

~*~

I'm waiting for...

Victoria:
The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire
by Julia Baird
-Biography, History
Release date: November 22, 2016
Amazon | Goodreads

From International New York Times columnist Julia Baird comes a magnificent biography of Queen Victoria. Drawing on previously unpublished papers, Victoria: The Queen is a stunning new portrait of the real woman behind the myth—a story of love and heartbreak, of devotion and grief, of strength and resilience.

When Victoria was born, in 1819, the world was a very different place. Revolution would begin to threaten many of Europe’s monarchies in the coming decades. In Britain, a generation of royals had indulged their whims at the public’s expense, and republican sentiment was growing. The Industrial Revolution was transforming the landscape, and the British Empire was commanding ever larger tracts of the globe. Born into a world where woman were often powerless, during a century roiling with change, Victoria went on to rule the most powerful country on earth with a decisive hand.

Fifth in line to the throne at the time of her birth, Victoria was an ordinary woman thrust into an extraordinary role. As a girl, she defied her mother’s meddling and an adviser’s bullying, forging an iron will of her own. As a teenage queen, she eagerly grasped the crown and relished the freedom it brought her. At twenty years old, she fell passionately in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, eventually giving birth to nine children. She loved sex and delighted in power. She was outspoken with her ministers, overstepping boundaries and asserting her opinions. After the death of her adored Albert, she began a controversial, intimate relationship with her servant John Brown. She survived eight assassination attempts over the course of her lifetime. And as science, technology, and democracy were dramatically reshaping the world, Victoria was a symbol of steadfastness and security—queen of a quarter of the world’s population at the height of the British Empire’s reach.

Drawing on sources that include revelations about Victoria’s relationship with John Brown, Julia Baird brings vividly to life the fascinating story of a woman who struggled with so many of the things we do today: balancing work and family, raising children, navigating marital strife, losing parents, combating anxiety and self-doubt, finding an identity, searching for meaning. This sweeping, page-turning biography gives us the real woman behind the myth: a bold, glamorous, unbreakable queen—a Victoria for our times, a Victoria who endured.


AND...

Victoria:
by Daisy Goodwin
-Historical Fiction, Victorian
Release date: November 22, 2016
Amazon | Goodreads

“They think I am still a little girl who is not capable of being a Queen.”

Lord Melbourne turned to look at Victoria. “They are mistaken. I have not known you long, but I observe in you a natural dignity that cannot be learnt. To me, ma’am, you are every inch a Queen.”

In 1837, less than a month after her eighteenth birthday, Alexandrina Victoria – sheltered, small in stature, and female – became Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Many thought it was preposterous: Alexandrina — Drina to her family — had always been tightly controlled by her mother and her household, and was surely too unprepossessing to hold the throne. Yet from the moment William IV died, the young Queen startled everyone: abandoning her hated first name in favor of Victoria; insisting, for the first time in her life, on sleeping in a room apart from her mother; resolute about meeting with her ministers alone.

One of those ministers, Lord Melbourne, became Victoria’s private secretary. Perhaps he might have become more than that, except everyone argued she was destined to marry her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. But Victoria had met Albert as a child and found him stiff and critical: surely the last man she would want for a husband….

Drawing on Victoria’s diaries as well as her own brilliant gifts for history and drama, Daisy Goodwin, author of the bestselling novels The American Heiress and The Fortune Hunter as well as creator and writer of the new PBS/Masterpiece drama Victoria, brings the young queen even more richly to life in this magnificent novel.


=====> These both come out on the same day. Getting into the mood of reading about royals.


Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Happy Release: Rebound by Candy Crum

Rebound
by A.M. Wray (aka Candy Crum)
Release date: November 15, 2016
Amazon | Goodreads

REBOUND is book one in the STANDALONE Romance series titled "Breaking the Rules."

Jax...

Why did he have to be so perfect? After a terrible breakup, I wanted nothing to do with dating of any kind. Trust was not a quality that I was blessed with at that moment, but that didn't stop him.

He was the best friend that I'd ever had, but that wasn't all I wanted. I felt terrible about it, but I couldn't help it. I told myself that the last thing that I needed was a rebound, but after that night... Well - I just can't seem to stop myself.


About the author:
A.M. Wray is the pen name for Candy Crum for her new Contemporary NA/Erotic Romance novel "Free Me".

(Candy Crum is a lover of fiction, and has been since she was very young. Reading was always an escape from reality for her. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was the first book that she read that truly made her a book lover (back in fourth grade) and she's never turned back.

In her teens, she read the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice and became a huge paranormal fan. That love of all things mystical and magical became inspiration for her first series, The Eternal Series.

Candy wrote those books while being a full-time Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), a full-time nursing student, and also a full-time wife (though she is divorced now) and mother. It took over two years to fully get The Eternal Gift exactly the way she wanted it and finally published. Since then, she hasn't looked back.

Candy has written eight novels under two pen names (Candy Crum as well as A.M. Wray [catering to 'adult' audiences]), and there are certainly many more to come with the Fated series.

Candy has two children, a Harlequin Great Dane (appropriately named Harley Quinn), and a big fat fluffy black cat named Korra. However, her children have her sarcastic and goofy sense of humor, and call him Fat Chubby Cheddar - which he answers to.

Candy is very open, and loves to hear from her fans. So, don't hesitate to reach out to her.

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Blog
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter @AM_Wray

~*~

* heads-up courtesy of Red Coat PR

Monday, November 14, 2016

Happy Release: You First by Stephanie Fournet

You First
by Stephanie Fournet
-New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 13, 2016
Amazon | Goodreads

Driven. Private. Insanely talented.

Gray Blakewood is the most successful crime writer under the age of thirty—and he has a secret that could cost him his life.

He just wants to finish his latest novel before his world unravels, and the last thing he needs is a beautiful distraction.

Meredith Ryan, his new personal assistant, has seen more than her fair share of hard knocks. And, still, she’s the sweetest person he’s ever met.

She deserves a lifetime of happiness—which he can’t offer.

But he can’t seem to stay away.



Excerpt:

Her pink blush turned scarlet. If he could place his palm against her cheek, he knew it would burn like a fever.

Did she know he burned like a fever?

He crossed the kitchen and stopped at the island, far enough away so he couldn’t reach out and touch her if his willpower slipped. He nodded toward the mop.

“Now you. Why on earth are you mopping my floor?”

She gave a flustered roll of her eyes. “Smoothies.”

“Smoothies?” At his mystified expression, her mouth twitched, but her blush didn’t wane.

Don’t be embarrassed in front of me, he wanted to tell her. You make me laugh, but I’d never laugh at you.

“Tropical Smoothies is next door to Dr. Wexler’s office. I picked up some smoothies for us,” she said, looking chagrined. “I thought I could manage to walk in with them and the dogs, but I was wrong.”

“Uh-oh,” he said, beginning to feel bad for his teasing. She’d brought him a smoothie?

“Yeah, uh-oh. Yours survived intact,” she said and then grimaced. “About a third of mine ended up on the floor.”

“Well, you can have mine. How much were they? I’ll cover the—”

“Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head. Meredith set the mop in the bucket and walked to the sink. “It’s totally my treat.”

“That’s not necessary,” he said, following her.

She turned on the water and set about washing her hands, but she looked back over her shoulder and met his eyes. “You always say that. I wanted to do it. You were having a lousy day.”

He watched her dry her hands, not liking the feeling that settled in his stomach.

“Not a pity smoothie, I hope.”

He saw her glare before the corner of the towel sailed out and snapped him in the gut. “No, not a pity smoothie.”

Gray blinked at her in wonder. So, there was a little salty in Meredith’s sweet. This discovery made his mouth go dry and his thighs tingle. He wondered — not for the first time — what she tasted like.

Before he could step closer to her, she swiveled on her heel and stalked to the fridge. Meredith pulled open the door and emerged from behind it with two hefty Styrofoam cups. She shoved one in his face.

“Here. A completely pity-free smoothie,” she said, an angry edge clear in her voice.

He took it from her slowly. Gray wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but he knew it was his fault. He’d upset her. By accusing her of pitying him? By disparaging her gift? He realized he’d done both, but Gray sensed something else. He felt instinctively that all could be resolved with an embrace — something he could not do.

Gray held her with his eyes instead and took a sip.

“It’s heavenly,” he said. And it was. He tasted strawberry, banana, and chocolate. Of course, Meredith would bring him something sweet. “Thank you.”

A little of the fight left her eyes. “You’re welcome… It’s a Beach Bum.” The corners of her mouth might have turned up just a little.

“What’s yours?” he asked softly, never letting his gaze leave hers. He wanted her to smile again. He wanted her to know from now on he’d take whatever she wanted to give him, and he’d be grateful, whether that was a cold compress, or a smoothie, or a song in his kitchen.

“It’s a Bahama Mama,” she said, taking her own sip. He wondered if she did it to keep that growing smile in check. “Strawberries, pineapple, coconut, and white chocolate.”

“That sounds good.” She was farther away from him now than when she’d sat beside him on his couch, but the energy between them had completely changed. Was it all in his head? Or did she feel it, too? Gray had no doubt he carried enough desire to charge the air for both of them, so it was possible he was fooling himself.

But what if he wasn’t?

“Want to try it?” She offered him her cup, making his heartbeat quicken. “I swear, I don’t have cooties.”

He took it from her. “I never would have thought you had cooties.” And he won the smile.

Feeling a little dizzy, he put her straw between his lips and sucked. Honeyed tropical flavors flooded his mouth.

This is what she’d taste like if I kissed her now. The thought grabbed him by the balls.

About the author:
Stephanie Fournet, author of Fall Semester, Legacy, Butterfly Ginger, and Leave a Mark lives in Lafayette, Louisiana—not far from the Saint Streets where her novels are set.

She shares her home with her husband John and her daughter Hannah, their needy dogs Gladys and Mabel, and an immortal blue finch named Baby Blue.

When she isn’t writing romance novels, she is usually helping students get into college or running. She loves hearing from fans.

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
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Website
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Twitter @stephanie4net

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Sunday, November 13, 2016

Emma Watson Book Club 2016

Emma Watson Book Club
Details | Goodreads | Twitter @EmmaWatson

Emma Watson’s feminist book club now has a name and is open to anyone who wants to join. The UN Women Goodwill ambassador announced the club will be called “Our Shared Shelf” and meetings will be conducted through a group on Goodreads.

BEEN meaning to follow along with Emma's picks. I really want to support what she is doing as well as read more feminist writings. Lots to catch up on.

Jan: My Life on the Road
by Gloria Steinem
-Feminism, Memoir
Amazon | Goodreads

Feb: The Color Purple
by Alice Walker
-Feminism, Classics, Historical
Amazon | Goodreads

Mar: All About Love: New Visions
by bell hooks
-Feminism, Philosophy
Amazon | Goodreads

Apr: How To Be A Woman
by Caitlin Moran
-Feminism, Memoir, Humor
Amazon | Goodreads | my review | rating: 5

May: The Argonauts
by Maggie Nelson
-Feminism, LGBTQ, Memoir
Amazon | Goodreads

Jun: Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi
-Feminism, Graphic Novel
Amazon | Goodreads | rating: 5

Jul/Aug: Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir
by Carrie Brownstein
-Music, Memoir
Amazon | Goodreads | my review | rating: 5

Sep/Oct: Half the Sky:
Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
by Nicholas D. Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn
-Feminism
Amazon | Goodreads

Nov/Dec: Mom & Me & Mom
by Maya Angelou
-Feminism, Memoir
Amazon | Goodreads | my review | rating: 5



 
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