Waiting on Wednesday #114

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Publication Date: May 26, 2015

Summary-

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

I really enjoy each and every single Katie McGarry book so yeah I'm definitely looking forward to reading Nowhere But Here.

What are you waiting on? :)

Release Day Blast- Clear: A Death Trippers Novel by Jessica Park

We're celebrating the release of CLEAR: A Death Trippers Novel by Jessica Park! Check out the excerpt below!

Title: CLEAR: A Death Trippers Novel

Age: NA

Genre: Parnormal Romance

Author: Jessica Park

Cover Designer: The Cover Lure

Release date: February 17, 2015

Goodreads

Blurb:

Stella Ford’s grasp on reality is already loose, and it’s about to come undone.

When the college junior flees Chicago and leaves her toxic family behind, she heads for coastal Maine to find the one person who brought her peace years ago: Sam Bishop. But the Sam she once knew now has painful secrets.  

Stella is determined to heal them both. Healing, however, is a challenge when the walls of her everyday existence collapse. And when Sam’s best friend is his worst enemy.

When the line between life and death blurs.

When an end is just a beginning.

When lust and rage rule.

Yet during extraordinary chaos, there can be extraordinary love, even if that love comes with a twist.

Welcome to death tripping.

A thriller, a paranormal, and a passionate romance, CLEAR crosses genres and breaks boundaries.

Excerpt:

Sam walks me step-by-step through the process of cracking open lobster shells and pulling out the meat, leaning over the bowl to my left but staying close. The way he talks and moves is soothing, comforting. I notice how crystal clear everything is tonight—the colors, the sounds, the smells. 

There’s sharpness to my world.

“Everyone is always crazy about the tail meat,” he says, “but if you ask me, the best flavor is in these knuckles and the claws.” He twists a red arm from the body and breaks it open. “Not only is the meat better, but there’s all the liquid that you can’t miss.” Sam is inches from me when he brings a claw shell to my lips. “Drink.”

I tip my head back a bit and let him pour hot liquid into my mouth. It’s the richest, purest taste I’ve ever experienced. When he takes the shell away, I rub my lips together and smile. “More,” I whisper.

So, he feeds me juice from the other claw. A rumble of thunder echoes just as I finish. I didn’t even notice that a storm might be brewing, but I can feel the change in the air, the tingle on my skin. Sam’s a bit distracting though. He steps in even closer, his waist moving between my legs. My eyes travel down the length of his muscular arm, to his hand that moves to rest on my thigh.

“More?” he asks softly.

“Yes,” I breathe.

“You sure, more?” His voice is soft and teasing.

Now, I take in his broad shoulders, the way his shirt fits snugly and shows the shape of his chest, and mostly, the way our closeness, our sudden intimacy, radiates around us. Our draw to each other is palpable, yet this is much more than just sexual. I’m momentarily shaken by the inexplicable perfection of us being together. We hardly know each other, so my certainty about this should feel off. But it doesn’t.

His hand gently cups my waist, and he moves his head in a bit. It only takes lifting my mouth a few inches before his lips come to mine. There is no hesitation and no tentative light kiss to feel our way around. Immediately, we have rhythm and instinct as though we’ve done this forever. He moves his mouth and tongue with an exquisite balance of confidence and tenderness, and I respond easily and naturally.

I touch my hands to his chest and admire his strength and solidity. His arm wraps behind me and pulls me in, so I slip my hands up to the back of his neck and let him bring us closer together. Each time his tongue slides against mine, a rush of adrenaline courses through me. I realize that I have been waiting for this since the exact minute when our last kiss ended all those years ago.

Right now, while burning heat and a certain level of aggressiveness come from both of us, it is also clear to me that this is not the precursor to sex. He’s not going to clear off the counter and fuck me without care as if I mean nothing. And there is safety and security in his reserve. This is a kiss with meaning and feeling and not just an obligatory step before getting laid.

I know what that feels like, and this isn’t it.

Even with my eyes closed, I sense the burst of lightning that flashes just before the thunder hits again. 

Sam slows our kiss until his lips are barely brushing against me. “Food’s getting cold.”

He rubs his nose against mine, and I feel him smile.

“Okay.”

“We can’t let your first real lobster dinner go to waste.”

“No,” I agree.

But this is already the best meal I’ve ever had.

About the Author:

Jessica is the author of LEFT DROWNING, the New York Times bestselling FLAT-OUT LOVE (and the companion piece FLAT-OUT MATT), and RELATIVELY FAMOUS. She lives in New Hampshire where she spends an obscene amount time thinking about rocker boys and their guitars, complex caffeinated beverages, and tropical vacations. On the rare occasions that she is able to focus on other things, she writes.

Please visit her at her webpage and on Facebook and Twitter @JessicaPark24.

Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway- Treasure Darkly by Jordan Mierek

Beware a Treasure Darkly…

(The stunning cover art is thanks to Amalia Chitulescu)

Seventeen-year-old Clark Treasure assumes the drink he stole off the captain is absinthe…until the chemicals in the liquid give him the ability to awaken the dead. A great invention for creating perfect soldiers, yes, but Clark wants to live as a miner, not a slave to the army—or the deceased. On the run, Clark turns to his estranged tycoon father for help. The Treasures welcome Clark with open arms, so he jumps at the chance to help them protect their ranch against Senator Horan, a man who hates anyone more powerful than he. 

And he is not alone. His new found sister, Amethyst, thinks that's rather dashing, until Horan kidnaps her, and all she gets is a bullet through her heart. When Clark brings her back to life, she realizes he's more than just street-smart - and he's not really a Treasure. Amethyst’s boring summer at home has turned into an adventure on the run, chock full of intrigue, danger, love, and a mysterious boy named Clark.

TREASURE DARKLY, book 1 of the Treasure Chronicles

The young adult novel is a dark mix of steampunk, the paranormal and romance in a “Wild West” setting.  Below is an excerpt from TREASURE DARKLY.  You can read more on the Curiosity Quills Press website.

“Looks like he did drink it up.” The general client spoke from the right. “Must’ve interacted with all that bloody hertum. Look at ‘im, he’s bleeding already.”

“What’s it gonna do to him?” the guard from the morning asked.

“Lots of stuff.” The general laughed. “When he touches the dead, he’ll be able to bring them back, and exchange that life for another. Perfect soldier, huh? We only have one vial ready and I was going to give it to a lucky fellow. Guess it will be this boy.”

“Whatcha gonna do with him?” The guard snickered.

“Have to be a test subject,” the general said. “Sure thought it was that Judy who stole my bottle. Pity I killed her. She sure knew how to make my pecker sing.”

Judy.

Clark’s mother.

Clark bolted off the ground and ran. He could hide in the hole under the shed behind the brothel. Mable never found him under there. He might be cursed with raising the dead—he’d already done that to the poor mine worker—but it didn’t mean he’d let them take him for tests.

You can read more about Amethyst Treasure in GEARS OF BRASS, a steampunk anthology from Curiosity Quills Press available now from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, is the author of ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW, available from Curiosity Quills Press. Check out Jordan’s website, JordanElizabethMierek.com, for contests and book signing locales. Jordan is represented by Belcastro Agency and she is president of the Utica Writers Club.

No blog tour is complete without a giveaway. Enter below for a chance to win a paperback copy of GEARS OF BRASS.   

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Giveaway (India only)- What Young India Wants by Chetan Bhagat and The Homing Pigeons... by Sid Bahri

Hi, guys! It's been a long time since we had a giveaway for you loverly people. So here we are with one. I have an extra copy of Chetan Bhagat's What Young India Wants to give away to one lucky Indian reader, and because it's "supposedly" the month of love and because I don't really need a reason to do this, I'm throwing in a copy of my all time favourite, The Homing Pigeons... by Sid Bahri as well. One reader will win both the books. 

We only ask that you follow us via email. That is your mandatory entry. The email subscription option can be found in the right side bar. Another important point (which isn't mandatory, but really appreciated) is you telling us in the comments what it is that YOU really want for India. It could be anything- peace, strict laws and stricter execution of the same, commercials that don't objectify women, Hindi movies with more songs, chai stalls in malls... Whatever! It's up to you. We're listening. Without much ado, let's get on to the post. 

 

Check out What Young India Wants on Goodreads 

Check out The Homing Pigeons... on Goodreads

Giveaway rules are simple:

*The giveaway is open for residents of India only.

*Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. 

*Once winners are picked, they will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond, or else we'll be compelled to pick new winners.

*In case some winner who already has a copy of The Homing Pigeons... (because we've given away many of those) wins, you can decide whether you'd like another copy of the book or no. If not, we will pick another winner for The Homing Pigeons... The original winner will only get What Young India Wants. 

*If the form doesn't load, go here. 

That's all there is to it! May the odds be ever in your favour! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for stopping by, and happy reading! 

Review- Hero by Samantha Young

Summary-

The emotional and unforgettable new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren't his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.

Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.

Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they're on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again…

Review-

I really love Samantha Young’s writing style. She is one the best romance authors I have ever read and though I sometimes don’t agree with the way some of her characters behave, I still seem to enjoy all of her books. That is why when I found out that she was coming out with a new standalone novel called Hero I got right to it as soon as it released. I’m just going to say it, I LOVED Hero.

Alexa is our heroine. The entire book goes from her point of view and though I would have loved reading a few chapters from Caine’s point of view I still loved being in her head. Alexa was one of the most sincere, smart and sensible heroines I have ever read. I thought I would go exactly the way she did with her actions regarding everything.

Alexa was very easy to relate to for me. The way she saw things without being biased or judge mental was very appealing. Then we have Caine. Caine is a self made millionaire. He has everything he wants and even though he wants nothing to do with Alexa, he just can’t seem to push her away. Caine was a huge asshole. That’s the simplest way I can put it in. But I still somehow liked him because as you start understanding his reasons you get him.

Samantha Young writes some of the best conversations in books. I loved the banter Alexa and Caine shared. They had off the charts chemistry and the tension between them was for everyone to see. But Caine was not an easy man to deal with. He wouldn’t let his vulnerabilities show but I loved how determined Alexa was with him. They were great together.

I also loved the twist we got around 75-80% of the book. It made the book more than just another romance and added a little something to it. By the end I was just devouring the entire book, waiting for Caine and Alexa to get their happy ending. It has been some time since I read such a good romance so I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed Hero.

Cover Reveal- My Rebellion Checklist by Susan Soares

MY REBELLION CHECKLIST

BY SUSAN SOARES

Victoria Matherson's summer to-do list looked something like this:

1. Get organized for college

2. Complete summer job at Dad’s office

3. Spend a romantic summer with Adam

During the first week of her summer vacation, Victoria’s super planned life suddenly swerves completely off track. Her boyfriend breaks up with her unexpectedly, she gets in a near-fatal car wreck, and her parents announce the end of their twenty-year.

Victoria decides to live life messily, to take chances, and finally to rebel. Taking on the new name of “Tori,” she creates a checklist of rebellion:

#3 Get an extreme haircut

#6 Pierce something

which she’ll use to show everyone around her that all the changes to her perfectly organized life haven’t affected her in the least. Even though they have.

With the help of her quirky and cute co-worker Zack, Tori will check off the crazy items on her list and learn what it means to give up control and be free. But just how far will she go?

My Rebellion Checklist releases on March 10^th, 2015.

About the Author: 

Susan Soares lives in a small town in Massachusetts where she balances writing fiction with raising her three daughters. When she’s not writing she can be found reading, experimenting with photography and planning her next Disney World trip. Susan recently received her master’s degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University, and will be pursuing teaching soon. She is available for guest posts and interviews. 

You can find her on her website or on Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook and Wattpad

Links: Goodreads: add to your shelf now!

Cover Reveal + Giveaway- Rock Hard by Nalini Singh

ROCK HARD (Rock Kiss Series)  

PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE 

Amazon preorder

iBooks preorder

Nook preorder

Kobo preorder

Releasing: March 10th, 2015

                                                           

In New York Times Bestselling author Nalini Singh’s newest contemporary romance, passion ignites between a gorgeous, sinfully sexy man who built himself up from nothing and a shy woman who has a terrible secret in her past…

Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and ruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.

And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.

Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.

If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on.

Series Reading Order

Rock Addiction (Book One)
Amazon
iTunes
Kobo

Rock Courtship (Book 1.5)

Amazon
iTunes

Kobo

Meet the Author

NEW YORK TIMES AND USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series Nalini Singh usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around, she decided to write about hot and wickedly tempting rock stars - and one sinfully sexy rugby god turned brilliant CEO. If you’re seeing a theme here, you’re not wrong.

Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. Also, don't forget to swing by the site to check out the special behind-the-scenes page for the Rock Kiss series, complete with photos of many of the locations used in the books.

STALK HER:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

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Share Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDk5NjRmMDM5ZDM4YTBjYWM0YzAyYzM0NGI2ODRhOjU5Mw==/?

I am SO looking forward to reading Rock Hard! Hope you enjoyed the cover reveal :)