Blog Tour: Crossing the Ice by Jennifer Comeaux [REVIEW + GIVEAWAY]

audiobook

Crossing the Ice (Ice #1)
by Jennifer Comeaux
Release Date: 08/03/14
Narrated by: Emily Stokes
Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins 

Summary from Goodreads:
Falling hard never felt so good.

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.

The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though...

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?

Blog Tour: The Boyfriend Backtrack by Dawn Lanuza [Review, Excerpt + GIVEAWAY!]

2014 books

Hi guys! Welcome to my stop of The Boyfriend Backtrack book tour hosted by Oops! I Read Again Book Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK


Title: The Boyfriend Backtrack
Author: Dawn Lanuza
Date of Publication: October 3, 2014
Genre: contemporary romance

Blurb:

If they say that life flashes right before your eyes when you die, do you also get a flashback of your exes when your perfect boyfriend is proposing to you? At least that's the case for Regina Cortez. There's her dramatic high school boyfriend, her first college crush, the irresistible heart breaker, and the ever elusive one. By backtracking to her past, will Regina make it to 'I Do'? Or will she just keep running away?


Purchase link: Amazon

MY REVIEW


I'm always supportive of the local publishing industry and would grab at any chance to review or participate in a book tour for a book written by a local author. There's just something completely refreshing about reading a book that hits so close to home - it's just a wonderful, wonderful feeling. The Boyfriend Backtrack surely made me feel that, and I sincerely enjoyed reading it. Towards the end, I came to know the characters of the story as not just people part of a book, but actual, real, live people who could be my friends or someone I know, maybe because of how much I found myself connecting to the book.

Though I wasn't a fan of all the copy-editing issues or some of the cliche scenes and lines, I am indeed a sucker for happy endings and best friend romances so I managed to overlook those tiny faults. I can't really say who Regina ends up with in the end (read the book to find out!) but I was shipping them so hard right from the moment the guy makes an appearance (and man, does he make an appearance). I loved how Regina grows up throughout the book and how she finally faces her fear of confrontation, by finally tying up all those loose ends from so long ago. I did admire her with her decision to find herself towards the end of the book, and that is something I would like for myself as well. The ending of the book is one of the cheesiest, but sweetest endings I've ever read, and honestly, an ending I would want to happen to myself (yes I love cheese too).

To wrap things up, The Boyfriend Backtrack is one of the nicest and sweetest books I've ever read, and is perfect to read with a cup of coffee on a rainy day, and the perfect playlist with throwback love songs from college. This one effortlessly put a smile on my face after reading it and I highly recommend it for people who love love and reading about love. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

EXCERPT

My head is in a scurry and I could feel my heart thumping loudly. I cross my hands over my chest to hold myself together.
And then, with a quick glance, I see him strolling casually out of the arrival doors, pushing a trolley filled with worn-out bags and boxes. He is tan and fit, and his wild wavy hair is tamed by a red cap. He looks like a typical backpacker: cargo shorts, sneakers, and plain shirt. He looks quite rested and relaxed.
I suck in my breath, feet still cemented on the ground. The tall guy in front of me moves, giving me the full view. I watch him as he pushed the trolley forward. Then, he pauses, waiting for the woman walking behind him.I feel my face burning. There she is. Long, luscious hair hangs on her back. She’s wearing a white sundress. She steps right next to him and he takes her hand.
I watch them closely. He’s now looking at her and I know then that this isn’t just some girl. Chase likes this girl. I’ve seen him look at Laura before, and he’s looking at her the same way: a good mix of amusement and adoration.I feel the need to leave. What am I even doing here? Did I really think I could just show up and he would be happy to see me after years of not speaking to him? This is such a bad idea. I’m not even sure that he still considers me as his friend. I didn’t even know what he’s been doing until last week. What kind of a friend is that?They were heading my way. I stand there, horrified. Shit. I made my way out of the crowd. Shit, why are they walking so fast? Shit, shit, shit.Chase can’t see me. More importantly, I can’t see him now. Not like this. Not when I’m feeling like the biggest idiot in the world.
He pushes the trolley while her hands lovingly wrap around his arm. My stomach turns. I can feel a lump in my throat. I walk quickly behind a pillar. Shit. My heart is sinking. Shit, shit, shit.Good job, Regina. What the hell are you even thinking? I slowly peek back and saw them pass the crowd. When they turn their backs, she places her right hand on his shoulder.
I look away. I take a deep, long breath. It comes out staggering when I exhale. I run to the public toilets and lock myself in one of the cubicles. Thomas said, take deep and slow breaths. I allow myself to let out one sob. Then I’m not able to stop.

ABOUT DAWN LANUZA

Dawn Lanuza has been imagining and writing love stories since she was a kid. She works for the music industry by day, and writes about meet cutes and snappy comebacks by night. She writes short stories, chick lit and young-adult fiction. She has a degree in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines.



GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
Here's the link to it: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/dc42906e255/

BOOK TOURS: The Lost Kingdom by Stephanie Beerden + GIVEAWAY!!!

book tour




Series: The Elements #1
Release date: April 28th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:
A Prophecy made long ago, announced the arrival of the new Ladies of Elements.

And now almost a millennia later, it finally came true …

All her life Arima thought she knew who and what she was. That is until the day of her sixteenth birthday came and her world is turned upside down, when she’s told she’s not a White Witch but Lady Spirit. And that she is the one that has been foretold, will unite the Five Ladies of Elements once again and save Ilendia and the Other Lands from Ahriman, the Demon King.

20873418
At first Arima refuses to accept her new fate, but when Shanums come and destroy her village and kill her loved ones, she has no choice but to flee and fall right into the destiny she never wanted.

As she grudgingly starts her journey into the unknown, she is accompanied by her unicorn familiar Sirrim, Blythe, a Vampire with a dark past and Myrddin, a mysterious Ljosalfar.

And the longer her journey lasts, the more Arima begins to realise that she can’t escape her own destiny and she must learn to control her powers and learn to be a Lady for the sake of the Sisters she doesn’t know and the people of Ilendia and the Other Lands.

However, things get more complicated when Arima comes into the possession of a key. Her instincts compel her to go towards danger when she discovers that the key she holds, can unlock the legendary kingdom of Eléssima, the home of the Ladies of Elements.

She will have to make the choice to follow her instincts …

…or stay on the path that has been laid out for her.

 EXCERPT
He uncrossed his arms and clapped them together. “So you must be the new Lady Spirit, then?”
He walked up to her and then circled around her, looking her over from head to toe. He stopped right in front of her and looked her right in the eyes . “You’re a lot fatter than I thought you would be.”
Arima sputtered indignantly and ignored Sirrim’s laughter in her head and Myrrdin and Blythe’s choking sounds. She raised her fist and hit the Angel right on the cheek.
Lucien rubbed his cheek and spat out some blood. “Okay, I might have deserved that.”
“You think, you a’zavulter?” Arima hissed sarcastically at him.
Blythe choked on his spit, and Myrddin gaped at Arima when he heard what she had said.
Lucien’s eyebrows rose to his hairline . That was a new one; he’d never been called that before. “My, my —such a temper,” he teased.
“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet ,” Arima told him. “You say you were a friend of the Ladies? I can’t imagine anyone wanting you around. It’s a mystery to me why they called you friend.”
Lucien just grinned. “Your predecessor thought otherwise, but Lady Fire, not so much. She hit me in the face, too, once. She looked cute with a blush, too.”
“I hope it hurt like hell,” she snarled at the Angel.

“It did,” Lucien admitted. “All right, funny business aside, are you ready or do you want to be stuck here for much longer? I have a lot of work to do, people to see, lightning to deliver. You understand.”

Stephanie BeerdenABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Beerden was born on Friday the 13th (no joke, she really was) in a small city called Genk in Belgium. She has always been fascinated with the occult, magic and books. Her childhood and teen years were filled with reading lots and lots of books and imagining what life would be like as a vampire. Until one day she decided that she wanted to try her hand at writing her own books and that was the beginning of her writing adventure.

Book Tour: Forever Layla by Melissa Turner Lee

4.5/5


BOOK DESCRIPTION:
What if the woman you envied most is the person you are destined to become?

In 1994, high school senior David Foster was the lackey and soundboard geek for his best friend's grunge band. During spring break, the band lands a dream gig playing at a motel in Myrtle Beach, SC. David expected all the girls to ogle the guys on stage, but when a beautiful blond "Bond Girl" approaches him and calls him by name, he's shocked to find out she knows more about him than a stranger should.

She even knows about his notebooks and his visions of time travel.

What she thought was a quick time-travel-sightseeing trip takes a surprising turn when she meets the young adult version of the man she'd heard stories about as a child. His fairy-tale romance with the woman he'd loved, Layla, inspired her to accept nothing less than a love just as strong...but hopefully not as tragic. When she won't tell the younger version of him her name, he calls her Layla--and the world as she knows it changes forever.

BOOK REVIEW:
 Melissa has wrote a book so unique, that it would just keep you reading non-stop. I mean it. I highly recommend this book since it's a mixture of a lot of genres ( YA, Contemporary, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance and time-travel)  When I started reading Forever Layla, I already knew it was going to be amazing, and definitely worth reading. These first impressions of mine didn't turn me down. I loved how the book was well-written and how the plot had the perfect development. The thing that I love most about David and Layla was even though there relationship was moving too fast, you would feel their hearts telling them that they have a connection. A connection, so deep that they wouldn't and couldn't leave each other even though some people are against them. One of the things I realized too was that the story seems to be predictable, but it's totally different from what you would think will happen next. This is the first time I have read any of Melissa Turner Lee's books, and I now know who my next favorite author would be. I would say that all the beautiful adjectives there are, aren't even enough to describe how brilliant this book is. 

Rating 4.5/5

BOOK PLAYLIST:
 1. Smells Like Teen Spirit- Nirvana
2. Man In the Box- Alice in Chains
3. Heart Shaped Box- Nirvana
4. You & I - One Direction
5. Come as You Are- Nirvana


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa Turner Lee holds a BA in Communications with a concentration in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. She has studied fiction writing since 2008, attending various writing conferences and workshops, along with guidance from professional writing coaches. She resides in Spartanburg, SC with her husband and 3 sons.
Twitter: @MelissaTLee1975

Book Tour: A French Princess in Versailles by Anna Adams

2014 books



Series: The French Girl #3
Release date: June 30th 2014


Synopsis via Goodreads:
Determined to escape her failed pop career and focus on her classical training, Maude Laurent moves back to France and enrolls at the prestigious National Academy of Arts. 
Between balls, charity events, concerts, and navigating in the French elite, Maude has to prove she’s cut out to become a professional opera singer in a world where pop music is regarded with disdain. 
Though she fights it, her past catches up with her when she meets an English teacher who forces her to see a world beyond the safety of the Academy and takes her down an unusual musical journey where the risk is great and the reward uncertain. And when a chain of events bring her and Matt back in the same town, Maude will learn that music can bring people closer or tear them apart forever.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in France, raised partly in the United States and in France, Anna Adams grew up loving stories in French and English. 
Anna currently lives in Paris where she studies at la Sorbonne as a Law Student. 
She's the author of the French Girl series for which she is writing the the third installment. 
When she isn't writing, Anna likes to travel in Europe and dreams of going to Asia and Africa.

Book Tour: Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore

Arc



BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don't always seem to stay that way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.
www.jaclyndolamore.com | TWITTER |FACEBOOK

REVIEW

 Rating: 3.5 stars


For a dystopian book, this one definitelly stands out. I had my reservations about this book at first but it had just the right amount of mystery and thrill that I found myself glossing over the pages of the book in anticipation of how the story unfolds. I wasn't quite sure where this story is set - on one hand it seems like an alternate reality of the past but on the other, it also has futuristic vibes to it. Overall, I found the world building to be extraordinary and unique as I couldn't seem to connect the setting to any other place I've been to. It was absolutely riveting and the magical and supernatural element to it was subtle yet placed carefully at the right parts of the story.

Dark Metropolis has a great gritty dark and creepy feel, and it did remind me of Metropolis, the film it is based on. I felt like for a Disney book this story is fit for older readers, as there are parts of it that are just downright disturbing and gorey. It didn't hold back at all, and I appreciated that the author is taking all the risks to write this story as honestly as possible. I loved the treatment of necromancy in this book, and I liked how it has lots of underlying themes regarding morality and ethics and body and life ownership. 

This book is good, but just not exceptional. The characters are likable, but they are not relatable and I couldn't seem to connect with any of them. I wanted to learn more about their back stories, and I felt like the story of the city is a bit lacking. We never understand about the war, the underground workers, or even the magic. The writing of the book is praise worthy as it has just the right tone and mood and is so vivid and visual, but the history element of the book really could've been explained better. I liked the alternating POVs, which is something I normally hate - but for this book I felt like it is just the right treatment to tell the story. 

Overall, the premise and story of this book possesses great potential and though the book isn't perfect at all, it was definitely a memorable read that has me pining for more. 

Blog Tour: Branded by Abi & Missy

abi and missy


Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

A Sinners Series



Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. 

Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 

My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.





Excerpt


I turn on the faucet for a long while only to discover ice-cold water rushing out. The water never warms and I begin to understand. 
The Commander thinks he can wash away my soul by freezing me to death. He thinks he can destroy me by stripping away my possessions. But he can’t and I won’t let him take my memories, my ambition, and my pride.

He thinks I’m so easily broken.


The Commander doesn’t know anything about me, what I grew up 
with, what I endured—the father I lost, the mother I hate, the brother who walked out of my life, and the stepfather I was forced to accept. He thinks since I was rich, making me poor will cause me to give up. What he doesn’t understand is that, after my father passed away, I grew up behind walls of hatred. I had nothing, but had everything at the same time. I owned expensive clothes, enjoyed good schooling, and lived in a nice home. But my body was just a shell protecting an empty, desperate heart. My life was a colorful façade.


I had so much time to sit and think. I spent the majority of my life between four walls. I was abandoned, neglected, starved, betrayed, and abused. I’ve already been treated like the scum of the earth, so the Hole is nothing new. He wants to erase every sign of my existence on this earth, but I won’t let that happen. He can strip me naked, but he’ll never reach my soul.


It’s personal, completely personal.




Purchase









About Abi and Missy 


Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.



Website / Facebook / Twitter / Abi's Goodreads / Missy's Goodreads

Book Tour: Resistance by Jena Leigh

author


Resistance (The Variant Series #2)
Author: Jena Leigh
Published by: Jena Leigh
Find Resistance Here: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords, Goodreads
Synopsis: Alexandra Parker might be the most powerful Variant the world has ever seen—but even that won’t get her out of finishing her junior year of high school. 

The challenge of keeping her abilities under wraps during class is daunting enough, but throw one surly, sandy-haired Jumper into the mix, and things can get downright complicated.

Declan’s new job? Watch over Alex while she’s at school and do everything in his power to keep her from losing control. But as sparks of every kind begin flying between Alex and her new bodyguard, she's left feeling more unstable than ever.

When avoiding her abilities results in a surprise visit from her parents’ killer, Alex’s worlds collide with a bang that nearly levels Bay View High.

With her freedom now squarely in the Agency’s crosshairs, Alex will be faced with the fight of her life… and a decision that could forever alter the course of her destiny.

SNEAK PEEK
Kenzie drummed her fingers idly on the top of her desk. Slouched in her seat, she stared unblinking at the black hands of the clock mounted to the wall above the whiteboard. All around the room, students waited in small groups for the bell to release them and their weekend to begin.
Three minutes until the final bell.
Three minutes, and she’d be free.
Three minutes, thought Kenzie, and I’ll be on my way toward my next coffee fix.
That bell really needed to hurry itself up.
She had places to be.
Kenzie sighed. The longer she went without a fix, the harder it was to silence the thoughts emanating from the sea of humanity around her.
Caffeine meant focus.
Focus meant an easier time of keeping the walls up and the voices out.
She wondered, briefly, what telepaths did before the discovery of caffeinated beverages. The thought made her shudder. Control without stimulants in the bloodstream was possible, of course. But it was far from a pleasant way to go. Especially in populated areas.
Wham!
Kenzie jolted upright, the sudden movement causing her desk to bang into the back of the seat in front of her.
Something had just slammed into her mental walls with enough force to send a stab of pain through her temple.
What the crap was that?
Around the room, the steady flow of conversation dried up.
It wasn’t just Kenzie. That pulse had hit everyone.
Even the norms.
Kenzie got slowly to her feet.
A funny thing happens when norms experience Variant abilities firsthand. Instead of seeing the supernatural for what it is, nine times out of ten, they will translate their experience into something that better fits the rules of their reality.
The brilliant light of a jumper’s teleport becomes a camera flash, the telekinetic movement of objects through the air gets blamed on a strong gust of wind, and mental assaults are automatically translated into something external.
“Did you hear that?” asked a freckle-faced blonde from across the aisle. “Sounded like a sonic boom, or something.”
“Yeah! I heard it, too!” said another. “Wonder what it was?”
She supposed the better question was not what was it, but who was it?
The wave came again, this time with twice the strength behind it. Kenzie grabbed for the back of her seat to keep from losing her balance.
Fear.
The wave wasn’t a thought, it was a distilled emotion. Someone, somewhere, was absolutely terrified.
Judging from the nervous expressions on the faces of the students around her, that fear was not only being broadcast to the rest of the school, it was also creeping its way into their subconscious.
Kenzie sifted through the residue of the psychic onslaught in an attempt to identify the source.
The second she caught a glimpse of that all too familiar thought signature,she cursed—loudly, to the surprise of the students standing stock-still beside her—before sprinting toward the door.
Halfway down the locker-lined hall the ground began to shudder, the floor practically roiling beneath her feet.
Earthquake? she wondered.
But this was Florida. Florida didn’t have earthquakes.
Declan appeared at the other end of the hall, running in her direction.
“Where is she?” called Kenzie.
Her brother ducked through a swinging door just ahead of her.
The girl’s bathroom?
Kenzie followed him in.
“Oh my god.”
Alex was on her knees in a shallow sea of water, dripping wet, her hands clutching the sides of her head.
Water flooded the room. The porcelain sinks lining the wall lay shattered and in pieces on the ground. A large, spherical indentation was blasted into the wall behind Alex and what could only be burn marksscorched onto the ceiling above.
As Kenzie watched in amazement, strands of water began swirling around her friend, encasing her in a glittering sphere of liquid before losing form and crashing back down around her.
A shimmer of light rippled across Alex’s body, distorting her appearance like a mirage on desert sand.
“I can’t…” Alex was sobbing. “There are too many, Declan. I can’t make them stop!”
Declan edged as close to Alex as he dared, his expression grim.
Alex finally lifted her head to look at them.
Kenzie took an involuntary step backward. She had seen the way a jumper’s eyes changed color, the brilliant violet light causing their eyes to glow brightly in the moments before and after they teleported, but Alex’s normally gray eyes were now shifting colors with every beat of her heart.
Jade.
Violet.
Ruby.
Azure.
Black.
Alex collapsed.
The rumbling in the floor intensified, sending Declan into action. He sloshed through the water, reaching down to grip Alex under her arms.
“Get the door,” he called over his shoulder.
Kenzie held the door for Declan as he dragged Alex into the deserted hallway.
“Take my arm,” he ordered, maintaining his hold on Alex. “Let’s go, Kenzie.”
Terrified of being this close to Alex during a meltdown, but knowing her brother would leave her behind if she didn’t act fast, Kenzie lurched forward and grabbed Declan’s upper arm.
They jumped with the sound of the final bell ringing in their ears.
 AUTHOR INFO

Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Jena Leigh spent ten years in the mountains of North Carolina before returning home to the lightning capital of North America. A shameless geek, she loves bad sci-fi movies, Skittles, writing cracktastic e-mails to friends and taking shenanigan-filled road trips to faraway concerts. She has a degree in English from Appalachian State University. REVIVAL is her first novel.

Find Ms. Leigh here: web, Twitter, Goodreads

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