Tuesday, February 2, 2016

REVIEW + GIVEAWAY: UNTIL I'M YOURS by Kennedy Ryan


About UNTIL I’M YOURS
Mean girl. Goddess. Bitch. Supermodel Sofie Baston has earned those labels . . . yet they don't scratch the surface of who she really is. Before she can follow her own dreams, Sophie must do her daughterly duty and reel in a "fish" for her father's business-a tall, brown-eyed entrepreneur who immediately hooks her. He's a big guy with an even bigger heart . . . but will that heart be open to Sofie once her darkest secret is revealed?

To Trevor Bishop, Sofie is a beautiful mystery he would gladly spend his life solving. He figures her tough demeanor is armor against a world that's hurt her too many times. Then Sofie's deepest wounds are reopened by the powerful, ruthless man who made them. When she musters the courage to take him down, her world shatters. Now Trevor is determined to help Sofie pick up the pieces so they can build a future together. The challenge will be convincing his ice princess that it's safe to melt in his arms . 




Shel: Sofie is the girl we all loved to hate in this series so when Kennedy decided to write her story I was immediately interested. I was very prepared to not like Sofie and there were definitely parts that made her unlikeable but seriously...SERIOUSLY KENNEDY RYAN?!! How do you make me like someone who I absolutely abhorred before? You and your word magic...gah. Court: I hated her attitude before, but I definitely was so excited for more words from Kennedy and more of this world. We both loved it so much, and it was interesting to finally delve into what made Sofie tick. She was an incredible surprise, and I laughed with her, and shed tears for her...and I just all around loved this book.

Shel: Anyway. 

Shel: Very early on, you will probably find yourself in my shoes which is to say you'll be completely immersed in Sofie and Trevor's story and will have forgotten all of those hateful things you had to say about Sofie and her shenanigans. I'd even go as far as to say that you'll actually be TEAM SOFIE and hoping that Trevor is able to break through her icey exterior early and often. Speaking of Trevor...that guy. GAHHHD. He's so good. So kind. So patient and just everything you want for Sofie. He's strong and bold and clever and persistent. He's the kind of person you want in your corner and I'm so glad Kennedy put him in Sofie's. Court: I love their moniker...sinner and saint. Because it really exemplifies our characters, but the most interesting part is that Sofie is the max antiheroine. And oh how we love those. Sofie tries so hard to resist everything that is Trevor...who also underestimated her. These characters are deep, y'all, and really make our story shine.

Shel: As with Kerris and Cam's stories, Kennedy includes diverse characters who are well rounded and important and I love her for it. She never writes characters of color or of diverse backgrounds as if she's trying to check off a box or resorting to stereotypes; nope, she breathes life and character and richness into each and every one and it's a huge reason I'll always read her novels. Another reason is the thoroughness and care in which she tackles the trauma her characters have lived through. I appreciate that these very real and horrific things are treated with respect and not a throwaway plot point that only serves to add drama. Not every author is as careful and considerate and it's something that I respect in Kennedy's plotting and writing. Court: I completely agree. There are a lot of things packed into this book, and lesser writing wouldn't have been able to conquer it. But Kennedy did. And she does. Every book. I am still in awe of 1) how quickly I devoured these pages and 2) how much went on for each character and how amazing the words brought each scene to life. For reals, there is a huge scene that brought me to tears. It was intense, and shattered me...and you'll just have to wait and see if Kennedy can put everything back together again! 

Shel: If you have read all three books in this series and weren't sure about Sofie's book, I'm here to tell you that you must read it; you will not be disappointed! Court: 1000% agree! This woman writes wonderfully diverse characters, and delves into every emotion we could think of feeling. I am in awe of her, and I loved this book...even if you haven't read anything else by her, you must read this book! 



AN EXCERPT:

              “And this is his business partner, Trevor Bishop.”
Walsh steps back, and I have my first close up of the fish I’m baiting tonight. Only I’m the one hooked, immediately. I’m careful not to show it, but that stunned look I’m used to seeing on other people’s faces? All over my inside face.
This force of flesh and bone and muscle wrapped in heat looms over me. Trevor Bishop’s presence burns holes in my composure. I could tell from across the room he was attractive and built like a mountain lion, lean and strong and broad. It’s only now with proximity that his absolute confidence meets mine head on. He tilts his head to the left, his chocolate-colored eyes steadily considering me, and I swear he knows. Even though I’m sure my face doesn’t give it away, I swear he knows that as I stand in front of him, inhaling his clean scent and waiting for his first smile, windmills turn in my belly.
“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Baston.” His lips, wide and full, give me a smile punctuated by dimples. And he has a southern drawl.
Fuck me now.
That’s not a figure of speech. I quite literally want him to toss me over that hulking shoulder, find a dark corner somewhere and screw me so deeply into a wall we leave a dent. Or in a bathroom stall. Hell, he could drag me over to the elaborate buffet table and take me from behind right there by the ice sculpture.
One dark brown brow, a few shades darker than his hair, rises. Holy crap, I haven’t responded yet.
“Um, nice to meet you, too, Mr. Bishop.” I take my time so my tongue doesn’t betray the muddled mess of haywire hormones I am right now.
His eyes drift over my shoulder, forcing my mind and manners back to Rip.
“Oh, yes. I’m sorry. How rude.” I turn to Rip, who immediately claims my elbow and draws me into his side. All of a sudden he’s territorial. I can’t blame him. If my girlfriend was within five feet of this man, I’d handcuff her to me for the night. “This is Michael Ripley.”
“Great game Sunday.” Trevor shakes the hand Rip isn’t manacling me with. “I’m a Falcons fan myself, but I can appreciate a good toss no matter the team. That’s some arm you got there.”
Rip’s hold on me relaxes a bit. Clever Trevor, disarming him that way. Well played. Will I be able to strip this fish of his defenses as easily?
Once seated, Rip, Trevor, Harold and Walsh fall into a discussion of football I don’t even try to follow.  Apparently neither does Kerris. She’s texting someone with a small frown on her face, and mumbles something to Walsh about a sitter. I settle into my seat beside Trevor, taking a few moments to compose myself and strategize how I can get that hook in his mouth.
“So you were in Dubai?”
The question startles me a little, I was so lost in my musings. I turn slightly in Trevor’s direction, creasing my lips politely.
“For a shoot, yes.” I toy with the clamp on my clutch resting on the table. “And my friend Ardis married a prince over there. I like to visit her every once in a while.”
“A real live prince, huh?” He teases me with a quirk of those full lips.
“Don’t be too impressed.” I lean a few inches closer to him and lower my voice. “He’s a prince in name only.”
“If he’s a prince in name only, what does that make him in deed?”
              I can’t hold onto the humor when I recall the bruises shackling Ardis’ throat and wrists, or the black and blue mark on her cheek like a brand. I refocus my eyes and sober my mouth.
              “A frog.”
              “I thought you ladies kissed all the frogs to find the prince.”
              “It happens that way in fairy tales, not in Manhattan.” I sip my champagne. “Or in Dubai, apparently.”
“So that accounts for your tan.” His dark eyes make a slow, thorough inspection of my features.
“Hmmm. What accounts for yours?” I toss a skein of silvery blonde hair back so he gets an eyeful of the bare line of my neck and shoulder. His eyes move down my neck, warming the skin like a touch, before he looks back into my eyes.
“Haiti.” He laughs a little, lounges back in his chair and links long fingers across a flat stomach I imagine is corded with muscle. “Well, and my father is Lumbee, so some of my tan’s natural.”
“Lum what?”
He laughs again, his teeth white against his skin. I really like that it’s because of something I said.
“Lumbee Indian, a tribe found mostly in Lumberton, North Carolina.”
“So your mother’s responsible for the red hair?”
“She is.” He brushes a hand over his neat hair, disrupting it into a coppery spill on his forehead. “I was spared the freckles, though.”
“I’m sure there’s one or two.”
His eyes are suddenly hot chocolate, heating up a little as they hold mine.
“You’re welcome to try to find them.”


About Kennedy Ryan
I'm a wife, a mom, a writer, an advocate for families living with autism. That's me in a nutshell. Crack the nut, and you'll find a Southern girl gone Southern California who loves pizza and Diet Coke, and wishes she got to watch a lot more television. You can usually catch me up too late, on social media too much, or FINALLY putting a dent in my ever-growing To Be Read list!

REVIEW: He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker

The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series makes her suspense debut with this sexy, heartpounding story of a young woman determined to find justice after her best friend’s death, a story pulsing with the “intense, hot, emotional” (Colleen Hoover) writing that exhilarates her legions of fans.

A woman who almost had it all . . .

On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation . . .

Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph in a lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine believed would change her life.

Until he became her ruin. 

On the hunt for evidence that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

BUY IT HERE.

OUR REVIEW:

Shel: Over the last year or so K.A. Tucker has made it to my short list of authors I will automatically read as soon as their latest hits my Kindle. I love how she branches out and does different things, creates new characters and conflicts, and ALWAYS produces a solid reading experience. He Will Be My Ruin was something new and unaffiliated with the other series she's written and while the cover definitely grabbed my attention it was the synopsis that had me very curious...and as with all of her novels, I found myself up until 1 AM reading--I could not put it down. Court: Yes, she does try new things. And takes her characters and writing to new and exciting places. And I think as I have finished this, I still am unprepared for how I feel about it! I was surprised by it, and somewhat conflicted because the end surprised me. A lot. But the suspense. And the mystery....the writing was well plotted, and enjoyable. 

Shel: After I finished reading He Will Be My Ruin, I immediately texted Court and whined about how impossible it would be to write this review because I feel like anything I say will give too much away and that's the absolute worst, especially in this type of novel. You know what I'm talking about...those reviews that talk about twists or hunches or this character or that character and that little seed of knowledge embeds itself in your subconscious and you find yourself looking for the clues and spoiling your own damn self trying to find the answers and just like that POOF! the reading experience just isn't as authentic as it could be.  I REFUSE TO DO THAT TO YOU because I love you dear reader(s) of this blog. Court: Amen! *zips lips* *or tries to!* 

Shel: So then what exactly can I tell you that will compel you to give this novel a try and yet not spoil the hell out of it? Well, I'm honestly going to ramble for a few minutes about random thoughts I have about this novel. Like this:

  •  Shel: It was interesting how we learn about Maggie and Celine's views on their friendship--about the lies  they told each other to maintain and progress their friendship and how very much like an iceberg it was--sometimes characters only see the tip of it but the huge amount of emotion the other carries under the water is something well hidden. Despite this (or because of it) the way that Maggie and Celine seemed to always be able to keep up their friendship despite distance and time away also felt so true and lent a lot of realness to the story.  Court: OMG. I felt awkward FOR Maggie to find out some of those hard truths that are kept in the subconscious about those closest to us. That would be so hard. And as we read, it shapes our, and I think her perception of Celine. Celine is a huge character of this book, and in an unexpected way. But I like that we got to know her, and how. 
  • Shel: I also pondered some of the sexcapades of characters and how some of them felt mildly unusual for the circumstance but explainable...and I'm not even going to tell you which character(s) or moments I'm referring to but I'll be interested to see what others think. I will say that in order for certain things in the plot to make sense, some of the 'sexcapades' had to happen ..I'm just not sure about one or two of them. (sorry for the ramble, I'm still working this part out as I'm processing the  events of the novel) Court: I may've made some jokes about this particular subject to you! LOL! Some of them seemed...random. Some not. It was an interesting dynamic, and more of a *train collision going to happen and I can't look away, but I'm screaming NO! Don't do it!* And she did it. Oops! Again. Haha.
  • Shel: I loved the interesting career paths of Celine and Maggie and their ambition and desire to see their dreams become real. Court: I admire Celine's desires to make her own dreams come true, but her stubbornness was hard! 
  • Shel: Ruby and Doug and Hans were great--they helped take us out of the intensity of the discoveries Maggie was making while also furthering the plot. And without saying too much, I'll say that Jace and Grady added plenty of action and intrigue.  Court: They helped Maggie get out of her own way sometimes for sure, and really just turned out to be fun secondary characters and friends! I enjoyed the heck out of them. 
  • Shel: I'd love to go back and reread several parts at the end to see if I missed things in my rush to find out how it would end--I tend to do this rush to the end with suspense and I always want to kick myself for it afterwards. I still have a few questions but that's probably my fault so learn from me and take your time! Court: Things do move quickly as the plot comes together. I am in shock by it all! I personally think the sub-plot really made things interesting. 
Shel: As I noted, I love that K.A. Tucker continues to try new things and if you've read her before, I really think you'll enjoy this novel that is light on romance and heavy on suspense. I don't know what she's got up next for us to read but I know I'll be downloading it as soon as it's available. Court: Ditto. I really enjoy everything she does, and this one had me thinking! 




Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. 

She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures. 


Monday, February 1, 2016

REVIEW: Dissident (The Bellator Saga # I) by Cecilia London

“I will always be with you…”

Rising Democratic star Caroline Gerard hasn’t had an easy year. After losing her husband, she is raising two small children alone while trying to navigate the tricky and sometimes shallow halls on Capitol Hill. A string of nasty speeches has her scrambling to apologize to any number of candidates, including newly elected Republican Jack McIntyre. Falling in love again is the last thing on her mind.

Jack McIntyre might have a reputation as a playboy, but he has his sights set solely on his new colleague. Can he break through Caroline’s grief and capture her heart?

Told mostly in flashback and set against a chilling fascist backdrop, Dissident is a rollercoaster ride of political intrigue, passionate contemporary romance, and undying love.

For readers 18+. Ends in a cliffhanger. The first part in a six book saga.



Kindle Edition, 273 pages
Published May 12th 2015 by Principatum Publishing
Source: Author
Purchase a copy for yourself: Goodreads | Amazon

Our Review: 


Shel: Dissident is a romantic suspense novel that features two political 'enemies' (for lack of a better word) who become friends and then lovers. The novel starts off with this very cryptic prologue and then weaves the present day narrative --a dystopic America + paranoia and suspicion+ a very badly beat up patient and her concerned docs--with a narrative that starts four years earlier. It's the narrative of the past that gives us the story of Jack and Caroline and all of their political leanings, political aspirations, and political friends. Court: I was so nervous when I found out these two were politicians because well...being honest politics isn't always the most...captivating subject. But...it is very clear early on with the prologue, with the way that Cecilia writes, and how much depth we get with our characters that this series, and this first book will be anything but boring. The ride is wild from page 1!

Shel: In the Jack and Caroline narrative we see an America that looks very much like the one we live in. We see several politicians who seem to authentically care about their constituents and doing the right thing and we also get a taste of some of the politicians who are dirty and corrupt and power hungry. It's these power hungry politicians who concern me and I have a feeling they are the root of the evil that appears to be the cause of the actions in the prologue.
Court: This is where I'll keep going back to the depth of the plot that we receive that has me riveted...there is a lot going on in this world. And with each scene and understanding we gain of our main characters, we also get the flip side...down the road...that their struggles have immensely changed. We know where they are at the beginning...and we know where they are some time down the road, but the journey is seriously a "I have to know what happens next, right now!" type of journey. I really enjoyed this book! 

Shel: A few things I noted during my reading:

I think the first few chapters require your attention because you're meeting several characters at once and trying to figure out how they all are connected. Once you're familiar with them, it's really not complicated but there are quite a few characters in the beginning. Court: Right. I think this is good, because I didn't have too much trouble, and I'm always the one that has too much trouble with things like that! 

Shel: I thought the writing was smart--lots of allusions to baseball, musicals, philosophers, politics and so much more. You don't have to get the references to 'get' the plot or the characters but it's fun when you do! Cecilia London uses a lot of quick and funny banter which was an interesting foil to the paranoia and suspense of the 'hospital' narrative. Court: I liked it too, because their conversations brought us more knowledge about them the characters, and it brought them much more down to our level as them the politicians. Finding out the type of people they really are is going to help us a long the way I think...and the type of woman that Caroline is, and mother...I really, really, really like her and am rooting for her so hard! 

Shel: I wouldn't characterize this as a 'quick' read; it's not laborious by any stretch of the imagination, but sometimes I found that I had to process the information and so it took me a few days to finish this, for those of you in a time crunch. Court: I agree with this also. It must be absorbed, and digested. It is a marathon, not a sprint, in a delightful way...especially since we know from the get go there will be six parts before this saga ends...so it is aptly named, but I think that the plot, pacing, characters and writing are so divine...I'll sit with these people as long as it takes! 

Shel: Anyway, book one left me grabbing for the next book and I have been warned that it's INTENSE. If you're looking for a romantic suspense series, I'd definitely suggest this one. Court: I am thick in the middle of it now! And...I am scared! Scared to death by the tweets I saw flying when Shelley was reading it! BUT...she assures me that it is worth the struggle...and struggle it is for Caroline. Can't wait to get back to it! 

15 Book Confessions (AKA Court is Going to Kill Me By The End of the Month)



This weekend I apparently lost my mind and decided to take on a #bookish challenge. (COURT IS GOING TO KILL ME...love you Courtney). Day 1 is 15 bookish confessions..so here goes nothing?


1. I've never read Twilight or Harry Potter.
2. Until late last year, the only vampire thing I'd read was Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles.
3. I've read FSoG and I didn't hate it.
4. I saw FSoG and I didn't love it...this is bookish, right?
5. Until about 3 years ago I was a book snob...because...
6. I teach high school literature and I took my reading a little too seriously?
7. Until recently, I didn't willingly pick up YA but Dahlia Adler changed that for me.
8. I've spent years reading literary fiction and I have a love hate relationship with it which is why..
9. I love writing for this blog because it's such a delicious brain break from how much I have to think all day.
10. I can sit still for hours and read but I cannot do the same for tv/movies.
11. Sometimes writing a review is the most painful part of my day because it's either too hard to find the right words to express how meaningful the book is, or the book was good but not outstanding..and how do I say that without being insulting?
12. I have a book that my mom gave me. She read it as a teen, I read it as a teen, and my daughters will have a chance to read it too--it's one of the few things that survived my apartment fire in college.
13. Sometimes at meetings, I read on my phone.
14. I'm pretty sure reading is my worst habit--I'm truly addicted to reading.
15. I've met some of my favorite people because of books.

Not sure if these all qualify as BOOK CONFESSIONS and the whole idea of a confession makes it seem like I should feel guilty, but I don't, so...?




OMG. This list is daunting. Especially, as her list is so awesome!


1. I've read Twilight 3 times, and Harry Potter more than 12 times each.
2. I love to hate books with infidelity in them, and feel better about myself if the "other" person is an asshole.
3. I take 5 times longer to clean my house because I hold my phone while doing everything and reading
4. I have tendinitis in my hand due to swiping my kindle app on my phone. I have to wear a brace when it gets to be too much.
5. I don't read authors books anymore once I see them behaving badly on the internet.
6. When I read, I tune out the world around me...it is a habit my spouse and family does not appreciate.
7. I was an avid reader as a child, and in high school, but didn't really start the "finish-a-book-a-day" thing until 2012...and met Shelley soon after!
8. I am the worst book procrastinator EVER, even when I know the book will be great. Shelley will probably tell you this is my worst attribute.
9. I can read really fast...which is why number 8 happens so often...I overestimate my skills.
10. I love romance more than any other genre, because stories about our partners in life and all of the struggles in between can be so epic.
11. I think we read indie authors more than any other publishing type.
12. I lost count of my unread books on my kindle app after 500, and probably don't want to know what the actual number is.
13. The crazier the character (Joe, I'm looking at you, from YOU by Caroline Kepnes) the better...antiheroes are our favorites.
14. I tell my husband when he complains how much I read that I could be a drug addict and spend all of his money on that, so he should get over it.
15. I worked all day at making this list...and I think I am lame. LOL!



NEW: Chasing Spring by R.S. Grey

Title: Chasing Spring
Author: R.S. Grey
Release Date: Feb 1, 2016
Find on Goodreads
I thought I’d left Blackwater, Texas behind for good. I didn’t belong in the small town, but my dad wouldn’t listen. He dragged me back home in his beat-up truck and dropped a bomb along the way: Chase Matthews was moving in with us. He was the golden boy of my high school, my former best friend, and the last person I wanted sleeping across the hall. His presence was too great a reminder of the ghosts I was trying to forget.
I didn’t ask for a hero. I don’t want to be saved.
To me, Lilah Calloway meant late nights sneakin’ out, moonlit hair, and sparklers in July. She was my best friend until the day she left and I’d assumed Blackwater had seen the last of her. Then, like a tempest, she rolled back into town for the final half of senior year. The chopped hair and dark devil-may-care attitude warned most people away, but I knew if I fought hard enough, I could find the lost girl.
I didn’t want to be her hero. Some girls don’t need to be saved.
I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things... everyday.
I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.
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