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Tuesday 10 April 2018

BOOK REVIEW: Forget Nico by GB Amman

Forget Nico
The Italian Saga Book 3
Author: GB Amman
Genre: YA Coming of Age
Publication Date: May 1st, 2016

Book Description:
Italy, the 90s. When Alex takes an unexpected interest in tomboy Leda, the strong-headed bookish teen is torn between the handsome suitor and her irrational feelings for wild childhood friend Nico, who’s dark, unreliable, and utterly ignores her. Can Leda forget Nico?

As Leda pursues her dream to win the volleyball championship and her friendship with Alex deepens, Nico grows into a jaded, taciturn, and hurtful player who cares only about himself. Leda should give up on him… not like he cares, does he?

Amman’s addictive humor and empathy intertwine the stories of many teens struggling with loneliness, angst and, of course love. The vivid descriptions of Cinque Terre and the Alps add to the irresistible charm of this intriguing teen romance.

** Though self-standing, the book is the third in “The Italian Saga” (all four books available, MG/YA) followed by “The Sonder Series” (Contemporary) following Leda’s adventures as an adult. These books empower girls and women of all ages to be their brave true selves.**

** The books are a fictional memoir based on the life of author GB Amman, a novelist and molecular biologist born and raised in Italy. **


Buy Links:



MY REVIEW

I always go into these books not knowing what to expect, but what can definitely be said about this series is that the story gets better the further into the series I get. Forget Nico is the third book in The Italian Saga, and it is the best one so far. The characters are growing up before our eyes and with that growth comes a world of drama - teenage drama, to be exact. The book is full of excitement. I've always loved how the author can whisk you back to the time when you're a teenager and trying to figure out who you are. You really get to relate to a character when you can put yourself in his or her shoes.

Lee has definitely left an impression on me, and I just love how stubborn she is, even with herself as she tries to prove that she's the same as she's always been and nothing - not even her affection for her ex best friend, Nico the Thug - is going to change that. Of course, Lee is on the cusp of teenage hood and soon learns that what she wants and what she needs are two different things entirely. She hasn't spoken to Nico in some time, and whenever she gets the chance to, he throws insults her way, which hits her hard, especially because she has such deep affections for him. I loved the interaction between these two. Nice putting on his tough boy act and pretending not to notice Lee and Lee trying to convince herself that she doesn't care about the fact that Nico doesn't show her any attention, the way other guys are showing her attention. These two are stubborn alike and just perfect for each other.

This book is overloaded with teenage drama - a little too much at times - but it does not disappoint. I would have liked Lee to interact more with Starry (her mum) as she too seem to be at a point in her life where she's trying to figure out who she is and what she wants. We get to hear about Starry's turbulent relationships, but we never truly experience Starry's life intercepting with Lee's, even though they live together. We hear about what's going on, but we don't see much of it. It would be a nice shift from the flux of teenage hormones, particularly since Starry's choices is affecting her relationship with Lee.

It's been a while since I've read a book series and even longer since I've actually loved a series. The Italian Saga is certainly a treat, and I look forward to seeing how it progresses in the next book. 

VERDICT


Award: Gold
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Source: Author

Monday 9 April 2018

Book-A-Day Giveaway - Win a copy of Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi or a Book of Choice


Book-A-Day Giveaway
April 9th - May 9th

Thanks to the wonderful sponsors of CBY's group giveaway.

Sponsors Showcase

Click the names to learn more about the sponsors

Leigh Robbins
Al Stone
J.R. Designs
LaVerne Thompson

Book up for Grabs
(Winner may pick a Book of Choice)



***GIVEAWAY***

An ecopy or paperback copy of Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi or a Book of Choice (any ebook or paperback from the Book Depository) plus a $10 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash.

Ends May 9th, 2018 (11.59 p.m. GMT)

Friday 6 April 2018

Book Spotlight & Giveaway - Perfectly Misunderstood by Robin Daniels

Perfectly Misunderstood
(Perfect Series Book #4) 
Author: Robin Daniels

Book Description:
Jayden Valdez is an overachieving intellectual. Mike McGinnes is Franklin High School’s dumbest jock. Even though they barely know each other, she finds his personality repulsive and he thinks she’s got a giant stick up her you know what.

Mike and Jayden are surprised and annoyed when their teacher pairs them together for Spanish tutoring. Both feel it’s a complete waste of time, since nobody could learn from a person who bugs the crap out of them. Not to mention that their reputations might be ruined if people realize what they’re doing.

But it doesn’t take long for Jayden to discover that Mike has a secret—he isn’t the person he appears to be. Much to her dismay, Jayden finds 'Secret Mike' strangely attractive. And for some crazy reason, Mike is amused by Jayden’s clever insults and witty banter. Suddenly, they have a much bigger problem than their mutual disdain. What started as irritating tension is beginning to feel more like romantic tension and acting on it would be a very bad idea.

This dual perspective book is the final installment in the Perfect Series but can be read as a stand-alone.

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Wednesday 4 April 2018

Blog Tour Promo - Love Hack by Kimberly Dean



Love Hack
Author: Kimberly Dean
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 180
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Book Description:
Security analyst Spencer Weiler is excited when he lands a job at Afire Industries. The responsibility is daunting, but nowhere near as exhilarating as working with Josie Johnson, the pretty program manager in charge. Spencer lusts after her, but knows that she only sees him as a work friend. He needs to make himself over if he’s going to have a shot with her. 

Josie is all too aware of the cute computer geek watching over her. He was tempting before, but with his newfound muscles and sexy haircut, he’s suddenly an irresistible stud. She makes the first move and is stunned to learn that her hot IT guy is just as studious in the sack. Their affair turns hot and heavy, but Josie has broken her rule about dating coworkers once before. It didn’t end well. When her ex returns and posts scandalous pictures of her on the Internet, it’s not Spencer’s muscles that she needs. She needs a hacker.

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Tuesday 3 April 2018

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Sweet Life by Dakota Star

The Sweet Life
Author: Dakota Star
Published by: Limitless Publishing
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2018
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Alexis takes her job very seriously. As one of the younger account executives, proving herself in the workplace is much more important than having a love life. And now that she’s been assigned a dude ranch account, she’s more determined than ever to show her doubters that she has what it takes.

Unfortunately there’s a tall, hot-tempered, brown-eyed cowboy who manages to distract Alexis from her goal by grabbing her attention…in a non-professional kind of way.

Mitch is the cowboy of her dreams—and also a distraction her career can’t afford.

And the real doozy? He also happens to be the ranch owner’s son, and this little fact alone has the potential to ruin everything for this city girl.

Buy Links:

Monday 2 April 2018

Book Blast & Giveaway - Comes the Winter by Samantha St. Claire


Comes the Winter
Author: Samantha St. Claire

Book Description:
Avalanches, isolation and snow blindness were stark realities for those daring to remain in Idaho’s Sawtooth Range through the harsh winter months. For city dweller, Lena Sommer, the warnings seemed exaggerated.

In the fall of 1886, Lena leaves behind a life fraught with disappointments and loss only to arrive in Sawtooth City and find the man she’d pledged to marry has been killed. To return east is unthinkable; to stay is ill-advised, but she resolves to remain and manage the man’s lodging house despite the warnings. More than her stubborn nature influences her decision. From her first glimpse of this mountain valley, she falls captive to its wild beauty. Feeling she has at last found a hearth to call her own, she eagerly puts down roots. Sharing her love of literature with her lodgers before a warming fire, she builds a family of lonesome souls, where dreams awaken.

However, one man stands apart, disturbing her peace with ominous warnings to leave before winter comes. Evan Hartmann knows from personal loss that winter snows bring to these mountains both unimaginable beauty and death. He is also a man conflicted, because as much as he’d like for Lena to leave the mountains, his heart longs for her to stay.

Buy Links:

Sunday 1 April 2018

Love in Bloom $100 Kick Off

 

Love in Bloom
Hosted by I Am A Reader
April 2018

Throughout the month of April, we will be featuring 10 fabulous authors who write clean romance. There will be a dozen giveaways, free ebooks and lots of great deals on books. We’re starting off with a $100 Kick-Off Giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Code or $100 in Paypal Cash. Check out this great list of authors we will be spotlighting!

 

Participating Authors

 


***GIVEAWAY***

$100 in Paypal Cash or a $100 Amazon.com eGift Card

Ends 4/30/18

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via PayPal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

Saturday 31 March 2018

BOOK REVIEW - What Reggie Did on the Weekend: Seriously! by Lee M. Winter

What Reggie Did on the Weekend: Seriously!
Author: Lee M. Winter

Book Description:
On the weekend I looked for a new book. I always read the description first because, you know, I won’t read just any old thing. So I read the description for this book and thought it looked okay, so then I read the online sample and laughed so hard that a little bit of pee came out. Okay, a lot of pee came out. ALRIGHT! I PEED SO MUCH I HAD TO CHANGE MY PANTS! There, are you happy now? It’s funny, okay? And it isn’t all about vomit and farts either (okay, a lot of it is about vomit and farts, but what’s wrong with that?)

*Every Monday at school, Reggie writes an essay that begins with “On the weekend…” WARNING: You might want to have a spare pair of undies handy while you read about Reggie's weekends.*

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MY REVIEW

A good, fun read about young Reggie's weekend adventures. I think kids, especially boys, aged between 7-9, will enjoy Reggie's bizarre tales. It had me laughing out loud in places. Good and simple illustrations, but this really wasn't the appeal of the book. It was the main character and how likeable he was. Some of the stories were a bit out there, but they were fun all the same.

It's a good start to the series.

VERDICT


Award: Silver
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Source: Own Copy

March Favourites

Welcome to my March Favourites.

Here, you will find a list of the movies and books I watched and read in March and my favourite among them.

Books Read:



Favourite:



Buy Links:


Movies Watched:



Favourite:

Friday 30 March 2018

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Owl Eyes: A Fairy Tale by Molly Lazer

Owl Eyes: A Fairy Tale
Author: Molly Lazer
Publication Date: March 20th, 2018
Genre: YA Fairy Tales / Fantasy

Book Description:
Nora knows three things: she is a servant, her parents are dead, and she lives in the kitchen house with her adoptive family. But her world is torn apart when she discovers that her birth father has always been right there, living in the house she serves.

This discovery leads Nora to more questions. Why was she thrown in an ash-covered room for asking about her father? Why is a silver-bladed knife the only inheritance from her birth mother? Why is magic forbidden in her household—and throughout the province of the Runes? The answers may not be the ones Nora hoped for, as they threaten a possible romance and her relationship with the adoptive family she loves.

With the announcement of a royal ball, Nora must decide what she is willing to give up in order to claim her stolen birthright, and whether this new life is worth losing her family—and herself.

Buy Links:

Wednesday 28 March 2018

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Unravel by Aashna K.

Unravel
(The Love Undone Series, # 1)
Author: Aashna K.
Publication Date: March 27th, 2018
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Unravel!

One Moment

That’s all it took for her life spiral out of her carefully crafted control.

One Encounter

That’s all it took for her to fall. Fall into the chasms of her dreams and Unravel.

~~~

With life betraying her plans and a future unyielding to her ambitions, Vienna Roy is at the most crucial crossroads of her life. Not wanting to look back and dishearten her already defeated heart, she accepts a challenge and starts afresh.

A new job, a new city and a new lease on life seems perfect, but it’s far from that. It’s a prismatic trap set by fate to lure her back to a time she has unwillingly left behind. Right back to him, the man in her dreams.

Kingston Sharp.

He’s a man of many talents. Fearless, Formidable, and charismatic, he blazes through every challenge that comes his way. He is a hard man to beat, and a harder one to forget. But behind the rock solid persona, lays the heart of a man who has been scarred, who has lost a lot in a very little time.

Putting in his all, he’s finally dealt with his past, shoving it in a dark corner of his heart. Forging forward, he forgets, only to find himself face to face with the one person who started it all. Her.

As the ghost of their past ignites its fury of passion, the best laid plans crumble and burn out. The inferno of their yesterday leaves nothing for them to control, ripping their hearts out. Fate makes its play, destiny intervenes and a love they never seized starts to Unravel!


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BOOK REVIEW - Moore Zombies: The Search for Gargoy by Wendy Knuth

Moore Zombies: The Search for Gargoy
Author: Wendy Knuth
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publication Date: September 24th, 2014

Book Description:
You’re not really afraid of zombies, are you? Take a peek into the lives of the Moore zombie family. When Gargoy goes missing, Baby Zom enlists her siblings to help in the search. Follow along with Gothina, the critter loving goth zombie, Broheimer, the nerdy zombie, and Kamper, the messy zombie who enjoys camping. Who, or what, is Gargoy? Read on to find out!!

Buy Links:



MY REVIEW

A mystery tale about four zombie siblings working together to find Baby Zom's toy, Gargoy. The illustrations were colourful and very detailed. I loved the relationship between the siblings and how well they got along. Although this a family of zombies, I liked that there were no negative stereotypes associated with the family because of stigma, being that they're members of the undead. We didn't get any interactions between the family and the outside world, which would have been nice to see, but from the hints thrown around here and there (like the father's mask), we still get a sense of the world's view on the family, being that zombies are terrifying creatures. Perhaps this will be explored in other books featuring the Moore Family.

I didn't much like the narration. While it did involve the readers on the quest - curiosity to find out what happened to Gargoy and what Gargoy was - it didn't engage me on an emotional level. The narrator was simply reporting what happened, but the story was missing heart and soul for me.

It's a good read. It just didn't do much for me. I think kids between the ages of 5-7 will enjoy the story, especially the illustrations.

VERDICT


Award: Silver
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Source: Own copy

Monday 26 March 2018

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Hard Love by Shana Vanterpool

Hard Love
(Guns & Ink #2)
Author: Shana Vanterpool
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication Date: May 22nd, 2018
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
When two people in pain collide, there is something intoxicating about drowning in the chaos of hard love.

Brando Hawkins is a detective with the Denver Police Department. The world should be his to take. He’s a dedicated officer with a promising career. But Brando’s got secrets. Dark, ruthless secrets. At twenty-six, he’s burned-out, and the sight of another body, one more unhappy ending, might just do him in.

Catherine Abbott is a woman who wars with her demons and guards her heart. Immersed in a world where people ink their lives on their skin, Catherine trusts only that which she can see. And, as a rape survivor, she finds comfort in control.

But Brando’s demons start to tangle with hers. They’re dangerous, like hers. But they’re beautiful too.

A spray of bullets brings them together, and the pain of their pasts collide with the lure of their futures. Cat wants to mend his heart and his wounds, but Brando’s secrets lay tucked away in a vault so tightly sealed, she can’t get through.

Everything around them is covered in the confusion of love and the burn of revenge, but no one ever said love was easy.

Hard Love is the next standalone installment in the Guns & Ink series by Shana Vanterpool, a world of tattoos, love, and redemption from Swoon Romance.

Pre-Order Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK




About the Author
When I walk into a book store I feel at home. When I smell the pages of a brand new book things make sense. When I read I am who I always wanted to be. I read to escape and I write so others can as well. My family, my actress dog Bella, coffee, and a steamy love story are a few of my most precious things.

Author Links:






***GIVEAWAY***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal Organised by:
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Saturday 24 March 2018

Pre-Made eBook Covers for Sale by J.R. Designs

PRE-MADE EBOOK COVERS BY J.R. DESIGNS


(CLICK THE IMAGES TO GO TO THE ORDER PAGE)


COVER 1


COVER 2

Thursday 22 March 2018

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Alien Retribution by Sadie Carter

Alien Retribution
(Zerconian Warriors, #13)
Author: Sadie Carter
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2018
Genre: Adult Romance / Science Fiction

Book Description:
Since the day his family was murdered, Boris has been obsessed with vengeance. The last thing he needs in his life is a mate. Besides, what sort of female would want a scarred, crippled male who has taken a vow of silence? Nope, there is no room in his life for a female.

Then he meets Nassir.

Beautiful. Fragile. Distant. He wants to break through the barriers she keeps erecting to discover the real woman inside. Which might be easier if he wasn’t constantly pulling her out of danger.

On the run, hunted, and alone, Nassir knows she only has herself to rely on.

Until Boris comes back into her life. The dark one. The silent, watchful bodyguard whose gaze heats her from the inside out and whose touch drives her insane.

If only she knew whether he truly cared about her or just enjoyed kissing her. Then she might find the sort of happiness she’d been searching for her whole life.


Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK