Review: The Lovely Reckless

THE LOVELY RECKLESS
Kami Garcia
Contemporary Young Adult
384 pages
Imprint/Macmillan
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
I’ve become an expert at avoiding things that could hurt me—which means I will figure out how to stay away from Marco Leone.

Seventeen-year-old Frankie Devereux would do anything to forget the past. Haunted by the memory of her boyfriend’s death, she lives her life by one dangerous rule: Nothing matters. At least, that’s what Frankie tells herself after a reckless mistake forces her to leave her privileged life in the Heights to move in with her dad—an undercover cop. She transfers to a public high school in the Downs, where fistfights don’t faze anyone and illegal street racing is more popular than football.

Marco Leone is the fastest street racer in the Downs. Tough, sexy, and hypnotic, he makes it impossible for Frankie to ignore him—and how he makes her feel. But the risks Marco takes for his family could have devastating consequences for them both. When Frankie discovers his secret, she has to make a choice. Will she let the pain of the past determine her future? Or will she risk what little she has left to follow her heart?

MY THOUGHTS
The Lovely Reckless is a fairly straightforward bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold meets good-girl-going-through-a-difficult-time tale, but though the romance between Frankie and Marco sings a familiar tune, their story is still compulsively readable, and we find ourselves turning the last page before it feels as though any time has passed.

Frankie is a young woman reeling from the brutal murder of her boyfriend, flashbacks sweeping her feet out from under her with increasing frequency as she starts at a new school, and we can't help but feel for her as she struggles to once again find her footing. Though she's unsteady emotionally, she doesn't wallow or despair of the poor choices she's made, and while she wants desperately to remember specifics from the night Noah died (as she was a witness), she doesn't berate herself for developing feelings for Marco or engage in a push/pull type of relationship when guilt for moving on kicks in. Instead she lets herself have moments of happiness, and when things go sideways on her, she speaks her mind and spares us as readers unnecessary drama.

The romance with Marco does happen fairly quickly, and though the fact that the best looking guy in school complete with womanizing reputation, ripped body and inked skin falls head over heels for the new girl does require us to suspend disbelief a bit, Ms. Garcia's fluid writing style and storytelling quickly squash our reservations, whispering in our ear to keep reading even when bed and sleep are calling our name. 

Overall, The Lovely Reckless is a super quick read, perfect for those who want to pick up a book and just be entertained, with a sweet romance highlighted by a young woman who doesn't play games and does her best to fight not just for those around her, but for herself as well.

Rating: 4/5

Find Kami:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: A Promise of Fire

A PROMISE OF FIRE
The Kingmaker Chronicles #1
Amanda Bouchet
Fantasy Romance
448 pages
Sourcebooks
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Catalia "Cat" Fisa is a powerful clairvoyant known as the Kingmaker. This smart-mouthed soothsayer has no interest in her powers and would much rather fly under the radar, far from the clutches of her homicidal mother. But when an ambitious warlord captures her, she may not have a choice…

Griffin is intent on bringing peace to his newly conquered realm in the magic-deprived south. When he discovers Cat is the Kingmaker, he abducts her. But Cat will do everything in her power to avoid her dangerous destiny and battle her captor at every turn. Although up for the battle, Griffin would prefer for Cat to help his people willingly, and he's ready to do whatever it takes to coax her…even if that means falling in love with her.

MY THOUGHTS
A Promise of Fire is a fun start to this series, a romance lighter in tone beautifuly paired with a dire prophecy and impending battle with a villain of seemingly epic proportions.

Cat is a little tricky in the beginning, letting Griffin and his team know frequently and sometimes violently how she feels about being kidnapped, and while her situation is clearly not one that should cause her to jump for joy (and it's easy to appreciate her unwillingness to passively accept her circumstances), her constant insults and well-timed barbs start to get a bit tedious after a while. Just shy of the halfway mark though she starts to change her tune, and the banter between her and Griffin thankfully loses its edge, becoming significantly more genuine while still making us laugh. After her shift in attitude, her sense of humor becomes a highlight rather than a source of frustration, and the bond between her and Griffin–as well as that between her and his men–has us glancing at the clock late at night and saying "just one more hour".


We get a few glimpses of Cat's past, enough to be able to hazard a guess as to who she really is despite not getting confirmation in this first installment, and it's clear that behind the snark and the badassery are shadows and blood, lying in wait make her a victim once again. She shows a great deal of growth over the course of this first book, from hiding at the circus with impenetrable emotional armor in place in the beginning to standing tall and unleashing hell in order to protect those she's come to love by the end. She will undoubtedly continue to grow as her story unfolds, and it should be nothing short of a delight to bear witness to the woman she will become.

The final death-defying moments are a touch anti-climatic given the epic dragon battle midway through and the impressively brutal fight leading up to the last few chapters, leaving us just a tiny bit underwhelmed when our final "battle" is with someone of so little importance to the overall story. That very minor complaint aside though, A Promise of Fire is an outstanding read overall, and January cannot come soon enough to reunite me with Cat, Griffin, and his immensely lovable family.

Rating: 4/5

Find Amanda:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

The Lovely Reckless Blog Tour: Interview with Cover Designer Natalie C. Sousa

Welcome to my stop on The Lovely Reckless Blog Tour! Author Kami Garcia was so nice as to ask all participating bloggers what type of content they'd most like to feature, and since cover design is such a point of interest for me (and I know so many of you as well), I asked if it would be possible to ask the designer a few questions. To my delight, Natalie C. Sousa, Creative Director at Imprint (Macmillan) and the cover designer for The Lovely Reckless, agreed to an interview and let me pick her brain about her overall process. I hope you guys enjoy!

How does a cover design typically start for you? Do you begin with sketches? Idea boards?

Natalie Sousa: I start by sketching concepts as thumbnails, and take it in stages. Usually I begin just after reading a summary. This puts me in the same mental space a consumer might approach the book from. I sketch some more ideas half way through reading the manuscript, and again once I've processed the ending. There have been times where the ending really changed the way I felt about a story, and I like to capture all of those reactions.

With The Lovely Reckless, did you have a specific concept or concepts going in? And if so, how did those change as you started designing?

Natalie: Erin Stein, the publisher of Imprint started the process with Kami before I was hired. They knew exactly the energy and style they wanted to convey from the very beginning. I love when designs work out to follow someone's original vision. When I started at Imprint this cover was in its sketch stage. From there we were playing with the chemistry between the couple and deciding what, if any, other elements would help to tell more about the book.

What stage of the design process is typically the most challenging for you (deciding on a design direction, image or font selection, first comps, revisions, etc.)?

Natalie: It used to be deciding on a direction, because what I visualize, or an editor envisions, or an author wishes, and a sales team needs for a cover are usually different. Erin and I have developed a close working relationship, and we're always talking about our books. That kind of dialogue helps me have very clear direction.

If you could tweak any one of your already published covers, which would you most like to get your hands on one more time?

Natalie: Recently I got to chat with Brenna Yovanoff and told her how I'd love to go back and place a hand rising from the baby carriage on her book, The Replacements. Although that cover is probably creepy enough as is!

Can you share a couple early versions of The Lovely Reckless and tell us what about them worked or didn’t work?

Natalie: Here is an early sketch from Loui Jover, the artist. We were missing some chemistry in this earlier sketch. Showing the characters full length helped because the body language said a lot more.

This is an early cover comp from Liz Casal, an incredibly talented designer. She had a clever solution to indicating the car by lighting the brick wall with “headlights”. That element was dropped because it didn’t quite work with the final color palette and title design.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

Favorite font?

Font you wish you’d never have to see again?

Favorite cover you’ve done?

It does not exist yet.

All-time favorite cover?

A Wrinkle In Time

Cover designer who inspires you?

There are many, but Kristin Smith, an Art Director at Penguin, inspires me with her designs and her friendship! Back in our shared Penguin days we used to make elaborate costumes for Halloween and Coney Island's Mermaid Parade together. Kristin always inspired me to get into the details of a costume. Her book design for Danielle Vega's The Merciless is also one of my all time favorite book designs! I cannot resist a hot pink bible.

Favorite color?

My preference often changes, so I’ll say it’s the rainbow.

Must have when designing (food, music, etc.)?

Definitely music! I like to create playlists inspired by the stories I'm designing for. My favorite so far has been for Marcie Colleen's Super Happy Party Bears. Kami Garcia's next book is already inspiring a playlist; first couple songs on there have been Special by Garbage and Bulletproof by La Roux.

If you weren’t a designer you would be . . .?

Here’s my "card".

Number of projects you’re currently working on?

More than I have fingers and toes.

Next cover of yours you’re most excited to reveal?

Blind Item by Kevin Dickson and Jack Ketsoyan. Kevin and Jack are two Hollywood insiders writing a fictional tale with real-life scandals! It’s a super fun read. I got a really strong reaction to the cover from the Macmillan team and I'm curious to see how the public responds. 

Thank you so much Natalie! 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

THE LOVELY RECKLESS

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia, a contemporary romance full of loss, love and redemption…

Seventeen year-old Frankie Devereux would do anything to forget the past. Haunted by the memory of her boyfriend’s death, she lives her life by one dangerous rule: nothing matters. At least, that’s what Frankie tells herself after a reckless mistake forces her to leave her privileged life in the Heights to move in with her dad―an undercover cop. She transfers to public school in the Downs, where fistfights in the halls don’t faze anyone and illegal street racing is more popular than football.

Marco Leone is the fastest street racer in the Downs. Tough, sexy, and hypnotic, he makes it impossible for Frankie to ignore him . . . and how he makes her feel. But the risks Marco takes for his family could have devastating consequences for them both. When Frankie discovers his secret, she has to make a choice. Will she let the pain of the past determine her future? Or will she risk what little she has left to follow her heart?

Your own heart will race with each page turn of this heart-stopping star-crossed love story.

Buy The Lovely Reckless 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

KAMI GARCIA

Photo Credit: Vania Stoyanva

Kami Garcia is the #1 New York Times, USA Today & international bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures and Dangerous Creatures novels. Kami’s solo series, The Legion, includes the instant New York Times bestseller UNBREAKABLE, and the sequel UNMARKED. Her forthcoming YA contemporary romance THE LOVELY RECKLESS releases on October 4, 2016, followed by THE X-FILESORIGINS: AGENT OF CHAOS, a novel about a teenage Fox Mulder, in January 2017, both from Imprint (Macmillan).

Kami was a teacher for seventeen years before co-authoring her first novel on a dare from seven of her students. If she isn’t busy watching Supernatural, Kami can teach you how to escape from a pair of handcuffs or bake a Coca-Cola cake. She lives in Maryland with her family, and their dogs Spike and Oz (named after characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Visit Kami at www.KamiGarcia.com and on Twitter and Instagram @kamigarcia.

Kami's Website 

Review: The Bird and the Sword

THE BIRD AND THE SWORD
Amy Harmon
New Adult/Fantasy
352 pages
Self-published
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird?

MY THOUGHTS
The Bird and the Sword is immensely satisfying from beginning to end, giving us a heroine robbed of words on a beautifully-told journey to find them again amidst the backdrop of a sweeping fantasy epic.

Lark is a Teller, gifted with words that create a call to action when spoken, bringing to life inanimate objects, controlling animals, and healing when needed. After her mother's dying rhyme rips away her ability to speak, she's assumed to be deaf and dumb in addition to being mute, but we're treated to her innermost thoughts and feelings and therefore know she's as smart and strong as they come. She quickly finds herself a pawn in a game of politics, taken from her father and held as insurance to make sure he provides promised assistance to the young king in his war against the monstrous Volgar (vulture-like birdmen). She could have easily spent her days wallowing in self-pity for the position in which she finds herself – in a strange place and forced to be a weapon in the service of her king – but instead she does as she is asked with a quiet pride and a lick of defiance, one that brings a smile to our faces every time she wields it. 

Her romance with King Tiras is of the slow burn variety, one with a start rooted in antagonism as she resents being made into the tip of a spear and hurled at the Vulgar with little care for anything other than her usefulness. Her feelings for Tiras seemingly develop quicker than his for her (though it takes her plenty of time to begin to see him in a romantic light), and she keeps those feelings close to her vest because she knows he's unlikely to return her affection. She is a means to an end for him, an ace up his sleeve in the war against an impossible enemy, and she protects her heart as best she can by defying him in the most perfect of ways when he proves to be too presumptuous.

Their story has my highest recommendation for all those who love apparent underdogs with unparalleled strength, love interests who challenge at every turn, and grand romances that share the spotlight with well-executed paranormal and political wars.

Rating: 5/5

Find Amy:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Review: Been Here All Along

BEEN HERE ALL ALONG
Sandy Hall
Contemporary Young Adult
224 pages
Swoon Reads
Available August 30th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Gideon always has a plan. His plans include running for class president, becoming head of the yearbook committee, and having his choice of colleges. They do NOT include falling head over heels for his best friend and next door neighbor, Kyle. It’s a distraction. It’s pointless, as Kyle is already dating the gorgeous and popular head cheerleader, Ruby. And Gideon doesn’t know what to do.

Kyle finally feels like he has a handle on life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, a best friend willing to debate the finer points of Lord of the Rings, and social acceptance as captain of the basketball team. Then, both Ruby and Gideon start acting really weird, just as his spot on the team is threatened, and Kyle can’t quite figure out what he did wrong…

MY THOUGHTS
Been Here All Along is a lightning-quick read, the adorkable-ness of both Gideon and Kyle making this story easy to fly through with a smile on our faces.

Gideon and Kyle have been neighbors and best friends since they were little, but as so many of us can relate, there's a moment between them where everything shifts, and suddenly this person they've known all their lives becomes something else entirely. Told in alternate point of views (as well as the point of views of Gideon's brother and Kyle's girlfriend), we get to see both Gideon and Kyle charmingly flail when their relationship heads into uncharted waters, though thankfully the one major misstep between them is righted easily toward the end with minimal angst.

Though Gideon and Kyle, with their love of Lord of the Rings and their penchant for writing notes in Elvish, couldn't be cuter, we stay largely on the surface of both the romance as well as larger issues like coming out and learning disabilities. Gideon has an epiphany relatively early on in which he realizes he's gay, and in the blink of an eye (and after a few lists to help him organize his thoughts) he's accepted it, blurted it out to his friends while drunk for the first time, and announced it to his family who are all so thrilled they throw him a coming out party of sorts. That's not to say there aren't a huge number of families who are unflinchingly supportive in such situations, but those looking for perhaps a more nuanced or layered story of sexual identity and coming out won't find it here.

Additionally, the viewpoints of Ezra (Gideon's brother) and Ruby (Kyle's girlfriend) seem largely unnecessary, with Ruby being unlikable for nearly the entire book until the last few chapters where she realizes she's been vindictive and tries to right all her wrongs. Those issues aside though, this is a story easily devoured in one sitting and is the perfect fluff read for those who love a good best friends to lovers romance.

Rating: 3.5/5

Find Sandy:

Website • Tumblr • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon 

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

The Gun Runner Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

Happy Friday Everyone! Today I'm joined on the blog by author Scott Hildreth as part of the promotional tour for his newest contemporary romance, The Gun Runner. Scott was nice enough to answer a few questions for me about bad boys, relationships, and crime families, so I hope you guys enjoy the interview and add this one to your lists:)

What are three things that make Tripp a true bad boy rather than a more romanticized version of one?

Tripp’s experiences as a US Marine have left him with the belief that he is invincible. This belief, be it accurate or not, have left him fearing no one. This lack of fear allows him to push boundaries that a normal man wouldn’t come close to even approaching. Three things that I believe support his belief are:

• When approached (and threatened) by the mafia boss, his response was “tell him to go f*ck himself”
• When provided many opportunities to walk away from potential harm, he repeatedly chooses to walk right into the middle of it (saving a woman from being raped, ridding a movie theatre of a man who is a nuisance, saving a woman from being assaulted, defusing a live bomb…)
• Saks Fifth Avenue dressing room sex scene.

Terra comes from a family capable of truly terrible things. What is her biggest fear regarding her family (other than that Tripp will find out who she is)?

Loss. Criminals are eventually captured. Considering the crimes her family commits, she realizes the strict penalty (should anyone be caught) would split her family apart.

If Terra could give her pre-Tripp self a few words of advice about what was in store for her in their relationship, what she say?

Regarding relationships, never keep secrets.

Looking forward to book two, what one word would both Tripp and Terra use to describe the events that unfold?

Unbelievable.

Thanks so much for stopping by Scott!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

THE GUN RUNNER

Tripp

Once, I took down terrorists on the front lines as a marine.

Now I'm in the business of bad.

I've sold guns to people others might not approve of.

I've eliminated the criminals, the lowlifes and the thugs who've tread on my turf.

And I looked the Sicilian Mafia boss in the eye and told him to f*** off.

No one tells me no, unless it's their last word.

I didn't just act the part of bad—I lived it. Then she stumbled into my life.

I tried to stay away from her. Tried focusing on moving my merchandise. But one smile from Terra was like a shot to the heart.

She's mine now. And no one threatens what's mine.

Terra

I've seen a lot of terrible things in my life.

I grew up around lies and deception, and I ran away from all of them.

Until I met him.

I knew he was corrupt. I knew he was dangerous.

I should have stayed away, but my attraction to him, my need for him, overrode my logic.

Now I love him.

If he finds out who I am, we're done and I'll be nothing.

I never wanted to be the Mafia princess they tried to make me, but mia familia had other plans. And what mia familia wants…it gets.

Only Michael Tripp can save me.

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

SCOTT HILDRETH

Born In San Diego California, Scott now calls Wichita, Kansas home. Residing in Kansas with his wife, Jessica, and six children, he somehow finds twelve hours a day to work on his writing.

Addicted to riding his Harley-Davidson, tattoos, and drinking coffee, Scott can generally be found in a tattoo shop, on his Harley, or in a local coffee house when not writing.

Scott is a hybrid author who both self-publishes and conventionally publishes. Look for a three book (mafia erotic romance) series releasing in 2016 through Harlequin Romance.

Loyal to the fans, fan girls, and faithful followers who allowed him to make writing a full-time career, Scott communicates with his followers on Facebook almost daily. He encourages his readers to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Goodreads Author Page

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the team at Harlequin and Carina Press, one lucky winner will receive the following:

• $25 Amazon Gift Card
• eCopy of The Gun Runner by Scott Hildreth

Please enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

• Monday, July 25th - Bewitched Bookworms
• Wednesday, July 27th - BookHounds
• Friday, July 29th - Supernatural Snark 
  
  
• Monday, August 1st - Book Briefs
• Wednesday, August 3rd - Curling Up With A Good Book
• Friday, August 5th - Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets 
   
• Monday, August 8th - Alpha Book Club
• Wednesday, August 10th - Parajunkee
• Friday, August 12th - underneath the covers

Review: Allegiance of Honor

ALLEGIANCE OF HONOR
Psy-Changeling #15
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance-ish
Berkley
496 pages
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The Psy-Changeling world has undergone a staggering transformation and now stands at a crossroads. The Trinity Accord promises a new era of cooperation between disparate races and groups. It is a beacon of hope held together by many hands: Old enemies. New allies. Wary loners.

But a century of distrust and suspicion can’t be so easily forgotten and threatens to shatter Trinity from within at any moment. As rival members vie for dominance, chaos and evil gather in the shadows and a kidnapped woman’s cry for help washes up in San Francisco, while the Consortium turns its murderous gaze toward a child who is the embodiment of change, of love, of piercing hope: A child who is both Psy…and changeling.

To find the lost, protect the vulnerable—and save Trinity—no one can stand alone. This is a time of loyalty across divisions, of bonds woven into the heart and the soul, of heroes known and unknown standing back to back and holding the line. But is an allegiance of honor even possible with traitors lurking in their midst?

MY THOUGHTS

Allegiance of Honor is a unique installment in Ms. Singh's outstanding Psy-Changeling series, reuniting us with beloved couples and characters from previous books instead of focusing on a single primary romance as the political maneuvering in this world reaches an all-time high.

While perhaps a touch slower in terms of pace given the lack of romantic tension fans like myself have come to know and love from Ms. Singh, spending new time with some of the early couples that stole our hearts is nothing short of delightful. Sascha and Lucas, the pair that started it all, are at the forefront of this fifteenth installment, bringing a smile to our faces with their every appearance as they work together to raise baby Naya. Bringing a little humor to the rising tensions is a very pregnant Mercy, whom everyone continually tries to distract to keep her from focusing on the fact that she's yet to give birth. Vaughn and Faith, Judd and Brenna, Hawke and Sienna and so many others fill the pages alongside Sascha and Lucas, giving us longtime fans a true sense of how rich and expansive this world has become over the years, and leaving us with an intense desire to go back to the beginning and start all over again.

Those who have yet to read any of the books in this series should not start with this one, as the storylines from previous books all come to a head and there's no individual romance on which to focus when the unfamiliar politics might prove to be a bit confusing. Allegiance of Honor is truly a gift to the fans, a chance to revisit the past while basking in the present, watching and waiting with breath held to see what the future of the entire Psy-Changeling world is going to hold in store.

Rating: 4/5

Find Nalini:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon 

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Love, Lies and Spies

LOVE, LIES AND SPIES
Cindy Anstey
YA Historical Romance
368 pages
Swoon Reads
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Juliana Telford is not your average nineteenth-century young lady. She’s much more interested in researching ladybugs than marriage, fashionable dresses, or dances. So when her father sends her to London for a season, she’s determined not to form any attachments. Instead, she plans to secretly publish their research.

Spencer Northam is not the average young gentleman of leisure he appears. He is actually a spy for the War Office, and is more focused on acing his first mission than meeting eligible ladies. Fortunately, Juliana feels the same, and they agree to pretend to fall for each other. Spencer can finally focus, until he is tasked with observing Juliana’s traveling companions . . . and Juliana herself.

MY THOUGHTS
Love, Lies and Spies is a sweet young adult historical romance, giving us a heroine more interested in insect research and publishing her findings than in the matrimonial games played by the Ton, and a dashing young hero who makes us swoon in the way only a gentleman in the time of strict courtship can.

Juliana is easy to love from the moment she steps on page and promptly falls off a cliff, denying an offer of help from Spencer in order to keep her reputation-conscious aunt from falling over in a dead faint. She's accident prone in an adorably oblivious way, stumbling into situations difficult for her to see her way out of gracefully, and we can't help but smile as she eschews polite society in favor of beating to her own drum. While she does on occasion need rescuing, she proves time and again that she's quite capable of handling herself when necessary–batting away the wandering hands of inappropriate suitors and staying true to her passion for scientific research even when everyone around her is only focused on making an advantageous romantic match.

Spencer is a charming smooth-talker, easily able to banter with Juliana and sooth any feathers that are ruffled as he weaves his tall tales in order to continue his undercover work. Though he has a way with words, he never comes across as disingenuous, and he easily earns our affections as he does Juliana's. Their romance is of the slow burn variety (though they do admit their feelings for one another to themselves relatively quickly) thanks to the rules governing social interactions in Society, and it's nothing short of smile-inducing to watch the two of them literally and figuratively dance around one another.

The only mild complaint with this tale is with regard to the espionage plot that unfolds alongside Spencer and Juliana's courtship. We stay largely on the surface of the spying element, small things relating to uncovering a traitor popping up here and there, but we don't delve into that mystery as deeply as we could have. That being said however, Juliana and Spencer are hugely entertaining characters, and their romance is perfect for those looking for something to bring them a little joy on a dreary day.

Rating: 4/5

Find Cindy:

Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Cathy Reviews: A Little Something Different

My mother-in-law Cathy has really stepped up to help me with the blog these past few weeks, taking on a few more reviews than normal in order to give me some much-needed time to get caught up on some reading. A huge thank you to her for being my co-blogger lately!

A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Sandy Hall
Contemporary Young Adult
Swoon Reads/Macmillan
272 pages
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.

But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship.

Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together....

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
A Little Something Different is a charming contemporary YA romance novel. We meet our two main characters, Gabe and Lea, in a creative writing class. We can see the potential for a budding romance, but unfortunately our love birds are too shy to act on their feelings. What makes this novel unique is that the story is told from fourteen different viewpoints, none of which belong to our main characters. They are truly the center of the story and have no idea that everyone else is talking about them. I found this to be a very clever idea. 

We hear about how this great love between Gabe and Lea should develop and grow from all those who come into contact with the couple. Some perspectives are a little funnier and wittier than others, and of course some are easier to relate to, but all of them together truly make for a little something different. Even the squirrel that shares a park bench with them chimes in from time to time!
 
While this is a quick read, I did find that so many perspectives tended to slow the pace of the plotline. That being said however, this is a book that is fun to pick up on a rainy afternoon or take to the beach. So add it to the list for just the right moment.

Rating: 3.5/5

Find Sandy:

Website • Tumblr • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is Cathy's honest opinion.

The Asset Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

Today I'm so pleased to welcome author Anna Del Mar to the blog as part of the promotional tour for the first book in her new Wounded Warrior romance series, The Asset. Those of you who are frequent visitors to this blog know what a romance lover I am, and when you add a military hero (in this case a SEAL) to the mix I basically go into meltdown mode. Must. Read. Now. Anna was nice enough to answer a few questions for me, so I hope you guys enjoy the interview! Be sure and check the bottom of the post as well for all the details on a special giveaway:)

I’m 99% sure I would last approximately 4 minutes in Navy SEAL training before I curled up in the fetal position and started crying. How long do you estimate you’d last?

Four minutes? You’re tough, girl! I don’t think I’d make it to the sixty second mark. Plus, I’d want to talk about my challenges with my instructors. I don’t know about you, but the term Hell Week? Not very appealing to me.

What are 3 small things about The Asset's wounded warrior hero, Ash Hunter, that will surely make female readers everywhere want to pick this book up immediately?

First, Ash might be wounded, but he’s by no means out of the game. He’s got the skills, training and experience that allow him to discover Lia’s secrets. This wounded warrior is about to kick some ass.

Second, there’s a lot more to Ash than meets the eye. He has access to resources Lia could only dream of and he won’t hesitate to use them. Now, if he could only win Lia’s trust, he’d clear the path to her heart.

And third, Ash recognizes Lia as a survivor. He understands that she’s a veteran of life’s most terrifying battles and that she suffers from her own version of PTSD. Most importantly, he’s patient. He will watch. He will wait. And he’ll be there when she’s ready for him.

If Lia could ask you one question about why you wrote her and Ash’s story the way you did, what would she most want to know?

Hmm. What an interesting question. I’ve never been asked that one before. I think Lia would want to know why I started with Ash being wounded in the first place. Yeah, I think she might throw that one in my face a little, not angrily, that’s not Lia for you, but she’s very protective of Ash.

I always have a soft spot for the heroes who have physical or mental wounds they’re trying to heal, so I have little doubt I’m going to fall madly in love with Ash. Who would you say are your all-time favorite romance heroes?

I’m the exact same way. I like heroes who are brave, strong, smart and sexy, but also vulnerable. I think contrast makes for the best kinds of heroes. A hero who knows suffering is a hero who values life and love. I don’t want perfection. I want my heroes to be human, like you and I, struggling, conflicted. What better way to get to know the depth of someone’s character but to watch him or her fight their way out of their weaknesses and reclaim their strengths?

As to my all-time favorite romance heroes, that would be a long list. How about I give you one that really stuck with me over the years? One of the first romance novels I ever read was Outlander, by Dianna Gabaldon. I fell in love with Jamie Frasier on the spot. I think it was precisely because he suffered from the get-go and then came back with the sort of resiliency that made him a better person and a phenomenal hero. He made my heart melt every time. To this day, when I travel to Scotland, I look around the streets of Edinburgh, wondering if Jamie is around, time-traveling and—ehem— available.

If you were to make yourself a heroine in the Wounded Warrior series, what are a few of the traits your leading man would have?

Well, I’m definitively not one of the heroines in the Wounded Warrior series, but I can say, with a measure of confidence, that I’ve had a little say about the traits of the leading men of The Asset and the Wounded Warrior series.

My leading men are leaders, brave, strong, smart, sexy, resilient, decisive, determined, skilled. But they’re also sensitive, emphatic and compassionate, because they’ve experienced suffering and struggled with survival and recovery. They’re not big talkers. That’s just not who they are. But they’re big doers. They’re going to show you what they mean with their actions. They look at life from a different perspective. They’ve been close to death. They know what’s important. This time around, they’re going to give love all they’ve got.

Thanks so much Anna!

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THE ASSET

Anna del Mar’s explosive, sexy debut novel in the Wounded Warrior series, perfect for fans of Lisa Marie Rice and Lora Leigh—the story of a woman desperate to escape her dangerous past and the navy SEAL who would lay down his life to save her

Ash Hunter knows what it is to run. A SEAL gravely injured in Afghanistan, he’s gone AWOL from the military hospital. Physically and mentally scarred, he returns home to his grandmother’s isolated cottage—and finds a beautiful, haunted stranger inside.

Like recognizes like.

Lia Stewart’s in hiding from the cartel she barely escaped alive, holed up in this small Rocky Mountain town. Surviving, but only just. Helping the wounded warrior on her doorstep is the right thing to do…it’s loving him that might get them both killed.

Soon, Ash realizes he’s not the only one tormented by the past. Pushing the limits of his broken body, testing the boundaries of her shattered soul, he’ll protect Lia until his last breath.

Amazon • B&N • GooglePlay • iBooks • Kobo • Carina Press • Goodreads

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ANNA DEL MAR

Anna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, kickass, military heroes who defy the limits of their broken bodies to protect the women they love. She is the author of The Asset (Carina Press), the first novel of her Wounded Warrior series and three other novels scheduled for release during 2016.
 
A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she lives in Florida with her indulgent husband and two very opinionated cats.

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the team at Harlequin and Carina Press, one lucky winner will receive the following:

•     $25 Amazon Gift Card
•     eCopy of  The Asset
  

Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

• Monday, February 22nd - Books and Things Guest post
• Wednesday, Febraury 24th - Blushing Reads Review with short Guest Post
• Friday, February 26th - The Book Cellar Interview

• Monday, February 29th - Curling Up With A Good Book Guest Post
• Wednesday, March 2nd - Book Briefs Guest Post
• Friday, March 4th - Supernatural Snark Interview

• Monday, March 7th - Sassy Book Lovers Review with short Guest Post
• Wednesday, March 9th - Happy Ever After Book Reviews Review with short Guest Post
• Friday, March 11th - Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets Short Teaser