June 30, 2014

BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Five Ways to Fall (Ten Tiny Breaths #4)


I am so in love with K.A. Tucker's Ten Tiny Breaths series. FIVE WAYS TO FALL is the final book in the series, so this blog tour, organized by Inkslinger PR, is bitter sweet for me. Read on for my review and an excerpt from Five Ways to Fall. Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour after entering the giveaway for a Kindle Fire!

Five Ways to Fall (Ten Tiny Breaths #4), by K.A. Tucker
Published June 24, 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Format: e-book, provided by the publisher and Atria Books
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 

Rating: 4 STARS

(From Goodreads) Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she’s made plenty of them in her twenty-odd-years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it’s time for a change. She moves to Miami with the intention of hitting reset on her irresponsible life, and she does quite well…aside from an epically humiliating one-night stand in Cancun with a hot blond bouncer named Ben. Thank God she can get on a plane and leave that mistake behind her.

Football scholarship and frat parties with hot chicks? Part of charmer Ben Morris’s plan. Blown knee that kills any hope of a professional football career? So not part of the plan. Luckily Ben has brains to go with his knockout looks and magnetism. After three long years of balancing law school with his job as a bouncer at Penny’s Palace, he’s ready to lead a more mature life—until his first day of work, when he finds himself in the office of that crazy, hot chick he met in Cancun. The one he hasn’t stopped thinking about.

If Ben truly were a smart guy, he’d stay clear of Reese. She’s the boss’s stepdaughter and it’s been made very clear that office romances are grounds for dismissal. Plus, rumor has it she’s trouble. The only problem is, he likes trouble, especially when it’s so good-looking…


Like I mentioned, Five Ways to Fall is the final book in the Ten Tiny Breaths series. This is playboy Ben's book, and one I've been looking forward to for some time now. I just knew he had a story behind his man whoring ways. Ben's always been a bit of an enigma. When Kacey first got a job at Penny's back in Ten Tiny Breaths, Ben was one of the bouncers by night while he toiled away at law school by day. He had a thing for Kacey at first, but when she started dating Trent, Ben got over it quickly with the assistance of Mercy and Hannah. *snicker* 

Now, Ben is a real lawyer and has secured his first job at a law firm. By chance, it's the same firm that Reese works at as a paralegal - Reese, the girl he had an awful near-one-night-stand with in Cancun a few months before. Reese, the first girl he hasn't been able to put out of his mind in... well, ever. And, now not only do they work together, but she happens to be the boss' step-daughter. 

Reese is trying to recover from a failed marriage and a lot of wild living. She was never supposed to see Ben again, and now she has to see him every day. For awhile they have this amazingly awesome love/hate thing going on. Reese is horribly embarrassed by what happened between them in Mexico and that Ben won't let her forget about it. But, then when she decides to use him to get back at her evil, cheating ex, they forge a sort of partnership. 

Both Ben and Reese are fun and free-spirited, so they really are perfectly suited for each other. Their snark and banter back and forth was hysterical and the perfect kind of foreplay for them. I absolutely loved these two together. This isn't the usual squishy, emo love story. Neither Ben nor Reese are the type to spout sonnets or flowery lovey dovey words. They get off on speeding around on dune buggies, playing paint ball and chugging beers. It was a very refreshing change.

That doesn't mean that the hallmarks of a good new adult book aren't present. Ben's backstory is truly sad, and unexpected. Reese's life was equally tragic and her relationship with her awful mother is completely unhealthy. Of course, this gives Ben and Reese some common ground and something to start a meaningful relationship on. That and hot sex. That always helps.

I loved the slow build of their relationship. It took Ben and Reese awhile to actually come together in a meaningful way. They seem to become good friends first, helping each other out of some sticky situations. Ben helps Reese get over her ex, and Reese helps Ben on his parents' citrus farm. And, in return, they reform their wild ways (at least with the opposite sex) and focus on each other. 

I'm so sad to see this series come to an end, but based on the characters that K.A. Tucker has created in her Ten Tiny Breaths series, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Read on for an excerpt from Five Ways to Fall...

Excerpt

Reese

   The first forkful of pie is sliding into my mouth when my phone comes alive with the sound of minions singing the banana song.
   “Happy Monday,” I mutter into the phone.
   “I hate numbers.”
   “It’s a good thing you won’t be dealing with them on a daily basis for the next forty years, then.” Lina finished her undergrad degree last spring and passed her CPA exam with flying colors. Now she’s working at a small accounting firm down the street to collect a year of experience before she can apply for her license.
   “What are you doing?” she asks.
   “Hiding from karma at Bayside.”
   “Don’t drink the coffee,” she warns.
   “Too late,” I mutter, swirling the last bit of the toxic substance in my mug. Every time I come here, I order a cup to go with my chocolate pecan pie. It’s habit, I guess. There’s no other explanation. The coffee is weak, it has a salty aftertaste, and there’s always a weird film at the bottom of the cup. No one with taste buds would like this crap.
   With a heavy sigh, I divulge the horror of my day.
   “So Mason is friends with your botched exorcism,” she states flatly. I can always count on Lina to lay it out like it is. No beating around the bush. No softening the blow. “What did the guy say to you?”
   “That I owe him a new shirt.”
   She snorts. “Well, he’s got you there.”
   “Thanks.”
   “Maybe I’ll take a break and swing by. We can mock people together,” Lina offers. Another plus to this job: having my best friend only four blocks away from me.
   “Don’t bother. I’ve been here for two hours. I actually have to go back to the office. The law bot dumped three new cases on my desk today.”
   “Fine. Do you want to come over for dinner sometime this week? Nicki’s cooking.”
   “Does it involve turkey bacon?”
   “All unconventional meats have been banned.” Since Lina owns the small two-bedroom-plus-den condo that they moved into, she is well within her power to stop Nicki from inflicting others with her strange dietary preferences.
   “Then I’m in.”
   “Okay, good.” There’s a pause, and then Lina sighs. “Look, there’s something I need to tell you.”
   “Well, this doesn’t sound promising.” I shove a large piece of pie in my mouth.
   “It all depends on whether you want your best friend, the one who sticks up for you, has lied to the police for you, has gone along with all of your harebrained ideas, to be happy.”
   “You’ve never lied to the police for me.”
   “Senior year. The bottle of vodka in the trunk when we got pulled over.”
   “Fine. One time,” I heave with exasperation. “What has that earned you today?”
   “Well, I’ve started seeing someone that you may not . . .”
   Lina’s voice blurs as I watch a ginger-haired woman flounce through the patio, her purse swinging on her arm, as happy as any home-wrecking husband thief could possibly be.
   “Oh my God!” Chunks of piecrust get sucked down my throat with my gasp, stirring up a cough that I struggle to suppress. “It’s her!” I hiss.

About the Author

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

Learn more about K.A. Tucker --> Website / Twitter / Facebook

 


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June 25, 2014

RELEASE DAY & COVER REVEAL: Come (Dirty, Dark & Deadly #1) & Come Back (Dirty, Dark & Deadly #2)

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Title: Come (Dirty, Dark, & Deadly #1)
Author: JA Huss
Genre: Erotic Suspense
Release Date: June 25, 2014

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(Synopsis) My name is James Fenici and you will never see me coming. I walk the shadows like darkness itself. I hide in the corners where nobody looks. I live by no rules, I have no boundaries, I take no prisoners, and I never, ever blink. I am not your knight in shining armor; I’m your worst nightmare.  

My name is James Fenici and you are my target. Only one of us is getting out alive, and that’s not gonna be you. Once your name is on my list, your life is over. It’s a deal I make with death, it’s a contract I sign in blood, it’s forgone conclusion—get used to it.  

My name is James Fenici and I’m as dirty as they come. But then one day I saw her. And every monster I thought I was. Every fact I thought I knew. Every dirty promise I ever turned down came back to slap me in the face.  

My name is James Fenici and I think I am in love.

come cover


Cover Reveal

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Title: Come (Dirty, Dark, And Deadly #2)
Author: JA Huss
Genre: Erotic Suspense
Release Date: July 21, 2014

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come back

(Synopsis) “Secrets keep the darkness alive,” Harper tells me. But that’s not how I see it at all. Secrets keep me alive. The truth is overrated. Honesty is never the best policy. And everything you know absolutely can hurt you.  

The contracts I fulfill are just agreements. Death is a business deal. Secrets are currency in my world. I pay my debts with them. I feed on them. They ground me in the present and they promise me a future. I’ve lived a life filled with secrets for so long—I forgot what it’s like to… feel.  

Until I saw Harper. Until I saw how beautiful she’s become. How perfect, and pure, and innocent of all the ugly that goes on around her. And that dirty promise I refused the night her father turned me into a killer twelve years ago is suddenly on the table again.  

Harper can be mine. No—Harper will be mine. All I have to do is complete the mission.  

Death is a business deal.  

And I just shook his hand. 
 
cb full
 
About The Author

JAJA Huss is the USA Today best-selling author of the Rook and Ronin series, the epic science fiction I Am Just Junco series, and hundreds of kid-friendly science books in subjects such as biology, physics, anatomy and physiology, astronomy, and forensics. She has an undergraduate degree in equine science and a master's degree in forensic toxicology. She has never taken a creative writing class and she hopes she never will.

Learn more about J.A. Huss --> Website | Facebook | Goodreads |Amazon


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June 24, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This is one meme I can get on board with - I LOVE lists! I'll show you mine if you show me yours!

Top Ten Seven Book Cover Trends I Like/Dislike

1. Chesty Men - LIKE... DUH.



2. Sexy Couples - DISLIKE... Too gratuitous



3. Green Covers - LIKE... Lots of green out there for the rest of 2014. Very pretty.



4. Icons on Sexy Books - LIKE... How very 50 Shades, but at least I can read them around my kids.



5. Only Half a Head - LIKE... It might seem weird, but since eyes are the window to the soul, I like when I can't see eyes on a cover. It adds intrigue and mystery.



6. Underwater Covers - LIKE... I love underwater covers. They're so ethereal and a little creepy.



7. Super-cool Typography - LIKE... Covers with interesting typography grab my attention on the shelf. Which, I'm pretty sure is the ultimate goal.



June 23, 2014

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: The Bet (The Bet #1)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

The Bet (The Bet #1), by Rachel Van Dyken
Published March 26, 2013
Publisher: Forever
Format: e-book, purchased
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 

Rating: 4 STARS

(From Goodreads) "I have a proposition for you." Kacey should have run the minute those words left Seattle millionaire Jake Titus's mouth. It's been years since Kacey's seen her childhood friend Jake, but the minute Jake mentions his ill grandmother, Kacey is ready to do anything for the sweet old woman. And if that means pretending they're engaged for her sake-so be it.

But Kacey wasn't counting on Jake's older brother Travis still being there. She calls him "Satan" for a reason: she's never forgotten the way he teased and taunted her. Yet when they meet again, Travis's gorgeous smile is a direct hit to her heart . . . and Kacey's more confused than ever. As the days pass, only one thing starts to become alarmingly clear-she never should have accepted Jake's deal . . .


The Bet was such a cute book! I enjoyed it immensely - it was just what I needed. It's a rare book where I love all the characters, including all the side characters. Kacey and Travis are an awesome couple with a great backstory. Travis' brother Jake is a deliciously douchey bad boy. Kacey's BFF Char was awesome. And then there's Jake's and Travis' grandma who completely stole the show. You know Betty White in the movie The Proposal? She was a lot like her.


Kacey, Jake and Travis were the best of friends growing up. Well, Kacey and Jake were BFFs - Travis was Kacey's constant tormenter. Years later, Kacey and Jake had an encounter that meant more to her than it did to Jake, and it changed their easy relationship forever. A few years later, Jake asks Kacey for a huge favor that will require her to spend a lot of time around him and Travis. Kacey sucks it up because she loves Jake's and Travis' family like her own even though she knows the time she will spend around Jake will be frustrating, infuriating and mostly unbearable. Turns out Travis provides her with distractions from her Jake problem. And spending more time with Travis turns out to be exactly what Kacey needed.

I read The Bet at the perfect time. I had just come off a few super emotional reads and I needed something less intense. It is funny and quirky and the banter between Kacey and Travis is so cute. It was much lighter than most of my NA reads, and I really, really appreciated that. Sometimes the heaviness just gets... well, too heavy. You know? It's good to know that NA books can be written without any of the characters having major issues. 

I mean, yes - Kacey's parents died in a car accident, and she did appear to still have some hangups about that. But, hey - who wouldn't right? And, it wasn't the biggest focus on the story. It didn't affect her ability to form relationships or commitments. In fact, after a bit of a rough start, Kacey's relationship with Travis was so sweet. It proves that you don't need a tragic issue to bond two people together. A mutual respect for one another and a childhood friendship is enough to start the ball rolling. 

I wanted to beat Jake within an inch of his life most of the time, which was actually satisfying because I was afraid there'd be this crazy love triangle with the two brothers. Thankfully, things didn't go down like that. The side character that made the biggest impression was Grandma. She meddles in everyone's business and works her special grandma mojo to help bring Kacey and Travis together. I just loved her so much. 

I'm so glad I read The Bet. If you are looking for a new adult book that isn't too heavy on the sexy times (but not devoid of them) or the emotional turmoil, you MUST give it a try.  

June 20, 2014

Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop


It's summertime (finally!), which means I've been crazy busy running here and there. I'm sure you are too. So, to make it easier on both of us, I'll keep this giveaway hop simple. The winner will receive one book of their choosing from either Amazon or The Book Depository, depending on where you live. Just fill out the Rafflecopter and keep on hopping!

Happy Summer!

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COVER REVEAL: Wild (Ivy Chronicles #3)

 I'm so excited to help HarperCollins/William Morrow reveal the cover for the third and final book in the Ivy Chronicles series by Sophie Jordan. Ready?


Image Map

Wild (Ivy Chronicles #3), by Sophie Jordan
To Be Published November 18, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
 

(Synopsis) A good girl goes bad in the third and final book in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s sexy New Adult romance series—where three Ivy League suite-mates testing their boundaries as they seek higher knowledge of just how far they can go.

Months after her boyfriend dumped her, Georgia can still hear the insults he hurled at her. Boring. Predictable. Tame. Tired of feeling bad, she’s ready to change her image, and go a little wild. What better way to prove her ex wrong than a hot night of adventure at the secret campus kink club?

In the shadowy den of the club, she unexpectedly runs into Logan Mulvaney, her friend’s little brother. A player extraordinaire too hot for his own good, he may be younger, but the guy is light years ahead when it comes to the opposite sex. Now he’s telling her to go home-”good girls” don’t belong here!

Georgia is tired of having others define her. She’s going to teach Logan a lesson he won’t forget-one white hot, mind-wrecking kiss . . . that leads to another . . . and another . . . and. . . . Realizing she’s way in over her head, Georgia runs.

Only Logan won’t let her go. Everywhere she goes he’s there, making her want every inch of him. Making her forget who she is. Who he is. And just how wrong they are for each other.


About the Author

Sophie Jordan is an international and New York Times bestselling author whose books include historical romances and the Firelight series. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-television shows. She lives in Houston.

June 19, 2014

REVIEW: Sacrificial Magic (Downside Ghosts #4)

Sacrificial Magic (Downside Ghosts #4), by Stacia Kane
Published March 27, 2012
Publisher: Del Rey
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) READING, WRITING, AND RAISING THE DEAD

When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.

Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.


I cannot get enough of Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts series. Each new book is more innovative, creative, emotional and impactful than the one before it. And, Terrible... I mean, what can I really say about this hero that comes close to doing him justice? Prepare for a bit of fangirling and babbling. 

In Sacrificial Magic, Chess' newest case from the Church takes her back to school. A school in Slobag's territory has reported a haunting and, after the first debunker assigned to the case flakes and runs off, Elder Griffin passes it off to Chess. Unfortunately, that means she'll be spending lots of time on Lex's side of town, which is what she does NOT need now as she's trying to rebuild Terrible's trust in her. To make Chess' plate even fuller, there are other ritualistic murders being committed on Bump's side, and it looks like a snitch in his ranks is partially responsible, and Bump wants her to get to the bottom of it. 

We've slowly had a picture of Chess and her past painted over the course of the last three books in the Downside Ghosts series. We know now that she was passed around from foster home to foster home, and horribly abused in most of them - mostly by the men. Chess has learned to rely only on herself and her pills and that has served her well. Until Terrible entered her life. Now, she's in love and while it should be a completely wonderful thing, it instead has heaped stress in spades upon her life. 

Chess has to come to terms with the fact that she gives a crap about someone. She's never cared about anyone before. Not even herself. Hell - probably least of all herself. But, she loves Terrible fiercely, and Chess doesn't know what to do with all those feelings. She over-analyzes everything Terrible says and does to the point where it all gets twisted in her brain to some unrecognizable version of the truth. She second-guesses herself all the time. Should I tell him I love him? Should I touch him now? Would he want me to? Should I call him, or will that seem too needy? OMG - it was sad and painful to read how little credit Chess gives herself. 

And, Terrible - man, I love him to pieces. But, the dude is not a conversationalist. And, honestly, sometimes I think he's not much better than Chess at all this relationship stuff. Together, they're like the blind leading the blind, and it makes for some seriously tense situations. Not to mention the fact that Terrible is still trying to come to terms with Chess' prior relationship with Lex and her ongoing friendship with him. Lex is always the elephant in the room. Chess and Terrible have some horrible fights and say some awful things to one another before they finally cut through the crap and are truly honest with one another. Those fights made my heart hurt. But, the making up... now that was one of my favorite parts. ;)

The thing that I think amazes me the most about these books is the flawlessness of the worldbuilding. I am in awe of Stacia Kane's storytelling abilities. She has made Downside explode to life with these vivid characters and interesting mythology. The Downside lingo is so awesome - it just adds to the complexity and seamlessness of the rest of the world. 

In what I'm seeing is typical Downside fashion, Chess starts out working two separate cases - one for the Church and one for Bump - and somewhere along the way, she discovers they're connected. There were twists and turns and surprises along the way. I love being surprised, and it happens in every one of these books. 

After the dust settles from the final showdown, it's clear that things are going to change in Downside. The real question is, how much, and how will it all affect Chess and Terrible? I know that currently there is one more book out - Chasing Magic. The best news ever appeared on Stacia Kane's website earlier this month - not only are Downside #6 AND #7 a go (!!!), but so is another Terrible novella (!!!!!!!!!!). OMG - that is the best news ever. I can't wait to find out if Chess can at least lessen her addiction to drugs and if she can pull herself out of her own head long enough to realize that Terrible and she are each others' end games. If you haven't started this dark urban fantasy series yet, you now have plenty of time to get all caught up before the story continues again. What are you waiting for?!

June 18, 2014

REVIEW: Sixth Grave on the Edge (Charley Davidson #6)

Sixth Grave on the Edge (Charley Davidson #6), by Darynda Jones
Published May 20, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 

Rating: 3.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Few things in life can come between a grim reaper and her coffee, but the sexy, sultry son of Satan is one of them. Now that Reyes Farrow has asked for her hand, Charley Davidson feels it's time to learn more about his past, but Reyes is reluctant to open up. When the official FBI file of his childhood abduction lands in her lap, Charley decides to go behind her mysterious beau’s back and conduct her own investigation. Because what could go wrong?

Unfortunately, another case has fallen into her lap—one with dangerous implications. Some very insistent men want Charley to hunt down a witness who is scheduled to testify against their boss, a major player in the local crime syndicate. If Charley doesn't come up with an address in 48 hours, the people closest to her will start to disappear.

Add to that a desperate man in search of the soul he lost in a card game, a dogged mother determined to find the ghost of her son, and a beautiful, young Deaf boy haunted by his new ability to see the departed as clearly as he sees the living, and Charley has her hands full. The fact that Reyes has caught on to her latest venture only adds fuel to the inferno that he is. Good thing for Charley she's used to multi-tasking and always up for a challenge…especially when that challenge comes in the form of Reyes Farrow.


I love the Charley Davidson series. The books are always entertaining, there's one hell of an alpha sex god in them, and, since I always seem to listen to these books in audio format, I can say that the narration is always so perfect. #LoreleiKingRocksMySocks

One of my favorite things in this book is the relationship Charley and Cookie have. They are the bestest friends of any friends I've ever read about. I truly believe they would die for one another if it came down to it. Charley is like a second mom to Cookie's daughter Amber, and that shows in spades in Sixth Grave on the Edge. I love the motherly figure Charley presents when the situation calls for it. 

Reyes is just the hottest of all hot males. My favorite moments in Sixth Grave on the Edge were when Charley's life was in danger and Reyes shows up in all his incorporeal, dark sexiness to save her. We got to see the softer side of Reyes in this book. He's trying to get Charley to say yes. He's trying to get her to move in with him. He loves her and loves taking care of her. Reyes was amazing in this book. We saw him "son of Satan" angry, frustrated, tender, worried, snarky, and sweet. 

Charley, on the other hand, I take issue with. Seriously - the snark needs toned down a lot. There were some serious things that went down in this book, not least of which is that the man she loves (but has NEVER TOLD HIM SO) has asked her to marry him, and she decides it would be more fun to string him along than to just say yes, which she admits is a foregone conclusion. I don't understand why she has to play games all the time with people she cares about. Cookie and Ubie are another example. She screwed with their lives too, and even when it was clear that neither party would be cool with it, Charley forged ahead anyway. 

The snark and silliness is definitely one of the best things about this series. It's also one of the worst. Snark at an appropriate time and in measured doses is perfect and makes an interesting character AMAZING. Constant jokes at inappropriate times reduces the legitimacy of the characters' motivations and is just plain irritating. Charley is blackmailed by a very upset cop who doesn't like her. He spends time setting her up to look like a drug dealer and threatens to fabricate more charges if she won't do what he wants. What does Charley do? Jokes about kiddie porn. Really?? I wanted to scream. 

There was a lot going on in Sixth Grave on the Edge. There is the story of Reyes' real family and who they are. There is getting to the bottom of Angel's real story. There's the naked guy in Charley's car. There's the letter that threatens Charley's loved ones if she doesn't find a witness in a federal case. There's Rocket and Garrett and their predictions. There's the introduction of a new character named The Dealer. There is Charley's dad and whatever is going on with him (what ever happened to that story line, anyway??). And, there is the mysterious Mr. Wong and who he really is. Honestly, it was a lot to keep up on, and I did get a little confused at times with which characters went with which story line. 

I know it sounds like I'm highly disgruntled. Eh - it's more like, slightly disgruntled. I still love the series and fully intend to keep reading. There were a TON of loose ends left untied, including a major end-of-the-world prophecy, that I can't wait to see get tied up. I just really, really hope that in Seventh Grave and No Body, Charley learns to temper the snark with some seriousness.
 

June 17, 2014

RELEASE DAY LAUNCH: Better When He's Bad (Welcome to the Point #1)


I'm so excited to help Inkslinger PR and Jay Crownover launch her new series, Welcome to the Point. The first book, BETTER WHEN HE'S BAD is out today! I've read it, and homygosh - it is awesome. Check out my review here.

Read on for a smokin' hot excerpt, then enter the giveaway for one of five amazing release day prizes (all of which include a signed copy of Better When He's Bad)!

Better When He's Bad (Welcome to the Point #1), by Jay Crownover
Published June 17, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble


(From Goodreads) Welcome to the Point

There’s a difference between a bad boy and a boy who’s bad . . . meet Shane Baxter.

Sexy, dark, and dangerous, Bax isn’t just from the wrong side of the tracks, he is the wrong side of the tracks. A criminal, a thug, and a brawler, he’s the master of bad choices, until one such choice landed him in prison for five years. Now Bax is out and looking for answers, and he doesn’t care what he has to do or who he has to hurt to get them. But there’s a new player in the game, and she’s much too innocent, much too soft…and standing directly in his way.

Dovie Pryce knows all about living a hard life and the tough choices that come with it. She’s always tried to be good, tried to help others, and tried not to let the darkness pull her down. But the streets are fighting back, things have gone from bad to worse, and the only person who can help her is the scariest, sexiest, most complicated ex-con The Point has ever produced.

Bax terrifies her, but it doesn’t take Dovie long to realize that some boys are just better when they’re bad.




Excerpt

I let out the breath I was holding and took another step closer to her. The water was splashing on the sleeve of my shirt as I reached up to grab both of her cheeks in my palms. “Are you scared of me?”

It was the start of the questions I had asked her what felt like a lifetime ago. Her answer didn’t change, but this time when she answered, she was holding back a smile that made my heart hurt.

“Terrified, but I kind of like it now.”

“Do you trust me?” My voice broke. I had never really trusted anyone but Race and now there was her and my brother and just all kinds of new things making my life so much more complicated and undeniably fuller.

“With my life. I trust all the parts of you, Bax. You need to know that.”

 “You going to go to bed with me?” That made her outright laugh and she reached up to curl her hands around my wrists.

 “As often as I can and anyplace in between when the mood strikes.” The rest of the blood racing around my system went solidly south.

I dropped my forehead so it was resting on hers and the water from the showerhead was cascading down around us. I was making a mess, but I didn’t care because I had her, and she was my home. “Do you love me?”

The words sounded so foreign, but so right, when I was saying them to her. She brushed her full lips across mine and the last three months without her faded away.

“Do you want me to lie to you or tell you the truth?”

 I smiled against her mouth and kissed her back twice as hard as she had kissed me. “Lie to me.”

 She reached up and put her arms around my neck and took a step back, dragging me all the way into the shower stall with her. The water was lukewarm at best, and it made me shiver. So did the fact that she started to impatiently pull the tail of my shirt up over my head. A task made increasingly difficult considering I was now soaked head to toe and the material was clinging to me.

 “Of course not. You’re the last person in the world I could love.”



About the Author

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men series. She will also be introducing the dark and sexy world of The Point in a new series this summer starting with Better When He’s Bad. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

Learn more about Jay --> Website / Twitter / Facebook


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