Monday, June 13, 2016

Book Tour | For Fallon by Soraya Naomi

FOR FALLON by Soraya Naomi, Bestselling Author
Chicago Syndicate Series #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense

— SYNOPSIS —
WINNER Semi Annual Literary Awards Novel Grounds: "For Fallon" Best Breakout Novel 2014.

We all have a façade, a concealed mask we wear to portray ourselves to the world.

Fallon’s mask is real, what you see is what you get. Growing up with two loving parents in Chicago, graduating in Chicago, and now working a job she loves, she enjoys her life.

Her untarnished world is shaken when Luca crosses her path.

Luca’s mask is tightly controlled. Distrust, rivalry, and violence rule his life.

When confronted with insecurities, when the one you love wears his mask perfectly, when your life unravels and you don’t know why, do you keep trusting the person you love?

Everyone has a façade. Everyone has an ulterior motive.

A romantic suspense.
*Mature content
**The story continues and ends in For Luca (#2).


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— PURCHASE —
KINDLE | PAPERBACK

— CHICAGO SYNDICATE SERIES —
FOR LUCA, Book #2
FOR ADRIANO, Book #3
FOR CAM, Book #4




— ABOUT THE AUTHOR: SORAYA NAOMI —
I was born in South America in 1984 and raised in Europe where I presently reside with my fiancé.

I read many genres but favor intense, dark, seductive, and provocative novels where the male character loves fiercely, without remorse or boundaries. I also adore forbidden love tales and have an odd fascination with kidnapping romances. No, I don’t secretly want to be kidnapped, though!

I have a passionate obsession with the written word and indulge in chocolate pastries much too often.

My debut novel For Fallon (Chicago Syndicate, #1) was released on July 26, 2014. I’m honored that For Fallon won “Best Breakout Novel 2014” in the Novel Grounds Semi Annual Literary Awards.

— SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS —


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Blog Tour | Sweet Secrets Series by Taylor Henderson


BETTER THAN REVENGE

 

Ever since Violet Forrester first moved next door to Brianna, she has been tortured relentlessly… 

It seems like Brianna has everything, and yet she still doesn't have the one thing she really wants; the one thing that Violet cares about the most—Blake Edwards. 

After years of letting Brianna walk all over her, Violet’s finally had enough. She’s tired of sitting back and watching Brianna flirt with her boyfriend, steal her friends, and push her around. She’s finally ready to stand up for herself. 

To do this, Violet and her new friend, Lena, devise a plan to make Brianna realize that not everything is hers for the taking, and Violet knows the perfect way to do it… 

After all, nothing is better than revenge. 


That is, until someone gets hurt.

SCARLET AWAKENING


With the drama of the school year behind them, sisters Lena and Ella Snotty are off to California for the summer… 

Their parents have recently separated, and the sisters are becoming closer, though Lena can’t get past wanting to know more about their fractured family. While unpacking, Lena finds a photo of their mother with the twins she gave up for adoption, and notices something very strange. 

In the photo, there’s a man she’s never seen before… 

Assuming it must be the man who adopted the twins, Lena and Ella set out to find him so they can meet their younger siblings. As they search, Lena reconnects with Carter Anderson, the boy she dumped abruptly the year before, causing her to wonder whether or not she should return to Virginia in the fall. 

Did the man in the picture truly adopt the twins—or is John Symmes someone else altogether? 

A journey through the past might just change their lives forever…



PLAYING WITH FIRE


Ella Snotty is worth more than a quickie… 

After a family scandal tore their family apart, seventeen-year-old Ella chooses to stay in California with her mom for the rest of the school year. Things are lonely since her sister Lena went to live with their dad. But at least she has her new boyfriend, Shane Quinn, to make things a little less depressing. 

Ella isn’t the only girl who thinks Shane is swoon-worthy… 

Shane takes Ella out to blow off some steam, and the party isn’t short on alcohol. When a tipsy old flame “falls” into Shane’s lap, her spontaneous kiss makes Ella more than a little jealous. And when details of Shane’s dating history surface, Ella is determined to be more than a fling. 

The V-word will slow things down… 

Afraid Shane wants to use her for a little fun, Ella lies and says she’s a virgin. According to his reputation, Shane has commitment issues. Maybe it’ll make him stick around long enough for them to form a real connection before the physical sparks fly. But is he worth the lie? And what happens when both of their insecurities come crumbling down like a house of cards? 

She wants his heart. He’s afraid to commit. As the pressure mounts, will they find comfort in each other? Or will they learn that when playing with fire, you risk getting burned?

***BETTER THAN REVENGE - FREE***


SCARLET AWAKENING


PLAYING WITH FIRE


Trailer:


 

Better Than Revenge Excerpt:

The hot summer sun was beating down on us as we sat together on the side of the pool. Leaning forward, I dipped one foot into the water and made small circles, causing the clear water to ripple and shine in the bright sunlight. I could feel the heat radiating off of his body as he snaked his arm around my waist. Despite the heat I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder as I breathed in his scent. The strong smell of his aftershave mixed with citrus from his shampoo enveloped me, fogging my thoughts.
“Want to take a swim?” Blake looked at me with a small smirk on his sun-tanned face that made my heart melt.
I couldn’t help but notice the way his blue eyes twinkled every time he looked at me. A small breeze blew a few strands of his black hair into his eyes as I cupped his cheek with my hand.
“I dare you,” I whispered as I leaned in closer to him, pressing my lips gently to his.
He kissed me back softly, allowing his lips to mold and move in sync with mine, before pulling back and smirking at me. “I never turn down a good dare!” he exclaimed with a laugh as he shoved me into the pool.
The cold water slapped against my body, folding in around me on all sides until I was completely submerged. I had just barely managed to take in a breath before I had been so rudely shoved into the pool, and I was thankful that I had. When my toes touched the bottom of the deep end I kicked off of the concrete, propelling myself back upward. Once my head broke the surface I rubbed the chlorinated water from my eyes and squinted up at where Blake had been sitting moments ago.
A chorus of giggles erupted from the opposite direction and I turned my head to see Blake walking toward the fence that separated my yard from my neighbor’s, laughing at something that Brianna, the stuck up princess who lived next door, had said. She giggled, tossing her hair lightly as she spoke again, leaning her body against the wooden fence. As Blake drew near her, she leaned her body forward and pulled him into a tight hug, pressing her chest to his body while rolling her eyes at me, and smirking. I responded with a glare that only deepened when she mouthed the word, “Mine,” before she pulled away. The only word she has known ever since we were little.
Since I was younger, and even now, Brianna has been associated with some of my worst memories. As I watched her talk to my boyfriend while tossing me sly glares I remembered seventh grade when Brianna had done everything in her power to make my life miserable. Not even a month into the school year she had found a way to turn all of my friends against me. She dug a hole into my friend group, put herself in, and took me out. She had a leader quality in her, that was for sure. All of my friends followed her in spreading rumors about me, and isolating me from the main group.
I had learned at a young age how to entertain myself, and I had even gotten use to being alone. Her actions, and the actions of my so-called friends had shown me that trust shouldn’t be doled out easily. Trust is something to be given to those who deserve it. That was something that had stuck with me, and was probably the reason I had so few friends to this very day.
Logically, I knew that I was able to change that, but my trust issues ran deep, and I blamed Brianna. Even at a young age she had been conniving and evil. Nothing about her personality has really changed. She’s still conniving and evil—just more so.
That was just one of the many times that the stuck up bitch, formally known as Brianna Richardson, had taken something that was mine and made it hers, and I was tired of it. Brianna was the type of girl who had been spoiled and put on a pedestal her whole life, and I hated people like that. I wanted to rip the silver spoon from her smirking mouth and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. It was about time that she learned other people have feelings too, and I was just the person to teach her that.


Scarlet Awakening Excerpt:

I pulled a long sleeve sweater from deep within the confines of my suitcase, and stared at it quizzically. Wow, I really did go overboard packing. I know that I had said that I was packing in preparation for anything that came my way, but seriously, a long sleeve sweater? Did I think that sometime during my visit, San Diego was going to be hit by a blizzard?
Shaking my head, I folded the sweater neatly and tucked it away into the bottom drawer of my dresser. I had been unpacking for nearly two hours now, and so far I hadn’t gotten far. I blamed my lack of progress on my short attention span, and my laziness. So far, I had managed to organize each drawer according to clothing article. I had separate drawers for bottoms, tops, bathing suits, undergarments, pajamas, and miscellaneous. The sweater was placed into the miscellaneous drawer where it was accompanied by a thin raincoat, sweat pants, and a pair of gray leg-warmers. Seriously, I had a packing problem.
My phone buzzed on the dull hardwood floor just a few inches away from my thigh. I scooped the phone up and smiled at the screen when I saw that the message was from Violet. She had been sending me cute videos of her sister, Lilly, all morning. Lilly had started taking dance lesson a few months ago, and she had her first recital coming up in a week so she would practice throughout the house, despite her mom’s efforts. I unlocked the phone, which instantly opened the message to show another video. Along with the video, Violet had sent a message telling me to listen to her mom.
Smiling, I hit play on the video, and watched closely as the camera focused on a dancing, tutu-clad Lilly. She was spinning around the Forrester’s living room, weaving in and out of the furniture and doing ballet-style leaps over little obstacles that littered the floor. The obstacles were little stuffed animals, and toys that Lilly had probably set up.
“Watch this, Lizzie,” Lilly’s voice blasted from my phone’s speaker. She stopped moving and faced the camera head on, then smiled so brightly that her eyes scrunched up some. Her dark curls continued to bounce around her face from the previous motion. “I, Lilly Forrester, am going to do something that no other dancer can do.” She raised her arms high over her head, and proceeded to do a cartwheel from the living room into the dining room where her mom was.
I heard Mrs. F. let out a shriek, and it soundly like she was about to have an aneurysm or something. The shriek caused Lilly to lose her footing, and fall onto her butt. “No cartwheels!” Violet’s mom spoke loudly. She wasn’t yelling, but she was definitely worked up. “You could break your neck!” Then the video ended, and I laughed loudly at her words. Mrs. F. was known for being an extreme worrywart. I thought that it was hilarious, while Violet thought that her mom was crazy. I was sure that if I had grown up with her as my mom, I would think she was crazy too.
I shook my head; still smiling to myself about the video as I typed back a reply about how her mom was hilarious, before setting my phone back on the ground and staring into my suitcase again. I would probably be done now if I had continuously stuck with unpacking when I first started. I had begun right after breakfast, and Ella and I had decided to have a race to see who could finish first. She won.
It wasn’t fair really. I had more to unpack than she did, so I should have gotten a head start. It had only taken her half an hour to unpack everything. How was that possible? When she finished and had come up to brag about her winning, I no longer saw the point in rushing, and began to take my sweet time. I had even taken a break to go talk to grandpa who had been doing a little organizing of his own. Apparently grandma had given him the task of cleaning out the once guest room that had been converted to a storage room. She didn’t want me to be stuck up in the attic room for my whole visit. I was fine being in the attic, but grandma disagreed.
So when I went to see grandpa, he had been in the middle of trying to figure out the most effective way to begin cleaning the room. In my opinion the most effective way to begin cleaning was to start, but he was sure that there was a certain way that he needed to tackle his task. When I left him, he was grumbling about who was the person to come up with the saying, “Happy wife, happy life.” At the moment, making grandma happy by cleaning was not making his life happy.
Sighing, I shook my thoughts from my mind and reached into my bag again, pulling out a cute, red sundress that I had gotten on my last trip to the mall with Ella. I hadn’t worn it yet, but I was excited to get the chance too. Red had always been my favorite color. Not only was it just a nice color in general, but also I felt like it made me look sexy, and mysterious. It probably didn’t, but a girl could dream. Standing, I went to hang the dress up in my closet, along with the other dresses that I had already hung up. This unpacking thing was rapidly becoming tedious.
With a groan, I leaned my back against the foot-board of my bed that faced the closet. Maybe I could convince Ella to help me finish up? Just as I was about to stand, my eye caught a little corner of a piece of paper that was poking out from behind the dresser. I furrowed my brows at the sight of it, wondering what it could be. The rest of the room had been completely empty when I arrived, so I was curious to see what this was. It was probably nothing, but either way my interest was piqued.
Pushing myself away from the bed, I walked toward the dresser, crouching down next to it as I gripped the corner of the paper and pulled it from its hiding place. I unfolded it, seeing the back first. There was one sentence scrawled across the back. It was short, and sweet.
Keep us in your memories.
That was all that it said. There was no name signed under it, or even a date. Just that one sentence. Now I was really curious. Flipping the paper over, my jaw dropped almost instantly. It was a picture of my mom in the hospital, holding one bundle of white in each arm, with a man standing next to her. I could see now why there was no name or date listed on the back. The date was obvious. The picture had to have been taken on August 8th, the day that my mom gave birth to the twins. That was the first and last time that she had seen them. I assumed that the man in the picture was the guy who had adopted them, and probably the owner of the handwriting on the back as well.
I stood hurriedly, and took the stairs down from my room to go find Ella. Luckily, she was sitting in her room listening to music. I entered without knocking, earning a glare. I didn’t care though. I knew that she would want to see this.
Moving toward where she was sprawled across her bed, I trusted the photograph out to her. She took it curiously, staring at the front in silent before flipping it over to read the back.
“Do you recognize him?” she asked me, eyebrows furrowed.
I shook my head no. “He’s got to be the guy who adopted the babies. Why else would he be in the picture?”
Ella shrugged in response, staring at the front of the photo again. I stood in silence for a moment as she just sat, holding the picture and frowning down at it. Then, with a smile curving her thin lips upward, she met my eyes. “If we found him, we would probably find the babies too.”
I bit my lip as realization crashed over me. “We could finally meet them.”

 

Playing with Fire Excerpt:


The music blasting from the speakers in the living room was so loud that it felt like the house was pulsing to the beat. There were giant speakers set up against the walls, and each piece of furniture, with the exception of a few couches, had been moved out of the living room to make space for a makeshift dance floor. From my position on the loveseat in the corner I could see a group of drunk girls gyrating and grinding against each other to a completely different beat. Each girl was dressed as a cat, and I almost groaned audibly at their costume choice. There were so many damn cat outfits that I’d lost count. Is originality frowned upon on Halloween too, of all days?
Next to me, Carter laughed as one of the girls stumbled in her leopard-print heels and almost toppled over before she was caught by one of her more sober kitty-friends.
“Why aren’t you out there?” Carter asked, leaning toward me and yelling over the music so he could be heard.
I shrugged. Normally I was the type of girl who spent the night dancing in the middle of the crowd until my thighs burned, buttonight was different. I just wasn’t in the mood to dance, or to be social at all. I hadn’t even wanted to come to the party. If it weren’t for Shane and Carter, I would probably be at home right now squandering away the night watching old Disney Halloween movies and avoiding my homework assignments until the last minute. “I can’t find Shane,” I answered. It wasn’t the exact reason, but it was more or less true. About an hour into the party, Shane had disappeared. I told myself the only reason I was wondering where he’d gone was because he was the reason I was here, but everyone knew that wasn’t true.
Carter smirked at me. Shane and I had been dating, for lack of a better word, for nearly three months now and yet he still teased me about it every chance he got. I never teased him about how whipped he was when it came to my sister. The least he could do was extend that same courtesy to me.
“Aw, do you miss him?” he questioned, still smirking. The fact that his face was painted as the Joker only added to my annoyance. It was as if his smirk was extra defined.
I rolled my eyes dramatically.
“Hey, I’m only messing with you,” he said loudly, placing a hand on my shoulder. He offered me a small smile when I made eye contact. “If you find the alcohol, I can promise you you’ll find Shane.”
“Come with me?” I had to lean into his ear as I asked. I could barely hear my own voice.
He nodded in response and we both got to our feet. As soon as our butts left the couch, the wolf and Little Red Riding Hood swooped in to take our seats, then proceeded to make out. Her grandmother would be so disappointed.
Carter led the way out of the room and down the hall toward the kitchen. I’d only been in this house one other time for a party at the beginning of the year, and was surprised I remembered my way around. As we entered the room, we wove in and out of people who were standing around, guzzling substances from their red plastic cups. Some people had really gotten into the Halloween spirit and went all out for their costumes, while others had taken the easy route by sticking animal ears on their heads and calling it a night. If I had originally planned on coming to the party then my costume would’ve been way better than it was. Instead, I was wearing the same costume I wore last year to Brianna’s Halloween party—Marilyn Monroe.
I scanned the room as Carter and I made our way through the growing throng of our peers. Shane wasn’t anywhere in sight. I was rapidly becoming annoyed. How rude is it to force someone to come to a party with you, and then just ditch them? Very.
I followed closely behind Carter as he exited the kitchen through a sliding glass door and headed out onto the deck. The hot day had turned into a warm, breezy night. The sky was dark, but light came from tiki torches and the many candle-lit, carved pumpkins that surrounded the backyard. Almost instantly after I stepped out onto the porch, Shane walked up to me with a big smile on his handsome face.
“Ella!” he yelled, throwing his arms around me and pulling me in for a bone-crushing hug. The strong smell of alcohol hit my nose as he nuzzled his head into the crook of my neck. “I missed you,” he mumbled against my skin, sending tingles down my spine when he kissed my neck. The way my body reacted to him only served to annoy me further. I was mad at him for making me come out tonight, and then leaving me on the couch for nearly an hour while he drank. He did not deserve my affection right now.
I pushed him back by his shoulders, keeping him at arm’s length as I said, “If you missed me then you would’ve come inside and gotten me. Have you been out here the whole time?”
He nodded hard, causing his blond hair to fall into his eyes. Then, catching me off guard, he placed his hands on my cheeks and guided my face to his. He kissed me hard for a moment before I pulled away. If it was possible, he tasted worse than he smelled. Carter laughed as I scrunched my nose in disgust.
“What are you doing?” I groaned, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. I ignored the hurt in his eyes as he pouted.
“I just wanted to kiss you,” he answered, running a hand through his hair and glancing to the side.
I sighed, pulling him away from the door, down the steps into the yard, and over to a lawn chair. Carter followed us and stood with his arms crossed over his chest, just watching us in amusement. “You smell terrible,” I said, trying not to stand downwind of him. “How much did you drink?”
Shane shrugged as he dropped down into the chair. My gaze trailed from his face to his chest, which was on full display in his costume. He was one of the people who had taken the easy route out for a costume, and bought a cheap boy scout’s vest from the costume store earlier today. He paired it with some khaki shorts, and was ready for a night out. The vest was open and showed off his tan abs and muscular arms. I wasn’t the only one who was noticing either. Other girls were milling around the yard, obviously checking him out, and it was kind of pissing me off.
Shane pulled me down onto the chair with him, hugging me tightly to his chest. His muscular arms flexed as they circled my waist, and he leaned down to rest his chin on my shoulder. He sighed deeply. “You smell so good,” he commented.
Carter rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna go see if I can find him a bottle of water or something. He’s gotta sober up before he gets home or his mom will have an aneurysm.”
“Okay, hurry back. We should leave soon. I’m tired.” As if my body was trying to prove my words, a yawn escaped my parted lips. Behind me, Shane hugged me tighter. I shifted positions uncomfortably, trying not to gag at how horrible he smelled.
“Got it,” Carter replied, turning to head back into the house where I could see people dancing in the kitchen through the plate glass door.
More people were beginning to come outside, probably because of how crowded it was inside. It was hot in there, and there was hardly any space to move around. The only downside to being out here was that the music was only a dull thud. You could hear the beat, but it was hard to tell what song was playing. At least outside I could actually hear myself think.
I turned my head slightly so I could see Shane’s face as his head rested on my shoulder. When I moved, he opened his eyes and his gaze met mine. Then he shifted his eyes and looked around in front of us. Returning his gaze to mine, he sat up as he said, “He’s gone!”
He looked so cute and happy that I couldn’t help but smile at him. “Carter?”
Shane nodded in response. “I was waiting for him to leave.”
“Why is that?”
He smirked. “So I could do this,” he answered, turning me slightly as he leaned in to kiss me again. I pulled away before he could.
I placed my hands on his chest and held him back as he tried to lean in again. “Damn boy, you need to calm down. Your hormones are on a whole ’nother level right now.”
“It’s the outfit.” He raised an eyebrow at me as he pulled at the material of my white dress. “I always had a thing for Marilyn Monroe.” He winked, and even in his drunken stupor he managed to look so sexy that I almost swooned. How that was possible, I had no clue.
“Well, Marilyn is taking a vow of abstinence.”
Shane groaned. His mood changed so quickly. He went from flirtatious to looking like someone just ran over his puppy.
I laughed lightly as he pouted. “We really need to get you home.”
Shane instantly took the bait and his smirk returned full force. “You wanna take me home?”
“Yes, but not in the way you’re implying,” I answered, rolling my eyes at how cheesy his suggestion was. Then I glanced up and looked toward the door, hoping to see Carter coming out, but he wasn’t. “Where is Carter? He said he’d be right back.”
Shane waved my question off. “Who needs Carter? All he does lately is talk about Lena. He’s boring.”
“That’s not boring, that’s adorable.”
Shane scowled.
Sighing, I tried to push myself up, but Shane tightened his arms around me so I couldn’t stand. “Shane, I’m going to find Carter. Just wait here for me to get back. Do not move.”
Pouting, he let me go. Then he crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair, frowning.
“Seriously, don’t go anywhere.” I stared at him until he said he wouldn’t move, and then I headed back toward the house.
As soon as I entered through the back door the sound of the music filled my ears again. Everything was loud inside. People were yelling over the music, laughing, and singing. I had no idea how I was supposed to find Carter if he wasn’t in the kitchen. After I looked around the room and saw that he wasn’t there, I continued to push my way through the crowd. I hardly recognized anyone from school other than people who hung out with Carter and Shane. When I was almost out of the kitchen, a tall girl dressed as a pirate came hurtling around the corner and ran straight into me, spilling the cups of beer she had in each hand all over the front of my dress and down my legs. I groaned loudly, shaking the beer from my hands, and then holding the front of my dress away from my body as she apologized and ran off.
Now I’m going to smell like beer, I thought with a sigh. Holding my now wet dress away from my body, I walked down the main hall, scanning the throng of people for Carter. As I neared the bathroom door, it opened, and out walked Carter with a satisfied expression on his face. I almost wanted to hit him.
When he spotted me, he laughed, but it was covered by the music.
I marched toward him, taking him by the arm and pulling him to the kitchen, where he grabbed one of the many bottles of water that sat amongst the nearly empty bottles of liquor. Then we headed back outside, into the night.
“You look horrible,” Carter commented, gesturing to my beer stains.
I frowned in response. “Thanks, that’s what every girl wants to hear,” I said, the sarcasm heavy in my voice. “Let’s just get this water to Shane, so we can get out of here.”
Carter nodded, and we both turned our attention away from each other and to where I left Shane. I was happy to see he was still sitting there. I took the four patio steps down to the yard, and froze as I watched some girl stumble toward Shane. It was like one of those scenes in a movie where the main character knows in her gut that something bad is about to happen, but is powerless to stop it.
The girl was dressed scantily as a damn black cat, with her dark hair curled and two little cat ears sticking out of her hair at the top. When she got to Shane she plopped down into his lap, tossed her arms around his neck, and kissed him with everything she had in her. My heart clenched at the sight, and I felt anger bubble up inside of me. My head swam for the two seconds that she kissed him until Shane pushed her away. I felt like my blood was boiling, I was so mad.
Shane stood up, placing the girl on her feet and holding his hands up in a surrendering motion. I watched as his lips moved, and then the girl crossed her arms and stormed off. As soon as she turned away from him, Shane turned slightly and his gaze met mine. He looked apologetic, and it seemed as if that one action had sobered him up quick.
I didn’t know what to think. Why the hell did she feel comfortable enough to just come over and start kissing him? Was I missing something?
I didn’t wait to find out though, because as soon as Shane took a step toward me, obviously coming to explain, I turned away and headed back into the house. It was time to go.
I should’ve stayed home.

About The Author:



Taylor Henderson is a psychology major at the University of Mary Washington who was born and raised in Northern Virginia. She has been an adamant reader and writer since she was young, and has always found solace in the worlds and characters that other authors have brought to life in their works. Taylor plans to continue writing, and hopes to expand to different genres in the future.

–– FOLLOW TAYLOR ––

Other Books By This Author:


Sara Schoen and Taylor Henderson

The Dying Game: http://amzn.com/B00SU83M68

Deadly Hallows: http://amzn.com/B01BI3ZQA6


Giveaway:



 

Book Review | Poetry From A Young Life: Volume 1 by Tanya Davis


Title: Poetry from a Young Life: Volume 1
Author: Tanya Davis
Release Date: March 25th 2016
Page Amount: 47 pages, Kindle edition


GoodReads Blurb:

This is a short collection of verse written from the author's youth and throughout her adulthood.

Review:

I love poetry and I've been reading a lot more of it this year. I like to see poetry that was written when a person was in their younger years. I feel that sometimes, poetry from younger people is dismissed. If I'm correct, this person waited until she was older to publish this collection but some of the poems were from her youth. Poetry can sometimes be a difficult thing to get into and I believe this would be among some food books to start with to get into it. I enjoyed the poetry in this collection and would read more from this poet. Poetry often grows as the writer does and I would love to see how the writer grows as a poet. I would give this 3.5 quills.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Book Review | Try Me (and other romantic short stories) (Daily Della) by Della Galton


Title: Try Me (and other romantic short stories) (Daily Della)
Author: Della Galton
Release Date: August 25th 2012
Published By: SoundHaven.com
Page Amount: 28 pages, Kindle edition

GoodReads Link

GoodReads Blurb:

Daily Della is a series of short fiction anthologies for all Kindle enabled reading devices. Five stories in each issue, ideal for your daily coffee break.
This issue of ‘Daily Della’ is a special cut-down, cut-price version, designed to give you a taster.

In this issue:
The Naked Truth
When Emma and Jilly see an advert for NUDE male cleaners they wonder whether it's genuine. Emma decides there's only one way to find out - she has visions of naked men ironing her clothes - and despite Jilly's protestations, she rings the number.

On One Condition
The last place Karen expects to find herself on her thirtieth birthday is stuck up a tree, but thanks to her niece and nephew, ten year old twins, Conrad and Sarah that's exactly what happens. They tell her not to worry, Tom will get her down and they disappear to find him. Then to make matters worse it starts to rain and Karen's left worrying about the identity of the mysterious Tom.

Saint Or Sinner

Debs and her friend go to see a Welsh male voice choir and Debs falls in love with a gorgeous tenor, third row, fifth from the left. When they play her favourite hymn, 'When the Saints Go Marching In' she begins to feel like a sinner herself. Especially as she's married to Andrew who's waiting patiently for her back home. 

Review:

I found this book unexpectedly through Amazon, I can't remember how but it was very inexpensive so I decided to buy it. I like the concept, too, quick stories that can be read during a coffee break. 

These stories had a well formed beginning, middle, and end. Each one had a satisfactory story arc in my opinion. That is not easy to do (in any form, really, but especially short stories.) I very much enjoyed reading them. They were quick, fun reads. I'm glad that I read this and would definitely pick up more of these "Daily Della" e-books. I think I'd give it 3.5 quills. 

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Book Review | The Red Pearl by C. K. Brooke


Title: The Red Pearl
Author: C. K. Brooke
Release Date: November 12th, 2015
Published By: 48fourteen
Page Amount: 222 pages, Paperback

GoodReads Blurb:

Treasure lost... passion found? 

Antonia Korelli is on the run from her coven of priestesses. She never desired a life confined to the temple, relegated to chastity and service to the goddess, Azea. Instead, she longs for true love and adventure in the Kingdom of Elat. 

Robin Watkins is a fiery dreamer on a mission of his own, to uncover the legendary lost Red Pearl. Only, he must first regain his treasure map, which was stolen by his former best mate and conniving ex-girlfriend. 


When Antonia becomes unwittingly entangled with Rob, she's more than dismayed to find herself stuck on his harebrained hunt. But somewhere amidst their bickering and banter, their plight for survival through desert and tropics, and the joint pursuit of impossible dreams, Antonia begins to realize that perhaps she might have found the unforgettable adventure – and romance – she was seeking. 


Review:

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a different book for me. Now, I have very varied reading tastes but I'll admit I don't read that much adventure, swashbuckling, treasure hunting books. I found it very enjoyable. Rob and Antonia (Annie, as Rob affectionately nicknamed her) were good characters. Annie definitely had personality, a lot of sass. Occasionally her naiveté could grate my nerves but for the most part I like her. Rob definitely had his annoying and jerk moments but I believe he's a good guy. He and Annie did end up  caring for each other and I think that the chemistry between them is potent enough. Any loves scenes were done well and tastefully. Rob's father was a fun side character who I really enjoyed reading about. The book was fun and different and I'm glad that I took a chance on reading it. If you enjoy these treasure hunt type books and some good romance mixed in I would recommend this to you. I would give this... 3.5 quills, I believe. 

 

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Book Review | Derision by Trisha Wolfe!!


Title: Derision
Author: Trisha Wolfe
Release Date: May 24th 2016
Page Amount: 223 pages


GoodReads Blurb:

*Dark erotic standalone that may have triggers

Here at Lark and Gannet, you’ll work directly under the partners, being groomed by the most powerful, all-male partnership to handle an exclusive clientele. While within The Firm, your level of training goes deeper, requiring more…varied tasks, which you’re obligated to perform to your Master’s pleasing.

Are you nervous? You should be. Chase Larkin has chosen you to be his submissive.

Alexis Wilde, will you submit?

All I wanted was to save my brother. Something my parents failed to do—and then, I failed him also. As an introvert, getting ahead in the cutthroat law firm required a level of ego stroking I didn’t posses, and that meant my talents were overlooked. Until Chase Larkin noticed me.

My erotic fantasy come to life, Chase is all powerful, all man, all dominant. In one night, he changed my life irrevocably. Now I’m ruined, destined to crave him forever. His scent. His taste. His brutal touch…

If I never followed him to his office that night, then none of this would’ve happened. A stalker on the prowl. Our lives in jeopardy. And only a moment—one pivotal moment—to decide our fate. His life or mine.

*This is a full length, standalone dark romance with an antihero that may trigger uncomfortable feelings for the reader.

Review:

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Okay, okay. For anyone who reads this blog: 1, thank you!! and 2, it is no secret that I love Trisha Wolfe. I mean LOVE. I've loved since I read her novella length work Unveiled I think...five years ago? Holy crap. 

I usually struggle with words when writing my reviews for Trisha's books but I think what I just said is a good way to start it out. Holy. Crap. I had a basic idea of what to expect going into this book but was looking forward to seeing Trisha's spin on it. I knew what I expected but what I got was so much more. I wasn't expecting the ties in with her With Ties That Bind series (book one is out and it's amazing.) Of course, since this an erotic standalone, there were sex scenes and damn, they were HOT. Steal my breath away hot. Trisha sure knows how to write these scenes well.

Chase may have been an antihero but I really like him. Sure, I may not have agreed with everything that he did but I still like him. He may have some... extreme tastes but I truly believe he is a good guy. He has boundaries, lines he doesn't cross. Unlike some. 

I like Alexis, as well. She may have come off as weak but in my mind she is anything but. She is a very, very strong woman who has been through a lot. Part of her strength comes in letting her emotions in instead of fighting them as so many of us do. This is, indeed, a type of strength. In addition to this I believe she is more than a worthy "opponent" for Chase, if you catch my drift. ;) I believe they are a good match for each other and I very much enjoyed reading about them. 

In addition to the romance, which of course I love, the suspense was terrific. I love good suspense and this book definitely had a lot of suspense. I got to a certain point in the book and could hardly look up from it. I had to see what happened. 

As always, the writing was beautiful. Trisha has an amazing way of writing that I will never get tired of. Beautiful, contemplative, dark, deep and yet hopeful. I will always want to read her beautifully strung together prose. 

And oh boy, that ending!! Oh my gosh, Trisha, girl, holy crap!! I couldn't believe the book ended there. I wonder if any of these characters will make an appearance somewhere else?? Wouldn't that be something?? ;) As always, I adored this book with every ounce of me and I will always clamor to get my hands on Trisha's next book. An undeniable 5 quills!! 

 

Blog Tour | Rebellion Project by Sara Schoen

 

 

REBELLION PROJECT

Lauren Scott has always been tormented by her peers for being a good girl… 

She is viewed as the golden child by her parents—following their rules and allowing them to make all of her life decisions. But after a lifetime of walking the straight and narrow, Lauren feels as though her life is passing her by. 

When she catches her father having an affair, she throws the rulebook out the window… 

Lauren realizes that even if she does everything perfectly, life can—and will—surprise you. When life throws her a major curveball, she sets out to live for herself, making the rules up as she goes and smashing through everyone else’s expectations, but she doesn't know how to live without a guideline. So, Lauren is forced to ask her biggest tormentor for help—Kayden Daniels. 

Kayden is nothing but trouble—which is why Lauren needs him so badly… 

Kayden turns Lauren’s whole world upside down with a mischievous smirk and a proposition. But if Lauren wants his help to remake herself, she has to pay the price—her virginity. With no one else willing to help her, she agrees to make the trade. But when her change becomes too much to handle, will she give up or will she keep moving forward with a new reputation and a more adventurous life? 

Cliques, stereotypes, popularity contests, and drama. 
Some say it’s just another day in high school. 
For Lauren, it’s the Rebellion Project… 



 




Excerpt:


“Lauren Elizabeth Scott!” Dad shouted as I straightened up and glared daggers at his lover. If she had the courage to look at me, then she’d never willingly come into this house again. She shouldn’t even be here now, but I’m sure Dad had been letting her shack up here while Mom and I were gone. “Go to your room!” “Fine, but don’t be mad at me when she leaves you too. It’s not my fault you can’t be faithful,” I responded with a deadpan expression as I walked past him. I felt proud as I left them both staring after me in disbelief as I walked upstairs. I knew Dad would come upstairs to order me to bed, but I had a phone call to make before I did. I had a plan, but I needed help and I could think of only one person who would be willing to help me through this. I just hoped Parker was up for what I needed to have done. I sat on my bed and typed in the passcode for my phone. Once open, I scrolled through the contacts. There weren’t many, as I didn’t have many friends, but the one friend I needed would always be there for me. I felt a power rush over me as I replayed what just happened in my head. I took control and I wasn’t going to let it slip away. I dialed the all too familiar number and waited patiently until Parker answered the phone. “Hello?” she questioned, she must not have looked at the caller ID if she was asking who this was. “Parker, I need your help with something,” I stated without pausing for common telephone pleasantries. I wanted to get to the point of this conversation as fast as possible so I wouldn’t have time to change my mind. “Sure. What is it, Lauren?” “I need you to teach me how to break the rules. I no longer want to live under the rules set for me. I want to break free and live life. I want to honor the wishes my mom had for me,” I stated, not realizing Parker wouldn’t understand what I meant without her knowing what happened in the attorney’s office. “She left me everything, and she wants me to live the life I want, but I don’t know how. If I do it alone, I’ll never be able to do it. I’m a mess, and need help. I need your help.” “I would love to help with that,” she stated. “Can I just say that it’s about goddamn time you made this phone call?” I could hear the smile in her words as she agreed to help me. “There’s no turning back once you start this, Lauren. You know that, right? I know you’re upset about your mom, and you have every right to be, but once we start down this road you’re stuck with it.” It sounded more as if she was warning me instead of asking to make sure I knew what I was getting into. “I don’t want to go back, Parker. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 


Sara Schoen

Guarded Secrets Series
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Covert Operations: http://amzn.com/B0172DGCE0
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Sara Schoen and Taylor Henderson

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Sara Schoen began writing in middle school, but did not officially dedicate herself to writing until high school when encouraged by her writing partner. Before then, Sara had not thought about trying to publish her works because it seemed unlikely that anyone would take a chance on someone so young. Despite her previous thoughts, she published her first book, Amber Alert, at the age of nineteen, and began rewriting and editing a spy series that she spent years writing when she was younger. With a lot of hard work and determination, now that same series, which is close to her heart, is a bestseller.

Sara is a Biology Major with a minor in Environmental Science and a minor in Spanish at James Madison University, and spends her time writing, studying, and ghost hunting. While writing is a great hobby that turned into a passion to share with others, school is her priority.

Throughout her publishing journey, Sara has had an amazing support system from her family, friends, and significant other, who were with her every step of the way. She hopes to continue to write, and wants to inspire others to reach for their dreams no matter how far they may seem. She truly believes that dreams can come true at any age, if you put in effort and chase after what you want.


–– FOLLOW SARA ––
Twitter: @SaraNSchoen
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