Review: Burn down the night by M. O'Keefe

Burn down the night by M. O'Keefe

Release date: August 9, 2016

Publisher: Loveswept

Buy here: Amazon

My Rating: 4

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Synopsis:

The only thing that matters to me is rescuing my sister from the drug-cooking cult that once enslaved us both. I’ve run cons my whole life, and I’ll use my body to get whatever I need. Max Daniels is the last connection I have to that world, the one person reckless enough to get involved. Besides, now that his brothers have turned on him, he needs me too.
 
The deal was supposed to be simple: a place to hide in exchange for rescuing my sister. Now he’s my prisoner. Totally at my mercy. But I’m the one captivated. Enthralled. Doing everything he asks of me until I’m not sure who’s in control.
 
We both crave the heat. The more it hurts, the better. But what if Max wants a different life now, to leave the game . . . to love me? I thought I knew better than to get burned. Now I’m in too deep to pull away. And the crazy thing is . . . I don’t want to.
 

My Thoughts:

I loved this book. I thought that the first two books were amazing and that no other book could beat them. Well, this book did. I absolutely loved Joan and Max. 

Max was like the Jax Teller of SOA. It's no secret how I feel about SOA (Best show ever).

Max and Joan wind up together when Joan decided to blow up a strip joint to find her sister. That's where Max steps in and pulls Joan away before she can blow everyone up. Max ends up getting beat up by his club members and Joan takes him with her to Florida. These two started off as a love\hate relationship, but we all know there's a fine line between love and hate. 

What I really loved the most was seeing these two characters vulnerable sides. Joan, a tough, independent woman and Max, a tough biker. I'm always a sucker for the softer sides of characters. This book was probably one of the best ones I've read all summer.

Happy Friday!

Shanna

Review: Till I kissed you: A Cottonbloom novel by Laura Trentham

Till I kissed you by Laura Trentham

Release date: August 2, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin Press paperbacks

My Rating: 4

Buy here: Amazon

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Synopsis:

It’s summertime in Cottonbloom, where two lovers find themselves at a crossroads just as things start to heat up. . .

Regan Lovell grew up on the wealthy Mississippi side of Cottonbloom―and now, as mayor, she’s determined to save it from the fate of so many small towns. Part of her plan to help the local economy is the Labor Day tomato festival. If only she wasn’t being undermined by Sawyer Fournette, who’s planning a crayfish-themed celebration on the Louisiana side of the river on the very same weekend. The pranks and sabotage are getting out of hand, and she’s had it with him―no matter how much she enjoyed those stolen hours in his truck bed, so many years ago…

Sawyer knows that Regan's never forgiven him for breaking her heart―but despite his reputation as a low-class swamp rat, he’d never hurt the woman who still secretly drives him crazy with desire. Someone in Cottonbloom has it out for her, though, and Sawyer intends to watch her back…and the rest of her too, if she can ever let go of her distrust. But will a common enemy be enough to unite them―and finally fulfill the promises they made one passionate night under the stars?

My Thoughts:

So. This is book number three in this series and the first one I've read. Yes, I'm reading in the wrong order, but it's OK. After reading number 3 I can tell y'all that it can be read as a stand-alone. 

I have a soft place in my heart from Southern towns (I was born and raised in Charleston, SC) and let me tell you, if Cottonbloom was a real place, I'd be there in a flash. The author did such an amazing job describing the town. 

This is all about getting second chances at love. Everyone knows that when you're in High School it's very easy to sway someone in one way or another. Especially when parents are involved. Regan and Sawyer were HS sweethearts. Regan was the cheerleader and Sawyer was the football player from the other side of the tracks so to speak. A misunderstanding happened and Regan and Sawyer were over. Fast forward 11 years or so later and Regan is the mayor of Cottonbloom, Ms amd Sawyer is the mayor of the Parish of Cottonbloom, Louisiana. A little mystery, a little dueling festivals, and a lot of chemistry and you have the recipe for a hot southern romance. I loved this book and now I'll be reading book one :)

Happy Humpday!

Shanna

Review: Splinter by Sarah Fine

Splinter by Sarah Fine

Release date: August 2, 2016

Publisher: 47North

My rating: 4

Buy here: Amazon

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Synopsis:

Mattie Carver has relinquished the world of magic, with all its dark temptations. In six weeks, she’ll marry Ben Ward and claim the safe, small-town life she craves. But Mattie’s talents as a reliquary—someone able to smuggle magic within her body—make her a valuable commodity, even to those she trusts the most. Forced out of retirement by a painful betrayal, she must seek the help of the man she’s tried desperately to stay away from: Ben’s estranged brother, Asa.

Asa, a sensor and magic dealer, may have saved Ben months ago, but he’s complicated Mattie’s life beyond imagining. Trailed by lethal mobsters through Chicago’s seamy magical underbelly and an eerie traveling carnival, Mattie struggles to endure the priceless magic she’s holding and her feelings for Asa. Once, she thought she’d chosen her path. Now the only option may be to succumb to the destiny that’s choosing her, and hope she’s strong enough to survive.

My Thoughts:

"When we're together, he said, you give me control, You let me be in charge. You might surrender, but this isn't war baby"

That, my friends. is probably my favorite line out of the whole book. I love nothing more than a take-charge hot guy. Asa delivered. 

Soooooo, I confess that I did not read the first book in this series. In my defense, I didn't know this was a series. With that said, make sure you read the first book first, ok? Ok.

This book was all kinds of supernatural, magic-y fun. I'm intrigued with books that deal with magic. At first I really didn't think I would like this book, but after about ten minutes of reading, I realiased that I was hooked. 

Without giving away any spoilers, Ben, Mattie's fiance, has done something really boneheaded that makes Mattie not trust him. Now enter Asa, Ben's brother. He's saved Mattie in the first book and now he's back to save her again. In my opinion, Mattie has way more chemistry with Asa than Ben. I honestly can not wait till the third book releases. It seems like such a long time :(

Happy Tuesday!

Shanna

Review: Rock with you by Rachel Lacey

Rock with you by Rachel Lacey

Release date: August 2, 2016

Publisher: Forever Yours

My rating: 4

Buy here: Amazon

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Synopsis:

SWEET AS SUGAR. SEXY AS SIN . . . 
Carly Taylor is pretty sure she's dreaming. It's not possible that Sam Weiss - rock star god and sexy hotness personified - is actually in her bakery. This sort of thing never happens in the too-small town of Haven. Or to her. And being stranded in a secluded mountain cabin with the deliciously decadent Sam during an ice storm? This is definitely not Carly's real life . . . 

Now there's just the two of them, a roaring fire, lots of food and drink, and a sizzling attraction - one that just might make Carly do the unexpected. For one night, she'll live the fantasy. For one night, nothing else matters. . . not her struggling business, not her lonely life, not Sam's bad-boy reputation. But sometimes one night can turn one crazy, beautiful dream into something real.

My Thoughts:

I love a good book that has a sexy rock star. This book may have been short, but it perfect in every way. This is the first time I have read something by Rachel Lacey and I have to say, I really like her writing style. She's talented, that's for sure. 

Carly took over her Grandmothers bakery, that's where she first lays eyes on Sam.Sam is there to let a Hollywood scandal die down and to write another number one smash hit. The only problem is he's lost his muse. That is until he lays on Carly. 

Carly gets a call from Sam wondering if she could deliver some sweets the cabin he's staying in. There's also a winter storm heading their way with icy roads. Yup. Y'all know what's gonna happen next. They get stranded together. That, my friends, is where things get nice and sweet. As I said before, this is just a novella, but it felt  like I got the complete and whole story. This book could easily go toe-to-toe with a full length novel.

Have a happy Tuesday y'all!

Shanna

Review: Dancing through life by Candace Cameron Bure

Dancing through Life by Candace Cameron Bure

Release date: August 1, 2016

Publisher: B&H Books

My rating: 4

Buy here: Amazon

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Synopsis:

Candace Cameron Bure has grown up before our eyes and we've watched as she's balanced life in Hollywood with her faith for many years. But that all reached new heights when she was given the opportunity to join the cast of Dancing With the Stars. Being on the show was one of her dreams come true; and with that dream came the opportunity to display her Christian faith in front of millions of people, through an intense season of stretching beyond her limits, and to run the race God gave her with joy and perseverance.
 
Join Candace as she reflects on the self-discovery that came through leaping out of her comfort zone. Go behind the scenes and experience the highs and lows, the roadblocks, and the personal victories. Hear straight from her heart on tough lessons learned about grace, rejection, perfectionism, disappointment, accountability, dealing with criticism, and more. Through God’s strength, and with the help of endless support from her family and friends, see how Candace stayed true to herself and publicly lived out her faith in Christ all the way to the finale.
 
How do you stand with conviction in your world? Where does your courage come from when faced with challenges? How do you live out your faith on a daily basis despite opposition? Your stage probably isn't in Hollywood and the challenges you are facing may not be on live television, but they are no less real. Come along with Candace as she shares how she found the courage to stand with conviction on one of the largest platforms of her life.

My Thoughts:

We all know who Candace Cameron Bure is, I'm pretty sure we all watched her on Full House and then on Fuller House as DJ Tanner. I love her as an actress and a role model. I think we need more women like her. 

Unless you've been living under a rock, there's a really good chance that you've watched an episode or two of Dancing with the stars. This book is kind of a behind-the-scenes look into what really happens and what really goes on. As someone who works on movie sets for a living, I can tell you right now, it takes a lot to make everything  look so glamorous. 

As I was saying, I know who Candace is, but I didn't know how much of her religion and beliefs comes into play in her everyday life. To be honest, it surprised me in the best way. Along with what really happens when the cameras are off, Candace gives us a look into her beliefs. There's a lot of scripture in this book, almost more than her own actual words. To be completely honest, it was a little too heavy on the scripture. I kind of felt like the whole book was taken over by it. That's just my opinion though. To each their own. Other than that it was a joyful read. I always love getting a glimpse into a celebrities personal life and Candace delivered. This is the first book of hers that I have read and now I'm off to the bookstore to buy her others. 

Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Shanna

Release Blitz: Veiled by Karina Halle

      From the New York Times bestselling author of The Lie and The Pact comes a new romance that will test your limits and leave you breathless. Death. It's something that Ada Palomino has always known so well, having grown up in a house of horrors, surrounded by a family plagued by ghosts and demons and things that go bump in the night. But after the sudden and tragic death of her mother two years ago, death has never felt so personal. Or so close. Now eighteen, Ada is trying to move on with her life and the last month of summer holds nothing but sunshine and promises with her first year at a Portland design school just around the bend. That is until her increasingly violent and realistic dreams, dreams of other worlds, of portals and veils where her mother is tortured and souls bleed for mercy, start to blend into reality. Ada has to lean on her older sister, Perry, to try and make sense of it all but even then, she's never felt more alone. Then there's Jay. Tall, handsome and deeply mysterious, Jay would be just another stranger, a familiar face on the bus, if it wasn't for the fact that Ada has met him before. Every night. In every single dream. And the more that Ada is drawn to him in both worlds, the more she's in danger of losing everything. Including her heart. And her very soul.                 Then, out of nowhere: “You looked beautiful tonight, by the way.” Oh jeez. Be still my fucking heart. I try and swallow, his words, the sincerity in his voice rocking my world off-balance. “Which part? When the power went out or when Jacob went upstairs to fight a demon?” I joke. But I joke because I’m feeling this a little too much. “All of it. You know why I call you Princess?” he asks, his tone graver than before, like he’s letting me in on a very deep secret. “Because I’m a spoiled brat?” “Because you’re beautiful.” Well that shut me up. The sentence hangs in the air, larger than life. He clears his throat and goes on and I have to fight against the urge to roll over and face him. “You have this way about you. You don’t see it. But I do. Like you’re born royalty. The way you hold yourself. Your walk. The face of an angel.” Butterflies take flight in my gut, spreading through my veins until my whole body feels like its floating. “Why are you being so nice to me? Am I going to die?” He laughs softly. “I don’t know why I’m saying these things. Just seemed like the things to say. You’re destined for something great, Ada, I know this. And it’s an honor to help see you through it.” His words cascade down on me like ashes from a fire. Where they land, I’m ignited. Jay thinks I’m beautiful. And more than that, he believes in me. Silence settles over us, stealing time. I hear him breathing in the dark, steady as a heartbeat. He might even be sleeping. But I can’t even begin to shut down. My entire body, from the top of my scalp, down to my toes, is buzzing with heat and electricity. It’s like everything I felt for him before, everything I try to ignore, is coming out in full force, responding to his words, to his body so close to mine. I can feel the warmth at my back, sinking into my spine, just from his presence only. I’m starting to have feelings for him. Not just in a he’s a giant hulking beast who’s here to protect me from the underworld way. But real feelings, slowly creeping into my heart, day by day. The thought is terrifying in the same way that demons are terrifying. They both might take possession of me. They both might ruin me. And I’m not sure how much of me I’ll have left.        

QUESTIONS ABOUT VEILED

Q: Is this YA?

A: No. The main character is 18 and there is sex, crude language and violence in the book. It is recommended for mature teens or 18 and up.

Q: Is there a cliffhanger?

A: Nope! There's also no cheating and no love triangle (think I've covered the bases there!)

Q: Do I need to read the series (Experiment in Terror) that Veiled is a spinoff of first?

A: Absolutely not. Veiled stands alone. You do not need to have read the EIT series beforehand as this follows a different character (Ada Palomino) and a different storyline. However for those who have read EIT, all your favorites are in the book!

Q: Is it horror? Your other series was and I don't handle scary very well...

A: No, it's paranormal romance (though I promise you there are no vampires or werewolves), and while there are creepy elements to the story, it wouldn't be classified as horror. If you can read KMM's Fever Series or ANY urban fantasy, you'll be fine.

      Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Racing the Sun, Sins & Needles and over 25 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books. Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK. Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle, on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more. FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Review: Don't tempt me by Lori Foster

 

Lori Foster's fantastic contemporary romance, DON'T TEMPT ME, is a story of how love comes along when you least expect it. Be sure you order this amazing standalone novel today!

       

Lori Foster’s DON’T TEMPT ME – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule

July 18^th

Curvy and Nerdy – Review

Bookworm Dee Reads – Excerpt

Bridget's Book Bungalow – Review

From the TBR Pile – Review & Excerpt

July 19^th

Curled Up and Cozy – Review & Excerpt

My Girlfriends Couch – Excerpt

East Coast Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt

July 20^th

With Love for Books – Review

Go Read A Book – Review

Mama She's Crazy About Books – Review

I'm A Book Shark – Review

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

July 21^st

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

Fiction Fangirls – Review & Excerpt

Best Book Boyfriends – Excerpt

LucyLicious Reads – Review

July 22^nd

Book Munchies – Review & Excerpt

Ebook Indulgence – Excerpt

I Love Romance – Review & Excerpt

Red's Romance Review's – Review

July 23^rd

Nicole's Book Musings – Excerpt

Booknerd1107 – Review & Excerpt

Southern Vixens Book Obsessions – Excerpt

Always Booking – Review & Excerpt

July 24^th

Up All Night Read All Day – Review & Excerpt

Becky on Books – Excerpt

Book Briefs – Review

Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm – Review

July 25^th

EskieMama Reads – Review & Excerpt

Whispers from the mountains – Excerpt

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Okie Dreams Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

July 26^th

A Bookish Mess – Review & Excerpt

Embrace the Romance – Review & Excerpt

Take Me Away To A Great Read – Review & Excerpt

July 27^th

A girl and her books – Review

Margie's Must Reads – Excerpt

Author Groupies – Review

Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt

July 28^th

I am a book addict...and proud of it – Review & Excerpt

The bookworms obsession blog – Review

Romance Book Nerd – Excerpt

BJ's Book Blog – Review

July 29^th

The Smut-Brarians – Review & Excerpt

Friends Till The End Book Blog – Excerpt

Bookalicious Babes Blog – Review & Excerpt

July 30^th

Short and Sassy Book Blurbs – Review

A Brit and a Yank – Excerpt

For The Love of Fictional Worlds – Review & Excerpt

Majorly Delicious – Review & Excerpt

"Don't Tempt Me is a sweet, fast read about finding family, love, and more!  You can't go wrong with this book! It’s a must read!"—Night Owl Reviews

“Best friends find hunky men and everlasting love in Foster’s latest charmer.”—Publishers Weekly

   

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Love comes along when it’s least wanted

Jason Guthrie has no time for entanglements—between helping out his widowed brother and teenage nephew and getting his hometown back on its feet, his days are spoken for. But his nights are another story… And when his lovely new neighbor, Honor Brown, reluctantly accepts his help in remodeling her house, Jason finds himself wishing his handyman skills could knock down the defenses she keeps building around herself.

Martial arts teacher Sullivan Dean knows real danger when he sees it—even when it takes the form of the gorgeous blonde helping her friend move in across the street. After putting his wayward past behind him to focus on teaching control to troubled kids, Sullivan has learned to avoid party girls like Lexie Perkins. But Sullivan can’t seem to keep his hands off the real woman behind that flirty charm—or keep his heart from landing at her feet…

My Thoughts:

What is there to say about Lori Foster that hasn't already been said? Her books are just absolutely amazing each time she puts one out. I pretty much own all of her books. This book was a little different for me, it almost had two leading couples. None of her other books had that. I'm still trying to make up my mind on what I think about that. It was just weird for me. However, the rest of the book is sooooooo ridiculously good. I loved Honor. She was probably one of the sweetest heroines that I've ever read. She was so opposite of Lexie, her best friend. Lexie is very peppy and a straight shooter. Now we have the men. I'm literally swooning over the Guthrie brothers. Jason, be still my heart, is so darn sweet. He's everything you would expect out of an alpha-male. Honor and Jason's chemistry was pretty much instant from the time she ran over his trash can. This is a solid 5 star book. I can't wait to read the next book. 

 

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

 

   

"It's lust at first sight and a double romance in this new novel of neighbors helping neighbors by the prolific Foster"—Kirkus

    About Lori Foster: Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN. Visit her online at LoriFoster.com.        

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