Friday, January 06, 2017

Review: The Independents

The Independents The Independents by Aaron L. Speer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ever get the feeling that you're being a complete asshat, but can't seem to step out of that role? Ever feel like you're telling people they're stupid because you're too ashamed or embarrassed or selfish to admit that you aren't who you say you are? No? Me neither. However, as a reader in this amazing indie community, I have found that there are those readers and authors who thrive on this kind of thing. And those people aren't necessarily "indie." Some of these so-called writers bash the indie community for being brave enough to stand on their own, for being brave enough to take control of their lives and not let it be dictated by another. Unless, of course, that "another" is a reader.

Indie writers put a lot on the line when they hit that publish button. Very little to no backing, the support system being close friends at first, trying to get a foot into a world saturated with books in every genre. Finding that spot to fill, finding that one person who can boost you to the best sellers list, finding those readers to support absolutely everything you could put on paper--that's the true test. That is what it takes to be indie.

Aaron Speer drives this point home by giving us Martina. An author who is traditionally published, she's getting nowhere in her career. In order to reach her goals, she heads to the indie community and reaches out--but not as herself. Nooooo. She takes on a different name, a different genre, and a different persona on social media. She's good and she rises quickly to the top.

Until she is confronted. And confrontation isn't good for business, is it?

I'm a believer that bad publicity is still publicity--and I think many authors have proven that over the last year--but it isn't always in the favor of the person in the public's eye. So, what do yo do when someone thinks they know something others don't? What do you do when you want to protect what you've created, but can't afford to divulge those secrets? What. Do. You. Do?

I love what Aaron Speer has done with this. The struggle of Martina, the confrontation, the suspense. I love that he gave us all of this in such a short amount of time.

After all, we are indie.

If you insult one of us, you insult all of us.

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Review: Dear Life

Dear Life Dear Life by Meghan Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm too busy crying to write a review right now. I'll get back to this tomorrow.

Okay, okay. I think I can do this now. I'm actually ashamed to admit that I have never read a book by Meghan Quinn until now. I have heard that this was a bit different than her typical rom-com, but I didn't know just how different.

Four people. Four different lives. Four different hurdles to jump. Dear Life is the system that brings these four lost souls to one another. Dear Life is the system in which they will try to heal themselves.

Meet the people that drive this story.

Daisy: Sheltered from the outside world, raised by her grandmother, and home-schooled she's never experienced life like most girls. After her grandmother suffers a stroke, she moves in with her half-sister, Amanda.

Jace: Pro-baseball player who just rocked his rookie year. Just had his world shattered when an old flame shows up seven months pregnant. Faced with fatherhood and raising a child while on the road, Jace has to decide what is best for his child.

Hollyn: Destroyed emotionally by the death of a loved one, she is left to grieve for the love and life she is missing. Refusing to move on, she keeps the same dead-end job as a waitress and wallows in grief and self-pity.

Carter: Raised by an emotionally abusive uncle, he is trying to overcome the black cloud that lingers over his head. Just when he thinks he can do it, he is blindsided by the one person he thought he could trust.

Dear Life comes to each of these people by word of mouth. Grouped together to work in small support teams, these four become the structure of the book and each other. Each meeting they tell their story, write letters, and support each other. They never saw each other coming. Each unique with their own story, they manage to find a bit of common ground.

A group text changes the dynamic of this foursome. And I think this is the witty remarks and comedy that Meghan Quinn is known for:
This right here, this is why group text messages should never be allowed. Why do I wan tot be part of a conversation that really is between two people? Thank you, Apple, for fucking with my insanity.

But what happens when that group chat turns into chats between duos? What happens when different people connect while others find themselves nearly hating the others?
"I want to get lost in you. In your touch, in your body, in your spirit. I want to forget with you, but I also want to experience joy again."

Because her lips are one of those things I haven't been able to get out of my head the past few days. I want to know how they taste, how soft they are, how they would feel up against mine. Would it be serendipitous? Like we were meant to be?


Now that the sexual tension is off the charts, can this group of lost souls find a way to mend themselves or each other? Is there more to this life than the life of inexperience? grief? hatred? loss? What do you do when that person you've come to rely on is suddenly missing from your life as well? Can you pick up the pieces and put them back together or do you crumble into a bigger mess than you were in when this all started? Where will you be when your life changes again?

"Don't let anyone dictate who you're supposed to be. You and you alone can make that decision."


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New Release: Dirty Bird




Dirty Bird: Caged Volume 2 OUT NOW!:  http://amzn.to/2j30vHk



Book 2 in the Caged series by international best sellers H.Q. Frost and M. Dauphin. 
The sequel to Little Bird(found here-http://amzn.to/2j2Y5IX)


Who will come out on top? 
When all that's left is manipulation and hate, being the one who holds all the power is the only option. 
This gritty book gets darker and dirtier than before. Don't miss out on the mind blowing conclusion to the Caged series.


*18+
**This is a dark romance. DARK. Take that as your warning, and strap in for this amazing finale**




Wednesday, January 04, 2017

Blog Tour: The Devil's Spawn

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The Devil's Spawn is now available! Don't miss out on the final book in Gemma James' epic series!
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Blurb:
Kayla Sutton has finally submitted.
And now that Gage has his wife firmly under his control again, he won’t stop until he’s extracted every last independent drop from her being.
As each day passes, she learns new ways to accept his dominion. After all, she has a lot to atone for. Flirting with disaster with her ex-lover turned brother-in-law might be forgivable, but it’s not so easily forgotten.
And neither are skeletons. If there’s one thing Kayla has learned it’s that skeletons don’t just come out of the closet; they bust through with the power of a locomotive, mindless of the destruction they cause.
For the sake of her sanity, Kayla must make a tough decision, even if it means leaving everything behind.
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BUY Now!
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EXCERPT:
“It really boils down to one thing,” Simone said. “Do you trust him?”
She made it sound so easy, but as I examined my feelings and tore apart his words, dissected his actions, I realized that I did. Mostly. There were plenty of things not to trust him about—anytime he came near me with his cock at the ready and a belt or whip in his fist, for instance—but on a fundamental level, I did trust him.
If I didn’t, why would I keep putting myself through this? Why keep bending and bending and bending?
“I do trust him,” I said, swiping my bangs to the side. “I love him. More than I could ever say. More than even makes sense.”
“Then I’d put the baby mama out of your head. He married you, and though I won’t begin to understand or approve of your…weird relationship, he has always come across as pretty fucking whipped.”
I almost spluttered my tea all over the table at her words. Gage, whipped? But the more I thought about it, the more it clicked, because when you got down to the nitty-gritty, we had each other wrapped. “I guess you’re right. I just wish I could get that woman out of my head. The way she touches him, and the way she glares at me…God, Simone, she makes me see red and green at the same time.”
“You need a fucking hobby.” Simone’s mouth twisted into a scowl, but her gaze softened as she said it to take out some of the sting.
“A hobby?” I asked, absently picking at my half-eaten quiche. Apparently, the subject of Katherine made me lose my appetite. Or maybe it was the smell of overcooked cheese. I pushed the plate away, scrunching my nose. “Why do you say that?”
Simone made a scoffing sound, and I glanced up to find her reclined in her seat, arms crossed. “To hear you talk, it sounds like your whole life revolves around Gage and what he may or may not be doing with Katherine.”
A hobby might not be a bad idea. Maybe I could start collecting trinkets, like dolphins or dragons.
Or elephants.
Definitely elephants. Lord knew I had plenty of those in my life. Gigantic ones that ate up too much space and sucked up all the air. One stood between Gage and me in the form of Katherine. But the biggest one sat smack in the middle of Simone and me.
This elephant’s name was Ian, and he’d grown too secure in his comfy spot since that damn note had magically appeared on my door. But it was easier, safer, to focus on my marriage and the interloper named Katherine. The subject of Ian was too dangerous. Too painful.
Simone must have agreed because she didn’t bring him up once.
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Start the series today - the first book is FREE
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About the Author:
Gemma James is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of a blend of genres, from new adult suspense to dark erotic romance. She loves to explore the darker side of human nature in her fiction, and she's morbidly curious about anything dark and edgy, from deviant sex to serial killers. Readers have described her stories as being "not for the faint of heart."
She warns you to heed their words! Her playground isn't full of rainbows and kittens, though she likes both. She lives in Oregon with her husband and their four children--three rambunctious UFC/wrestling-loving boys and one girl who steals everyone's attention.
Connect with Gemma:

Tuesday, January 03, 2017

Release Blitz & Review: It's You

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It's You, book 1 by Katy Regnery writing as KP Kelly is NOW LIVE!

"Simply amazing! It's You is everything we wished for Jacob and Bella except better. The love between two characters has never been felt so strongly through the pages as it has with Jack and Darcy. An absolute must read for any fan of true love, soulmates and men with sexy beards." - New York Times bestselling author, Heidi McLaughlin
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BUY NOW
Barnes & Noble: http://ow.ly/u7Pt306YDJa
Check out the trailer HERE: https://youtu.be/_Y5wIBJwUw0
Read the AMAZING five-star reviews on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2hMOHd5
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Blurb:
From New York Times bestselling author Katy Regnery comes her first duo of paranormal romances!
ONCE UPON A TIME…
the most beautiful boy in the world kissed me.
I’ve never been able to forget.
Perhaps it was his jet-black hair,
or the changing copper-color of his eyes,
the intense way he looked at me…
or the fact that he awakened my passion for the first time,
at once otherworldly yet heartbreakingly real.
But after that kiss, I never saw him again.
His name was Jack Beauloup.
Jack, my “Beautiful Wolf.”
Twenty years passed. He has returned. For me.

Brandi's Review:

I haven't read a paranormal romance in ages, but when Katy Regnery said she would be releasing a PNR duo, I couldn't grab it fast enough. 

Wow! That's all I can honestly say about this book. It isn't every day you get a book about a passionate kiss shared in high school that alters the entire course of two people's lives. I mean, some book claim it, but few deliver. This book delivers. 

Darcy is a fifteen year old girl with a crush. That crush is two years older than her and can barely look at her. Sounds a lot like my high school experience--with the exception of that smoldering, world-shattering kiss. 

For what is bound cannot be broken.

Jack Beauloup is the broody young man who crushes on the underclassman, but can't handle being near her. Plus, he knows his time in Carlisle is almost up. No sense in getting involved with anyone, right?

But what happens when a kiss changes everything? Is it one of those moments you don't forget because you crushed on the other person so hard that nothing could compare? Or is it one of those moments that should have been forgotten, but other forces refused to let it go? Shouldn't a kiss shared by two high school kids be a small stepping stone toward adulthood and the world of dating?

Darcy can never find anyone who compares to Jack. Jack knows he can't find anyone that compares to Darcy. But why does he leave after that amazing kiss? What drives his actions? Will he return for her? What will happen if he does?

"You're everything to me, Darcy. Everything."

Grab It's You: book one NOW. Honestly, you won't regret it. The second book releases later this month and it will be an epic conclusion to an epic love story that defies the laws of humanity.
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Don't miss out on It’s You, book 2
Release date: January 17th
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The thrilling conclusion of Katy Regnery’s first paranormal romance series!
HAPPILY EVER AFTER…
To some, they’re just words signifying a fairytale ending.
For me, Jack Beauloup, they represent an unyielding desire:
Forever with Darcy Turner, the unexpected love of my life.
A love that has placed her human life in danger.
According to Pack Law, my binding is an abomination that must be severed.
It’s ignited a fiery hatred that I must confront and control.
But what is bound cannot be broken.
I will keep Darcy safe.
Even if it means giving up on my dreams.
Even if it means giving up my life.
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About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract and Katy’s first novel was published in September 2013.
Twenty-five books later, Katy claims authorship of the multi-titled, New York Times and USA Today Blueberry Lane Series, which follows the English, Winslow, Rousseau, Story, and Ambler families of Philadelphia; the six-book, bestselling ~a modern fairytale~ series; and several other standalone novels and novellas.
Katy’s first modern fairytale romance, The Vixen and the Vet, was nominated for a RITA® in 2015 and won the 2015 Kindle Book Award for romance. Katy’s boxed set, The English Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1–4, hit the USA Today bestseller list in 2015, and her Christmas story, Marrying Mr. English, appeared on the list a week later. In May 2016, Katy’s Blueberry Lane collection, The Winslow Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1-4, became a New York Times E-book bestseller.
In 2016, Katy signed a print-only agreement with Spencerhill Press. As a result, her Blueberry Lane paperback books will now be distributed to brick and mortar bookstores all over the United States.
Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, two dogs, and one Blue Tonkinese kitten create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.
Author Links:
Website/Newsletter Signup: http://katyregnery.com/


Sunday, January 01, 2017

Review: What Breaks a Man?: Sensible Hearts 2

What Breaks a Man?: Sensible Hearts 2 What Breaks a Man?: Sensible Hearts 2 by H.Q. Frost
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great way to bring in the New Year. HQ Frost has managed to piss me off and satisfy me in one book. I loved Dom and La in What Makes a Man?: Sensible Hearts 1 but damn she left me with one hell of a cliffhanger. This book jumps seven years into the future and it is so worth it. At first, I wasn't sure about the timeline, but once the book gets started, it all makes sense.

Dom is still amazing and he's still trying to prove himself to everyone. But mostly he's trying to prove himself to himself. He's battle with self-doubt while being so self-assured is such a contradiction, but it is so Dom. That probably only makes sense if you've actually read the first book, but trust me when I say he's even better at 25 than he was at 18. Seriously, waaaaaaaaay better.

Nyla is like a dream come true for Dom. She was his answer to everything in What Makes a Man? and she is still his reason for everything in What Breaks a Man?
But La has changed and boy did she piss me off. She isn't the same sweet, naive girl from the first book. She's closed off and hurtful. She hurts Dom at every turn and I just can't understand why. Until I do understand why and the whole freaking book falls into place and makes sense.

This is one of those books that had me messaging those I know who have read it to tell them how upset I was. I was upset with La. I was upset with Dom. I was upset with so much, but I kept going because I knew--I just knew--Frost would fix it all.

And she did. Oh, did she ever make me happy with that ending. So, thank you for an excellent conclusion to an amazing duo. I can't wait to see what else you have in store for me.

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