The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy Blog Tour! (Character Interview, Review, & Giveaway)

 

~Character Interview With Juliet~ 

 

Juliet! Hey, girl, hey! Welcome to my blog! I am so excited to have you here today.

Hey Jessica, thanks for having me!

Have I told you that you have an awesome name? So pretty.

Thanks. I hate the Romeo comments, but I actually kind of like it too.

ANYWAY, let's get to the questions, shall we? I always tend to ramble us off into nowhere.

First question: Reed. My newest book boy crush. (I kinda hope you didn't take that the wrong way...) How is he?

Reed’s doing really well. I think I bring out a fun side in him. We seem to have fun doing even the most routine things.

 

Okay, I had to ask about him real quick. I can't help myself. But now I'm going to ask about YOU---how are YOU, Juliet?

I’m fantastic. I have amazing friends and the best boyfriend. Could I ask for more?

The Hazards of Skinny Dipping was one of my favorite contemporary stories in a long time. I think I can already guess the answer to this, but I'm going to ask anyway because I want to know your answer: do you regret going skinny dipping? When you went for the first time, I mean?

No. I regret having stayed with Dylan for so long, but I don’t think Reed and I would be together if I hadn’t taken the plunge. It’s weird how one decision can change your life so much.

Dylan. Dylan, Dylan, Dylan. Also known as "Douchebag" to me. I get that you'd had a crush on him, but after you and him hooked up for the first time and it wasn't good at all, what made you date him anyway?

Sigh. The short answer is I wanted it to work. Have you ever wanted something so bad that even when you realized it wasn’t great you couldn’t give it up? It took me awhile to realize it was time to give up my misguided dream.

If it WERE to have been Dylan's brother (Kevin was his name, yes?) instead of Dylan to have found you in the pool at the beginning of the story, do you think the story would have ENDED the same way?

I wouldn’t have hooked up with Kyle. I know that for sure. He’s cute and sweet, but Dylan is the only one I’d have had a random hook up with like that. I don’t think I would have been ready to get serious with Reed until I knew for sure that I didn’t want Dylan.

For the record, if your story would have ended any other way, I would have been very upset. Well, unless it ended...BETTER. Do you get what I'm saying? (I shall not actually spoil. It's so rude when people do that.)

Haha. I like the ending too, and the better ending was also great. J

You said your brothers could be kind of protective sometimes. Do you have any fun stories about that? Or was that just a generalization?

In high school I went to the movies with an older guy, and when I got up to go to the bathroom, I found both of my brothers spying on us. They claimed my date was a jerk. Needless to say I wasn’t happy with them.

 REED! Sorry, but a crush is a crush. I promise I'll get over it. But anyway, Reed. How are things going with you two? (That is a legit question and I hope for the best because you two are a great frekaing couple.)

Things are amazing! I mean of course we have our moments, but at the end of the day, we work so well together. I’ve never been happier or more confident before.

What is your favorite thing about Reed?

The way he makes me feel. I never worry about his true feelings for me.

What is your favorite thing about yourself?

My sense of humor.

Describe Reed in five words or less, please?

Sweet, sexy, strong, loving, amazing.

Describe yourself in five words or less, please?

Sarcastic, dedicated, happy, brave, and cool (sorry, had to throw that one in).  

Y'all kind of got off to a little bit of a rocky start, but it seemed like the sorority thing was working out for you. Is that still going well?

I’m glad I joined. I made some great friends, and they really helped me get through things freshman year. It’s a lot of fun.

You said you didn't think you were likely to be one of those girls to date a Kappa. What do you think now? ;)

I won’t be dating anyone else. J

Can you tell Reed I said hi? Please?

Sure. I understand why you like him so much.

 

Your cousin Amy. How close were you two before she gave you the list of things you HAD to do?

We were really close. She was (and still is) the closest thing I have to a sister.

If you were to have a pet tiger, what would you name him and why?

Fido. Just because it would be funny to call a tiger that.

Okay...I feel like this interview is becoming SUPER long, and I really hate the end of these things, but I'm sure you have about a gagillion other things you could be doing right now. Making out with your awesome boyfriend being #1 on that list. So...I'ma be a nice person and let you go do that. Yeah. I am. Okay.

YOU AND I ARE OFFICIALLY FRIENDS, JULIET. I declare it so.

Glad to know it.

Oh, anything extra you want to add before you go? Seriously, anything. randomness is fun, so it doesn't even have to be relevant if you don't want.

Don’t be afraid to take risks. Sometimes they really pay off.

All right. Thank you SO. MUCH. For stopping by and you are totally welcome back again anytime! Seriously. Come back and say hey sometime. It's what friends do. :)

This was so much fun! **Lots of clapping ** ;)

 

~Review~

 

I feel like I should start this review by saying that I'm pretty sure I've found a new author I need to start reading EVERYTHING of. Seriously.

Because The Hazards of Skinny Dipping? Um, yeah, it was FANTASTIC. I started reading this book at, like, 3 AM on a school night. Or maybe it was a weekend. All I know is that I was about to go to sleep, but I was stalling by playing with my Kindle...which means it was a school night, because why would I be stalling on a weekend? ANYWAY. I started reading it at some ungodly hour. I'm not going to say I pulled an all-nighter and read the whole thing. That, my friends, would be a lie. But I DID, however, spend the whole next day wishing I was at home reading this book and whining to anyone who would listen about how I needed to go home and reeeeeeeeeeead!

 

Click HERE to see the rest of my review of this phenominal New Adult novel!

 

 

~Giveaway~

A tour-wide giveaway, WOOT! Just enter through the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~About the Book~

 

The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Release Date: May 17, 2013
Format: ebook, 248 pages
Source: Review copy for blog tour
Buy It: Amazon | B&N

Description from Goodreads:
This isn't a deep book about first loves or self-discovery. If you want a book like that, I'd be happy to recommend one, but I don't have that kind of story to tell. Instead my story is about rash decisions and finding out that your dream guy is bad in bed. It's the story of when I finally went skinny dipping, and how my life was never the same again. Oh, and it's also the story of my freshman year of college and realizing Mr. Right might have been there all along.

 

~About the Author~

 

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlyssaRoseIvy

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5047249.Alyssa_Rose_Ivyhttps://www.facebook.com/AlyssaRoseIvy

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alyssaroseivy/

Website: http://www.alyssaroseivy.com/

 

♥Jessica(:

Review: The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy♥

The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Release Date: May 17, 2013
Format: ebook, 248 pages
Source: Review copy for blog tour
Buy It: Amazon | B&N

Description from Goodreads:
This isn't a deep book about first loves or self-discovery. If you want a book like that, I'd be happy to recommend one, but I don't have that kind of story to tell. Instead my story is about rash decisions and finding out that your dream guy is bad in bed. It's the story of when I finally went skinny dipping, and how my life was never the same again. Oh, and it's also the story of my freshman year of college and realizing Mr. Right might have been there all along.


I feel like I should start this review by saying that I'm pretty sure I've found a new author I need to start reading EVERYTHING of. Seriously.

Because The Hazards of Skinny Dipping? Um, yeah, it was FANTASTIC. I started reading this book at, like, 3 AM on a school night. Or maybe it was a weekend. All I know is that I was about to go to sleep, but I was stalling by playing with my Kindle...which means it was a school night, because why would I be stalling on a weekend? ANYWAY. I started reading it at some ungodly hour. I'm not going to say I pulled an all-nighter and read the whole thing. That, my friends, would be a lie. But I DID, however, spend the whole next day wishing I was at home reading this book and whining to anyone who would listen about how I needed to go home and reeeeeeeeeeead!

Also, Reeeeeed.

There is a difference. But I do love them both.

Since I'm a booklover and all, you'd think I get all eager about books all the time like that. But honestly? I don't. I'm actually pretty good about reading during free time during school/at home. Of course, there are always those special books and stuff that I get all excited about (HAZARDS being one of them), but it doesn't happen as often as you'd think.

Don't throw rocks at me for saying that.

But, anyway. HAZARDS. This book was just IN MY BRAIN. Once I started it, it just would not leave me alone and I loved every single second of it.

Character Rundown:
Juliet: Wicked sense of humor, admirable backbone, and snark up the yin-yang, this chick is my kind of MC. Her narration was truly what made this story come to life, and she is added to my not-so-long list of female characters that I not only like, but LOVE.

Reed: I loved this boy from the moment we shot him, backwards-hat and all. He is so my boy. He wasn't really cookie-cutter at all, he was just...real. Nice, but not overly and unbelievably so. Funny. Mature. Attractive. Or, at least the picture I have painted in my mind of him is attractive. ...very much so.

Plot. First and foremost I love how skinny dipping began this story and then played a part all the way through. And I DON'T mean that Juliet goes skinny dipping every five pages. I just mean that the story began and then everything is all the snowball effect of that and I liked that. I was not very impressed with the...conflict? Conflict that sprang up between my two favorite characters in this story. I just don't feel like what happened was worth as big of a deal as it was given. Other than that, though, this story...it got me, y'all.

Romance. So, I'm just going to pretend Douchebag Dylan never existed, because he's not worth anything. Not even an iota of concentration right now. So I'll move on to Reed--the boy where my focus is on one hundred and ten percent. Reed and Juliet...they just had IT. Their banter was perfect, and their interactions were the greatest. I heart these two.

I also feel it is worth mentioning that Alyssa Rose Ivy wrote some of my favorite dialogue in this book. Part of the reason I'm so in love with this book, and now this author.

The ending. Skinny dipping through and through, you guys.

Overall, Alyssa Rose Ivy has written a wonderful New Adult novel that swept me away and stuck in my mind all the way through. She also created some magnificent characters that are so completely REAL, I can't help but love them. (Except Dylan. I've no love for Mr. Douchebag.)

♥Jessica(:

Review: Inked by an Angel by Shauna Allen

Inked by an Angel by Shauna Allen
Release Date: January 30, 2013
Format: ebook, 286 pages
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Series: The Cupid Chronicles #1
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review

Description from Goodreads:
Jed Gentry is doing just fine, thank you very much, running his tattoo studio in Austin, Texas. So what if people think he’s a bit on the surly side? He’s been burned by his ex who sticks around to torture him and he lives with a family heartache that he’d rather not talk about. But he’s got a thriving business, his dream car, and good friends. Not much to complicate things. At least, not until she walked in…

Kyle O’Neill has had it with being the sheltered daddy’s girl at the family accounting firm and is ready to spread her wings and fly on her own for the first time. Unfortunately, it seems she’s about to fall flat on her face when her first and only client is – gulp -- a tattoo artist! Her country club upbringing certainly hasn’t prepared her for this place or the sizzling attraction her traitorous body feels for the grumpy owner.

But there is a Divine conspiracy at work here pushing these two together. And they are hell bent on bucking the Heavenly plan all the way. Luckily, their angel is a true believer and pulls every trick he knows from under his halo to make this a match made in Heaven.
Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?

GUYS. This is one of those books that made me almost giddy. I was in a good mood for the two days (I slept a lot, otherwise I would have finished sooner) I was reading this. Ohh, man, this one made me happy.

But HOLD UP. Let's back up a bit. Inked by an Angel. Interesting title, right? What does ink have to do with angels? Whaaaat?!?! I was intrigued by this, too. Thus, I read the book. Well. Thus, I got the book on my Kindle to review. Then, one day I just COULD NOT decide what to read next and was flipping through the books on my Kindle and sccidentally clicked on this one. It was already on the first page (because that's what I do when I download books--open them to the first page, then let them sit until I'm ready for them), and I caught a glance at that first page and--I kid you not--I was hooked from there. I started ACTUALLY reading the book, and, like, two days later, I finished the book and happy-danced around my brother's living room.

Yeah. This was one of THOSE. One of those books that I was the boring chick sitting on my brother's couch while everyone else was...I don't even know. Watching some funny movie? I think that's it. Or maybe they were talking about something. I can't remember. All I know is that I poored my time into this one and was very greatly rewarded.

Character Rundown:
Kyle: Kyle is a girl and I think her name is kickass. I also think it is seriously cool that she's something of a "nerd" with such a kickass name. Unexpected things make me happy. Or at least, unexpected things like that. I love being surprised in a good way by characters, and Kyle did that. She had a backbone that most female characters with her personality traits would be lacking. Her strength was fantastic to watch--and then watch GROW, if you can believe it. Kyle was just plain awesome.

Jed: Awww, my boy. He was a surprising character, too. Where Kyle showed strength that got me, it was Jed's moments of vulnerability that got me here. Don't get me wrong, Jed didn't have a lot of sobbing, weak moments. But he had a few moments where he didn't do what I expected and he was sweeter, or maybe it was only his THOUGHTS that were sweeter, when we were in his POV, and that sweetness...it gets me.

Plot. I truly enjoyed Shauna Allen's depiction of angels and their duties. I think it was cool that there were particular ones to be "cupids". I also enjoyed seeing how the angels' missions intertwined as the story progressed. That definitely through in some factors that caught me off guard in the very best way.

Romance. With two kickass (in spirit, not LITERAL ass-kicking) characters like Jed and Kyle, how could the romance not be just PERFECT? Because, let me tell you, it is. I did not like how slow it prgressed, though. I mean, it was THERE throughout the whole book, but it took forever to move from step to step. Once they reached sweetness, though, I was smiling through and through.

The ending. I'm not going to say I was surprised. I was actually surprised. Not by Jed and Kyle, but by Michael and what is going to be next for him. I'm also supremely excited to see that played out in the sequel!

Overall, Shauna Allen has written a marvelous story that had me hooked from the first page and left me excited for more by the end. I will most definitely be pickin gup the sequel, and I suggest you pick up this book--if you haven't already--and catch up!


♥Jessica(:

Top Ten Tuesday: Covers of Books I've Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

 

This week is actually a freebie week, and since I missed last week (and the week or two before that...) I decided to use last week's topic. So here they are...

 

My Top Ten Book Covers of Books I've Read:

 

The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

So gorgeous. Plus, it's actually a scene from the book. I LOVE that. Goodness, I can't wait for The Redemption. The ending to this one still has me hyperventilating. KAAAYDEEEEEN!

 

Maybe by Brent Runyon

I read this book back in middle school, and it has stuck in my mind ever since. And that cover...it just sticks right along with it, you know? The...mood? Feeling? Whatever you want to call it, displayed in the cover is DEAD ON for the book. So perfect.

 

 

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Oh, yeah. I forgot to say--I'm not doing these in any particular order. So I'm going to tell you--THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK COVER EVER. I am so happy I own it in a physical copy and everything. It's just so fabulous and pretty and perfect and awesome. If I weren't to be so lazy, I'd go grab it from my room and see who designed it, but since I am, I'll just say that major props go to whomever it was that made this cover for this book. I can't imagine anything better.

 

 

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

All of the covers for this trilogy actually belong on this list, but I'm choosing to only do one per series. And I chose this one because...it's blue? I guess. I don't know. Because this book is the one with the lyrics to Sam's Summer Girl song? It's the first book that drew me into the awesomeness that is Mercy Falls AND Maggie Stiefvater? Sounds good to me.

 

OH! And Maggie's going to be at Austin Teen Book Festival this year. YEEEES!

 

 

Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is another one where all the covers of this series belong on this list. But again, I'm only choosing one. Why this one? I LOVE this flower. Possibly more than the others. POSSIBLY. Plus, this is the one where Seth was so...worthy of my admiration. I hope he becomes worthy again.

 

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

This cover...it's so simple, but so perfect. And just looking at it makes me CRY. Because this book made me cry. Ty is so freaking great...GOD, GEMMA, I THINK I HATE YOU. But I don't because I get you. But I do because...Ty...ahhhhhhh.

 

If you haven't read Stolen, I suggest you do. It is full of emotional turmoil, but is also worth every moment of it.

 

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

THIS IS MY FAVORITEST BOOK EVER. I am so serious right now. And this cover? Ha, it is perfect. Looking at it before you read it, you're all like "Um, what?" But then you read it and you actually LOOK at the cover and you just GET it. And by all those "you" statements, I was describing me.

 

If you haven't read this book, DO IT, or we can't be friends anymore.

 

(I'm totally kidding.) (But not really. Read this book.) (Ha! I kid, I kid.)

 

(READ IT.)

 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This is another one of those covers that just fits the book so perfectly. This cover IS a wallflower. Goodness. Also, I love this book. I JUST saw the movie about a week ago, actually. The ending was so amazing, I have no words.

 

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

This trilogy has some of the BEST covers ever. They are so beautiful and mysterious, which we all know--if you've read any of these books--is exactly what we find within the pages. I probably would have put the cover for The Evolution on this list instead, but I haven't...um...read it yet. I have it, though! I'm hoping to get to it this summer. Then I'll be caught up for The Retribution in the fall. WOOT!

 

 

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

This cover is so simple, yet so perfect. I've said that a lot in this post, but I've honestly meant it every time. Sarah from Okay Creations ALWAYS makes the most gorgeous covers, and this one is no exception. This book is also one of my favorites and Holder is one of my favorite book boys of all time. Seriously. I plan on making an official list for y'all sometime soon. Spoiler alert: Holder's on it.

 

Oh, and is anyone else completely excited for Losing Hope? That cover is just as amazing, and I can't wait to actually get to read the words inside!

 

And...that's ten! Obviously, there are SO. MANY. More gorgeous and perfect covers out there, but from books that I've read these are my top ten favorite so far. As I read more and as more covers are reveals/changed, I have no doubt my list will change. That's life.

 

Now, tell me:

 

What are some of YOUR favorite covers?

 

Do any of your favorites match mine?

 

If you do Top Ten Tuesday, which topic did you choose this week? Link me up!

 

♥Jessica(:

I'm on Team Bookish!

Hey, y'all! Long time, no updates, hmm? The end of the school year is getting closer and closer, which means finals are coming up, too. Honestly, I'm pretty much exempt from finals, and I'm pretty much done with LEARNING for the year, but I do have two classes where I am finishing stuff up. Not only that, but I still have to wake up early and go to school every day, which makes me so tired when I get home, and...ha, I've taken to napping.

So yeah. Free time has been minimal. BUT, my last day is on June 4th. That's only a little over a week away. Which means I'll have more time for blogging--and I mean ACTUALLY blogging, not just reviewing when I realize I signed up for something--and actually interacting with you guys again. WOOT. I'll do a giveaway sometime to get things rolling and it'll be lots of fun. You shall see.

But now to the title of this post. Team Bookish! Y'all know Evie from Bookish, yes? If you don't you should get acquainted with her blog, because I have officially joined her team over there!

Okay, okay. You're staring at the screen right now asking "What the... WHAT is this chick talking about?!?!"

Well, hold your horses, book lover! I shall explain.

About two weeks ago, Evie posted that she was looking for reviewers. She described the different kinds of reviewers she was looking for and what each would need to do. I, obviously, saw the post and decided to apply as her indie review. Why? Because I heart my indie peeps! And I totally thought I could do it. I also didn't think there was a chance in the world that Evie would actually pick ME.

But she did.

So now I'm the Indie Enthusiast over at Bookish! You can check out the welcome post HERE. It's, like, officially offical now, you guys. EEEEP!

What does this mean?

Well, it means that I'm going to be reviewing at least three indie books a month over at Bookish. I'm still going to be running my blog like always. I don't plan on slowing down (well, as of June 4th, after school is over, obviously) and I don't plan on not reviewing indie books over here. Nothing will change except some books reviewed over there. I might even do some author/character interviews over there, too. Pretty much, I'll have some Indie fun over there, while still having ALL KINDS of fun over here.

Don't get me wrong, though. I am SO. NEGIRBGIAEWBG! That I am a part of Team Bookish. It's a big deal to me. Seriously. Ask my mom. She was there when I got the email that I was chosen.

I'll be adding the books I review over there to my Review Archive, too, and I'll add to my About Me, and all that fun stuff. I'll differentiate in my review archive for the reviews that are reviewed over there, of course. I WILL NOT, however, be cross-reviewing. I will not post my reviews here that I'm posting there. Nope. Not happening. I will be posting them to Goodreads as always, though.

So...yeah. I think that's all I had to tell you in this post. It's a lot of typing, if you ask me. Whoa. If anything didn't make sense or you have any questions, just email me at makesmeworse12@gmail.com, tweet me at @makesmeworse12, or leave a comment! If you lave a comment, though, make sure you check back for a response.

In a nutshell, though, here is what I've just told you:
- School is almost over. Please stick around until then, when I have more free time.
- I am now the Indie Enthusiast over at Bookish!
- Check out the welcome post HERE!
- My blog will still be run as normal. Nothing will change.
- I will put ALL my reviews, including the ones from Bookish, in my archive.
- I am so excited to be part of Team Bookish!

Got that? GOOD. I might do a post at the end of the month with links to anything I did over at Bookish, but I'm not sure yet. I always plan for end-of-the-month posts, but have a tendency to forget to actually DO them. So we'll see.

Thank you guys for being so awesome!

And that's it! Time for me to go find somewhere to pass out for a few hours. Seriously, it's, like, 3 AM here. Yawn.

 

♥Jessica(:

Runes by Ednah Walters Blog Tour: Excerpt & Giveaway!

~EXCERPT~

The ding of the doorbell resounded in the house before I finished my assignment. I grinned. Must be Eirik, my unofficial boyfriend. I jumped up, raced to the door, and yanked it open.

"About time you got he…"

I took a step back, my pulse leaping. In one sweeping glance, I took in the stranger’s shaggy black hair, piercing Pacific-blue eyes under arched eyebrows, black leather jacket, and hip-hugging jeans. Either fate had conjured the poster boy of all my fantasies and deposited him on my doorstep or I was dreaming.

I closed my eyes tight and then opened them again.

He was still there, the only thing missing was a bow or a note with my name pinned to his forehead. Irrationally, I wondered how it would feel to run my fingers through his hair. It was luxurious and so long it brushed the collar of his jacket. His lips moved, and I realized he was speaking.

"What?" I asked. The single word came out in two syllables, and I cringed. Lame, Raine."I asked if you’d seen Eirik Seville," the stranger said impatiently in a deep, commanding voice as though he was used to giving orders, "and you shook your head. Does that mean you didn’t understand what I said, don’t know him, or don’t know where he is?"

"I, uh, the third one." Could I be any lamer? Worse, warmth crept up my face. "I mean, I don’t know where he is," I said in a squeaky voice.

"He said he would be at the house of..." he pulled out a piece of paper from the back of his biker glove, the fingerless kind, and read, "Raine Cooper."

"That’s me. Lorraine Cooper, but everyone calls me Raine. You know, rain with a silent E," I said even though he didn’t ask for an explanation. I tended to blabber when nervous. "Yeah, well, Eirik’s not here."

"When do you expect him? Or should I ask when does he usually get here, Raine with an E?" the guy asked.

I bristled, not liking his mocking tone or the way he spoke slowly as though I was a dimwit. "He doesn’t always come here after school, you know. You could try his house or text him."

Mr. Hot-but-arrogant shrugged. "If I wanted to use modern technology I would, but I’d rather not. Could you do me a favor?"

Use modern technology? Which cave did he crawl from? He spoke with a trace of an accent that had a familiar lilt. British or Aussie? I could never tell the difference.

He sighed. "You’re shaking your head again. Did my question confuse you? Am I talking too fast, too slow, or is it me? I’ve been told my presence tends to, uh, throw people off."

I crossed my arms, lifted my chin, and stared down my nose at him. I was usually the calm one among my friends, the peacemaker, but this guy was seriously pushing my buttons with his arrogance. "No."

His eyebrows rose and met the lock of hair falling over his forehead. "No to what?"

"No, you didn’t confuse me. And no, I won’t do you a favor."

He rolled his eyes, plucked wraparound sunglasses from the breast pocket of his jacket, and slipped them on before turning to leave.

Yeah, good riddance. To copy Cora’s favorite saying, ‘he just lost hotness points’.

 

~GIVEAWAY~

Tour-wide giveaway!

Tour Grand Prize (INTL)
1st prize: A choice of signed copy or e-book of Runes and $25 gift card from Amazon
2 prize: A choice of signed copy or e-book of Runes and $10  gift card from amazon.

Just fill out the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~ABOUT THE BOOK~

Runes by Ednah Walters

Release Date: May 20, 2013

Publisher: Firetrail Publishing

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Buy It: Amazon | Kindle (US) | Kindle (UK) | Kindle (CA) | B&N | Smashwords

Description from Goodreads:

 Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.

Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run.

Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

EDNAH WALTERS grew up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and dreaming of one day writing her own stories. She is a stay-at-home mother of five humans and two American short-hair cats (one of which has ADHD) and a husband. When she is not writing, she’s at the gym doing Zumba or doing things with her family, reading, traveling or online chatting with fans.

Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. AWAKENED, the prequel was released by Pill Hill Press in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, will be released April 2013. She’s working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN.

Ednah also writes New Adult paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series. She is presently working on book 2, IMMORTALS.

Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. Since then she has published four more books in this series. She's presently working on book six. You can visit her online at www.ednahwalters.com or www.ebwalters.com.

Author Links:
Website: http://www.ednahwalters.com/index.html
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4188120.Ednah_Walters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdnahWalters

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ednahwalters

♥Jessica(:

Drowning in You by Rebecca Berto Blog Tour (Review & Giveaway!)

 

~REVIEW~

Drowning in You by Rebecca Berto

Release Date: April 5, 2013

Format: eARC

Series: Finding Forever in Us #1

Source: Author for blog tour

Buy It: Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle | Smashwords | Kobo

 

Description from Goodreads:

Secretly crushing

Crushed by a tragedy

Charlee May’s been crushing on Dexter Hollingworth since she was fifteen. Five years later, a horrific skiing disaster at Mason’s Ski Lift Resort leaves her millionaire dad critically injured and her mom dead at the hands of Dexter operating the lifts. Charlee is suddenly the sole caretaker for her little brother while their world falls apart.

Dexter couldn’t be more different from Charlee. He’s tattooed, avoids exclusive relationships and his Dad has a fair share of illegal dealings. With Dexter’s reputation, almost everyone believes he planned the Mason’s skiing disaster.

And after all these years he’s still crushing on Charlee May, the girl who’s too good for him.

When this cruel twist of fate ties Charlee’s family and Dexter’s reputation together, Charlee and Dexter wonder if their feelings are reciprocated, while Dexter discovers his dad is trying to steal the May’s millionaire fortune.

But like an addiction, one look, one touch, one taste—they’re hooked no matter the consequences.

Disclaimer: Recommended for mature readers due to sexual content and crude language.

 

Before I get into the actual novel, I want to point out how flipping GORGEOUS that cover is first. Because, um, hello? GORG!

Okay, now the actual BOOK. We're going to play a little game of good news/bad news, okay? My government teacher loves this game bunches, so it should work here. Ready?

We're going to go bad news first because that's how I play.

Bad news: Drowning in You was not as good as I expected it to be. I don't know why, exactly. I think I just expected too much. I wanted it to be sweet and interesting and witty and fun and completely perfectly amazing, and...well, that's a pretty high bar to meet, ya know?

Good news: There are still so many things I DID like about this book. I shall list them, actually. Because listing is fun.

- It's new adult! A genre I am growing to love more and more as I find more awesomeness within its depths.

- DUAL POV! Whenever I start a book and see it is a dual POV, I legit do a happy-dance. I like getting two sides to the story, and being that close to two individual characters. It adds a more REAL quality to the reading experience, to be able to experience the story so thoroughly.

- Darcy. The girl MC's little bro. I am quite fond of that little hooligan.

- It's set in Australia. Is it just me or is that all kinds of cool?

- The ending. But I'll talk about that in a bit.

There were more things, but those are the biggest ones that I'm going to take the time to list. If you want to know more, you should pick up the book and give it a go. Seriously.

Character Rundown:
Charlee: "Charz." I'm going to be honest--I don't like that nickname Dex gave her. But anyway, I liked that Charlee was so nice. I did not like that Charlee was so...wow, I can't think of a better word for this...boring. I just found myself preferring Dexter's chapters way more than "Charz's." Yeah. Not growing on me.

Dexter: Make HIS name into whatever you want and I will love it no matter what. Sweet baby goodness, I adore the name Dexter. And THIS Dexter...he wasn't too bad. A bit irritating in the whole "I'm not good enough for her" cliche, but when he wasn't bemoaning that, he was quite nice and entertaining. Also, my boy. Right here.

Plot. I don't have any complaints on the actual PLOT. It didn't bother me much and it held my interest. I did, however, have points where the writing confused me a bit. It wasn't UNBEARABLE or anything, I just had to go back every now and then to make sure I understood what was happening. That was mostly in the beginning, though. It got significantly less frequent as the story went on.

Romance. Pretty standard. Good girl, misunderstood "bad boy" who thinks he's not good enough. The romantic elements of this story didn't surprise me. Elliot being thrown in there was both fun and bothersome, only because I wasn't fooled for a second that anything would actually come of that. But still. Elliot's a sweetheart. I'd fix his phone any day. ANYWAY, Dexter and Charlee. They did have their swoon-y moments, though. And I liked them. A lot. Especially around the end.

The ending. Sweetness. I'm glad everything turned out the way it did at the end. I mean, after all the events of the book, the ending gave good closure.

Overall, Drowning in You is a book worth reading. IT may not be the perfect book, but it is certainly a good book that I would recommend to someone looking for a new adult story to make them swoon and leave them smiling.

~~~

 

~GIVEAWAY~

 

There's a tour-wide giveaway going on for 5--count 'em, FIVE!--ebook copies of Drowning in You! The giveaway is international and all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win! WOOT!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

~~~

 

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Rebecca Berto is the author or the dark contemporary/literary novella, PRECISE and the upcoming new adult contemporary romance novel, DROWNING IN YOU. She is also a freelance editor.

She writes stories that are a bit sexy, and straddle the line between Literary and Tear Your Heart Out. She gets a thrill when her readers are emotional reading her stories, and gets even more of a kick when they tell her so. She’s strangely imaginative, spends too much time on her computer, and is certifiably crazy when she works on her fiction.

Rebecca Berto lives in Melbourne, Australia with her boyfriend and their doggy.

 

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

♥Jessica(:

Earth Angel by E. Van Lowe Blog Tour (Guest Post & Giveaway!)

Welcome to my stop on the Earth Angel blog tour! To check out the full schedule for this tour, click HERE!

 

~~~

 

Guest Post:

Damned Internet

I’ve noticed something strange lately.  I don’t read as many books as I used to.  I used to love to curl up in bed or on the sofa and devour a good book.  But lately I can’t seem to stay focused.  I know why. It’s that damned internet.  It keeps calling me.  It’s like that old Twilight Zone episode where a guy goes to Las Vegas for the first time and discovers slot machines.  You know the one I’m talking about? He goes back to his room and tries to go to bed but he hears his name being called in a loud whisper.  “Franklin.”  The slot machines are calling.

That’s how I feel.  The internet is calling and I must heed the call: email, Twitter, Facebook, my blog.  I must check them.  I MUST CHECK THEM!

Last evening, I sat in the living room, book in hand and began to read:  “Franklin.”  (I know that’s not my name but it has an ominous ring to it).  A few nights ago I lay in bed, picked up my book and began to read: “Franklin.”   I realize I had just checked my email ten minutes ago so I continued reading… “Franklin!”  But when was the last time I checked my Facebook page?  An entire hour ago.  It’s important that I find out what Barbara Jensen had for lunch, so I stop reading and I check.

I’ve been reading the current book I’m on for nearly a month now.  Yes, it’s interesting.  No, it’s not as long as War And Peace.  But I can’t get through it. Am I alone in this? Do any of you out there have this problem?  That damned internet is destroying my life.  Someone has to shut it down.  It’s dangerous…  Excuse me?  What was that?

“Franklin.”

Time to sign off.  I have to check my Twitter stream.

Aside from being addicted to the internet, I am the author of the books of The Falling Angels Saga; when you’re through updating your Facebook status, I hope you’ll check them out. 

 

~~~

Giveaway:

 

There's a tour-wide giveaway for e-copies of Boyfriend From Hell (Book 1) and Earth Angel (Book 2)! It is INTERNATIONAL, and all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win! WOOT!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

~~~

 

About the Book:

 

Earth Angel by E. Van Lowe

Release Date: December 8, 2011

Publisher: White Whisker Books

Series: Falling Angels #2

Buy It: Amazon | B&N

 

Description from Goodreads:

Just because Megan Barnett recently defeated Satan, has a fantastic new best friend, and has won the love of deliciously
handsome, Guy Matson, doesn’t mean her troubles are over. Far from it. For Megan doesn’t realize it, but in her possession is a powerful weapon, a weapon sought after by both angels and demons and everything in between. They will do ANYTHING to get it.

In E. Van Lowe’s humorous, romantic and thrilling sequel to Boyfriend From Hell, Megan winds up in a gripping life or death battle to save herself, the boy she loves, and all of mankind from unthinkable evil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

~~~

 

About the Author:

 

E Van Lowe was born in the Bronx a long time ago, back in the days when children were supposed to be seen and not heard. Fortunately for E, his parents allowed him to speak freely. Unfortunately for his parents and older brother, E had a lot to say. He was speaking quite freely until one day, while his mother was trying to watch her “stories” (which is code for soap operas), she suggested that instead of speaking freely, he write all his important thoughts down. E wrote down many important thoughts, such as: crayons melt when you leave them on the radiator, or toy soldiers melt when you drop them in the muffin batter before mom puts it in the oven. His brother thought he was weird, but E was only ten years old at the time. What did he expect, Shakespeare? E liked writing things down so much, he decided that when he grew up, he was going to become a professional writer.

E has gone on to write for many award winning TV shows including: The Cosby Show, and Even Stevens. He also co-wrote the Academy Award nominated short film, Cadillac Dreams. Never Slow Dance With A Zombie was his first teen novel. Boyfriend From Hell is the first in the Falling Angels Saga. The second novel in the saga, Earth Angel, will be coming out soon. It seems E still has lots of important, and weird, thoughts to share with readers.

Website│Blog│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

 

♥Jessica(:

Stripped by Brooklyn Skye Blog Tour (Review & Giveaway!)

Welcome to my stop on the Stripped blog tour! To see the tour schedule, click HERE!

 

Stripped by Brooklyn Skye

Release Date: May 14, 2013

Format: ebook, 345 pages

Source: YA Bound/Author for blog tour

Buy It: Amazon Kindle | Amazon Hardcopy | B&N 

Description from Goodreads:

“I like you.” His voice is low and soft, which I don’t deserve. I look away, down the rutted parking lot.
“Don’t... waste those words on me.”
He touches my cheek. “You just need someone to show you.”
“No.” I ease back again. “I don’t. So please, Torrin, stop trying to swoop in and save me. I don’t need saving.”

College freshman Quinn Montgomery will do anything to avoid the mistake her sister made—killing herself over a boy. But when she is forced into nude modeling at a local college to support her family after a bankruptcy, she begins to crack, just enough to let Torrin, the university’s top varsity oarsman, see that the real Quinn is not as feisty and unapproachable as she wants everyone to think. But letting someone in comes at a steep cost and, it turns out, Torrin is connected to Quinn’s family in more ways than she could ever imagine.

Stripped is new adult. First and foremost, that was what drew me into this book. That and the cover. Then, I saw that it was about a girl afraid to make the same mistake as her sister, who had committed suicide. I don't know why, but that REALLY intrigued me. So I jumped at the chance to read and review this book. I thought it'd be something I enjoy. A nice, deep read that made me swoon a little bit.

Now that I've read the book, I have to say that I'd pretty much guessed right. Stripped did not disappoint in any of the aspects I was looking forward to, and on top of those, it was also well written and even quite funny at times. The banter in this book was fantastic. :)

Character Rundown:
Quinn: I like the name Quinn, but I have to admit, I don't get spazzy over it unless it's used for a boy. But THAT is a story for another time. Sometimes throughout the book, Quinn would have GREAT moments. Really, she could be a rather fun character to read about. But a majority of the time, Quinn really got on my nerves. She seemed so whiny and self-centered. She focused so much on her own problems and rarely thought about what things could be like for anyone else. Not cool. But she also had a nice character arc and didn't annoy me so much by the end of the book, so WOOT!

Torrin: Oh, Torrin. Such a genuinely nice guy. I heart him. The fact that he was such a great guy makes me annoyed with Quinn that much more--there was obviously more to everything than what she wanted to see. Because, COME ON, Torrin was fantastic. Kind, but not a pushover. There were some moments where I would have understood him walking away from Quinn (like the moments when I wanted to slap her...), but he stuck around and handled them like a champ. Goodness. He is so sweet. Have I mentioned that I heart him?

Plot. This is the one part of the book that wasn't AS great as it could have been, I think. Not because the story was weak or anything (on the contrary, it was very solid and interesting), but because it was predictable. I totally knew the secret waaaay before I was supposed to. so pretty much, I spent a bunch of time cringing at how Quinn WASN'T noticing the truth and waiting for the shoe to drop. So yeah. There's that. But other than that, this story is fabulous and wonderful.

Romance. With a guy as sweet as Torrin, there was no way I could have been disappointed here. There were so many moments where I was smiling like mad. Ahhh, these two. Quinn may get on my nerves, but I have no qualms with Torrin, so they pretty much balance each other out. Which I LOVE. <3

The ending. I felt like it was a little sudden, but I think that was okay. Because it didn't leave off on a cliffhanger or anything. It didn't even leave off at a bad part. It actually left off with me happy. So it is sudden, but good. Very good.

Overall, Stripped is a fantastic new adult debut by Brooklyn Skye. Deep, interesting, and definitely swoon-worthy, this book most definitely did not disappoint.

 

~~~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 

Brooklyn Skye is just your average awkward girl who's obsessed with words. She grew up in a small California town where she quickly realized writing was an easy escape from small town life.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

 

~~~

GIVEAWAY

 

There is a tour-wide giveway for one signed paperback pf Stripped (US only) or one e-book copy with authorgraph (INT)! Just fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

♥Jessica(: