Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway!- Anti-Stepbrother by Tijan

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Arrogant. Smug. Alpha.
He was also to-die-for gorgeous, 
and my stepbrother’s fraternity brother.

Anti-Stepbrother is NOW AVAILABLE!

Anti-Stepbrother.jpgTitle: Evil  
Author:  Tijan 
Date: May 13, 2016
Plot:  He told me to 'settle, girl.'
He asked if 'something was wrong with me?'
He said I was an ‘easy target.’
That was within minutes when I first met Caden Banks.
I labeled him an *sshole, but he was more than that. Arrogant. Smug. Alpha.

He was also to-die-for gorgeous, and my stepbrother’s fraternity brother.

Okay, yes I was a little naive, a tad bit socially awkward, and the smallest amount of stalker-ish, but if Caden Banks thought he could tell me what to do, he had another thing coming.

I came to college with daydreams about being with my stepbrother, but what would happen if I fell for the anti-stepbrother instead?


 My Review 

I know that the title of this book read "Anti-Stepbrother" but I couldn't help but still think that there was a chance that the female protagonist was going to end up with her 'brother' even though he was a douche.

But hey, clearly read the fine print of the plot synopsis begs otherwise and that will certainly not be the outcome.

So.... Anti-Stepbrother...

Over all, it was an okay read. Good, but more on the 'okay' side. Summer, the female protagonist, was at times too naive and kind of a doormat for my tastes, and her infatuation with her stepbrother came off as want for the 'bad boy' or 'forbidden fruit.' Not love. Basically, in one nut shell: Summer is just an innocent, inexperienced girl. Period.

And Caden. Her not stepbrother love interest. I did like him. He brought Summer out of her shell and was like a tutor of sorts. Not to mention, he was a stand up guy.

Anyway, in a jiffy, an entertaining read.


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                                 Kawehi

My Rating:

 Excerpt 

He wasn’t looking at me any more. I wasn’t even sure he was really in the room.
I needed to leave this alone. He had given me the clues—looking away, his jaw clenching, pain like I’d never heard from him sounding loud and clear. My instincts were telling me to shut up, but I couldn’t. I had this burning need to know more about Caden. I needed to get in there, past his walls, and I wanted to understand him.
I wanted to help him.
Caden was hurting, and I wanted to take that away.
“What happened?”
Caden turned his gaze to me now, and I felt branded by the pain I saw. His eyes were stricken. “Does it matter?”
“No.” My breath caught and held in my chest. I wanted to go to him, but I also wanted to slink away. I was stirring up his pain, but I had to know. “What happened, Caden?”
“Why do you have to know?”
“Because it’s hurting you.”
I made a decision, though I had no idea what the ramifications were going to be. I stood, my legs going numb and my stomach clenching, and I moved to his side. He leaned back, his head falling to the couch, and he watched me.
The need to ease some of his hurt outweighed the fear of what would happen next. Swallowing tightly, I stepped over to straddle him and sat down.
“What are you doing?”
He asked that softly, still holding his beer. I took it from his hands and put it on the stand next to the couch. Then I just sat there. He had to do the rest. I’d already made the first move.
I glanced down at his hands, feeling like an idiot. “What happened?”
“Why are you pushing this?”
I looked back up to find confusion warring with need in his eyes. He wasn’t pushing me away, so I sank further into his lap.
“You haven’t told anyone else about this.” It wasn’t really a question, but I saw the confirmation in his eyes. My chest tightened, thinking about whatever secret he held. “Please tell me.”
“No.” He shifted forward, and I braced myself, expecting him to push me away. He didn’t. His hands grasped the backs of my legs and lifted me so I was more fully on his lap.
I could feel him between my legs, and my breasts almost pressed against his chest. I waited. I wanted to see what else he’d say
“But not because I don’t want you to know,” he added. “Because it’s not my secret to tell.”
I nodded, my stomach doing somersaults now. “That makes sense. I can respect that.”
And there we were. His hands cupped my ass, and the pain in his gaze became something darker, something I felt too, something that began to turn off all rational thought.
“What are we doing here?” he questioned, his voice like a caress in itself.
I leaned forward, my gaze lingering on his lips. “I didn’t really think it through.”
“And now?”
“Still not thinking it through.”
“You’re okay with that?”
In that moment, the truth exploded in me. I wanted him. I wanted this—but it was more. I needed this.
I didn’t answer.
I closed the distance between us. 


 About the Author 

tijan bio

I didn't begin writing until after undergraduate college. There'd been storylines and characters in my head all my life, but it came to a boiling point one day and I HAD to get them out of me. So the computer was booted up and I FINALLY felt it click. Writing is what I needed to do. After that, I had to teach myself how to write. I can't blame my teachers for not teaching me all those years in school. It was my fault. I was one of the students that was wishing I was anywhere but at school! So after that day, it took me lots of work until I was able to put together something that resembled a novel. I'm hoping I got it right since someone must be reading this profile! And I hope you keep enjoying my future stories.

Author's Links:

 Buy Link 

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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Release Blast + ARC Review & Giveaway!- With Every Breath (Slow Burn #4) by Maya Banks

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Title:  With Every Breath (Slow Burn #4)  
Author: Maya Banks
Publication Date: August 23rd 2016 by HarperCollins Publishers
Plot:  #1 USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks continues her suspenseful and sizzling Slow Burn series with this fourth book—a mesmerizingly sexy tale of a strong, brilliant woman who encounters the one man who makes her lose all control.

Eliza Cummings fought free of a monster who terrorized her when she was an innocent teenager and helped put him away for good. She took a job with Devereaux Security Services and devoted every hour to taking down the very thing she’d nearly become. No one, not even those closest to her, know her darkest, shameful secrets. But now the killer has been set free on a legal loophole and it’s only a matter of time before he comes for her. Eliza’s only choice is to run and lead the monster away from the people she loves.

Wade Sterling has always lived by his own rules, a law unto himself who answers to no one. He’s never professed to be a good man, and he’s definitely not hero material. Wade never allows anyone close enough to see the man behind the impenetrable mask—but one woman threatens his carefully leashed control. He took a bullet for her and the result was more than a piece of metal entrenched in his skin. She was under his skin and nothing he did rid himself of the woman with the courage of a warrior and who thinks nothing of putting her life before others.

But when Wade sees a panicked and haunted Eliza he knows something is very wrong, because the fool woman has never had been afraid of anything. And when she tries to run, the primal beast barely lurking beneath his deceptively polished façade erupts in a rage. She may not know it, but she belongs to him. This time, Eliza isn’t going to play the protector. She was damn well going to be the protected. And as long as Wade breathes, no one will ever hurt what is his.
 My Review 

☆ I received an ARC via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! ☆

Certainly an exciting series to get into, With Every Breath, is the latest release from Maya Banks' Slow Burn series, and was captivating from start to finish.

Having only recently delved into this series, I was pretty behind on all of the buzz surrounding this series even though I was already familiar with Maya's works from her Breathless Trilogy. While I won't lie and say that I've loved this series much more than Breathless, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it.   

Book one was my favorite, bks 2 &3 were okay, and bk4 (this book) was my second bias from this series.

What I liked with Wade and Eliza's story was the huge conundrum of danger and suspense surrounding their relationship as well as Eliza's tumultuous past that has come back to haunt her with a vengeance.

It heightened the stakes of things--- their romance, their friendships, careers... basically anything and everything surrounding the two of them.

I had really been intrigued after being introduced to them both throughout the first couple of reads. Eliza seemed like a mystery and Wade seemed like a hard man to break through his cracks.

I definitely enjoyed seeing witnessing their story finally unfold with a lot of sudden thrills, chills, and a lot of pent up heat!!

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Kawehi

My Rating:
 Excerpt 

Eliza came awake with none of her usual crispness and ready- to-take-on-the-world attitude. She felt as though she’d been hit by a truck and her first instinct was to roll over and pull the covers over her head and sleep for several more hours. Even as she knew she wouldn’t do any such thing, it was still a nice thought. Still, she thought she could give herself another five minutes before stumbling out of bed and into the shower.
For once, things were slow at Devereaux Security Services after a veritable shit storm of activity over the last several months. She only hoped something popped up when she went into the office today, otherwise it was going to be another boring- ass day at work.
Just as she roused herself from her laziness and threw her legs over the side of the bed to stand, the landline on her nightstand rang. She glanced down at it, frowning. If it was Dane or anyone else from DSS, surely they’d call her cell. A quick look told her that her cell phone was on the nightstand charging and a glance at it also told her she hadn’t missed any calls. If this was a telemarketer calling her at oh-dark-thirty so help her she was going to hunt them down and shove her foot as far up their ass as she could.
If it weren’t for the fact that it could be one of her coworkers she would have simply ignored the ringing all together. With a sigh, she yanked up the phone and barked an unwelcome hello into the receiver.
There was a short pause and then the clearing of a throat. “Miss Caldwell? Melissa Caldwell?”
Eliza froze, her blood turning to ice in her veins. She hadn’t heard that name in ten years. Hadn’t been that person in ten years. And in two seconds flat, her past had slammed into her present like a speeding train.
“What do you want?” she asked in a dull voice.
“This is Clyde Barksdale, district attorney for Keerney County, Oregon.”
She knew damn well who Clyde Barksdale was. Like she’d forget that it was him she’d worked with to put Thomas Harrington away?
“I take it this isn’t a social call,” she said acidly.
“You’d be correct.” The DA emitted an exhausted sounding sigh. “Look, there’s no easy way to say this but Thomas Harrington won an appeal to overturn his conviction and he’ll be set free in three weeks’ time.”
Eliza’s knees folded and she landed with a hard bounce on the bed. She was utterly numb with shock, and she shook her head in an effort to dispel the fog and confusion surrounding her. Was this some fucked-up dream—nightmare—she was trapped in?

 About the Author 

MayaBanks

Maya Banks is a #1 USA Today and New York Times bestselling author whose chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, Scottish historical romances. She is the author of the Breathless Trilogy, the KGI novels, the Sweet series, and the Colters Legacy novels.
She lives in the South with her husband and three children and other assorted babies, such as her two Bengal kitties and a Calico who’s been with her as long as her youngest child. She’s an avid reader of romance and loves to dish books with her fans and anyone else who’ll listen! She very much enjoys interacting with her readers on Facebook and Twitter as well as in her Yahoo! Group.

Author's Links:
 Buy Links! 
 


Release Day Review!- The Devastation (Unexpected Circumstances #7) by Shay Savage

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Title: The Devastation (Unexpected Circumstances #7)
Author: Shay Savage
Publication Date: August 23rd 2016 by Shay Savage, LLC
Plot: Although Branford is broken and desperate, he finds himself with no choice: He must declare war against Hadebrand, or Edgar’s evil darkness will envelop the commonwealth. Silverhelm’s army is grossly outnumbered, but Branford underestimates the people’s love for their commoner queen. The people rise up in support of their beloved regent, and Branford sees a glimmer of hope for his wife. He becomes more determined than ever to make up for his previous failures and secure the future of his kingdom.

With their murderous intentions, the treacherous King Edgar and Princess Whitney must pay for what they have done. They must not be allowed to destroy everything the people hold dear.
With but faint hope in his heart, Branford gathers his people and marches toward the castle in Hadebrand, gathering allies along the way. With the support of other noble families, Branford will have to find the strength to fight for the very survival of his own.

He sees only one path: the annihilation of his enemy. 

 My Short Review 

☆ I received an ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! ☆

Oh my gosh.  What a finale for the last and final installment of the Unexpected Circumstances series!!

Branford and Alexandra certainly have come a long way and jumped leaps and bounds from Branford merely choosing his rival kingdom's' handmaiden as a strategic ploy,  to all out---- 
transforming into braveheart on us and going all lengths to protect the women he has come to love.


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I have to commend author Shay Savage for writing such a thrilling and addictive read as I just loved the suspense around it and seeing both Branford and Alexandra grow and seeing develop together and on their own.  

Not to mention~~ seeing Branford come to terms that in order to become the man and ruler he wants to be to his wife, child, and subjects---  that some things are worth fighting for if he ever wants to keep them around, protected.


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 Kawehi
My Rating:
 Excerpt 

“I am coming for you, Alexandra,” I said into the air.  “Do not be afraid.  I will come for you.”
I closed my eyes briefly and imagined myself once again in the tight container of the hidden compartment under the carriage bench.  I heard the screams from outside.  Only this time, it was Alexandra’s voice, and she called for me, but I could not reach her.
“Please, please—keep her safe,” I whispered as I dropped to my knees.  Memories overwhelmed me again, and I felt Lord Sawyer’s arm around my shoulders as I was brought from the carriage.  I saw the bodies of my parents on the ground, covered in blankets.  At the point where I usually imagined what my mother’s body must have looked like under there, I now thought of my wife, and a choking sob emerged from my throat.
“God…no…please…”
What if they were hurting her right now as I knelt here and did nothing?
What if?
What if?
What if?
The words echoed in my mind as the palms of my hands tried to push the imagined sights from my eyes.  I screamed into my fists, trying to muffle the sounds as my mind conjured all the possible things that could be happening to her at this very moment.
“Branford!  Branford, no!”
I felt the delicate hands of my adoptive mother around my shoulders and inhaled the scent of her hair as she turned me and pulled me toward her and back to sanity.  I tried to turn away, but the weakness of my mind had affected my body, too.
“They could be hurting her…killing her!” I cried.  “Right now, they could be…”
“Hush,” Sunniva said as she attempted to pull me closer.  “This will not help you or Alexandra.”
“But she could be hurt!”
“I know,” Sunniva said quietly.  She placed her hand on the back of my head and attempted to pull me to her shoulder.  I resisted at first but then dropped my forehead against her.
“Think, my son,” she whispered quietly.  “I know you wish to find her now, and I know you fear for her, but your men need sleep, and you need additional time to perfect your strategy.  You will go to Alexandra in the morning.”
“I cannot wait,” I said, my voice strained.
“I know it feels that way,” she said, “but Alexandra is strong and brave.  You must not go into a slaughter, my son.  You can only save her if you are ready.”
“What am I supposed to do?” I pleaded with her.
“You will gather and lead your men,” Sunniva said softly.  “You will remain calm, and you will encourage your army, Branford.  It is the only way you can beat Hadebrand.”
“How will I, Mother?” I whispered into her hair as I finally relinquished whatever pride I was trying to maintain and just sank against her and sobbed.  “How can I go on without her beside me?  I cannot…I cannot even think!”

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 About the Author 

shay savage

Shay Savage lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her family and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker, and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. When not writing, she enjoys science fiction movies, masquerading as a zombie, is a HUGE Star Wars fan, and member of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers. When the geek fun runs out, she also loves soccer in any and all forms - especially the Columbus Crew, Arsenal and Bayern Munich. Savage holds a degree in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.

Author's Links:

 Buy Links 

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