Making Faces - #review

Making Faces

by Amy Harmon (Goodreads Author)

Ambrose Young was beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.
Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Buy MAKING FACES - (Kindle)

Source: Kindle
Genre: YA (kind of but not) Contemporary

My Review...

It is so hard to put to words the love and adoration for this book.  It is one of those books that leaves you still dealing with emotions and feelings days and weeks after.  It is more of an experience or journey then a moment of unreality.

I have never read anything from this author before but she has such a gift of creating something so beautiful out of so much loss, despair and ugliness.

I will be definitely reading more of Amy's books and this book will be forever one of my all time faves.  This book caused so the whole gamut of emotions for me but just thinking about it causes my heart to break a little bit more.

Every single character effected me in some way or form. Ugh! It is so hard to write about this book since everyone needs to just experience the beauty for themselves.  It truly is one of the most beautiful books that I have read in my lifetime. Thank you Amy for such an amazing gift.

Fern the girl who didn't see her own beauty but saw it everyone else.

Paulie, Jesse, Grant and Beans together made everything whole with their support and love for one another.

 Bailey who broke my heart through and through.  A heart so beautiful and so big. A boy with so much hope and inspiration to all.

  Ambrose who had so much loss that trusting in unconditional love and forgiveness is such a journey for him.

Gah! This book was pure perfection!

5 ++++++ Heart Wrenching Thumbs Up!

Lauren

Sweet Surrending Blog Tour - #review & #giveaway

Sweet Surrendering by Chelsea M. Cameron

October 2013

Goodreads link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18187339-sweet-surrendering

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s his boss. He doesn’t care. This office isn’t big enough for the two of them…

When Rory Clarke ends up hiring the guy she spent one steamy night with to be her administrative assistant, she's determined to keep things professional.

Lucas Blaine has other plans for her. He wants Rory, and it’s hard to resist his stunning blue eyes, chin dimple and the way he fills out a suit. Everywhere she looks, there he is, giving her a panty-melting smile and pulling her away for the most amazing (and satisfying) sex she’s ever had in her life.

What starts off as one sexual encounter turns into multiple trysts in and out of the office and the lines she’d tried to draw so carefully are blurring. But the closer they get, the more Rory realizes that there are things about Lucas she doesn’t know, things he’s hiding from her. She’ll have to decide if she can surrender to her feelings or get out while she still can

Author Information

Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting (this one time, she was tweeted by Neil Gaiman). She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Her New Adult Contemporary Romance titles include My Favorite Mistake, which has been bought by Harlequin along with a sequel, Deeper We Fall and Faster We Burn (April 20, 2013)

Her Young Adult books include Nocturnal, Nightmare and Neither, the first three books in The Noctalis Chronicles. The fourth and final book, Neverend will be out in 2013. Whisper, the first in The Whisper Trilogy is also available, with the second book in the series, Silence and the final book, LIsten coming out in 2014.

Website: http://www.chelseamcameron.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chel_c_cam

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chelsea-M-Cameron-Official-Author-Page/304422529610919

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752359.Chelsea_M_Cameron

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1anY3zp
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1gIPYeU
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/sweet-surrendering iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id722387866

Author Links:
Website: http://www.chelseamcameron.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chel_c_cam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chelsea-M-Cameron-Official-Author-Page/304422529610919
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752359.Chelsea_M_Cameron

Source: eARC for Honest Review via Author
Genre: Adult Contemporary

My Review...

I have read some of Chelsea's other books so I was excited to be able to be part of the tour and read this book.

I liked the story it kept me intrigued. It had elements of predictability but also elements of surprise. There were quite a few time line issues which did get under my skin but all in all it was a good book.

Rory was a strong character who usually follows the rules until Lucas blazes into her life.

For Lucas he has his secrets but the minute he meets Rory the game changes.

There relationship starts all hot and heavy with the attempt of no emotions but emotions are sneaky buggers and crept in and changed everything. But mixing business and pleasure has its ups and downs.

As their relationship blossomed Lucas's secrets were rising to the surface to potentially drown them but love has other intentions sometimes and becomes the life preserver needed in difficult situations.

Sweet book with a load of potential for this series.

3 Surrendering Thumbs Up!
 
Lauren

Cover Reveal....All the Pretty Lies by M. Leighton *Squee!*

ALL THE PRETTY LIES by M. Leighton has a cover and we get to share it with you today! Check out how pretty it is and then look below to read all about the title and M. Leighton! That's right! M. Leighton is bringing us a new series!!

Isn't it gorgeous?!? ALL THE PRETTY LIES is a New Adult Contemporary Romance filled with heat, lies, and romance. It is scheduled to be released November 12, 2013.

About ALL THE PRETTY LIES:

All the Pretty Lies

“Live, no regrets”

Her…

Sloane Locke has led a sheltered life.  However, with a history like hers, she can understand why her brothers and her father want so much to protect her.  She has gone along with it for twenty long years, but those days are over.  For the girl who never makes promises, Sloane has made a pact with herself that things will change on her twenty-first birthday.  So when the clock strikes midnight, Sloane strikes out to spread her wings and break a few rules.

Him…

In addition to inking skin, Hemi Spencer possesses many talents. Controlling himself has never been one of them.  It’s never had to be.  He’s lived a life of indulgence for as long as he can remember.  Right up until tragedy struck.  Now, he’s nothing but controlled. He’s a man on a mission, one who will let nothing and no one stand in his way. 

Them…

Nothing in their lives could’ve prepared Sloane and Hemi for what they’d find in each other—distraction and obsession, love and possession.  But the one thing they can’t find is a future.  Neither one has been totally honest.  And they’ll soon learn that the devil is in the details.  In the details and in the lies.

How far will two people go to live in the now when the now is all they’ve got?

M. Leighton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Wild Ones and The Bad Boys romance trilogies.  She is a native of Ohio, relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she lets her mind wander to romantic settings with sexy Southern guys much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books.  When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.  

For more about M. Leighton, visit her website at www.MLeightonBooks.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter@mleightonbooks.

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Isn't She Lovely Blog Tour - #review & #giveaway

ISN’T SHE LOVELY: Flirt New Adult Romance

By Lauren Layne

On sale: October 28, 2013

ISBN: 978-0-345-54911-2

Published by Flirt

Blurb

The rules are clear—until they’re broken. Lauren Layne puts a New Adult spin on Pygmalion, also the inspiration for Pretty Woman, and gives the classic love story its edgiest twist yet.

 “Who knew that pretending you’re not falling for someone would be so much more difficult than pretending that you are?”

 Stephanie Kendrick gave up her whole summer to ace her NYU film school screenwriting course, so she’s pissed to be stuck with a preppy, spoiled frat boy as her writing partner. Then again, with her piercings, black-rimmed eyes, and Goth wardrobe, Stephanie isn’t exactly Ethan Price’s type, either. He’s probably got his eye on some leggy blonde with a trust fund . . . or does he?

 As the summer scene kicks off in the Hamptons, Ethan is desperate to make his snobbish mother forget the pedigreed girl who broke his heart. While Stephanie’s a stretch as a decoy, the right makeover and a pastel cardigan just might do the trick. She may not love the idea of playing Ethan’s brainless Barbie girlfriend, but the free rent and luxurious digs make a tempting offer. So does the promise of a ready-made screenplay idea inspired by their charade.

 But when Stephanie steps into Ethan’s privileged world, the “acting” begins to feel all too real. The kissing and touching that were intended to fool the Hamptons crowd wind up manipulating them. And Stephanie faces a question she’s too afraid to ask: Is Ethan falling for the real her or for the dolled-up princess he wants to see?

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBookstore | Google Play | Kobo | Other retailers

Author Info

Lauren Layne graduated from Santa Clara University with a B.S. in political science that she has yet to put to good use. After dabbling in an e-commerce career in Seattle and Southern California, Layne moved to New York City, where she now writes full-time. She lives with her husband and their plus-size pomeranian in a tiny Manhattan studio.

Connect with Lauren: Facebook | Twitter | Website

Click Here or picture below to Follow Tour:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Source: eARC for Honest Review via NetGalley
Genre: NA Contemporary

My Review...

So.... this book had potential and I like it but there were parts that fell flat for me.

For Stephanie she is a bitter girl with emotional baggage which causes her to turn dark and broody.

Ethan is the preppy privileged boy who has everything.  But that world is a shallow world with not a lot of substance.

Both of them are running from their realities by taking a screenplay class which forces them to partner up. By doing this they decide to write a screen play based on their lives about two people from the opposite side of the tracks but need each other.

To make it more real Ethan uses Stephanie as a shield from his matchmaking family and to protect his heart from what he thought was supposed to be his life.

Stephanie is the perfect cover because there is no chance that he can fall for her plus she has a huge chip on her shoulder.

"I guess. I mean I walked in on him exploring someone else's vagina, and I can't say I was exactly understanding."

But once their make belief becomes real their feelings get tested and they find out what is worth fighting for Love or Lifestyle.

"I did want you. I still do. I was scared and small-minded. Stupid."

It was a cute story but very predictable.

3 Cute Thumbs Up!

Lauren

Release Day Launch - Greed by Fisher Amelie

Fisher Amelie's GREED is being released TODAY and we are so excited to join in the release day launch for it. GREED is a mature young adult/new adult contemporary novel and is the second book in The Seven Deadly Series. Check out what we have for you today and then enter to win in the blog tour giveaway! You could win a signed copy of VAIN, Book 1 in the series, or a Kindle Fire! 

ABOUT GREED (Book 2 in the Seven Deadly Series):

Gather ‘round, love, because I want you. I want what you have, I want what you don’t have, I want more of what I already have. I want. But if you so much as ask for something in return, go ahead and walk away. Know if you want to play in my world, it’s every man for themselves and the weak become mine. Leeches will be obliterated because I make it my job to destroy them. I protect what’s mine and I take what’s yours...because that’s what I do. I want.

My story will not endear me to you and, frankly, I could care less if it does because I’m in this for the money and nothing else. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a corrupt, money hungry, immoral asshole from Los Angeles. I’m every man’s worst nightmare and every girl’s fantasy.

I’m Spencer Blackwell...And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most coveted guy to the guy no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

About Fisher Amelie:

Fisher Amelie is the author of The Leaving Series, Callum & Harper and Thomas & January. She began her writing career as a copywriter for an internet marketing company wherein one of their client's said, 'Hey! You're funny. You should write books'. Which in turn she said, 'Hey, get out of here! This is the lady's restroom.' While washing her hands and the embarrassment from her face, she thought they may have had a valid point. So, she took the thousands of hours of writing stories growing up, tucked them into her pocket and began writing and writing and writing.

Links:

Website: http://www.fisheramelie.com/

Blog: http://fisheramelie.com/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FisherAmelie

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fisheramelie

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/FisherAmelie?feature=watch

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4849669.Fisher_Amelie

GREED Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17795023-greed?ac=1

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt....

Prologue

Greed is a strange, strange sin.

All you want to do is acquire. Acquire money, acquire material, acquire time, acquire energy, acquire attention. The running mantra is “I want, I want, I want” but that quickly turns to “I need, I need, I need.”
Suddenly there just isn’t enough time for friends, for family, for anyone. Your goal is to acquire and to make sure what you acquire stays acquired. Your life depends on it. You don’t see truth because the truth is shadowed by enormous homes, incredibly fast cars, in lavish spending. Your life no longer belongs to you, but you are blind to it all because those around you are seeking the same.

So you shuffle along at an impossible rate, and you pass the real world around you.

But what you’ll come to realize, altogether too late, is that it’s never enough. It’s simply never enough.

Chapter One

“It’s confirmed. Peter Knight of Evergreen won’t approve the acquisition. You know what to do,” my snake of a father told me, not two steps into his front door.

“I just got off a seven-hour flight. You can’t let me settle in? Possibly say hello?”

He stood, watching me, a slight tick in his square jaw. He tucked his hands into his Italian silk pants. His six-foot frame followed the steps up to the foyer and stopped a few inches away from my own. We were face to face. Although I fell an inch shorter, he no longer intimidated me. I knew if I had to, I could kick his ass.

“Hello, Spencer,” he said, a serpent’s smile spread wide across his mouth before falling flat. “Get to work. I don’t pay you to sit around. I don’t care if it is your Christmas break.”


We stayed where we were, each waiting on the other to back down. The tension was palpable. In the end, his face relaxed and he began to chuckle, stepping aside and making way for me. I picked up my bags and headed for my room, giving myself plenty of space to pass him without touching him.
When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I changed my mind and threw my bags on the second to last step, intending to pick them up later. I stretched my muscles, loving the feel of my back popping, and started for the kitchen.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he asked, still standing in the foyer, watching my every move.

“If I don’t say hi to Mom and Bridge, they’ll think something’s up,” I told him and continued on.

He didn’t respond, but I felt his stare burning into the back of my head.

Fighting Fate Blog Tour - #review & #giveaway

TOUR INFORMATION

Title: Fighting Fate (Granton University, #1)

Author: Linda Kage

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

Release date: July 18, 2013

Age Group: New Adult (more for age than content)

Genre: Contemporary

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours; http://atomrbookblogtours.com

Links to the book:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Fate-ebook/dp/B00DYOOJZG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/fighting-fate?store=allproducts&keyword=fighting+fate

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18195580-fighting-fate?from_search=true

Book Description

*New Adult Romance*

Forgiving your brother's murderer may be noble, but falling in love with him borders on betrayal.

When Paige Zukowski enrolls at Granton University in honor of her dead brother, she has no idea fate will land her on the same campus with the very guy who killed him. But Logan Xander isn't quite the murderer she's always believed him to be.

A day hasn't passed since the tragedy that Logan doesn't wish he could go back and undo everything. It doesn't take Paige long to realize he's suffered as much as she has. Forgiving him for ruining her life might not be so impossible after all. But when she actually starts to like him and realizes he likes her in return, their true anguish begins.

About the Author           

Linda is a contemporary romance author from the midwestern USA, where she lives with her wonderful husband, daughter, and nine cuckoo clocks. The eighth and final child of dairy farmers, she was forced into having a vivid imagination if she ever wanted to do something one of her siblings hadn't already tried. Feel free to visit her at her website: www.LindaKage.com

Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Goodreads, Website

Tour Giveaway: 

(5) eBooks of Fighting Fate – International

(5) Print copies of Fighting Fate - International

(1) $25 Omnific Publishing Gift Card - International

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpts click here or the tour banner below.

Source: eARC for Honest Review from Author
Genre: NA Contemporary

My Review...

I adored this book and loved that it felt like two stories in one intertwined.

Fate is a mighty strong force that can't be denied.

Paige is living out her brother's legacy.

Her first day on campus she is faced with her past and her brother's murderer.

Wait!

That's right you heard me.

Paige tries to avoid Logan at any cost but everywhere she turns there is is.

Since she can't seem to get away from Logan she lets down her guard and starts to see things how they really are instead of what she has portrayed in her head.

Even though she starts to feel emotions she fights them tooth and nail but feelings can't be denied and either you act on them or you don't but these were way to strong to be denied.  Oh! Fate you silly bitch!

This is a great story about second chances and love when you least expect it.

Linda Kage is turning into one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read more of her works. 

4 Fateful Thumbs Up!

Lauren