Cover Reveal: Give Me Reason by Zoey Derrick

Title: Give Me Reason 

 

Author: Zoey Derrick

 

Series: The Reason Series (#1)

 

Genre: Paranormal Romace/Fantasy

 

Publisher: Self Published 

 

Release Date: September 24, 2013

 

Blurb/Synopsis:  

Vivienne Callahan has known only hardship. As if growing up with an alcoholic, drug addicted mother wasn’t traumatic enough, she’s escaped from her physically and verbally abusive boyfriend only to struggle every day to make ends meet as a waitress in a Minneapolis diner. 

Along comes Mikah Blake, a handsome stranger who quickly takes an unexpected and persistent interest in her. On the surface, “Mr. Suit” seems to be Vivienne’s opposite: rich, well-fed, successful. As Vivienne will learn, Mikah is more than he seems, and for reasons unknown, he’s determined to be her knight in shining armor. But after having finally found her own two feet after years of abuse,  it’s difficult for her to accept Mikah’s help. 

Will her body’s unexpected response to Mikah’s touch be reason enough to overcome her pride and traumatic past and learn to love and trust? Or will her past, refusing to be left behind, come back to claim her?

 

Add Give Me Reason by Zoey Derrick to your TBR Pile-->Goodreads

 

Excerpt 

(*** This excerpt is unedited or is subject to change at any time. ***)

He’s looking down at me, making me feel small at five feet two inches. He has to be at least six feet tall. Broad shoulders. His suit today is gunmetal grey with blue or black pin striping—I can’t tell which. His shirt is a beautiful lavender color with a darker purple tie. 

"How do you know I'm not an addict?" I ask, softly. 

He smiles at me, warm, genuine. "Because, you've come to return the money I left you last night as a tip." My jaw falls open. 

"How"—I swallow hard—"did you know?"

His smile fades a little. "Because, why else would you come down here?"

I close my mouth and look down at the floor. His ability to read me is really scary. 

"Since you haven't eaten since last night, I'm going to take you to lunch."

I feel my face flush bright red, both in anger and complete irritation. "That is not why I'm here. I've survived for my entire life fending for myself, I don't need some rich hot shot business mogul buying me food." I reach into the pocket of my bag and pull the folded up paper from it. I thrust it towards him. He refuses to take it. Tears of frustration trickle down my cheeks. "Damn it Mikah, take it." I push it at him again and again he refuses. "I'm not a damn charity case. I don't need your money or your food." 

The bell chimes. We’ve finally reached the skyway. As soon as the doors open, I drop the folded up paper with his money in it and bolt from the elevator, turning left, hoping and praying I can get away. 

"Vivienne, stop." I hear him say behind me. I keep going, walking quickly but not running. Yet. I'm trying hard to not make a scene.

But he doesn’t seem to care about that. He catches me quickly, spins me around. I grab hold of his arm to catch my balance so I don't go sprawling onto the floor. 

 About the Author:

It is from Glendale, Arizona that Zoey Derrick, a mortgage underwriter by day and romance and erotica novelist by night, writes stories as hot as the desert sun itself. It is this passion that drips off of her work, bringing excitement to anyone who enjoys a good and sensual love story.

Not only does she aim to take her readers on an erotic dance that lasts the night, it allows her to empty her mind of stories we all wish were true.

Her stories are hopeful yet true to life, skillfully avoiding melodrama and the unrealistic, bringing her gripping Erotica only closer to the heart of those that dare dipping into it.

The intimacy of her fantasies that she shares with her readers is thrilling and encouraging, climactic yet full of suspense. She is a loving mistress, up for anything, of which any reader is doomed to return to again and again.

Places to find Zoey:

 Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook Author Page  ~  Facebook Personal Page  ~  Amazon Author Page  ~  Goodreads

Early Review & Giveaway: Charmed by Cambria Hebert

Title: Charmed

 

Author: Cambria Hebert

 

Series: Death Escorts #2

 

Publication Date: July 22, 2013

 

Genre: New Adult Paranormal/Fantasy

 

Source: e-arc provided by author for my honest opinion/review.

 

Description from Goodreads:

Life or Death? Not many people would choose death. But what if death chooses you? What if death doesn’t mean the end of your life, but the beginning?

For a Death Escort, death is life. Death is your paycheck. Death is your job.

And Charming is the best Escort the Grim Reaper has ever had.

But when you piss off the Reaper, being the best doesn’t matter. So Charming is assigned a Target who is practically impossible to kill. He knows the Reaper hopes he fails—that he’s counting on it. So Charming vows to prove him wrong. He vows to make the kill.

But someone else vows to get in his way. Someone with a big mouth, a sugar habit, and blond hair. Someone who makes his heart start beating again.

And so Charming is left holding more than one person’s fate in the palm of his hand. He thought the choice would be easy, that there really wasn’t a question at all.

He was wrong.

Life or Death?

 

My Thoughts:

And so just minutes after I lived the moment that defined my life forever… I also lived the moment that would forever define my death.

 

 I liked Recalled (the first book in the escort series), and when I heard that this was going to be a series I was super excited. I love the new take of the Grim Reaper created by Cambria Hebert- it is a little creepy, but original :). I will admit that I did not like Charming in Recalled, because he was portrayed as the bad guy (which he was). But after reading Charmed I completely feel in love with his character. There is just so much more to Charming's character that we did not see in Recalled.

Usually my charm, looks, and money got me to the finish line.

 

Who is Charming? Well let me start off by saying that this boy just leaves a trail of Charm where ever he goes. He uses his charm to get his job done as a death escort. But under all that charm, brand clothing, and materialistic life there is a man that lived a rough life, is protective, is honest, and is caring. At the beginning we get the same Charming we got in Recalled-egotistical, charming, cocky, and a real jerk. But getting deeper into Charmed we get to see the true person Charming really was when he was still alive. And after reading all that he suffered, and what he sacrificed to become a death escort I fell even more in love with him. Plus this boy is just oozing sex. Trust me when I say that I had to fan myself a few times, because he is just intense. I will admit that I loved Charming more than I loved Dex :). What can I say? This girl loves her bad boys, and I love that he is a boxer :D!

If I didn’t know what a complete and utter loser he was, I might fall prey to his… well…. his charm. Damn it.

 

I was actually excited to read and learn more of Francesca (Frankie) in Charmed. The little I did read about her in Recalled really made me feel a connection to her character. Frankie is more spontaneous, daring, sassy, and more full of life than Piper's character in Recalled. I just loved that Frankie did not let Charming's charm affect her (it sort of did) but she did not show it. She played Charming back in his game, and this I absolutely loved! What happens when the player finally gets someone who is willing to play him back? These two are just perfect in teasing each other :D!

Her words struck something inside me that I hadn’t felt in a long time, and I pushed it back, I didn’t think about those kinds of things anymore. I didn’t feel.

 

When Frankie decides to make it her mission to stop Charming from completing his next job/kill by messing up his plans, everything in Charming's life starts to mess up. Ever since he died he shut down his emotions, because it helps getting the job done. But now that Frankie is injecting herself in his life, he starts to feel things. He feels emotions that he does not want to acknowledge or even want, because it is ruining his job of being a death escort. Will Charming finally surrender to the things he is feeling and finally start living again, or will he shut down the feelings and continue doing his job so no one will get hurt? You are just going to have to read Charmed to find out :D! I really can't say more without ruining the story to you guys, and trust me when I say this book is worth the buy and worth to read!

...the only direction I seemed to be going was toward him.

“But when I’m around you, I feel like there might be some hope.”

 

Frankie doesn't want to admit or come to terms to what she is feeling towards Charming. I mean who will want to love a man who kills for a living and who tried to hurt her friend? When Charming finally accepts the fact that he is feeling something for Frankie, he wants her to stay away from him. But the attraction and chemistry between these two is just too much for their own minds and bodies to handle. They try to stay away from each other, but their bodies have a mind of their own. I just have to say that Frankie and Charming relationship is one of my favorites. These two are just perfect together! But Charming knows that he can not have a relationship with Frankie, because there is no good that will come out of it, especially when you work for the Grim Repear. That is all I can say without ruining the book :).

Butterflies with razorblade wings.
That’s how he made me feel. It was the feeling that plagued me since we had met, the feeling that took me so long to acknowledge and even longer to identify. It’s exactly what he did to me.

 

Charmed was one of the hardest reviews I had to write so far, because I can't say much without ruining the book. Like I said before Charmed is a book worth buying and reading :). Cambria Hebert brought the heat, sizzle, deepth, and intensity in Charmed with both Charming's and Frankie's characters!
Charmed just has everything that Recalled did not have and so much more. This is definitely going on my favorite reads for 2013 :D!

***e-arc provided by author for my honest opinion and review

 

Final Verdict: 5 Stars

 

 

Favorite Quotes:

"Sometimes there is beauty in sorrow.”

I suddenly felt like I was standing too close to a flame. Heat seared my skin.

“You aren’t dead. You just don’t remember how to live.”

It’s like he and I were stuck on a carousel—destined to go round and round but never actually getting anywhere.

His hand wrapped around mine. His fingers found their way in between mine and curled closed, pressing his palm against mine.

If I had thought Charming was changing before, I knew it now. It was almost like night and day.

She caught my wrists and pulled them away from her head. “Why is it whenever I try to get away from you, I end up in your arms instead?” 

 

About the Author:

Cambria Hebert is a latte sipping author of the Heven & Hell series, the Death Escorts series, and the Take It Off series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and children (both human and furry) where she is plotting her next book. You can find out more about Cambria and her work by visiting http://www.cambriahebert.com

 

Find Cambria Hebert:

Website  

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook 

Goodreads 

 

GIVEAWAY!!! 

Win 1 of 2 Kindle copies of Charmed (INT)

2 WINNERS

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Skeleton & Dust by Rhiannon Paille

Today I am participating in the cover reveal for Skeleton & Dust by Rhiannon Paille, organized by Girls Heart Books!

Title: Skeleton & Dust

Author: Rhiannon Paille

Series: The Ferryman + The Flame #3.5

Expected Publication Date: October 1, 2013

Genre: Paranormal/ Fantasy

 

Synopsis:

In the First Era, before Kaliel and Krishani fell in love, Tor runs. He escapes the Land of Kings and the tyrannical Valtanyana. In the depths of Tempia he forges weapons-- The Flames-- strong enough to oppose the Kings he betrayed.

Aria, The Amethyst Flame, cannot touch the living or the dead and her kin are silent ghosts. Hidden in a cairn deep in the haunted forest, Aria becomes obsessed with the Ferryman, the only boy who can feel her touch.

Before Aria knows it, The Flames, The Ferryman and Tor are swept up in the first war against the Valtanyana.

Add Skeleton & Dust by Rhiannon Paille to your TBR Pile-->Goodreads

About the Author:

Rhiannon is an up and coming Indie Author that writes Young Adult Fantasy books and some non fiction. She has a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. When she’s not writing books she’s reading minds, singing karaoke, burning dinner and sipping iced cappuccino despite her allergy to coffee. Some day she’d like to own a unicorn—as long as it doesn’t eat her. She's sold over 25,000 copies of her books worldwide.

 

Find Rhiannon Paille:

Website 

 

Facebook 

 

Twitter 

 

Goodreads 

 

Amazon Author Page 

 

Smashwords 

 

 

 

 

Blog Tour (Interview) & Giveaway: Keeper of the Lost Souls by Kristy Centeno

Welcome to my stop on the Keeper of the Lost Souls blog tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours.  Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule! For my stop, I have an interview from the author and a giveaway :D!

 

Title: Keeper of the Lost Souls

 

Author: Kristy Centeno

 

Series: The Keeper Witches Series #1

 

Publication Date: June 17, 2013

 

Genre: Paranormal/ Fantasy

 

Summary from Goodreads:

Bryn McCaskey is young, naïve, and can talk to ghosts. Like her mother and grandmother, Bryn is part of a breed of witches called The Keepers of the Lost Souls, whose main purpose is to guard those spirits which are permanently or temporarily grounded in the world of the living.
Because Bryn is a witch, she’s fairly comfortable dealing with all sorts of threats, which she does with ease and confidence. Handling supernatural creatures is as easy to her as baking a pie. Dealing with people however, is something she is yet to learn how to handle.
Unfortunately, as her 18th birthday approaches, and the time for her to take on her first assignment finally arrives, Bryn is forced to confront her inability to communicate with others in an effort to save the one soul that can mean the difference between life and death for mankind.
Johnny Shaw is a lost soul with a personal vendetta against witches. A vendetta he has carried on even after death. However, as much as he might hate them, in order to stop a century old threat, he must join forces with one. When fate brings them together, not only will they be forced to learn how to work as a team, but they will have to depend on each other to stop an evil witch carrying a six hundred year grudge.

 

Available from:

 

 

Author Interview:

1. Would you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? 

I’m a hard working mother of four and the eldest of four children. I was born in a small City in a Caribbean island some twenty something years ago and moved to the USA when I was four. I developed a love for books even before I could read them and my parents encouraged my passion by supplying a healthy amount of books, which I read often. 

 

2. Which project are you currently promoting? 

Keeper of the Lost Souls. The first in the Keeper Witches series.

 

3. Can you tell us what the book is about?

 Keeper of the Lost Souls is basically the story of a witch in training, working on learning the necessary skills to protect her charges even when one of those she’s responsible of guarding has a personal vendetta against witches. Not only is she going to have to learn how to trust herself, but the one person in the world who actually hates her. 

 

4. What inspired you to write this book? 

Like most books I write, this one also began as an idea that crossed my train of thought one quiet night in November. Not soon after that it took the shape of a story and from there I turned it into a book. 

 

About the Author:

As a child, I used to lose myself in an imaginary world by the means of a good book. Now that I’m all grown up, I get to create my own fictional realms and make them come to life in ways that most readers might not expect.
I’ve always had a passion for writing but never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options I realized that writing was what I loved the most so when I found myself with some free time on my hands, I decided to give it a shot. As it turned out, my very active imagination helped me achieve my goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that helped the stories move along in one way or another.
As I keep moving along in achieving my dreams of becoming a published author, I divide my time in between my four children and my very understanding husband.​

 

Where to find Kristy Centeno:

Website 

 

Twitter 

 

Goodreads 

 

Facebook 

 

Pinterest 

 

 

***GIVEAWAY***

 3 e-books of Keeper of the Lost Souls, Open Internationally!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Short Review: The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Title: The Host
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Series: The Host #1
Publication Date: May 6, 2008
Genre: YA/ Sci-Fi/ Romance
Source: Bought

Description from Goodreads: 

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

My Thoughts:

 

I read Stephanie Meyers Twilight Series and enjoyed the books, but I have to admit that I loved The Host more. 

 

 

I loved all of the characters, especially Melanie/Wanderer and Ian. I also loved Jared, but he was a bit of a jerk most of the time. The love triangle between Jared, Ian, and Melanie/Wanderer was great, because it didn't feel like a love triangle to me. I did not hate it or get tired of it like I usually do with other love triangles in other book series, I believe the reason to this is that Jared loved Melanie and Ian loved Wanda (the host in Melanie's body). I absolutely loved Melanie's and the Wanda's characters. Stephanie Meyer did an amazing job at giving both of these characters their own personality. When I think of Melanie and Wanda, I think that it is sort of like us and our conscious in real life. Overall the characters were freaking amazing.

 

 

The beginning was a little slow for me. There was a lot of description and a few diaglouge. It's a great beginning, because Stephenie explains/describes why the souls came to Earth, and how they live their daily lives. I guess in other words a lot of world building for my own personal taste. Great insight in how Earth has changed, but not too interesting. It starts getting interesting once Melanie/Wanda leave society and go into the desert.

 

Like any other girl I love my swoon moments in books! There are not a lot of swoon moments, but it is not about the quantity in the host, it is about the quality. There are major swoon moments from both Jared and Ian with Melanie and Wanda. What more can a girl ask for? I have to admit that I love both Jared and Ian, because they are both hotties and great guys in their own way. If I had to choose between these two I would probably choose Ian :)!

 

I recommend everyone to read this book! It is still one of my favorite reads, and yes I would probably re-read this book again.  

Final Verdict: 4.5 Stars

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was because the beginning was very slow for me. 

 

About the Author:

I was born in Connecticut in 1973, during a brief blip in my family's otherwise western U.S. existence. We were settled in Phoenix by the time I was four, and I think of myself as a native. The unusual spelling of my name was a gift from my father, Stephen (+ ie = me). Though I have had my name spelled wrong on pretty much everything my entire life long, I must admit that it makes it easier to google myself now.
I filled the "Jan Brady" spot in my family-the second of three girls. Unlike the Brady's, none of my three brothers are steps, and all of them are younger than all the girls. I went to high school in Scottsdale, Arizona, the kind of place where every fall a few girls would come back to school with new noses and there were Porsches in the student lot (for the record, I have my original nose, and never had a car until after I was in my twenties). I was awarded a National Merit Scholarship, and I used it to pay my way to Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah. I majored in English, but concentrated on literature rather than creative writing, mostly because I didn't consider reading books "work" (as long as I was going to be doing something anyway, I might as well get course credit for it, right?).
 

Where to find Stephenie Meyer:

Website (Keep Updated) 

 

Goodreads (Add her Books) 

 

Where to Buy The Host:

Amazon (Ebook & Paperback) 

 

Barnes & Noble (Ebook & Paperback) 

 

Book Depository (Paperback) 

 

Review: Charade by Cambria Hebert

Title: Charade
Author: Cambria Hebert
Series: Heven and Hell #2
Publication Date: May 18, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Source: Copy provided by author 

Description from Goodreads:
Dying at the hands of a psycho was a shock. Having my life returned to me by an angel was incredible. Being named a Supernatural Treasure and being given Sam as my guard was pretty darn awesome. Acquiring a debt for it all - well, I should have seen it coming. Now here we are, fighting demons from hell, caring for a boy that I just don't trust and traveling to faraway places to return a treasure to its rightful place. Nothing is as it seems. Everyone wears a mask, everyone puts on a charade. It's up to us to separate the truth from the lies and reality from fiction. A hard task when my new reality involves fallen angels, witches and dragons...and did I mention hell? Anchoring me down through it all is Sam. Sam who must face tragedies of his own and is put to the test again and again. If we fail in our task, life as we know it - life as you know it - will end. Forever. 

My Thoughts:

 I was not disappointed with the second book in the Heven and Hell Series :D!

*****Spoilers for the first book in the series*****

Heven has been given her life back by the angel, Airis, and has been named a
Supernatural Treasure. That is not all, Sam (a hell hound) has been assigned as her guard against all evil. Now, they both have a mission to go to the Catacombs in Rome and return the Treasure Map, which is an important list of people who are meant to do good things on earth. If this list falls into the hands of a Demon, the lives of the people on the list will end. Both Heven and Sam are determined to get the Treasure Map to Rome, but once they arrive in Rome all Hell breaks lose.

There are three new characters, Gemma, Henry, and Logan in Charade.
Gemma was briefly mentioned in Masquerade- she was the girl that gave Sam the bracelet. I seriously did not expect her to be that young, because when she was mentioned in Masquerade I thought she was way older lol. I won't say a lot about her, because I don't want to spoil the book :).

Logan was mentioned in the last chapter of Masquerade. I could tell that his presence in Sam and Heven's life was going to bring trouble. His actions throughout the whole story just screamed out that he was definitely bad news, and that there was something evil deep inside of him.

Henry is also a new character, and let me just say that I am not a fan at all. I was surprised to find out who he was by the last few chapters, because I was totally not expecting him to be that evil. I knew that he was bad just by his actions throughout the book, but was totally not expecting him to be a demon.

I seriously could not put this book down, because it was just a great read! I loved reading from both Sam's and Heven's point of view, because there are parts within the story that can only be seen through either one of their side. Now, the mystery behind Kimber, Heven's friend, and Logan just kept me reading. There was also the big revelation on why Cole feels a strong Connection with Heven. This totally made my jaw drop to the floor, because I was not expecting this turn in the story.

I would definitely recommend everyone to read this book. If you loved Masquerade then you will love Charade. Plus, the cover is just gorgeous :D!

  Final Verdict: 4 Stars

* A copy was provided by the author for my honest opinion and thoughts about the book.

 

About the Author:

Author. Blogger. Latte Sipper.
Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series and the Death Escorts series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and children (both human and furry) where she is plotting her next book. You can find out more about Cambria and her work by visiting http://www.cambriahebert.com

 

Where to find Cambria Hebert:

Cambria Hebert Blog (Stay Updated)

Facebook ("Like")

 Twitter (Follow)

Goodreads  (Add her Books)

 

Where to Buy Charade:

Amazon (Ebook & Paperback)

Barnes & Noble (Ebook & Paperback)

Book Depository (Paperback) 

 

 Heven and Hell Series:

Before (Heven and Hell #0.5)

Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)

Between (Heven and Hell #1.5)

Charade (Heven and Hell #2)

Bewitched (Heven and Hell #2.5)

Tirade (Heven and Hell #3)

Beneath (Heven and Hell #3.5)

Renegade (Heven and Hell #4)