Saturday, November 30, 2013

Saturday @ Starbucks ~ Best & Worst #1: Christmas Movies

Saturday @ Starbucks is a periodic feature hosted by Starbucks & Books Obsession.


So I decided to change up my Saturday @ Starbucks feature to do a little something different. I'm going to start doing a Best/Worst post with a different topic every other week that may or may not be bookish related. With the topic, I will pick the "best" and "worst" in my opinion and tell you why. I'll also share with you what I'm drinking that week. Anyways, hope you like the new style and we'll see how it goes!

This week's Best/Worst topic is: 
Christmas Movies

What I'm Drinking:
Starbucks Christmas Blend

Since it's the season, I thought I'd start off my first Best/Worst with Christmas movies. I am a Christmas movie junkie and I love them. There are more out there than can possibly be counted included a bazillion made for TV movies so I'm going mainstream here and giving you MY best & worst from the big screen. Let me know what you think!

BEST: Christmas Vacation (1989)

This movie is probably my all time favorite Christmas movie. I am a comedy junkie and this movie never fails to make me laugh. Clark Griswald is an accident waiting to happen. This movie is definitely a classic. 

Honorable Mentions: The Santa Clause, Scrooged

WORST: Christmas with the Cranks (2004)


This movie has some A-list actors but obviously D-list writers. It fell way short and I wasn't impressed at all. It was cheesy humor and way too over the top. They just don't make them like they used too.

Honorable Mentions: Bad Santa, Jingle All The Way

*******************************

What do you think? Agree or Disagree? What's your favorite Christmas movie?

Friday, November 29, 2013

Cover Reveal: Drew + Fable Forever by Monica Murphy

I am extremely thrilled to share the cover of Monica Murphy's novella DREW + FABLE FOREVER. I absolutely adored One Week GF and Second Chance BF so I am SUPER excited for this novella and I hope you are too. Pre-order now for just $.99!!! 

DREW + FABLE FOREVER releases on January 14!!
murp_9780804178631_cvr_all_r1

Monica Murphy returns with her most beloved characters, Drew and Fable, in this eBook original short story that brings her bestselling New Adult series full circle.

Fantasy. How I ended up with NFL player Drew Callahan, the guy every woman wants, is beyond my wildest dreams. All I know is that once he chose me as his one and only, I sure wasn’t looking back. I had past wounds and he showed patience and concern—even accepting responsibility for my messed- up kid brother. Now, yet again, he's found a way to blow my mind: an exotic wedding and honeymoon miles and miles away from home. What else could a girl ever ask for? Reality. Except now the honeymoon’s over. Drew's football schedule takes him on the road constantly, while I need to stay put and look after my brother until he finishes high school—because God knows our sorry excuse for a mother won’t. I know Drew loves me with all his heart, and I’ll always be over the moon about him. This just isn’t how I imagined life as newlyweds . . . dealing with the distance, missing him constantly. But we’ve gone through hard times before. We can get through this, too, right? We’re Drew and Fable, together forever. At least I hope so. . . .

~Excerpt~
“We should check out Ocean Avenue tomorrow,” Drew whispers close to my ear, amusement tingeing his deep voice.
 “What? Are you serious?” Even though I’ve come to terms with being here, it doesn’t mean I want to linger and make it a serious vacation. Besides, Drew needs to get back home so he can resume practice.
“Well yeah, remember the spot where we kissed?” His eyes are warm as they search my face, filled with so much love I feel my heart swell.
 “Yes,” I whisper achingly. “Of course I remember.”
 “I want to go back there.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his index finger lingering on my skin. “I want to kiss you again in that little alley and remember how wet we were from the rain. How nervous I was. I was scared you might reject me.”
I’d felt the same way. We’d dealt with much of the same feelings and fears and hadn’t even known it.
 “I want to take you to that store where you got the dress that just about killed me and buy you whatever you want,” he continues, his fingers drifting across my jaw. My eyes flutter closed as memories rush back at me.
 “I want to sit outside the dressing room and have you come out to show me every single thing you’re trying on.” That he remembers all the little details sends a thrill of pleasure spiraling to the very depths of my soul. “And then I want to wander off for a bit and let you do whatever you want, secretly hoping that you’ll send me a text that says marshmallow. Though if you don’t that’s okay because I’ll send you one instead.” He offers up a crooked smile and the sight of it cracks my heart wide open, overflowing with so much pure love for him I want to cry.
“Because we made a deal. Whenever we see or hear that word, the other comes running. I’ll always be the one to rescue you, Fable. You never have to worry about that.” 


Pre-Order Links: 

ABOUT MONICA MURPHY: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance for Bantam and Avon. She is the author of One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend. 
      
Links: Website: http://www.monicamurphyauthor.com/ # 
Blog: http://missmonicamurphy.blogspot.com/</ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsMonicaMurphy 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ MonicaMurphyauthor Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5934418.Monica_Murphy Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/MonicaMurphy/e/B00AVPYIGG 

Review: Sentinel by Jennifer Armentrout

Sentinel
(Covenant #5)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Publication Date: November 2, 2013
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Source: eBook purchased

~Synopsis~
It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.


~Review~

This is a hard review for me to write. I had so many FEELS when I finished this book and I was sitting in bed sobbing when I finished. I usually don't like to discuss what happens in a book when I do my reviews because I don't want to spoil it for others so I try and talk more about how it made me feel and what I loved about the characters. Because this is a five book series, that may be a little harder in this one but I'm going to give it my best shot. There may be a few minor spoilers when it comes to the romance if you haven't read the previous books.

This book starts up where Apollyon left off and SO many things have happened that have led them to this point. The world is in chaos and things are looking bleak for our gang, now calling themselves the "Army of Awesome" or AOA for short. Knowing what they are up against, I was definitely nervous for how this was all going to play out. As is pure JLA style, there were some serious "WTF"ery moments in this book that left me either skeptical, shocked, or breathless. There is no way that I could ever predict the twists and turns that the plot took and I loved that I was constantly left on my toes.

Alex is still, well, Alex. She is strong, determined, feisty and a bit reckless at times. I think she has really grown since the beginning and her maturity really shined through in this book. She was thinking more strategically and a lot less impulsive. She has finally understood the impact of her actions and she would do anything to protect the ones she cares about. The evolution of Alex as a character is one of my favorite things from the series.

“For him I’d do anything. Fight a horde of half-blood daimons? There. Tangle with ticked-off furies? Sign me up. Break a dozen or so rules for one forbidden kiss? Done.”

I have loved Aiden from the moment I met him in Half-Blood and even though there were moments when I wanted to junk punch him, he has always been the guy for me. He is strong, smart, loyal and an impeccable warrior. He has ALWAYS loved Alex and every decision he has made, right or wrong, was to protect her and keep her best interests at heart. I really saw the man that Aiden is in Sentinel and I could never doubt his love or faithfulness to Alex. He is so sweet and tender with her and he makes her feel alive and whole when nothing else can after all she has been through.

Seth, oh dear sweet, charming, cunning Seth. ALOT has happened with Seth over the course of this series and his motives and actions are always in question. No matter what happens, I can never fully trust him but I do believe he truly cares for Alex and the love he has for her is the one thing I never questioned. I don't want to say too much about Seth so as not to give anything away but I will say that he continually surprises me. I can't wait for his own series to come out! 2015? Really?

Along with Seth, Aiden and Alex, we've got Marcus, Solos, Dean, Olivia, Deacon and Luke along for the ride and they are all fabulous side characters. I love the unwavering support and dedication that each of them has and they are really great friends. Deacon is Aiden's little brother and he is 100% the comic relief. He's always there to give a good laugh when it's needed; and there some an intense moments that need a little break with humor. I really liked the development of Alex's relationship with her uncle, Marcus, too. This has spanned the entire series and despite his demeanor (it's just the way he is), you can tell he truly cares for Alex and would do anything to ensure her happiness. I love how fatherly he is with her when it comes to her relationship with Aiden. Lastly, we can't forget Apollo. Gods, I love Apollo. He is always popping in at the most in opportune times (especially the bedroom, wink, wink) and he loves scaring the crap out of everyone. He is a God and like the rest, arrogant and shifty but he cares about Alex and he wants to help her and protect her. He's definitely one of the good ones.

There was so much swooning in this book and I loved the moments between Alex and Aiden. They were sweet, tender and passionate. There was never a question for me on who Alex should be with. I never saw this as a love triangle because Alex truly, madly, deeply only loves ONE man. Does she love Seth? Of course, but Aiden holds her heart and he has from the moment he showed up in Half-Blood. Aiden and Alex have been through so much and their relationship has been through the ringer a time or two with obstacles to overcome on so many different levels. I adored every breathtaking moment between them in Sentinel.

“Only Aiden could look so sexily sleep-ruffled.”

Overall, I could not be happier with this book and the way the series ended. JLA spent 4 books building up to the final moments of Sentinel and it was played out perfectly. I loved the action, the romance, the storyline, and the plot. It help my attention from the beginning to the end and I really, truly wasn't ready to let go. This really impresses me because sometimes when a series goes for too long, it feels stretched out and I can lose interest. This never once happened in the Covenant series.

I could not have asked for a more perfect ending. It was bittersweet to see the end because it was so perfect and beautiful but also sad to say goodbye to these characters. I spent the final 10% of this book with tears running down my face and when it was all over I felt this overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Whew, sorry for the long review but I had to gush over this book so I could say my own proper goodbye!

Adios Alex, Aiden, Marcus, Luke, Olivia, Solos and Deacon! You will be missed. Seth & Apollo? We'll be seeing you again!

~IPOD Picks~
“Angel with a Shotgun” by The Cab
“Never Say Never” by  The Fray
“Living Louder” by The Cab


PURCHASE LINKS:

Covenant Series Reading Order:
(Daimon is a prequel novella to Half-Blood and Elixir is a prequel novella to Apollyon)



Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving: Bookish Things I'm Thankful For!

Today is a day to be thankful and I am so thankful for my family, friends and all the blessings I have in my life. I'm also thankful to be a part of this amazing blogging community so I thought I would share the bookish things I'm thankful for today.

 E-Readers & E-Books

I love books but I absolutely adore my Kindle Fire. I love being able to have all of my books with me anywhere I go and I love that the covers are on the Kindle Fire too. E-books also allow indie authors to publish their books and I have read some really awesome books that I wouldn’t have been able to read without an e-reader.

 Kindle Highlighter

I love book quotes and I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t highlight them. I never want to mark up a paperback or hard copy with a highlighter or pen. Being able to highlight quotes and passages while reading is amazing. Participating in meme’s like Swoon Thursday would be a lot more challenging with out it.

Amazon One-Click

This is probably NOT really a good thing to be thankful for because it makes it so much easier for me to binge spend on books but I love it. Buying e-books on Amazon has never been faster and more convenient!

Whispersync

Amazon and Audible have this amazing thing where if you buy an e-book, you can get the audio book at a super discounted price. It will also sync between your kindle and the audio so you can listen and read the book at the same time. 

NetGalley/Edelweiss

I love NetGalley and Edelwiess and not because of the free books. Sure, it’s great to get books free to read but I would gladly buy them. I absolutely LOVE getting to read books before they are released because I have no patience to wait until they are released.

Book Blogs/Blogging Buddies

I have discovered SO many great new books and authors from visiting other book blogs and chatting with other bloggers. I have also met some AWESOME people who love the same books as I do and who have so much more in common. I have made some super good friends through blogging and I am truly THANKFUL for that.

Book Boyfriends

Who doesn’t love their book boyfriends? I know I do and I am so thankful to have them around. Book boyfriends have definitely upped my expectations and I may never find love again but hey, at least I have my books.

Authors

Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for AUTHORS. Seriously, without them we wouldn’t have any of these bookish things. Authors take us into new worlds and get us hooked on their stories. They bring characters to life that we connect with and grow to love and hate. I want to thank all the authors out there that treat their fans like friends and sign our books and connect with us on a personal level. You make being a reader and a blogger even better than it already is.

Swoon Thursday: Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout


Swoon Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by YA Bound.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)

This week my swoon moment is from Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout.


"He moved lightning fast. He rolled me onto my back and was above me, on me, pressing his leg between mine. His lips found mine like they'd been born to do so. This kiss was different. Hungry. Starving. My hands slid up the hard sides of his stomach and then onto his back. Those sculptured muscles flexed under my hands as the kiss deepened until my senses were spinning."

Oh. My. God. This book was so fantastic! Greatest series ending ever! Come back by tomorrow and check out my review.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

ARC Review: The Temptation of Lila & Ethan by Jessica Sorensen

The Temptation of Lila & Ethan
(The Secret #3)
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: October 22, 2013
Genre: New Adult
Source: eARC from publisher via NetGalley

~Synopsis~
On the surface, Lila Summers is flawless: good looks, expensive clothes, and a big, beautiful smile. But a dark past and even darker secrets are threatening to bubble over her perfect façade. She'll do anything to keep the emptiness inside hidden-which leads her into situations that always end badly. Whenever she hits bottom, there's only one person who's there to pull her out: Ethan Gregory.

Ethan set the rules a long time ago: he and Lila are just 
friends. He doesn't do relationships. Although his tattooed, bad boy exterior is a far cry from Lila's pretty princess image, Ethan can't deny they have a deeper connection than he's used to. If he's not careful, he could be in serious danger of becoming attached-and he's learned the hard way that attachment only leads to heartbreak.

When Lila falls farther than she ever has before, can Ethan continue to help as a friend? Or is he also getting close to falling . . . for her?


~Review~

I am a big fan of Jessica Sorensen and I love her new adult/contemporary novels. They have this certain somberness to them that she pulls off so well. Not everyone can write a book like that and make it work. Lila and Ethan are the side characters for the Ella and Micha series and I always sensed that something may happen between them so I was glad to see they finally got their own story.

I was super shocked by Lila and everything that she had been through and all of the things she was hiding. She seems so cheery and put together but really is was a very BIG façade. It was always implied that her parents were less than ideal but holy crap were they awful. I can't imagine two people more unfit to procreate. The way her father was so cold and indifferent was sad and her mom's constant put downs and shallowness was terrible. Lila has experienced some very terrible things and it was definitely not what I expected with her. She puts up a really big front and hides her emotions and her problems very well.  I really hurt for Lila as things started to spin out of control for her. Considering her past and everything she has gone through, it would make sense that she is insecure and unsure when it comes to Ethan. No man has ever really treated her right and she has mostly been used and discarded by most people. Ethan is the first genuine man in her life, even as a friend.

Ethan has such a skewed view on love and relationships and it made me so sad because it seems so lonely. All he’s ever seen of love and relationships is pain and anger and sorrow. His parents have a very volatile relationship and that has definitely influenced him. He is so scared to become his father or to have a relationship that mirrors his parents, that he would rather have meaningless sex and nothing more. He also deals with a very personal issue with the one girl he once let in that has a hold over him and he can’t seem to let go. He blames himself for something that was never really his fault. I loved Ethan and I really felt his sorrow and emptiness. He appeared fine on the outside but I think deep down, he wanted more for his future. I think he finally got a glimpse of what can be with Lila and while it scared him, I think it excited him and brightened up his life a little bit. 

I loved the support that than provided for Lila. He was a true friend and he saw her at her lowest point and didn’t run away. Instead, he stepped right in and pulled Lila out. She needed him more than she had ever needed anyone and that scared her a bit. No guy had ever really wanted Lila and Ethan’s kindness towards her was very new. For the first time in years, she is thinking clearly and she is FEELING and she wants to feel with Ethan. Lila isn’t the only one experiencing something new. For the first time in a long time, Ethan doesn’t want to be alone. He is developing real feelings for Lila and the more he gets to know the real Lila, not the shell that Lila was putting on, the more he wants to move on from his past. There is a lot of sexual tension between Ethan and Lila but I really liked the slow build of their relationship. Lila is really messed up and she needs to heal first before she can have a real relationship with Ethan. Likewise, Ethan needs to move on from his past and that means finding and gaining closure. I liked getting to know the real Lila right alongside Ethan and I loved watching Lila discover herself as well. She really grows throughout the book and she becomes a very strong character. Seeing them fall in love was really beautiful, especially with Ethan because he has always been so closed off to love and my heart warmed when he realized and verbalized his feelings for her.

“Change. I want to change who I am. I want to be better. I want to be a person who I can love, not hate and despise.”

Overall, this was another spectacularly written Jessica Sorensen novel and I think a really great addition to the Forever series. She did a great job of surprising me with Lila and Ethan as I would have never guessed the backstory involving Lila. She is an expertly built character and Jessica really touched on the all too real subject of addiction, pain, sorrow and healing. I definitely felt the realism in the tone of this book.

~IPOD Picks~
“Let Her Go” by Passenger
“It Is What it Is” by Lifehous
“Demons” by Imagine Dragons


PURCHASE LINKS:


*An eARC was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.*

25 Days of Book Boyfriends Tour Schedule


I am super excited to announce the schedule for the 25 Days of Book Boyfriends Blog Tour hosted by myself, Lovin Los Libros, and Reader's Live A Thousand Lives! We are so excited for this tour and are thrilled to have so many wonderful blogs taking part! There are lots of great book boyfriends on this list and I cannot wait to see each of them spotlighted!

12/1/2013: 

12/2/2013: 

12/3/2013: 

12/4/2013: 

12/5/2013: 

12/6/2013: 

12/7/2013: 

12/8/2013: 

12/9/2013: 

12/10/2013: 

12/11/2013: 

12/12/2013: 

12/13/2013: 

12/14/2013: 

12/15/2013: 

12/16/2013: 

12/17/2013: 

12/18/2013: 

12/19/2013: 

12/20/2013: 

12/21/2013: 

12/22/2013: 

12/23/2013: 

12/24/2013: 

12/25/2013: 

Cover Reveal: Tousle Me by Lucy V. Morgan


Tousle Me: A New Adult Parody by Lucy V. Morgan
Publication date: December 13th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Designed by Kenny Wright

He’s exquisitely hot. Exquisitely tousled. Exquisitely screwed in the head.
Cammibelle Hicks just wants to survive her first year of college. Desperate to forget her troubled past, she throws herself into her degree and book review blog. So what if her life is one long tumblr page of grumpy cat GIFs? She doesn’t need to get out more, and she definitely doesn’t need a man.
Hunter von Styles approaches life like he’s spoiling for a fight: with a tempting scowl. A cage-fighting, ex-rocker billionaire, it’s unclear why Hunter’s at college. Frankly, it makes no sense. Then Cammie falls into him—literally—at a party, and he’s obsessed. He needs her more than a moist towelette at a barbecue.
Though Cammie’s friends warn her against Hunter, she can’t resist his charms; especially not when he buys her shoes. And GoodReads. And a unicorn. But when her handsome best friend, medieval reenactor Archer Riddick, makes a play for her heart—and challenges Hunter to a jousting match—it turns out that Hunter has demons of his own. Demons that aren’t real ones, but metaphorical ones—which are MUCH WORSE, when you think about it…
Join Hunter and Cammie on an emotionally exhausting journey into love.
And co-dependence.
And probably therapy.


AUTHOR BIO
Lucy writes sharp contemporary fiction, usually with a liberal splatter of filth. She is a Lyrical Press author, an editor and a screenwriter.

Her new adult novel, TWISTED SUMMER, is a gutsy take on forbidden love starring an even gutsier heroine.

Her contemporary series, encompassing CHAIRMAN OF THE WHORED and THE WHORED'S PRAYER, features slick London lawyers with a penchant for sensual violence. BEAUTIFUL MESS, her romantic comedy novella, is a snarky, sexy friends-to-lovers romp.

In TOUSLE ME: A New Adult Parody, Lucy pays homage to the books she loves in the best way she knows how...by mocking them mercilessly.

Lucy lives amid a graveyard of scented candles and half-read books. She's still trying to kick her dirty Pepsi habit.


Author links: