Traces of Kara

"Traces of Kara" is the first of Melissa Foster's books that I have read, and I was pleasantly surprised by it.  I can honestly say that the story kept me on the edge of my seat and unable to predict the ending!

Kara lives a routine life.  Newly divorced, she takes a job at the local plant so she can pay her way through nursing school... her ticket out of town.  So when a psychopath thinks that Kara is his long lost sister, stalks her, breaks into the plant to kidnap Kara, and kills anyone who stands in his way of completing his plan, her reality is torn apart.  But she is not alone, the rising body count of obstacles in her captor's path begin to pull apart his frail grip on reality.

Traces of Kara is a fast-paces thriller with no shortage of surprises along the way. As I was reading it, the book was nearly impossible to put down.  Thank goodness for the text-to-speech function on Kindle so I could listen to the book when it wasn't possible to actually read it! "Traces of Kara" is really well written, has well developed characters, and will stay with you long after you finish the book.

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Wait For You - Cover Reveal

What do early readers have to say about WAIT FOR YOU?

“J. Lynn creates a wonderful cast of characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and cry. Cam stole my heart.” – Cora Carmack, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of LOSING IT

“For the love of all that is Cameron without a shirt on! Wait for You will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and anxiously waiting to know what will happen next.” – Molly McAdams, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of FROM ASHES and TAKING CHANCES

“I don't think I have ever read a NA Contemporary novel with as much depth as this one. It really moved me and by the end I was just speechless over how inspirational and uplifting it was as well as being sexy and cute and funny and emotional.” - K Books

“Wait For You is uniquely different from anything else J. Lynn's written but it might possibly be her best work yet.” – Jenuine Cupcakes

“For all of you in love with Aiden and Daemon, PREPARE YOURSELVES! Your heart will have to expand a little more for Cam.” Total Bookaholic

“For the love of all things CAM, this book deserves more than 5 stars.” – Mundie Moms

“I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this perfectly crafted contemporary.” – Shortie Says

Excited? Ready to see the cover for WAIT FOR YOU?

Synopsis

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

WAIT FOR YOU is available now!

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 J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the adult romance Gamble Brothers’ series, the young adult Lux Series and award winning Covenant Series. She pretty much writes everything—contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. All of her books have one thing in common no matter the name or genre: kissing… and stuff. When she’s not busy writing, which is never, she’s usually hanging out with dog Loki, watching reruns of The Walking Dead, or procrastinating on the Internet. You can find out more about Jennifer by visiting the following websites:

Twitter: @JLArmentrout

Facebook: JenniferLArmentrout

Website: http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/

Elixir

Elixir by Hilary Duff is the first book of the Elixir Series.  It's YA/paranormal/romance, and I have to give it a 4/5 star rating.

I really did not want to like this book.  I mean, really, how good can a book written by Lizzie McGuire be?  But dang it, if I did not put down the book and go straight to Amazon looking for the sequel!

Personally, I don't believe in soulmates.  Rayna relishes the concept

She adores the breathless romance of a brand-new relationship.  It's a

drug for her; nothing makes her feel more alive.  And each time that whirlwind

of ecstasy sweeps her away, she truly believes that this time it's real; this time 

it's forever.  No matter how often she's let down and disappointed, Rayna

remains endlessly optimistic about the prospect of true love.  It's an attitude 

I can't relate to at all, but in her I admire it to no end.

Now, I can't say that it is the best book that I have read, but the story really does draw you in.  All together, it is not what you would expect, but in a good way.

Amazon Summary:
Clea Raymond is a talented photojournalist and the daughter of high-profile parents. Usually she’s in total control of her camera, but after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, eerie, shadowy images of a strange and handsome young man begin to appear in Clea’s photos—a man she has never seen in her life.

When Clea suddenly encounters this man in person she is stunned—and feels an immediate and powerful connection. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance and discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fate, together they race against time to unravel their past in order to save their future—and their lives.

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Interview with Katie Gallagher

I had a great opportunity to chat with Katie Gallagher, author of Catching You, the other day and just had to share!  If you have not yet read Katie's book, check out my review of it here.

So here is some insight into the creative mind behind the book...


What is your writing process?  I know that everyone writes in a different way, so what works for you?

I usually sit on the couch or in the recliner with the laptop and pull up MS Word.  But I also have Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo!, and Amazon up as well.  I'm what you call a panster, I don't outline or anything.  I just an idea and start to write.

I also have a notebook with me at all times if inspiration strikes.  That way I can write it down quickly so I don't forget before I get to my computer.


With Catching You, I started writing during NaNo, a month long competition to write 50k words. 



How do you get your book ideas?

Sometimes when I'm reading a book I'll read a part that will spark an idea.


What are you working on now?

Right now, I'm trying to work on the prequel to Catching You, tentatively titled, The Betrayal, but I'm finding it a little harder to write than I first thought.  

And, on top of that, I'm working on another book titled, Stealing Cinderella, a young adult romance novel.  This will be my second book published instead of The Betrayal.

BIO: 

Katie Gallagher lives in Pennsylvania where she spends her time writing young adult fiction, and avoiding housework at any cost. She loves coffee, watching reality TV, and flip flops. She lives with her husband, who graciously tolerates her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of cooking skills, and two very spoiled cats.





Where to find Catching You:

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The Truth About Letting Go - Cover Reveal

The Truth About Letting Go (The Truth)

by Leigh Talbert Moore 

Release Date: 02/21/13

Summary from Goodreads:

Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life.
Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley's seemingly charmed shoes.
Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear--with Ashley at his side.
Jordan wants to follow his heart... but Ashley is the one sacrifice he never expected to make.

Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She's always done the right thing, played it safe, gone to church. And then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly.

Fueled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before. She rejects safety, rules, faith,

and then she meets Jordan.

Jordan has big dreams, he's had a crush on Ashley for years, and he's a great kisser. But he's also safe.

Enter Colt. He is not safe, and he's more than willing to help Ashley fulfill her vow.

A companion to The Truth About Faking (not a sequel; the books can be read out of order), The Truth About Letting Go takes readers back to Shadow Falls, or more specifically Shadow Creek, with Ashley Lockett as she learns about real friendship, love, and letting go.

Get it today on:
   


***Excerpt*** 

I feel Colt laugh, and he looks down into my face. That’s when he seems to realize what I’ve been acutely aware of for the last several minutes—our bodies are pressed together. “It’s awesome, yeah?” he says. “Adrenaline rush.” “Yeah,” I breathe. “I guess.” I’m not sure if he’s going to kiss me until he does. His mouth covers mine, and energy mixes with the alcohol flooding my body. Our tongues slide together, and I grip his shirt so I don’t collapse.  Every single bit of this is wrong, and there’s no way I’m stopping it. It’s back, that good feeling. The sadness has been pushed out again, and in its place is this rush, this rush of adrenaline like Colt said.  He pulls back and smiles at me. “We’re going to start dating. Now. You’re my partner in crime.”

Moore

About the Author
Leigh Talbert Moore is a wife and mom by day, a writer by day, a reader by day, a former journalist and editor, a chocoholic, a caffeine addict, a lover of YA and new adult romance (really any great love story), a beach bum, and occasionally she sleeps. -The Truth About Faking is her debut young adult romance (on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo) -Rouge is her first New Adult romantic suspense novel (on Amazon). Leigh loves hearing from readers; stop by and say hello! Blog * Facebook * Amazon Author page * Goodreads * Twitter * Tumblr

An Italian Obsession

"An Italian Obsession" by Kfir Luzzatto was not at all what I expected and earned an overall 3/5 star rating.  The content seemed a little mature for a young adult genre, and more along the lines of new adult.  As one quote from the epilogue so eloquently sums up, it is a cautionary tale to today's youth of what not to do.

"You are undoubtedly asking yourself what purpose it may serve to

bare my secrets before one and all, both as the recipient and 

the administrator of bad luck and misery... Maybe, and so I 

hope, learning from my mistakes and those of others will help

generations come do the right thing." - Epilogue

The writing was well done and featured interesting and believable characters. All together, it is a good book with surprises at every turn of the plot.

Excerpt:

The dormitory resembled a noisy beehive when I got there. Almost everybody had already returned from vacation and the boys exchanged pleasant memories and jokes. It surprised me that I was happy to see them; but, somehow, it felt like home and they had become a much closer family to me than my own flesh and blood. At least, they shared my predicament.

I dropped my bags on the bed and stood still to watch the commotion in the dormitory, trying to gather pieces of information from snatched bits of conversation shouted across the room or whispered privately. Everybody seemed to know what was going on but me, and I felt excluded.




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Blog Tours

I am so excited to have the opportunity to participate in several upcoming blog tours!  There are currently three scheduled for the next month, and more to be announced soon.

So head over to the "Blog Tours" page, and check back to see when new tours are announced.

"An Italian Obsession" by Kfir Luzzatto

Virtual Book Tour February 1 - March 10

February 1 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet

February 2 - Pink Fluffy Hearts - PROMO

February 3 - Lovely Reads - Guest Post/PROMO

February 6 - Lust For Stories - Review/Interview

February 7 - Mom With a Kindle - PROMO

February 9 - The Stuff of Success - PROMO

February 11 - Lauries Thoughts and Reviews - Interview/PROMO

February 12 - Emily's Bookshelf - PROMO

February 13 - Love in a Book - Guest Post/PROMO

February 14 - My Reading Addiction -PROMO

February 15 - Boundless Booklist - Review/Interview

February 16 - Crazy For Books - Review

February 18 - YA Reviews and News - Interview/PROMO

February 19 - Fictional Reality - Review

February 23 - Books, Books, the Magical Fruit- Guest Post/PROMO

February 24 - Andi's YA Books - Interview/PROMO

February 27 - Author Ever Leigh - Review

March 1 - Books For Me - Review

March 2 - Lov Liv Life Reviews - Guest Post/PROMO

March 4 -Debbie Jean's Blog - Review

March 5 - Tiramisu Mom - Review/Interview

March 7 - Book Marks the Spot - PROMO

March 8 - RABT Reviews - Review

March 9 - I Know That Book - Guest Post/PROMO

March 10 - My Cozie Corner - Review

Arson

"Arson" by Estevan Vega was addictive, surprising, and at times a little bit confusing.  Overall, I would give it a 4/5 star rating.  The last third or so of the book has a completely different feeling than the first part, which is where the confusing part comes in.  You can tell that Vega is setting the story up for the sequel, but it makes the story seem a little disjointed.

But do not let this dissuade you from reading it.  The sudden twist draws you further into the pages and makes you fell the confusion just as the characters are experiencing it.  So once you step back from the last page, you are dying to know what happens next and can appreciate the brilliance of the confusion.  It is a good young adult paranormal read!

"The stories didn't seem to care who he was or what he could do;
it didn't matter.  In their world, he wasn't alone.  In their world,
a freak like him - like him - could become a hero."

Goodreads Synopsis:

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone.  But when a strange girl-who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin-moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose.  After years of living in fear, he will be forced to confront his haunting past and embrace the unknown as he walks the fine line between boy and monster.

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Come back on March 9th for the Ashes (Arson Book 2) blog tour!

Shatter Me

"Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi had some pretty scathing reviews, but I am happy to say that I disagree with them.  I've mentioned before that dystopians are, by far, my favorite reads, so I was really interested in this one.

"Hate looks just like everybody else until it smiles.
Until it spins around and lies with lips and teeth carved into
the semblance of something too passive to punch."

When you open the book, your first thought is that this is an unedited copy since the pages have sections that are crossed out.  But don't worry, you do not have an unedited copy... it is supposed to be this way.  It is Mafi's way of showing you Juliette (the main character)'s conflicting thoughts.  Once you get a few pages into it, you start to feel the rhythm and purpose of these crossed out ideas.

Mafi has moments that are nothing short of pure literary brilliance, especially in her descriptions.  However, there are also parts that seem to be moving at a snail's pace.  It can be a frustrating book to start, but keep pushing through, and it will grow on you.

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Catching You

"Catching You" by Katie Gallagher is a very interesting read since it's not your typical "who-done-it."  Confession... I judged this book by its cover, and I was right!  I knew as soon as I saw the cover that it was going to be different, but good. Overall rating... 5 stars!

Here is why I fell in love with it.  First, it is well-written.  I'm not just talking about having good grammar here either.  The characters have substance to them, and there is not an overwhelming amount of teen drama.  Don't get it twisted, there is teen drama, but it is actually there for a reason, so it works!  Second, I actually could not guess who the murder was (bonus points for Gallagher)!  There are great twists that keep you guessing throughout the book.  Third, the "creep level" was perfect for the young adult genre.  As a reader, you aren't sure which characters to trust, but you won't be with nightmares either.  And finally, it was a quick read.  I plan on taking this one to the beach with me to read it again.

Synopsis:

This was supposed to be the best summer of Lauren’s life. It turns out to be the worst.

After Lauren wakes up in the hospital and learns that her boyfriend Ryan has died, her life slowly begins to unravel. She soon begins receiving mysterious text messages that make her wonder if his death was even an accident like everyone is saying. She finds herself leaning on Nick, her boyfriend’s best friend, for support. He tells her tidbits about Ryan’s life that make her wonder if she even knew her own boyfriend at all. Now, she’s even more determined to learn the truth about Ryan’s death and she wonders who she’s able to trust. She starts confiding in her best friend, Bryn, until she remembers something about the accident that makes her wonder if she’s trusted the wrong person the entire time. She’s determined to get justice for Ryan, but can she do it without losing her best friends?

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Fake Pastor / Widows Indeed

"Fake Pastor"  by Fran Touchette

Rose Jackson is a single mother of two, struggling to make ends meet.  Suddenly, what seems to be the perfect job opens up as the pastor of the neighborhood church.  The only problem is that Rose has no education, experience, or even strong convictions of faith, but she takes the position just the same.  As members of the church are killed one-by-one, Rose begins to have visions about these murders.  But where are these visions coming from?

A griping mystery with various and unexpected twists along the way.  The characters are well developed and the story itself is extremely well written.  This should be on the reading list of every southern ladies' book club since this short tale has all the intensity of other mysteries, just without the content that would make you blush.

"Widows Indeed" by Fran Touchette

While being relatively short, Widows Indeed is full of mystery and intrigue while being presented from several viewpoints.  It is perfectly balanced, and you will not be able to put it down.  So if you are looking for a good book to read on the beach or just in an afternoon, then grab some sweet tea and get Widows Indeed.  You will love it!

When the widows of small-town Elmsdale are suddenly being murdered one-by-one, the town is shocked beyond belief.  Calling in the county police for help in solving these murders, one of the visiting officers believes that a local man with Downs Syndrome is the culprit, but the officer's partner has another suspect in mind.  Who is the real murderer, and what is his motive for killing these elderly women?

Click the titles for links to purchase these on Amazon!

More

More, by T.M. Franklin, is a fresh and original YA paranormal story that you will not be able to put down.

Ava had long forgotten her childhood belief of being something special.  While away at college, she is constantly haunted by a recurring nightmare; but is there something more to these dreams?  Could there be some truth or even a warning hidden there?  Not only will Ava discover her own strength, but she will also uncover some shocking information about the world she lives in and the people surrounding her.

More is filled with strong characters and great writing.  The plot is complex and sprinkled with just the right amount of twists and turns along the way, thus leaving you guessing until the final page.

If you liked The Mortal Instruments, then you will probably like More as well.  It has the same feel of two worlds living alongside each other, just without the cliche angel vs. demon characters.