SUMMER SOLSTICE SEQUELS – 4 books, 4 authors, 4 days of prizes!

Welcome to the Summer Solstice Sequels tour, a four day event celebrating the upcoming summer releases by Elizabeth Richards (PHOENIX), Jessica Spotswood (STAR CURSED), Fiona Paul (BELLADONNA), and Lili Peloquin (THIS SIDE OF JEALOUSY)!

Each day on the tour, we’ll be spotlighting one of the Summer Solstice Sequels, along with a giveaway! There will be 4 separate contests, so there’s even more chances to win prizes.  The event ends with a Twitter party on Thursday 20 June, 6.30 EST (#SSSequels), where Liz, Jess, Fiona and Lili will be answering your questions and giving away oodles of prizes, courtesy of Penguin Teen.

We kick-off the tour with Elizabeth Richards’ PHOENIX (A Black City Novel), which came out on June 4!

BOOK HIGHLIGHT

Publisher: Putnam

Release: June 4

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed

. The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.  

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Indie Bound | Goodreads

BIO

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist, who spent her early career reviewing videogames before making the bold (or crazy) move into travel writing, despite suffering from terrible travel sickness.

In her spare time, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favorite bands, go to gigs and basically blag loads of free swag all in the name of ‘research’.

Elizabeth lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her husband. Black City is her debut novel.

Stalk her at: Website | Twitter | Facebook

GIVEAWAY 1: GUESS WHO…TEEN EDITION!

Each day the authors have come up with a fun quiz for you to play. Today’s game is Guess Who…Teen Edition!

Rules

Liz, Jess, Fiona and Lili have each provided a photo of themselves as a teenager. All you have to do is guess who the author is in each photo! It’s that simple. They’ve even provided a handy clue, to help you along.

The contest will close at 12pm EST, June 28. Any entries after this date will not be counted. Winners will be notified by email. US only. Entrants must be over 13 years old. Entrants under that age must have a parent or guardian enter on their behalf.

Prizes

2 x ARCS of PHOENIX by Elizabeth Richards

Let’s play!

Teen author 1: This author casts a spell with her awesome 90s fashion, posing for her senior picture with one of her favorite books!

Teen author 2: This author’s heroine is more used to riding gondolas than horses…

Teen author 3: As a teen, this author dyed her hair black to embrace her Dark[ling] side…

Teen author 4:  She played soccer as a teen, even though her heroines are more tennis-anyone? types…

Entry form Summer Solstice Sequels entry form

FOLLOW THE TOUR

17 June

Good Choice Reading

PHOENIX by Elizabeth Richards

18 June

Book Chic

STAR CURSED by Jessica Spotswood

19 June

Jean Book Nerd

BELLADONNA by Fiona Paul

20 June

Fiction Freak

THIS SIDE OF JEALOUSY by Lili Peloquin

Book Blast: Spring Training by Parker Kincade & Giveaway (Romance)

He’s got his eye on the ball, but his sights are set on her.

For baseball superstar Garrett Donovan, his contract with the New York Empire baseball team meant he’d finally have the means to secure a future for his family. He should focus on that…not on the sassy, beautiful Jessa Montgomery — or what she looks like naked. Getting involved with the daughter of the Empire’s owner would be career suicide. Jessa is a distraction he can’t afford.

Her father had warned her never to get involved with his athletes, so his request that she keep an eye on his new star player came straight out of left field. The last thing Jessa needs is another spoiled, egotistical ball player to deal with. But Garrett is none of those things. His no-nonsense attitude and smooth Southern charm make her blood burn and her knees weak. Giving into temptation, she is consumed by the pleasure she finds in Garrett’s arms.

Jessa wants to protect his career. Garrett won’t let anything get in the way of their passion.

A passion that could cost him everything.

This excerpt contains strong language and sexual content. To view the full excerpt check out our adult blog, SINFULLY TASTY READS.

Purchase your copy

Amazon † All Romance eBooks † Barnes and Noble

Parker Kincade is an award-winning erotic romance author of The Martin Family Series. Her first novel, One Night Stand, won the category of Best Erotic Romance in the Celtic Hearts Romance Writers Golden Claddagh contest and was named finalist in the Romance Writers of America/Passionate Ink Stroke of Midnight contest.

Parker lives in the southern United States with her husband, children and beloved boxer sidekick. She loves reading, playing golf, spending time with her family and friends, ice cream from the ice cream truck, taking her dog to the park and watching old musicals.

Website † Blog † Facebook † Twitter † Group Blog

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Review: Redesigned by Denise Grover Swank

Redesigned by Denise Grover Swank
Amazon † B&N † Author Site
Published June 10th 2013

While fashion design major Caroline Hunter may have been born economically unlucky, in college, she’s been lucky in love. Until her senior year at Southern University. She’s gone from a serious long term boyfriend to a string of crappy dates.

Then she meets mathematics grad student Reed Pendergraft.

Reed is everything she’s not looking for. Serious. Headed for a low paying university job. Boring. Caroline spent the first eighteen years of her life wondering where her next meal was coming from. She sure wasn’t getting trapped in that life again with a man living on a professor’s salary.

An encounter with Reed in a club proves she might have pegged him wrong. He brings out a lusty side she never knew she had. But just when she’s about to give in to her hormones, Reed makes a fool out of her.

When she shows up for the first committee meeting for Southern University’s Fall fashion show, a fundraiser for underprivileged kids, Caroline’s horrified to discover the insufferable Reed is the committee chairman. While she refuses to tolerate his totalitarian rule of the committee, she’s not sure she’ll survive the month with her heart—and her pride—intact. Just when she thinks she has everything figured out, she finds that her entire life has been redesigned, thanks to Reed Pendergraft.

          My Review:

     I am the kind of person that fall in love with authors and their books. I absolutely LOVE Denise and LOVE her books. She made me fall in love with her characters in Aftermath. And I didn't think I can love another set of characters the way I did with Scarlett and Tucker. But that wasn't the case, Caroline worked her way into my heart and Reed worked his way into my soul. I love how she worked the magic when those two were on page together.

     I liked Reed from the very beginning. I liked his straight forward attitude and how he put Caroline in her place when needed. I enjoy watching their chemistry and loved how they responded to each other. He was stubborn and didn't make things easy for her and I liked that. A girl needs a challenge every now and then. And he was just the right guy to do it for Caroline. Even I developed a crush on Reed. He's now my new book boyfriend.

     Caroline is a sweet girl. But she has a past that doesn't let her love easily. Her past is very sad which is why she thinks before she loves. Or she thinks before she do anything that would hinder her from having a good outcome for her future. So she thinks about how her life would be if she falls in love with Reed. But as much as she wants a secure future, she can't help what she feels. Their chemistry is undeniable and their naughty scenes together are caliente!! I love how Denise wrote their scenes together. It just has so much depth.

     I'm absolutely love this book and as always I can't see her outdoing herself again in her next one. I can not wait to read her next book in series "Business As Usual". I think this book may be about Reed's sister Lexi, but I can be wrong. There isn't a blurb on it yet. I give Redesigned a 5/5 stars and a Good Choice for Reading!!

   

Video interview with author Elizabeth Norris & Giveaway!

Hey!

So as you all know on Saturday, June 8th, author Elizabeth Norris visited the bookstore I event coordinate for, Anderson's Book Shop, NY, and she talked a little about UNRAVELING and UNBREAKABLE, signed some copies, and gave us some awesome swag!

We had a really great time, and she is super, super nice and funny! We talked about some of our favorite books, tv shows, and tons more! I am so happy she was able to join us! I am a huge fan of UNRAVELING and UNBREAKABLE!!!


Not sure if you all keep up with our Facebook page, but we recently held a contest where readers submitted their questions to Elizabeth Norris for a chance to win a signed copy of either UNRAVELING or UNBREAKABLE. We picked our winner, Nikki Wang, and then we decided why not just go ahead and ask her some of your questions anyway? So I asked Elizabeth if she would be willing to film a small interview, she said yes... and then this happened...

HUGE, HUGE thank you to Elizabeth Norris and Anderson's Book Shop, NY for making this interview possible!

We have a nice giveaway for you, too!

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Review: Pretty Little Lies by Jennifer Miller

Pretty Little Lies by Jennifer Miller
Amazon † B&N † Author Site
Published June 12th 2013

A little lie can change the course of everything. . .
Like every other eighteen-year-old in love, Olivia has dreams of spending forever with the love of her life. Luke is all she’s ever wanted – until she overhears something she was never meant to. In a matter of seconds, Olivia’s heart is shattered. Olivia handles it the only way she knows how - she runs- leaving behind her family, friends and the boy she loves.

Seeking comfort and an escape, Olivia finds it in resident bad boy Deacon. He’s everything Luke isn’t – and that’s fine with Olivia.

Now, seven years later, Olivia is older, wiser and headed back to Chicago looking forward to a fresh start and reconnecting with her best friend Pyper. What she doesn’t expect, is to come face to face with the boy she left behind and discover that even though she may have left, her feelings for him didn’t.

Can Olivia put aside the pain in her heart and trust Luke? Will the ties to her past ever let her go, or will she continue to let her life be affected by pretty little lies?

          My Review:

     How many of us have heard something that we shouldn't have heard? I know I have. Well that's what happened with Olivia. But unlike me, she really let this become the reason behind all her sudden decisions. Instead of staying and confronting the person that hurt her, she runs. And that's where her life changes.

     I really enjoyed this story. There are several things that made me this book more enjoyable than  most. In every chapter in this book, you get very impressive fashion tips. I wish I would have highlighted my favorite to share some with you. But they're all very useful tips. Look out for them.

     Another thing I liked about this novel is how well Olivia handled her divorce. In a bunch of books I have read, the author would make the woman a blubbering mess. Like divorce is the absolute worst thing in the world and their life is over. Maybe I'm being insensitive  But I don't like weak protagonist and granted I have never experienced a divorce. But I sure hope if I ever did, I'd stay a strong woman, like Olivia did. I was happy to see she was strong and was able to move forward.

     Now, it does help that Olivia has Pyper. Pyper is the kind of friend everyone needs. Someone who would not let you sit on your butt and wallow in self pity. She's a get off your butt and let's pamper ourselves kind of gal. She definitely helped Olivia when she needed it the most. I really hope I get a chance to read more about Pyper. Maybe a sequel about her is in the future for Ms. Miller.

     And lastly when it came time to it, Ms. Miller didn't play the back and forth game with Olivia and Luke. The whole, I love him but I hate him game is overrated. He hurt me so I'm running away. Olivia showed growth from the young girl she was, who first ran away from a horrible situation, to the woman that stood and confronted the situation. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Luke and Olivia and enjoyed that fact that she let them continue where they left off.

     So if you haven't gotten by now how much I enjoyed "Pretty Little Lies", I did. I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. However as much as I enjoyed the story there was something that really bothered me. There were parts in the story where Olivia and Luke spend time together and they talked about this past. I think because I have been blogging so long, I can see the difference in those scenes. She did a lot of telling vs showing. I would have rather they reminisced and go back to that time then telling me about it. That was it. Overall, this book was really book. I give it 4 stars and a definite Good Choice for Reading.