Friday 31 March 2017

Spotlight: Wanted & Wired - Vivien Jackson (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Today I'm thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for Vivien Jackson's upcoming novel Wanted & Wired. I have a fab guest post from Vivien and a giveaway to share with you but first let me give you all the details about the book!


Title: Wanted and Wired
Author: Vivien Jackson
Series: Tether, #1
ISBN: 9781492648161
Pubdate: April 4, 2017
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Buy Links: http://www.vivienjackson.com/p/books.html

A rip-roarin’ new snarky, sexy sci-fi paranormal romance series with the perfect balance of humor, heat, and heart. Now that Texas has seceded and the world is spiraling into chaos, good guys come in unlikely packages and love ignites in the most inconvenient places…

Rogue scientist • technologically enhanced • deliciously attractive
Heron Farad should be dead. But technology has made him the man he is today. Now he heads a crew of uniquely skilled outsiders who fight to salvage what’s left of humanity: art, artifacts, books, ideas—sometimes even people. People like Mari Vallejo.

Gun for hire • Texan rebel • always hits her mark
Mari has been lusting after her mysterious handler for months. But when a by-the-book hit goes horribly sideways, she and Heron land on the universal most wanted list. Someone set them up. Desperate and on the run, they must trust each other to survive, while hiding devastating secrets. As their explosive chemistry heats up, it’s the perfect storm…

Guest Post from Vivien Jackson:

I’m nervous about this. I’m a--oh dear, how to say it?--a romance writer. In love with science fiction. Deep love, big L. We’ve been seeing each other on the sly for a long time, science fiction and I, and when two grown-up genres love each other very much, sometimes they … oh, hell, I wrote a book. A mixed-genre one. Now I have to introduce my family to his and decide who sits on which side of the aisle, and what do we tell the children?

I’m not worried about his family. I love them almost as much as I love him. They’ve let me hang out at all their family reunions (cons), even the few, back when, where I was the only girl in the room. But I never brought a plus-one from romancelandia to a spec-fic shindig before.

Not because I was ashamed of my roots, mind you. Because whatever folks may or may not know about romance fiction, it’s crammed full of some awesome stuff, even some common ground. So, future in-laws, may I introduce a few romance novels I think you might enjoy?

1. The truth is, this probably isn’t a new thing at all. You’ve probably already read at least one romance. I’m not even kidding. There are a boatload of books shelved under science fiction that bear the structure and elements of romances, including a focus on female characters with agency and a generally optimistic ending. Off the top of my head, I could recommend books by Catherine Asaro, Sharon Lynn Fisher, Linnea Sinclair, and Ann Aguirre. The list would be much longer if we included books in the fantasy section that are also sneakily romances. So, see? We’re not that far apart, right off the bat! You already know stuff about romance. Be confident stepping into that aisle at your local bookstore, because you have experience here! But, just to make it easier, here are a few specific books you can look for.

2. Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. I know you know it, or the Colin Firth BBC version at least, and I know bits and pieces of it have even shown up in some historical fantasy steampunkish stories. Oh sure, this book features a lot of people chatting in drawing rooms and drinking tea. And yes, there’s a marriage proposal. More than one. But! This is also an excellent book about people, about society and how we assume things about each other and why we maybe shouldn’t. The characters are clever, insightful, and strong. Plus, any given woman you meet has a statistically significant chance of harboring a secret longing for her own Mr. Darcy. So it’s good to know this book.

3. Sweet Starfire, by Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz). This is kind of the book that started SFR. It takes a familiar-to-romance-readers plot and sets it in a futuristic other galaxy. Krentz is a super accomplished romance writer (if you’ve never heard of her, you probably haven’t bought groceries or anything at a big-box store in the last three decades) who also treats SFF tropes with respect. In this book, she blends the genres seamlessly. Although Sweet Starfire does sometimes have that mid-1980s feel, it’s a solid story and sub-genre canon.

4. Ravishing the Heiress, by Sherry Thomas. Honestly, read any book by Sherry Thomas and you’ll want to kidnap her and make her write nothing but your favorite genre forever. Don’t give in to the temptation. Romancelandia has dibs (even though she’s written some YA fantasy and one Sherlock Holmes historical mystery that’s sooooo good… more on that in a bit). Ravishing the Heiress is my favorite of her books, but I could recommend any of them. Her heroines are smart, capable beyond the expectations of their class or time, and complicated, and her worldbuilding is amazing. Yes, we do have worldbuilding in romance. A lot of it, in fact. Just check out Ms. Thomas’s use of food in any given book. (Also, Charlotte Holmes, her female-Sherlock character in A Study in Scarlet Women? Could totally step into a time machine and come out as a 21st century badass. If she, you know, started running with an urban fantasy crowd.)

Because, honestly, even though sci fi and romance don’t have much in common materially, they do have this: both genres, when done properly, reveal the human condition. They’re about characters growing, becoming wiser, about forcing us to see our world and all its ugly, blurry issues through a fresh lens. The chief difference, in my opinion is that romances conclude that all that darkness is going to get better, eventually, if we just have a lot of sex love each other.

p.s. – NPR put out a list of the best 100 romance novels--http://www.bookadvice.co/100-romance-books.html--and I was pleased to see several of my picks here make that list. Check it out, if you wish. It contains some real gems.


About the Author:

VIVIEN JACKSON is still waiting for her Hogwarts letter. In the meantime, she writes, mostly fantastical or futuristic or kissing-related stories. When she isn’t writing, she’s performing a sacred duty nurturing the next generation of Whovian Browncoat Sindarin Jedi gamers, and their little dogs too. With her similarly geeky partner, she lives in Austin, Texas, and watches a lot of football.

Social Networking Links:
Website: http://www.vivienjackson.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VivienJacksonWriter/
Twitter: @Vivien_Jackson
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6517244.Vivien_Jackson

Giveaway Details:

Thanks to Sourcebooks I have a copy of Wanted & Wired to give to one lucky winner. The giveaway is open to US entries only and you can enter using the rafflecopter form below. The prize will be sent directly by my contact at Sourcebooks so the winner will need to give me permission to pass on their address.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 30 March 2017

Cover Reveal: Hot Pursuit - Julie Ann Walker

Today I'm excited to be taking part in the cover reveal for Hot Pursuit, the eleventh book in Julie Ann Walker's Black Knight's Inc series. I'm a huge fan of these books (even though I do still have a bit of catching up to do!) so would highly recommend them to fans of romantic suspense. Make sure you stick around to the end of the post for the chance to enter a fab giveaway but first let me tell you all about Hot Pursuit.


Blurb:

GET READY FOR THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!

From bestselling author Julie Ann Walker comes the next installment in her hit Black Knights Inc. series!

He puts the hot...
Christian Watson, a former SAS officer and current BKI operator, never thought he would return to England after a terrible turn of events forced him to abandon his homeland. But now he's back on British soil where old enemies are determined to do him in. Fighting for his life is pretty much SOP for Christian. Doing it with the beautiful, bossy Emily Scott in tow is another matter entirely.

In hot pursuit.
Emily lost her coveted job at the CIA because of a bad romance with a coworker, and now she has just one rule when it comes to men: they're for recreational purposes only. But when she and Christian are thrust into very close quarters while evading two mysterious men who want Christian dead, she can't help but question all her ideas about love and life lived on the edge. Battling the bad guys is hard enough, battling her feelings for Christian just might prove impossible.

"This razor-sharp, sensual, and intriguing tale will get hearts pounding." -- Publishers Weekly STARRED review for Wild Ride
"Julie Ann Walker is one of those authors to be put on a keeper shelf along with Nora Roberts, Suzanne Brockmann and Allison Brennan." – KirkusReviews

Release Date: October 3, 2017

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2n16G2a
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2nWxf7F
iBooks: http://apple.co/2mMVmpo
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2nWALiq

About the Author:

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Julie grew up in a house full of women – she has three older sisters. As you can imagine, there was no lack of drama… or romance. Her mother enrolled her in a book club as soon as she began to read and it was the small spark that ignited her voracious appetite for the written word. Because of Julie’s early immersion in literature, she found writing came quite naturally. In high school, she won multiple writing contests and was the proud senior editor of The Tiger’s Tale – her school newspaper. During her college years, however, she longed for a challenge. “Reading and writing felt like second nature to me, so I looked for a way to flex my mental muscles,” she recalls. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, Julie began teaching advanced high school mathematics. “I loved working with the students and facing the challenges of the classroom, but I longed for the occasional snow day when I could race to the local book store, buy two or three new novels, and curl up in front of the fire to read.” It wasn’t until a fortuitous move to Chicago that Julie once more returned to her first passion. “Thankfully, my husband – my own personal hero – encouraged my decision to write full time.” Now Julie lives on beautiful Lake Shore Drive with a view that sometimes competes with her deadlines. When she’s not writing, she enjoys camping, hiking, cycling, cooking, travel, and…reading, of course!

Website: http://julieannwalker.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-Ann-Walker/194323410621588
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JAWalkerAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julieannwalker_author/

Giveaway details:


Want a chance to win signed copies of the first eight titles in Julie Ann Walker’s Black Knights Inc. series? Click on the rafflecopter below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday 29 March 2017

Very Exciting Surprise Announcement from Cora Carmack!


From New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack, comes the highly anticipated fourth standalone title in her Rusk University Series, ALL CLOSED OFF! A passionate story and journey, get ready to be mesmerized with Stella’s story! ALL CLOSED OFF is coming your way May 1, 2017!


Cover Design and Photography by Kelsey Kukal-Keeton at K. Keeton Designs

ABOUT ALL CLOSED OFF (Releasing May 1, 2017):

Stella Santos is fine.

Maybe something terrible happened to her that she can’t even remember. And maybe it drives her crazy when her friends treat her like she’s on the verge of breaking because of it. Maybe it feels even worse when they do what she asks and pretend that it never happened at all. And maybe she’s been getting harassing emails and messages for months from people who don’t even know her, but hate her all the same.

But none of that matters because she’s just fine.

For Ryan Blake, Stella was always that girl. Vibrant and hilarious and beautiful. He wanted her as his best friend. His more than friends. His everything and anything that she would give him. Which these days is a whole lot of nothing. She gets angry when he’s there. Angry when he’s not there. Angry when he tries to talk and when he doesn’t.

When Stella devises an unconventional art project for one of her classes all about exploring intimacy—between both friends and strangers—Ryan finds himself stepping in as guinea pig after one of her subjects bails. What was supposed to be an objective and artistic look at emotion and secrets and sex suddenly becomes much more personal. When he hits it off with another girl from the project, Stella will have to decide if she’s willing to do more than make art about intimacy. To keep him, she’ll have to open up and let herself be the one thing she swore she’d never be again.

Vulnerable.







Don’t Miss All of Cora’s Standalone Rusk University Series Titles!

ALL LINED UP


ALL BROKE DOWN


ALL PLAYED OUT


About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twentysomething New York Times bestselling author who likes to write about twentysomething characters. Raised in a small Texas town, she now lives in New York City and spends her time writing, traveling, and marathoning various TV shows on Netflix. She lives by one rule: embrace whatever the world throws at you and run with it (just not with scissors).

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Cora Carmack Goodreads

Tuesday 28 March 2017

Review: Wanderlust - Ann Aguirre

Sirantha Jax doesn't take chances . . . she jumps at them.

Sirantha Jax is a "jumper," a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate the faster-than-light ships through grimspace. Jax has worked for Farwan Corporation her entire career. But now word's out that the Corp deliberately crashed a passenger ship, and its stranglehold on intergalactic commerce has crumbled - which means Jax is out of a job.

She's also broke due to being declared dead a little prematurely. So when the government asks her to head up a vital diplomatic mission, Jax agrees to do it. Her mandate: journey to the planet Ithis-Tor and convince its inhabitants to join the Conglomerate.

But Jax's payday is light-years away. First she'll have to contend with Syndicate criminals, a stormy relationship with her pilot, man-eating aliens, and her own grimspace-weakened body. She'll be lucky just to make it to Ithis-Tor alive . . .

Sirantha Jax Series:
Grimspace
Wanderlust
Doubleblind
Killbox
Aftermath
Endgame

Dred Chronicles:
Perdition
Havoc
Breakout

Visit Ann Aguirre's website for more information

Review:
After absolutely falling in love with this world and these characters when I read Grimspace I couldn't wait to dive into Wanderlust. It's not often I find a series as addictive as this one and I'm happy that the second book continued that trend, I wouldn't say this was quite as good as the first book but it wasn't far off it and I'm still incredibly excited about reading the rest of the series. Where Grimspace was full of action and humour Wanderlust takes a darker turn, it still had it's humorous moments but there was some relationship drama that made it a little more angsty. The side characters and the amount of action pulled me through that though, there was enough going on that I could easily ignore the things that irritated me and I still love this world.

I love some of the changes we've seen in Jax, the way she wants to be a better person and how she tries to do the right thing is great but I do find it annoying that she tries to do everything on her own and doesn't ask her friends and crew for assistance even when she really needs their help. I also didn't like the way she tried to push Marsh away "for his own good", you don't get to make that kind of decision on someone else's behalf - especially not when you're hurting them in the process! I guess it was more realistic that their relationship wouldn't be plain sailing though, they both have difficult pasts and thats bound to effect the way they deal with things and lets face it they've not really had much time to get to know each other yet. I actually respected Marsh for his decision to stay behind to help Keri with her battle, she obviously needed his help and she's like a little sister to him so I think it's important that he didn't just abandon his family for Jax. It was still disappointing to see Jax and Marsh separated for so much of the story though and it's going to be interesting to see how their relationship proceeds now he's such a different man.

The side characters continue to be one of my favourite things about this series. I love that Ann Aguirre is happy to surround Jax with strong women as well as men, that's something we don't always see enough of. Dina and 245 remain favourites but we also have a new addition to the kickass women of the crew in Hit, a lethal assassin who luckily is on Jax's side (well for now anyway, let's hope she remains there!). The boys are still represented too and Vel is definitely one of my favourite characters in the series, for a shapeshifting giant praying mantis he's actually a pretty sweet character but he's always full of surprises and definitely a good person to be near in a fight. I love new addition Jael, what we've learned about his background is intriguing and definitely left me wanting more, he's a fun character but I'm a little nervous about the apology he made towards the end of the book so I'm going to be keeping a close eye on him in the future.

This series has quickly become one of my favourites and I can't wait to continue reading it.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Monday 27 March 2017

Review: Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Quidditch: Deluxe Book and Model Set - Jody Revenson

A magical sport played high up in the air with quaffles, bludgers and broomsticks. With this deluxe book get a behind-the-scenes look at how Quidditch was imagined and brought to life for the Harry Potter films - complete with film-making secrets, insights from the actors and thrilling artwork. This deluxe book and model set includes everything you need to create your own wooden Golden Snitch model. Features easy-to-assemble laser-cut wood pieces, step-by-step instructions, colouring and crafting ideas, and a character guide book featuring interviews from cast and crew of the Harry Potter films, plus film-making and special effects secrets.

Harry Potter Series:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Illustrated Edition (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: 20th Anniversary House Editions
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Illustrated Edition (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Illustrated Edition (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Play Script written with John Tiffany & Jack Thorne)

Pottermore Presents:
Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (Short Story Collection)
Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (Short Story Collection)
Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (Short Story Collection)

Incredibuilds:
IncrediBuilds: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Erumpent (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Niffler (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Swooping Evil (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Thunderbird (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Aragog (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Buckbeak (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Hedwig (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Express (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: House-Elves (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Quidditch (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Sorting Hat (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Stag Patronus (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Thestral (Deluxe Book and Model Set)

Other Harry Potter Books & Products:
Funko Pop 2019 Harry Potter Advent Calendar
Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts - Matthew Reinhart
Harry Potter - Creatures: A Paper Scene Book
Harry Potter Hedwig Owl Kit and Sticker Book (Model & Sticker Book)
Harry Potter: Magical Film Projections: Patronus Charm (Activity Book)
Harry Potter Talking Sorting Hat and Sticker Book: Which House Are You? (Model & Sticker Book)
Harry Potter: The Character Vault - Jody Revenson
Harry Potter: The Marauder's Map Guide to Hogwarts - Erinn Pascal (Activity Book)
Harry Potter: Winter at Hogwarts: A Magical Colouring Set (Colouring Book, Gift Tags & a build your own 3D Firebolt in a Keepsake Box)
J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World: Magical Film Projections: Creatures (Activity Book)
Metal Earth: Harry Potter Gringotts Dragon (3D Puzzle)
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter: The Official Guide

Visit J.K. Rowling's website or the Pottermore website for more information

Review:
I've really enjoyed building these Incredibuilds model kits, they're pretty easy to put together but it's a satisfying way to spend half and hour and I love having the finished models to decorate my bookcases with. I think the Golden Snitch was probably the most awkward of the models to put together, most of it is very straightforward and super easy but when you get to step 11 you'll probably have to gently use a hammer to get that spike to go through the rest of the model so younger builders may need assistance at that point.


This is probably the model that would be easiest to paint after building, the others I'd recommend decorating the pieces before together but there aren't so many awkward angles here so you can easily add paint to the finished model if you want to. I still think they look fine without any decoration though so I'm not going to be in a rush to paint mine. The Snitch model stands about 11cm tall at the highest point and the wingspan is 23cm tip to tip so it's not too large but looks nice on display.



As with all of these kits the hardback book is only about 30 pages long but it includes lots of information about they filmed the Quidditch matches for the movies. Everything from how they designed the costumes and decided on the shape of the brooms to how they filmed the actors against blue screens so they could add the CGI background later on. There are lots of pictures from all different production stages and even though it's only a quick read Harry Potter fans are sure to find it interesting.

The only Harry Potter model set I'm missing now is the Aragog one which I'm actually a little reluctant about buying - do I really need a giant spider on my bookshelves? I definitely want to start collecting the Fantastic Beasts ones though, the only two available right now are a Niffler and the Swooping Evil which both look like pretty cool sets to build and I wouldn't be surprised if more are released later down the line.

Source: Purchased

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Sunday 26 March 2017

Review: The Mills & Boon Modern Girl's Guide to Turning into Your Mother - Ada Adverse

Have you ever…?

A) Opened your mouth and heard your mother come out?

B) Wondered whether a bunch of flowers and breakfast in bed once a year really makes up for the 37 hours your mum spent in St Agnes’ Maternity Ward?

C) Voiced a heartfelt opinion on the weather?

If so, the Mills & Boon Modern Girl’s Guide to Turning Into Your Mother is for you: a guide to the joys of motherhood – with a feminist twist.

The Mills & Boon Modern Girls Guide Series:
Turning into Your Mother
Working 9 to 5
Happy Hour
Helping Yourself
Happy Endings

Visit the Mills & Boon website for more information

Review:
Firstly let me just wish all the mums out there a very happy Mother's Day! This book isn't so much a guide showing you how to turn into your mother (or how to avoid it!) but more likely a book that shows you that it's too late - it's already happened! This book is along similar lines to Penguin's Ladybird books for grownups collection where you have a vintage picture on one side of the page and an amusing caption to accompany it on the opposite. That makes it a very quick book to read cover to cover or you can dip in and out of it as the mood strikes you.

I'm not a mother myself so I think some of the anecdotes missed the mark a little because of that but there were definitely things I was still able to relate to and I'm sure my Mum will find it even funnier. This is the kind of book that makes a great Mother's Day gift (I know my Mum will be receiving a copy today!) to any mums or grandmothers in your life and I'm looking forward to checking out more from the series.

Of course I have to end this review with a picture so here's one of my favourite pages:


Source: Received from Mills & Boon Insiders in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here

Hardback / Kindle:

Saturday 25 March 2017

Review: A Conjuring of Light - V.E. Schwab

The precarious equilibrium among the four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise. Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry.

Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery and the Night Spire crew are attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible, as an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown and a fallen hero is desperate to save a decaying world...

Shades of Magic Series:
A Darker Shade of Magic
A Gathering of Shadows
A Conjuring of Light

Visit V.E. Schwab's website for more information

Review:
A Conjuring of Light was exactly what I wanted from the finale of the Shades of Magic series and I love it when a series goes out on a high note! At 666 pages this is a whopper of a book but there is just so much going on that it honestly doesn't feel like it and I flew through it in a couple of days. The action is pretty much non-stop from the first few pages and there is twist after twist as you follow all of our favourite characters to the end. This story isn't all sunshine and roses, there are heartbreaking moments and I'll warn you right now that not everyone survives the book but there are also fantastic friendships and some incredibly sweet and romantic moments to lighten the mood just when you need them.

First let me talk about how much I adore the brotherly bond between Kell and Rhy, these two are brothers by choice even if not by blood and their friendship never fails to make me smile. One of my favourite moments in the book was a conversation Rhy had with his mother near the beginning of the story about the bond he shares with Kell and I think this quote sums up their relationship perfectly:
Rhy shook his head, exasperated. “Kell isn’t the only one you fail to understand. My bond with him didn’t start with this curse. You wanted him to kill for me, die for me, protect me at all costs. Well, Mother, you got your wish. You simply failed to realize that that kind of love, that bond, it goes both ways. I would kill for him, and I would die for him, and I will protect him however I am able, from Faro and Vesk, from White London, and Black London, and from you.”
I also love the relationship between Kell and Lila, they have a lot in common and now that Lila has grown up a bit (she irritated me a bit in the last book but showed a massive character growth in this one!) I think they make a really cute couple. I like that Lila has learnt to accept that she doesn't know everything and that she's willing to take Kell's advice and learn from her mistakes. She's still a very proactive character who doesn't sit around waiting to be saved and is much more likely to be right in the middle of any trouble rather than watching from the sidelines but she's lost a bit of that cocky edge that made her annoying rather than just confident. Kell has changed a lot too, he has the weight of his whole world on his shoulders and that's a lot of stress for anyone to deal with but he is determined to fix the mistakes he made and resolve things. I was shipping Rhy and Alucard so hard from the middle of the last book and that didn't change here. They have a lot of history between them and not all of it is good but I was rooting for them to find a way back to each other.

I think the most surprising character award would have to go to Holland. I never expected to end up liking him after what he did in A Gathering of Shadows but we get to see some really interesting glimpses into his past that showed exactly how he ended up making the choices he did. I still don't agree with his actions but it wasn't too hard to imagine Kell or even Lila making similar choices if they were in his position to begin with. He also works really hard to try and fix the mess he made and I enjoyed the grudging respect that slowly builds between him, Kell and Lila.

A Conjuring of Light was a fantastic end to this story arc but I'm kind of hoping that V.E. Schwab isn't done with this world yet. I think things were definitely left open enough that we could have more adventures in this world but don't worry you're not left with a horrible cliffhanger so it won't matter if there are no more books to come. I'm going to miss Kell, Rhy and the rest though so I hope we'll see more of them in the future.

Source: Received from Titan Books in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Friday 24 March 2017

Release Day Blitz: Exiled - Amanda Carlson

Today is the release day of Exiled, the third book in Amanda Carlson's fabulous Phoebe Meadows series. I've been looking forward to this book for ages so I'm happy to have an excerpt and fab giveaway to share with you today to celebrate the release. This book is jumping right to the top of my to read pile so watch out for a review as soon as I've had a chance to read it :o)

About Exiled:

Phoebe Meadows is on trial for her life.

After freeing her half-brother, Baldur, Phoebe is set to stand before the Council in Asgard to answer for her actions. The threat of exile if she’s found guilty looms, not to mention the added stress of meeting her real father for the first time.

Upon entering Asgard, Phoebe discovers new allies in a half-brother she’s never met as well as an oracle who is in possession of valuable information. A little added help couldn’t have come at a better time, because when Phoebe is tossed into an unknown realm, she’s armed only with Gundren, a jewel, and her wits.

When Loki shows up, all bets are off. The trickster god throws a wrench in Phoebe’s plans and kidnaps Fen, her only ally. And just when she thinks she sees the light at the end of the tunnel, Phoebe finds she has to defeat one last obstacle: The Norns.

And they aren't planning to go down without a fight…

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

EXILED: Phoebe Meadows Book Three

Excerpt
Copyright © 2017 Amanda Carlson. All rights reserved. None of the below can be reprinted without permission from the author

1

“Sweet mother of all that’s holy.” Sam coughed violently into the bucket positioned in front of her. “Please tell me we’re here. My body can’t take much more of this.” She lifted her head, dragging the back of her sleeve over her mouth, wheezing. “I’m pretty sure my tank is finally dry, but bile is a tricky thing, as my body is making more of the hot, searing liquid as we speak.” Tyr stood next to her holding a clean pail, his face a mask of concern.

“Aye, we’re here,” Tyr answered solemnly, bending down to place the new container in front of Sam, who was promptly in need of it.

We all stood on the deck of Ringhorn, my half brother Baldur’s boat, which had been gifted to Tyr upon Baldur’s untimely death. We’d arrived in Asgard less than five minutes prior, so I could face the Council and Frigg, Baldur’s powerful goddess mother, to receive punishment for freeing her beloved son.

I’d broken Baldur out of a dark elf prison—the very place his mother had placed him for protection—only to watch him die a short time later at Verdandi’s hand.

It had been awful and heartbreaking.

The boat had just taken us through an insane vortex. One that had hauled us up in the air at breakneck speed, only to drop us the next instant. I’d lost count of how many times my stomach had hit my knees.
But I’d fared better than poor Sam, who was now huddled on the deck spilling her guts.

“Are we really here? In Asgard?” I asked, squinting into the darkness, trying to discern a single shape on the horizon, but coming up empty. The boat had lurched to a full stop in what looked to be a solid void. “I was expecting it to be a little more…vibrant?”

“We’ve landed in a holding bay,” Fen answered, his frame tense beside mine, his arm tight around my waist. This was the first time he’d been back to his home in many years, and he was poised for any threat that might come our way, his nostrils flaring, his sword at the ready.

My mother came up beside us. “There are various ways in, but if you take magical transportation, like Ringhorn, you must wait to be inspected before accessing the city.”

“Yep,” Ingrid added, moving toward a gated opening that would lead us off the boat. “Lots of nooks and crannies on a big boat like this. We might be harboring unknown aliens. We’ll have to wait for the inspectors to clear us.”

“Why is it so dark?” I asked. The only illumination we had came from the boat itself.

Before anyone could answer, a loud grating noise filled the air. All at once, the scene before us began to change as bright light pierced the space like a dazzling spotlight.

We were in a large cylinder of some kind.

As light penetrated the tunnel, my eyes adjusted, and I began to get my first glimpses of Asgard beyond the tunnel. I noticed blue sky right away. It was cobalt, a deep, resplendent tone that seemed impossibly rich for a sky.

“Brace yourself, kiddo,” Ingrid said as she removed her spear from her waistband. “Along with the inspectors, there will be guards.”

“Why are you drawing your weapon?” I asked, alarmed. “Isn’t this your home?”

“Because I’m getting ready to argue, and I do it best with Betsy at the ready.” She shook her trusty spear, and it seamlessly morphed into an eight-foot killer with a razor-sharp edge.

“Betsy?” Ingrid had never shared her weapon’s pet name before. “You named your spear Betsy?”

“Yep, she was christened my ‘Best Bet’ when I first got her. Found her in a pile of discarded old weapons and never looked back. If these guards try to separate us, Betsy will have her say. And I can guaran-damn-tee”—she waved her spear in the air—“there is no argument we can’t win.”

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

About Amanda Carlson:

Amanda is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a BA in both Speech and Hearing Science & Child Development. She went on to get an A.A.S in Sign Language Interpreting and worked as an interpreter until her first child was born. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and three kids.

Website: http://www.amandacarlson.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authoramandacarlson
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/amandaccarlson
Instagram: http://instagram.com/author_amanda

Giveaway:

To celebrate Amanda Carlson is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. You can enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter form below and the winner will be contacted directly by Amanda or her assistant so they can arrange to send out the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 23 March 2017

Review: The Fisherman's Net - Laura Lam

Untold centuries ago, the Archipelago was ruled by the Alder—mysterious beings who vanished, leaving behind only scattered artefacts of unknown power, called Vestige. Sometimes, a person will be lucky or unlucky enough to discover that each piece of Vestige has its own tale to tell…

The Fisherman’s Net

A humble fisherman in a village of the coast of the island of Linde buys a trinket at the market, which he discovers is Vestige. The poor man soon becomes the best fisherman in the village and marvels at his newfound wealth. One day, he ensnares a most unusual catch: a Chimaera sea maiden that isn’t meant to exist. And he’s not sure if he can let her go.

Vestigial Tales are stories set in the world of the award-winning Micah Grey series. Step behind the circus ring from Pantomime, the theatre of Shadowplay, and more…

Micha Grey Series:
Pantomime
Shadowplay
Masquerade

Vestigial Tales:
(Series of short stories set in the same world as the Micha Grey series)
The Snake Charm
The Fisherman's Net
The Tarot Reader
The Card Sharp
The Mechanical Minotaur

Visit Laura Lam's website for more information.

Review:
Laura Lam's Vestigial Tales are short stories set in the same world as her Micha Grey trilogy and give us some insight into some of the Vestige artefacts that were left behind when the Alder vanished. The Fisherman's Net doesn't feature any characters from the other series so works well as a standalone and can be read at any point wether you've read the Micha Grey books or not.

This was a much shorter story than The Snake Charm but as it's told more like an original fable the shorter length worked really well. The Fisherman's Net is the story of a man who finds a magic net that helps him become the wealthiest fisherman in his village. You'll have to read it for yourself to find out whether he puts that wealth to good use or if greed takes him down a dangerous path.

This is the kind of story that Micha and Dustin would have had read to them as children and I really enjoyed getting a further glimpse into their world.

Source: Received as part of a preorder giveaway from the author

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Wednesday 22 March 2017

Review: Dead of Night - Michael Grant

Set in the alternative World War II scenario of his Front Lines novels, Michael Grant, author of the bestselling GONE series, has written this story exclusively for World Book Day 2017.

Rio Richlin doesn’t have superpowers. She is an ordinary young woman. A soldier in the American army, wearing a uniform, carrying a rifle, and fighting alongside thousands who are trying to make a difference, trying to change the world.

At least, that’s the plan. Right now she’s part of a squad on a training exercise in some place called Wales. They’re cold, they’re wet, and Rio’s pretty sure they’re also lost. Spending the night in a creepy old inn wasn’t part of the plan at all…

Rio's only training. But soon, the fate of the world will be in the hands of the soldier girls.

A World Book Day 2017 book.

Soldier Girls Series:
Front Lines
Dead of Night (World Book Day Novella)
Silver Stars

Visit Michael Grant's website for more information

Review:
Dead of Night is set in the world of Michael Grant's Soldier Girls series, a reimagined version of history where American women were actually included in the draft to become soldiers in WWII. As far as the timeline goes this is set somewhere in the middle of the first book, after Rio and her squad have finished their first 13 weeks of training in America but before they're sent to the frontline. They're actually in Wales on another training exercise when they get lost in the fog. Unable to find their way back to base they take shelter in a village pub that they stumble across.

I don't really want to say too much more because it would be easy to give too much away but this was a fun story and a nice addition to the series. It's very different to the full length novels though, where they are very much grounded in reality and almost feel like you're reading true life war diaries this story is a little more surreal and it took me a while to figure out exactly what was going on. I think the nature of the story won't necessarily appeal to everyone but I thought it was very clever and I enjoyed reading something different, I do think events that unfold have a profound effect on Rio so whether they're real or imagined you'll definitely notice the difference in her from Front Lines to Silver Stars.

This has quickly become one of my favourite series so it's one I'd highly recommend, I'm not sure that Dead of Night is the best place to start but if you're read Front Lines then it's well worth giving this a try.

Source: Received from Egmont in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Tuesday 21 March 2017

Review: After I Fall - Jessica Scott

Her entire life has been a lie. Being with Eli is the most honest thing she’s ever done.

Parker Hauser lives the perfect life and knows exactly where she's been and where she's going. Parker has to be perfect. Perfect grades, perfect body, perfect life.

Until she meets Eli Winter.

Eli throws her entire life into chaos when he denies her the one thing she wants from him.

One chance encounter stokes her desire for the man who refused to touch her and left her questioning everything.

When Parker tries to help his new business, the spotlight turns on Eli's military record. And the war he's tried to forget may destroy them both.

Falling Series:
Before I Fall
Break My Fall
After I Fall
Catch My Fall

Visit Jessica Scott's website for more information.

Review:
I've been wanting to read Eli's story ever since we met him in Before I Fall, the former officer has been a steady influence on both of the heroes from previous books. He runs the local bar and seems to collect wounded ex-soldiers and adopt them into his tribe where he can keep an eye on them. Eli is always watching out for other people and putting their needs first but he's very closed off about his own past and you just know he's keeping a lot of things to himself so I couldn't wait to get to know him better.

I'll admit I was nervous when I found out he was matched with Parker though, what we saw of her in After I Fall didn't exactly leave me with a good opinion of her. She came across as a typical spoilt rich girl, someone who had everything handed to her on a plate and who had no idea what it was like to live in the real world. I wasn't convinced I'd ever be able to root for them as a couple but I just love it when an author manages to change my opinion about a character and Jessica Scott definitely achieved that here. Yes Parker comes from money and she's never had to worry financially but you quickly realise that her life hasn't been a bed of roses. Her problems are very different to anything I've ever experienced but that doesn't make them any less difficult for her to cope with and she gave me a lesson in not judging someone by the size of their bank account!

I thought Eli and Parker made a great couple, they're both incredibly alone in different ways. Eli is surrounded by people that he cares for and who care for him in return but he always feels like he has to be the one protecting everyone else and he doesn't really let anyone know when he's the one who is struggling. Parker on the other hand has never had anyone put her first, her whole life is dictated by what her father wants from her, she has to look good and behave in appropriate ways to help him with his business contacts and she's even been forced into an engagement with a man she doesn't like because her father has chosen him as his future son-in-law. Eli is the first person to really listen to what Parker wants and to encourage her to follow her own dreams and in return Parker is there for Eli in ways that nobody else is. They fit so well together and have fabulous chemistry too.

If there is one thing I wanted to see a little more of it would have been more of what happened after Parker confronted Davis. I really would have loved an extra scene with her father that perhaps showed he cared for her after all but I guess that would probably have been a bit too much of a fairytale because he wasn't very likely to backdown after Parker chose to defy him. I enjoyed the brief appearances by previous characters from the series though and we get to see a lot of Eli's bar staff Deacon and Kelsey which I loved. I really can't wait to read their book later on this year - I need to know more about their previous history!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Spotlight: After I Fall - Jessica Scott


I love Jessica Scott's Falling series featuring young veterans who are trying to rebuild their lives after serving in the military. She creates such wonderfully realistic characters, characters who are flawed and damaged but who deeply deserve a happy ending! The stories in this series all work as stand alone but if you read them in order you'll enjoy spotting familiar faces in later books. I've already read After I Fall (watch out for my review being posted later today) but I'm excited to share more information with you here and I have some brilliant extracts too.

Her entire life has been a lie. Being with Eli is the most honest thing she’s ever done.
`
Parker Hauser lives the perfect life and knows exactly where she's been and where she's going. Parker has to be perfect. Perfect grades, perfect body, perfect life.

Until she meets Eli Winter.

Eli throws her entire life into chaos when he denies her the one thing she wants from him.

One chance encounter stokes her desire for the man who refused to touch her and left her questioning everything.

When Parker tries to help his new business, the spotlight turns on Eli's military record. And the war he's tried to forget may destroy them both.

Falling Series:
Before I Fall
Break My Fall
After I Fall
Catch My Fall (2017)

Readers who want an extended sample can download here:
Kindle: http://selz.co/Vksquq-Oz
epub: http://selz.co/E14id5-OG

Purchase links:
iBooks: http://jsscott.me/afterifall_ibks.html
Nook: http://jsscott.me/afterifall_nk.html
Kobo: http://jsscott.me/afterifall_kbo.html
Amazon: http://jsscott.me/afterifall_amz.html
Play: http://jsscott.me/afterifall_ply.html


Excerpts:
(Posted with permission of Jessica Scott)

Sexy Teaser 1:

She is on her knees in front of me. It is the most erotic thing I've ever seen in my life.

There is trust in that simple gesture. I cup her chin, stroking my thumb over her bottom lip. I can't look away. Her lips part, and I slide the tip in, just a little. Her mouth is soft and warm and wet. She closes around the edge of my thumb, sucking gently, so gently.

I ache in a way I haven't ached in forever. This touch, this complete surrender to the feelings of erotic, sensual caress.

There is nothing about this that will end well. We are from two very different worlds. And no matter how much I pretend to walk in hers, I'm only visiting. Trying to get funding to keep my business open. Trying to make a difference.

Trying to pretend that the things I do still matter.

But this afternoon, when she walked away, I couldn't let her go. I looked in her eyes and saw something there that called to me. That made me need to make her believe that she was touchable. That she was worth more than the people in her life had led her to believe.

And now she is on her knees in front of me. Waiting, unsure about what to do next. My brain may want her some other way, but my dick is perfectly happy to oblige her at the moment with just how she is.

I have lost control of this situation.

But then she reaches for my jeans, her palm sliding over my cock. She squeezes me, still sucking gently on my thumb. She traces the tip of her tongue over the edge as she pulls my belt open. Jesus, I'm a fucking goner.

The air is cool on my stomach as she pushes open my jeans. I can't move even if I wanted to. I need to see this through. I need to do this right.

But I can't fucking move. I can't blink. I don't want to forget a single moment of the erotic image of Parker on her knees in front of me.

She slides my erection out of my jeans, stroking me gently. Christ, I'm hard as fucking rock. It's everything I can do not to guide her lips to me. To urge her to put that beautiful mouth around the tip of my cock.

I thought I didn't want this? I fucking lied.

She drags her teeth over the edge of my thumb a moment before she releases me. I have nowhere to put my hands now.

I drop them by my sides. I am not in control here.

"Can I kiss you here?" she whispers, rubbing her thumb over the aching crown.

"Yes please." The words are strangled. A plea. She has me under her complete control.

I am completely still as she moves closer. Rubs her lips over the tip. A soft, gentle caress. I'm ready to fucking beg.

And then she opens, tracing her tongue over the edge before sucking me gently, so gently into her mouth.

It's heaven. Pure fucking heaven. Her touch is electric, like a thousand points of heat with every slide of her lips over my cock.

I close my eyes and fight the urge to move, to rock into her.

This…this is supposed to be for her but it's not. Because I am a selfish bastard who is just like a thousand other guys who won't turn down a beautiful woman on her knees.

I'm no saint.

But goddamn, Parker feels good. Touching me. Licking me. Sucking me. I am lost in her touch. Lost in the complete and total need to let her control this, let her take this wherever it will go.

She sucks me a little harder. A groan escapes me. My balls tighten, and I can't fight the urge to rock into her. Just a little.

I reach for her then, urging her to let me go. To stand. And when she does, I pull her against me, harder than I probably should, and kiss her. I'm too far gone at the moment to do anything but kiss her. To drink from her. To take all of her inside me in that single gesture.

"I don't want to come like this,” I whisper, nibbling on the edge of her meal.

"How then?"

"How do you want me?" A serious question. She needs to know that she's controlling things here. She gets to say how far we go. If we even finish. "Because right now? I'd sell the fucking bar to get you to agree to let me do terrible, forbidden things to your body.”

"What are you waiting for?"

I smile and rock against her a little more. "Those five little words."

And then she is on my sofa, her upper body braced on her palms. I capture her face in my palms and kiss her gently, lowering her until she is supported. Slowly, sipping on her lips. Savoring the taste of her. "Can I touch you here?" I slide my fingers down over the length of one of her arms. She makes a noise. "Say yes," I whisper near her ear.

"Yes."

"Can I touch you here?" I trace my fingertips over the edge of her ribs, just along the swell of her breast.

Her response is a huff against my lips. I smile. "Say yes."

"Yes."

I brush the back of my knuckles over the tight edge of one nipple. A shiver runs through her.

"Can I touch you here?" A slip of my fingers against her inner thigh.

She makes a sound. A whimper. Maybe a plea.

"I need you to say yes." I manage to get the words out. Barely. They are somewhere between a whisper and growl. It takes everything I have to restrain myself but this…this isn't for me. "Please say yes."

I slip my finger a little closer, running it gently, barely there, over the seam of her body.

Waiting, intensely and painfully hard, for her response.




Teaser 2:

Parker

"What do you want?" A murmured question that feels like a demand. The single word I need is lodged in my throat. It’s thick and heavy, filled with potential and promise.

"You," I finally say.

"Why?" Such a complicated question. I search his face, looking for an answer, a lie, something simple to fill the space left by his question.

I lift my hand, afraid he'll see it tremble. It takes every ounce of willpower I've got to slide my fingers over his forearm. I'm surprised by the raw power beneath my touch. I expected the tattoos to be physical manifestations of the violence on his flesh. His skin is hot and smooth. My hand looks pale and small against it.

"You seem…" I lift my eyes to his, never removing my hand. "You seem like a straightforward kind of guy."

A man with rough hands and dark ink carved into his skin. A man so unlike the men I'm used to, it's not even funny. I lift my hand to his cheek, just above the edge of his beard. I've never touched a man with facial hair before. He is still beneath my touch.

A moment before I'm about to press my palm to his cheek, he grips my wrist. Not hard enough to hurt, but he definitely gets my attention.

"Not here." I swallow. My mouth is suddenly dry. "Where?"

He jerks his chin toward the dark hallway behind us. I follow him silently, wishing he was already touching me, making me feel, letting me pretend I matter, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

He leads me through the maze of small tables and patrons at various stages of intoxication. Away from the noise and the smell of fries and smoke and cologne and all the good things that bars have.We step out of the noise and into shadows and silence. He doesn't pounce, doesn't push me against the wall and run those rough hands over my skin.

Instead, he leans against it—a casual, arrogant male.

Waiting. I know for what. For me to make the first move.

For me to step into the space between us. For me to touch him first. I want to. But I am paralyzed. Rooted to the damp concrete beneath my feet. The cool night air might as well be chains, holding me, restraining any thought or movement.

He doesn't move. His arms are folded over his broad, heavy chest, his T-shirt straining against his body. The silence hangs on, stretching and thick and tight.

"Scared?" he finally whispers. A dare. A terrible, wicked promise in that single word.

"Should I be?" My throat is tight and dry.

His answer is nothing I expect.

And everything I want.




Teaser 3:

PARKER

I needed to get out of my apartment and away from the creeping sadness that threatened to drown me if I stayed alone one more minute.

Tomorrow, I will find the owner of The Pint. Tomorrow I will figure out how to unfuck my life.

But right now, I’m standing in a closed-in space with a man who looks like a real-life rendition of Jason Momoa, and my panties are currently hosting their own episode of Celebration at the idea of standing just a little bit closer. I should be at the Baywater Country Club drinking top-shelf martinis and celebrating with Kylie and Bethany and Meaghan. But I can't see them tonight. For more than the obvious reasons.

I was planning on drinking myself stupid and forgetting everything about the last twenty-four hours in the human garbage fire that my life has become. It hurts and goddamn it, I'm tired of it hurting. I'm tired of being there for everyone else while I have to smile and look pretty.

Tonight? I thought I wanted the raw pulsing music and the bodies crushed together. I thought I wanted the contact. The distraction.

Don't make a fuss, Parker. Don't say anything to embarrass me, Parker.

What did you do to deserve it, Parker? Why didn’t you just do what he asked? Why do you always have to argue?

Anger crawls up my spine and squeezes my throat once more.

For once in my fucking life, I want someone to look at me and see me. Not my father's car, or my not-allowed-to-be-ex-boyfriend's tailored suits.

I want someone to see me. All of me.

I don’t know what I wanted when I left the apartment, but I think I may have just found it.

And the man standing next to me with the dark beard and dark eyes and terrifying tattoos seems like just the guy to take care of everything for a night.

Except that he might be a little too perceptive. I didn't plan on him seeing the bruises on my arm. Guess I need to rethink that career as a makeup artist if my graduate school plans don’t work out.

He's still watching me, a dark intensity in his eyes. An intensity that feels like a brushstroke over my skin.

I wonder what it would feel like to wake up wrapped in those massive arms, to feel those hands run over my skin while I sleep. What it feels like to be really touched instead of just positioned to receive.
My eyes burn, and I blink rapidly. I will not cry about the dumpster fire of my life and the garbage that surrounds me. I didn’t set out to solve anything tonight. I came out to escape. To try and find some release from the trapped air in my apartment.

Instead I think I’ve found a solution in search of a problem.

The Solution is a big man. Rough, too. The kind of man I would expect my father would call to lead the construction on a new project.

It’s his hands, though, that capture my attention. Big and flat and broad. They're a working man’s hands. Not polished. Not cupped in anger.

Just matter-of-fact hands. Hands that would be honest.

Hands that would feel like heaven on my skin.

I look up to find him watching me. I've never physically felt a look before this moment, this lazy caress of a man's gaze moving inch by inch over my skin.

I part my lips. Just enough that he notices. His nostrils flare.

"Careful, little girl." His voice is thick and deep and smooth. Like the gaze still trailing over my body.

"Or what?" I whisper. Kelsey’s voice slides through my brain.

This is foolish. Utterly stupid.

This is power.

And it is exactly what I need tonight. I need to feel needed. Wanted.

Tonight isn't about rational thought. It's about the opposite. About going in blind, completely on instinct.

"I'm not sure you want to find out."

But he has not moved away. He hasn't turned his back on me, and he hasn't dismissed me as some childish twat playing grownup.

God, but those words burn in my ears.

"Maybe I do."

The muscles in his neck bunch beneath the thick beard. "Do you always hit on random men at bars?"
I press my lips together and dare to take a single step closer. "Nope. You'd be my first."

He lifts one brow. "Oh yeah? What's the occasion?" He jerks his chin toward me. "It doesn't have to do with the bruises, does it?"

I lift my glass to my lips. Slowly I part them, letting the ice cube bounce off the tip of my tongue. When I lower it, his eyes are locked on my mouth. "No," I whisper. "It's got nothing to do with them."

Nothing and everything. But he doesn't need to know that. He only needs to take me some place and touch me.

Parker.

Me. I need him to see me.

He moves in then with a quickness that catches me off guard. In an instant, he is right there, right in my space. I can smell the faint, smoky scent of him. Something woodsy and spicy and smoky.

It's all I can do to stay still. To not back down from the challenge he presents in that single breath of space.

"What do you want?" His is a murmured question that feels like a demand.

The single word I need is lodged in my throat. It’s thick and heavy, filled with potential and promise.

"You," I finally say.


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

About Jessica Scott:


Jessica Scott is an Iraq war veteran, an active duty army officer and the USA Today bestselling author of novels set in the heart of America’s Army. She is the mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, and wife to a retired NCO.

She is the bestselling author of the Homefront series and the Falling series, both about soldiers and veterans adjusting to life after returning from the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. Her bestselling Falling series features soldiers integrating into life on college campuses.

She's also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice.

She's holds phd in morality in Sociology with Duke University and she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.
Jessica is also an active member of the Military Writers Guild.

Her debut novel Because of You launched the return of Random House's Loveswept digital imprint and launched the start of the ever popular contemporary military romance genre.

Connect with Jessica Scott online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Tsu / Goodreads

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