Favourite Romance Beach Reads

The Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge is hosted by Gone with the Words and Love at First Page. As part of the challenge they are setting a different topic every month that participants can choose to join in with which I think is a brilliant idea so you can expect a post like this to appear at random most months throughout the year.

The June Prompt is:

Favourite Romance Beach Reads

(Links below will take you to my reviews)

I tried to pick books that have a summery feel to them so most of them have a beach or holiday setting but there are a couple that are just really fun and lighthearted so make the perfect poolside read when you're on holiday!

Young Adult:

1. Pushing the Limits - Katie McGarry
2. Better than Perfect - Simone Elkeles
3. The Square Root of Summer - Harriet Reuter Hapgood
4. Forever - Judy Blume
5. Saint Anything - Sarah Dessen

New Adult:

1. Inseverable - Cecy Robson
2. Come Back to Me - Mila Gray
3. Slammed - Colleen Hoover
4. The Secret of Ella and Micha - Jessica Sorensen
5. While it Lasts - Abbi Glines

Adult:

1. Simply Irresistible - Jill Shalvis
2. Roman Holiday - Ruthie Knox
3. Hollywood Dirt - Alessandra Torre
4. Sun Kissed - Amanda Abbott
5. The Pact - Karina Halle

Review: Just for Now - Abbi Glines

Preston Drake is one bad boy. He has a different girl in his bed every night, which is just how he likes it - no strings, no issues, just fun. The problem is, he keeps finding himself thinking about the one girl he shouldn't . . . his best friend's little sister, who's suddenly all grown up.

Amanda Hardy has had a crush on Preston forever, but his reputation always kept her away. Now that it seems the attraction might be mutual, it's getting harder to ignore her feelings . . .

No one wants them to be together - but their attraction is too strong to keep them apart.

The Sea Breeze Series:
Breathe
Because of Low
While it Lasts
Just for Now
Sometimes it Lasts
Misbehaving
Bad for You
Hold on Tight

Visit Abbi Glines' website for more information.

Review:
I've really enjoyed the previous books in Abbi Glines' Sea Breeze series and I was looking forward to getting to know bad boy Preston a little better in Just for Now. We've seen quite a lot of him in the previous books but while he's a good friend to Marcus he's also always been a player and a ladies man and I wasn't sure how Amanda was going to get him to change his ways.

What we didn't know before was quite how much pressure is on Preston from his waste of space mother who she relies on Preston for everything. He pays her rent, buys her food and even puts petrol in her car for her and he does it all to protect his younger siblings Jimmy, Brent and Daisy. Preston is in college full time trying to get a decent education but he needs to earn money and he doesn't have enough free time to work a full time job as well. He's resorted to desperate measures but while the income means he can look after his family the work makes him feel dirty and cheap. He doesn't feel worthy of love and he's so ashamed of his situation that he doesn't feel that he can ask his friends for help or even tell them what is happening in his life. Because of that his friends just think of him as a party boy who doesn't have a care in the world when in reality that couldn't be further from the truth.

Amanda is Preston's best friend Marcus's little sister and completely off limits. Preston knows she is special but she is far too pure and innocent for the likes of him, besides Marcus would kill him if he ever found out about Preston's feelings. Amanda may be innocent but she knows what she wants and once she realises that Preston is attracted to her she deliberately sets out to get her man. Amanda sees Preston for who he really is and once she starts to get under his skin she realises how much he does to protect his siblings. I loved Amanda for the way she was so caring towards Jimmy, Brent and Daisy and I really enjoyed every scene with the younger kids in. They had such a tough upbringing but were really sweet kids and that was down to Preston and the way he had cared for them.

One thing that I found really noticeable in this story was the double standards and slut shaming though. All of the girls that Preston had been with were called names and considered whores by Amanda and the rest of Preston's friends but the fact that Preston slept with a different girl every night was completely fine. At one point Amanda actually thought "So he slept around. A lot of guys did. He was sowing his wild oats. It was okay to do that." about Preston but she'd earlier introduced one of her supposed friends to readers by thinking "Jess, Rock's cousin and the town slut". I'm not going to get into the whole issue of sleeping around and whether it's right or wrong but what I really HATE is that people seem to think it's OK for guys to do it but not for girls. Double standards irritate me and it did stop me enjoying this book quite as much as I would have done otherwise. If you want to get on your high horse about sleeping around you should call out the boys for their behaviour just as much as the girls! Or you can just take the opinion that they're all consenting adults and they have every right to do whatever the hell they want. Either way would be better than what happens here.

I did like Preston, he was in an impossible situation and he was doing the only thing he could think of to make sure his family survived. I'll admit I got a little irritated with him for not confiding in his friends sooner and asking for help but I could understand why he hadn't. In general I liked Amanda but her double standards kept making me want to shake some sense into her. I have really enjoyed the sea breeze series though so even though Just for Now wasn't my favourite instalment I'm still looking forward to reading more about this group of friends.

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster 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:

Awesome New Cover Reveal: Breathe by Abbi Glines (#SeaBreezeSummer)

I'm a HUGE fan of Abbi Glines and I love her Sea Breeze series so I can't tell you how excited I was to be asked to take part in the blog tour and help reveal the sexy new covers for the series! I thought I loved the original UK covers but trust me the new ones are soooooooo much better, the only trouble is that I'm now incredibly tempted to replace my copies with the new ones LOL.

If you haven't already read the series now is the perfect time and where better to start than with the book that kicked it all off? Breathe is the first book in the series and features a rock god and the girl next door who captures his heart. Check out the amazing new cover:

What do you think? I love how bright and summery it is, that suits the series perfectly because these really are fabulous summer romances that would make perfect holiday reading.

Make sure you check out the rest of the blogs taking part so you can see the rest of these gorgeous covers:

This gorgeous new cover will appear later on most e-tailer sites. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/BreatheEB

Review: Breathe - Abbi Glines

Sadie White doesn't get to spend her summer on the beach like most kids. Her mother can't keep a job, so Sadie is forced to work during the break at one of the mansions nearby instead.

Then Sadie discovers that Jax Stone, the hottest teenage rockstar around, owns the house, and things get a lot more interesting. Jax is adored by teenage girls everywhere - except for Sadie that is - but the fact she's not impressed by his reputation is exactly what he finds fascinating about her. As the summer passes, Jax and Sadie find themselves drawn to each other, even though their different worlds want to keep them apart. They're about to discover that love can be suffocating, until you find a way to breathe . . .

The Sea Breeze Series:
Breathe
Because of Low
While it Lasts
Just for Now
Sometimes it Lasts
Misbehaving
Bad for You
Hold on Tight

Visit Abbi Glines' website for more information.

Review:
Sadie doesn't have the luxury of spending the holiday's having fun with her friends, she's far too busy holding down a full time job to support her heavily pregnant mother. The last thing she wants, or needs, is a summer fling, especially not with the famous teenage rock star who owns the mansion it is her job to clean. Jax spends every summer with his family in Sea Breeze as a way to wind down after a busy year of touring. He just wants a place where he can forget about his fame and have fun being a regular guy. Sadie is the first girl he's met that doesn't throw herself at him and that just makes her all the more intriguing. The more time he spends with her the more he realises that she spends her entire life looking after others and he wants to be the one to look after her for a change. Even if he can persuade her to give him a chance will his fame get in the way of a lasting relationship.

I have to admit I was confused when Simon & Schuster published the 2nd, 3rd & 4th books (Because of Low, While it Lasts & Just for Now) in this series before the first one. I hate reading a series out of order but I had ended up reading books 2 & 3 before this one and as much as reading them in the wrong order distressed me I really enjoyed them. As it turns out there was a rights issue with Breathe that meant it couldn't be published sooner and because it was the first book she had written Abbi Glines chose to edit the story before S&S reissued it. So it's worth noting that this review is for the revised edition of the story and if you bought your version before August 2013 when it was published you may have read a different version.

Having read some of the other books in this series I was excited to come back and discover how it all began in Breathe. While I enjoyed the story and found it a very quick and easy read I have to say that I think it is the weakest book in the series (out of the ones I've read so far). I guess that is understandable since it was the author's first novel but even though she has added additional scenes I don't think this is up to the standards I've come to expect from Abbi Glines. I'm not trying to put people off reading it though because I did like it, I just didn't love it as much as I'd hoped to.

Sadie has a tough life, her mother is completely useless and leaves Sadie in charge of running the household, paying the bills and even making sure there is food on the table. Being heavily pregnant has made her even more useless than normal and she spends all her time complaining and expecting Sadie to wait on her hand and foot. I have to say there were more than a few occasions when I just wanted to shake some sense into her mother or kidnap Sadie and take her somewhere that she would have a chance at living like a normal teenager! Sadie had to grow up fast and that shows in the way she interacts with the people around her, she is an old soul and often doesn't act like most other teenagers.

There is no doubt that Jax is a hottie, he's also a rich, famous rock star so everything a girl could want in a lot of ways. He's also quite jaded and cynical because people are constantly trying to use him for his money or as a way to launch their own music careers. I have to say that even though the money would be nice I don't think I'd want to be famous. Meeting Sadie is an eye opener for him, although he is under constant pressure from his mother about his career he has never had as much responsibility as she does. The fact that she sees past his fame to the boy underneath is what appeals to him most, she isn't interested in his money or the things he could do for her, she just likes spending time with him.

I think the main thing that bothered me was how quickly their relationship developed, I would have loved more of a slow build to it and for them to have spent more time getting to know each other before the "I love you"s started. In spite of the fast pace they did have some really sweet moments and overall I enjoyed spending time with them. Sadie is a little too naive for my taste but it made sense that her character would be like that. I think what I enjoyed most was seeing Sadie find friendship and support from her co-workers, she's never really had anyone who looks out for her before so it was great to see her learn to trust others and accept the help they were offering.

Breathe is a really sweet romance and I already know that this series just gets stronger with every instalment so it's definitely one I'd be happy to recommend.

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster 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:

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Reads of 2013 So Far

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a different theme & you can find all the details about how to join in HERE.

This is the first time I'm taking part in the feature, it's one I've been seeing around the blogosphere for a long time now so I'm excited to finally join in! Today's topic is actually a freebie which means you can pick any theme you like. I've decided to go with my top reads of 2013 so far (this is actually a topic that everyone will be doing in a couple of weeks but I have a blog tour that day so won't be able to take part & thought I'd do it now instead). I'm finding it impossible to narrow it down to just 10 books so I decided I'd split this into 3 categories - YA, NA and adult - and I'm going to choose my favourite 5 books from each age range.

My Top 5 Young Adult reads of 2013 so far:

Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood (read my review here)

With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent (read my review here)

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (read my review here)

Boundless by Cynthia Hand (read my review here)

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder (read my review here)

My Top 5 New Adult reads of 2013 so far:

While it Lasts by Abbi Glines (read my review here)

Losing It by Cora Carmack (read my review here)

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover (read my review here)

Wait for you by J Lynn (read my review here)

The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen (read my review here)

My Top 5 Adult reads of 2013 so far:

Down London Road by Samantha Young (read my review here)

Night Blade by J.C. Daniels (read my review here)

Beyond Control by Kit Rocha (read my review here)

Edge of Dawn by Lara Adrian (read my review here)

Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox (read my review here)

What are your favourite books of the year so far? Do you agree with any of my choices? What topic have you chosen for this weeks Top Ten Tuesday? Leave me a link in the comments & I'll come and visit your post :o)

Review: While it Lasts - Abbi Glines

Trouble follows Cage York around. Usually his charm gets him off the hook, but this time his recklessness means he's spending his summer sweeping out barns and babysitting cows, instead of enjoying late-night hook-ups.

The only bright spot is Eva, an uptight, snarky brunette who seems immune to Cage's advances. Behind those big blue eyes and fiery temper, Eva is nursing a broken heart and the last thing she needs is a player like Cage flashing his irritating (though admittedly gorgeous) smile in her direction.

But as the humidity rises, Cage begins to crack Eva's carefully built walls as the two of them learn that what they want, and need, may be something they never expected . . .

The Sea Breeze Series:
Breathe
Because of Low
While it Lasts
Just for Now
Sometimes it Lasts
Misbehaving
Bad for You
Hold on Tight

Visit Abbi Glines' website for more information.

Review:
Playboy and party animal Cage is in trouble, getting caught drink driving was the last straw and he is at risk of losing everything - his place on the team and his college scholarship - if he doesn't turn his life around fast. His coach has given him one last chance to redeem himself, he just has to keep his head down, work hard and stay out of trouble for the whole summer to earn it. Spending his summer in the country working on a farm is Cage's idea of hell but the moment he sees Eva things start to look up. That's before he realises she's the bosses daughter and firmly off limits. Eva is the one woman who seems immune to Cage's charms and that draws him to her like nothing else but Eva has had her heart broken before and the last thing she needs is another guy in her life, especially a player like Cage. Can Cage break through Eva's defences and persuade her to take a chance on him? What will it cost him if he does succeed?

We met Cage in Because of Low, and saw that he's a total player who is happy to jump into bed with any girl who will have him and that he never lets his heart get involved. In spite of his bad boy attitude we did get to see how much he cares for his best friend Low, the two of them grew up together, they both had difficult family lives and neither of them has ever had anyone who they can rely on apart from each other. As much as I didn't like Cage's attitude towards girls I did feel for him as I started to learn more about his background and I had a feeling that when he finally met the right woman he would fall hard and fast. I knew there was a nice guy hiding under that cocky exterior and I'm so pleased Eva managed to bring him out of his shell! You can't beat a reformed bad boy and Cage is one of my favourites, he keeps his confident and cocky outer shell while managing to show an incredibly sweet and romantic side to him too and of course I loved him.

My heart absolutely broke when I learnt about Eva's past, I actually cried (in public!) when I was reading the prologue. She has lost so much and has spent the last year and a half living in a kind of limbo, her grief has changed her and she is a shell of the person she used to be. Eva was so defined by her relationship with Josh that she doesn't really know how to act now that he is no longer around and she doesn't know how to move on without him. It isn't easy for her to open up to Cage but he is patient with her and he understands that she needs to take things slowly. It was lovely to see her start to open up to him and I felt she really deserved to find some happiness. Cage and Eva both bring out the best in each other, they have both been through tough times and they come out the other side stronger than ever, especially when they are together. Their relationship is sweet and builds slowly but it is also passionate and incredibly sexy.

Without a doubt While it Lasts is my new favourite book by Abbi Glines and Cage is my favourite of her heroes. I'm really enjoying the Sea Breeze books and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series, I hope that Eva's friend Jeremy gets his own story at some point because I really want to see his happy ending. Although this story doesn't end on a cliffhanger I was excited to learn that Cage and Eva are going to have a second book written about them, that one will be going straight to the top of my to buy pile when it is released because I loved both of these characters. If you're new to the series then I do think you could read this book as a standalone but I'd strongly recommend reading at least Because of Low first because it gives you a lot more background on Cage. This isn't a series to miss if you're a fan of NA contemporary romance though and it's one I'd highly recommend.

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster 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:

Review: Because of Low - Abbi Glines

Marcus Hardy is stuck in Sea Breeze - something he's really not happy about. The only good part of his life is the hot redhead who sleeps over regularly. There's just one thing - she's sleeping in the bed of his roommate, Cage York.

Willow "Low" Foster knows that running to Cage every time her sister kicks her out isn't ideal, especially when he wants to be more than just friends. And his new roommate Marcus, is making things even more complicated by checking her out like he wants her there too.

But then a shocking revelation forces Marcus to choose between Low and his family. Because now the truth is out . . . there's no other choice.

The Sea Breeze Series:
Breathe
Because of Low
While it Lasts
Just for Now
Sometimes it Lasts
Misbehaving
Bad for You
Hold on Tight

Visit Abbi Glines' website for more information.

Review:
Marcus has had to give up his place in college and move home to help his family through a crisis, he isn't happy about it but his mum and sister need him and he will always put them first. Although he'd rather be anywhere but in Sea Breeze he does find himself incredibly attracted to his new roommate's best friend Low so things aren't all bad. Low hasn't had an easy time of it, every person who should have been there for her while she was growing up walked away and left her. The one person she has always been able to turn to is her best friend Cage and he would never let her spend a night on the streets so she stays with him whenever her sister Tawny kicks her out. Despite Cage's claims that he is going to marry Low one day they have never been anything more than friends and she is irresistibly drawn to Marcus. Marcus and Low could be perfect together but that's before they uncover a terrible secret, one that will force Marcus to choose sides and pick between Low and his family. How do you choose between your family and the girl you love? Where should your loyalty be?

I had a few issues with The Vincent Boys because cheating is a major hot button of mine so it was a testament to how good Abbi Glines' writing was that I not only finished reading it but actually ended up liking it (even it if was almost against my will!). Anyway, knowing how good she is at creating chemistry between her characters I had high hopes for her Sea Breeze series, especially since I knew cheating wouldn't be an issue. I'm happy to say that Because of Low was my favourite Abbi Glines book yet and I can't wait to continue reading the series! I have to admit I'm still a little confused about why Simon & Schuster have published books 2, 3 and 4 in this series before the first book, Breathe, but although I plan to go back and read the first book when it is available I didn't have any problems picking up the story at Because of Low as each book focuses on a different main couple. I am looking forward to going back and reading Jax & Sadie's book though because I do love a good rock star story!

I really enjoyed the romance between Marcus and Low, the couple have great chemistry and although they are from very different backgrounds they obviously have a lot in common and enjoy spending time together. I had guessed the big secret very early on but I think that is the author's intention, you spend the whole time you're reading the book worrying about how they can possibly deal with the outcome of the secret and hoping that they will find a way to look past it. I don't want to tell you what the secret actually is so I'm just going to say that it isn't something that Low or Marcus did wrong, just something that they have to live with the consequences of. I think one of the things I liked most about this book was the fact that the romance takes time to develop, the characters take time to get to know each other and I never felt things were rushed or unbelievable.

Low is such a sweet character, she has been through a lot of tough times but she doesn't feel sorry for herself or act out to get attention. She does rely a little too heavily on Cage rather than stand on her own two feet but considering everything that has happened you can't really blame her for that and she does make a lot of changes later on in the story. Low is a loving and generous girl, someone who tries to see the good in everyone and who is very protective of those she cares about and she deserves to have someone who is going to put her first for once. Marcus was a great guy, he puts his family's happiness before his own and you've got to respect a guy who looks out for his mother and sister. He also becomes very protective of Low and although he can get a little jealous where she is concerned he never takes things to an over the top level. I liked the fact he doesn't push Low into anything she isn't ready for, he likes and respects her enough to wait as long as it takes for her to trust him and he is the one who puts the brakes on things a couple of times until he is sure she knows what she wants. The chemistry between them is fantastic and they have some very steamy scenes but they also have some very sweet and romantic moments that make your heart melt a little.

I've already said that Because of Low is my favourite book by Abbi Glines but I have a feeling I'm going to like Cage's story, While it Lasts, even more. Cage is a bad boy to the extreme, very much a player when it comes to girls but we know enough about him to see that he is suffering inside and that he just hasn't met the right girl yet. I have a feeling that when he falls for someone he is going to fall hard but I would imagine he'll have a job on his hands proving to anyone that he can change his ways. I can't wait to see how he does it! If you haven't started this series yet then I would definitely recommend it, Because of Low is going to be a huge hit with anyone who loves contemporary romance with great characters and a fair amount of angst. It's the kind of book that would make a perfect summer holiday read.

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster 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:

Simon & Schuster's Exciting 2013 New Adult Releases: Covers Revealed!

I think most of you have probably noticed how much I've been loving contemporary romance over the last few months, it's been a nice change for me because I've been so focused on anything paranormal for a few years now! I'm a huge fan of all the fantastic New Adult titles that we're seeing come through at the moment so I can't wait to get my hands on all of the new books Simon & Schuster have lined up for us over the spring and summer. I received an email yesterday revealing all of the fantastic new UK covers for some very exciting books that are already proving very popular in the US so I wanted to share them with you today (you can click on any of the images in this post to see a larger version of the covers).

I'm a HUGE fan of Simone Elkeles, I absolutely love her Perfect Chemistry series - those Fuentes brothers are seriously hot! - but I also really enjoyed Leaving Paradise (read my review here) when I read it back in 2010. I don't think that Return to Paradise has been published in print in the UK before (I certainly never found it anyway) so I'm really excited that we'll be able to buy it soon. Both of these stories are available as ebooks from TODAY and there will be a print bind up of both books published sometime over the summer. It's been so long since I read Leaving Paradise that I will definitely be re-reading it before Return to Paradise but I can't wait! What do you think of these covers? Sexy aren't they!

On the 11th of April S&S are publishing Going too Far and Forget You by Jennifer Echols. Jennifer is an incredibly popular contemporary author who writes wonderful romances. I actually read Forget You as part of a book tour about 3 years ago and it was a fab book that I'd actually quite like to re-read (read my review of here). I love the new cover though and since I don't already own a copy of the book I'm going to have to make sure I end up buying a matching set!

I already posted these fantastic new covers for Abbi Glines's Sea Breeze series (Because of Low, Just for Now and While it Lasts) but I'm including them again just in case you missed them (click on the pictures to see them in a larger size). These stories are already available as ebooks but the paperbacks with these snazzy covers will be in shops from the 25th of April so make sure you keep an eye out for them. If you've read the Vincent Boys series you'll know that Abbi excels at creating sexual tension between her characters and she writes great make out scenes too so I have high hopes for these!

I've heard so many good things about Steph Campbell's Grounding Quinn series that I can't wait to read it! Delicate and Grounding Quinn will both be published in the UK on the 9th of May so we have a little while to wait for these.

You may already have come across Crash and Clash by Nicole Williams but they will be in shops with these gorgeous covers on the 6th of June. I've had Crash on my wish list for ages now so I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on a copy!

So which of these books are you most excited about? Do you have a favourite cover? If you've already read any of them please let me know what you thought of them (you can always leave a link to your review/s in the comments).

News: Book Deals, UK Cover Reveals, Contests & the CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlist

I've not done a news update for a while and if I tried to include all the news from the last month this would probably be the longest blog post in history so I'm mainly going to mention things that have caught my attention in the last week or so.

I can't pass up the opportunity to mention my lovely friend Liz's book deal though. I'm sure everyone has already heard the news but I'm so incredibly excited for her that she has signed a 3 book deal with Tor!! I've known Liz for several years after meeting her at a blogger event and was sad when she closed her blog (My Favourite Books) at the end of last year. I always enjoyed reading her blog and know we can expect huge things from Liz along with Mark and Sarah (her co-bloggers from MFB) in the future. You can read the full press release on the Tor website but here is the main info:

Pan Macmillan’s Tor imprint is delighted to announce the acquisition at auction of an exciting young adult trilogy – by blogger-turned-author Liz de Jager. Senior Commissioning Editor Bella Pagan bought World Rights, excluding USA/Canada, via Juliet Mushens of the Agency group and the series starts with The Blackhart Legacy. The books are contemporary YA urban fantasies set in our world, but here fairytale legends exist. And only one family – the Blackharts – are able to see fae interlopers, never mind fight them. Part Artemis Fowl, part Brothers Grimm, this is a rollicking and original read from a fresh new voice in YA fiction. This will be perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan and Melissa Marr.

Congratulations again Liz, I'm thrilled for you & I can't wait to start reading The Blackheart Legacy! Make sure you drop by Liz's blog here to keep up to date with her latest news.

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While we're on the subject of book deals I received an email from Hodder & Stoughton confirming that they are going to be bringing some of Jennifer L. Armentrout's books to the UK. I love Jennifer's Lux series (click the links to read my reviews of Shadows and Obsidian) so am very excited that she's found a UK publisher and hope that means we'll find her books . Check out the press release below for more information:

Hodder & Stoughton to publish American YA phenomenon Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hodder & Stoughton Assistant Editor Harriet Bourton has snapped up UK rights to ten titles by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout. There are seven titles in the young adult paranormal Covenant series, a contemporary paranormal standalone, Cursed, plus two mystery thrillers written by the author. The Covenant novels and Cursed will be published first in eBook on 25th April, and the first mystery thriller, Don’t Look Back, will publish in April 2014 in print and digital formats.

The Covenant series is published by Spencer Hill Press in the US and Jennifer is currently their number one bestselling author across the board, writing across multiple genres including paranormal contemporary romance, and makes frequent appearances in the Kindle top 100 chart.

Assistant Editor Harriet Bourton bought UK rights from Kate McLennan at Abner Stein Agency on behalf of Taryn Fagerness for the Covenant series and standalone novel Cursed, and UK rights for Don’t Look Back and one untitled mystery thriller from Molly Kong at Hyperion US.

Bourton said, ‘Jennifer’s writing is so immediately engaging and interesting in whatever form her storytelling takes, be it a mysterious plot about a girl who wakes up on the roadside with no memory of who she is, or paranormal worlds – with brilliantly gutsy, spirited heroines – that are excitingly and convincingly imagined from the first page. I’m so thrilled to be Jennifer’s UK publisher, and she already has a cast of fans here at Hodder. I know there will be many more out there yet!’

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Have you seen the new UK Covers for Abbi Glines' Sea Breeze series? The ebooks are already available but the paperbacks will be available from the 25th of April with these snazzy new covers from Simon & Schuster. What do you think? I love them & can't wait to have them lined up on my bookshelves!

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Now if you have any skills at all when it comes to making videos you won't want to miss the contest that Laini Taylor is hosting to celebrate the release of Days of Blood and Starlight. All you have to do is create a book trailer for Days of Blood and Starlight and you could be in with the chance of winning $1,000! Check out the information below to see how to enter:

Want to bring the DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE trilogy to life? You can in Laini Taylor's trailer competition! There's even a $1000 prize...

To enter, simply:
1) Create a trailer - of any kind - for DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT
2) Upload it to YouTube
3) Paste the link into the comments section at http://www.youtube.com/smokeandbonebook

We'll be collating the videos in a playlist on this channel, so check back here to see all the entries, and of course the winners.

Deadline: 1st May 2013

More details available at http://www.lainitaylor.com/2012/11/two-days-contest-alert.html although please note the change to the deadline.

Good luck!

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Last but by no means least I wanted to leave you with the Carnegie 2013 shortlist, there are some absolutely fabulous books on the list and it's going to be very hard to call the winner. Links will take you to my reviews.

The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2013 shortlist in full:

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan, Bloomsbury

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle, Marion Lloyd Books

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, Hot Key Books

In Darkness by Nick Lake, Bloomsbury

Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Bodley Head

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick, Indigo

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton, David Fickling Books

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Electric Monkey

I have both Maggot Moon and In Darkness on my to read pile so I'm going to have to try and read those before the winner is announced. I obviously need to check out A Greyhound of a Girl and A Boy and a Bear in a Boat too. I enjoyed all of the books that I've read but I think if I had to pick a favourite out of those four then it would be Wonder so I'm secretly hoping that one will win.

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Anyway, I think that is plenty of news for today, I hope there was something there that caught your attention!

Review: The Vincent Brothers - Abbi Glines

Smouldering Sawyer Vincent is in a bad way after his break-up with Ashton Gray. Losing the girl he dreamed of marrying is bad enough, but to lose her to his brother Beau is plain humiliating.

But Sawyer won't be alone for long - not if Ashton's cousin Lana has her way. Lana's grown up to be a pouting femme fatale and she wants Sawyer, real bad.

But deep down, will Lana ever feel good enough to complete with Ashton in Sawyer's eyes? She's red hot, but inside, Lana's still the shy geeky girl she used to be.

Lana's gonna need all her sexy powers of persuasion to make this gorgeous Vincent boy her man . . .

The Vincent Boys Series:
The Vincent Boys
The Vincent Brothers

Visit Abbi Glines' website for more information.

Review:
I had a few issues with The Vincent Boys, mainly because of the ongoing cheating between Ash and Beau (cheating is something that really pushes my buttons and I found it very hard to forgive them for their actions) but I really enjoyed Abbi Glines' writing style and had high hopes for The Vincent Brothers. I felt so sorry for Sawyer in the first book and I wanted to see him get his own happy ending so I was really looking forward to reading this sequel. Unfortunately the story failed to live up to the hype and although it was an OK read it didn't blow me away like I expected it to.

The Vincent Brothers continues the story several months after the last book ended, Ash and Beau are now dating and very happy together while Sawyer looks on from the sidelines. He has tried to push his jealousy to one side and remain friends with his brother Beau but he is still crazy about Ash and it hurts to see the two of them together after they betrayed them so badly. Ash's cousin Lana has always had a thing for Sawyer and she is hoping that now he is no longer with Ash she might have a chance with him. She has given herself a major makeover and is planning on spending the summer with Ash so she can try to win Sawyer's heart. Sawyer is attracted to the new Lana but his main reason for dating her is because he thinks it will make Ash jealous and help him win her back. Can Lana help Sawyer move on and leave Ash in the past or will she end up getting her heart broken?

The Sawyer we see in this book is very different to the one we met before, he is bitter about the way things ended between him and Ash, he is extremely jealous of her new relationship with his brother and he watches them from a distance like a love sick puppy. I had felt sorry for him before but the way he was so happy to use Lana to try and win back Ash made me really, really angry with him. He lost all my sympathy because of the way he treated Lana. Lana annoyed me because she was so willing to put up with Sawyer treating her like crap, she let him walk all over her and would then take him back when he hadn't even really apologised for his actions. Yes they had chemistry but it didn't feel as intense as the connection between Ash and Beau in the first book. There were so many times when I wanted Lana to tell Sawyer to get stuffed and for her to walk away from the whole sorry mess and I have to admit I had more respect for her when she did just that, I was glad she made him suffer and realise just how badly he had screwed things up.

I wasn't a big fan of Ash in the first book and I really grew to hate her in this one, she seemed to take great pleasure in being in the middle of the brothers and loved having them both lavish her with attention. She would turn to Sawyer in a second when Beau wasn't available but then drop him twice as fast the minute Beau came back, I understand she has a history with Sawyer but she knows how much he loves her and how badly she hurt him and I thought she should have had the decency to keep away from him. I'm not sure why I expected any different though because she always did tend to act like a selfish and spoilt child. Beau was the best thing about the first book but even he started to get on my nerves in this one, all he did was growl like a caveman whenever Sawyer so much as looked at Ash. If Sawyer made any kind of negative comment (which I felt he had every right to considering the way Ash & Beau had betrayed him!) then Beau would threaten him and I didn't really feel that Beau had any sympathy towards his brother for what he'd been through.

Overall I'd have to say I was disappointed with The Vincent Brothers. It wasn't a terrible book but it could have been so much better and I was left feeling unsatisfied. I don't even know what to think about the cheesy endings, the romance reader in me was pleased to see a HEA for the couples but the realist in me found it all very hard to believe. I will read more by Abbi Glines in the future but I have to confess I'm kind of pleased that this series is over and done with.

Source: Received from Amazon Vine 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:

Review: The Vincent Boys - Abbi Glines

Preacher's daughter Ashton Gray is gorgeous, good and kind, and she's dating Sawyer Vincent - handsome school quarterback and all-round gentleman. Sawyer's perfect, and Ashton knows it.

But when Sawyer leaves town for the summer, Ashton gets to spending time with his cousin Beau. Unlike Sawyer, Beau is a bona fide bad-boy - drinking, sleeping around and generally going the way of his white-trash parents.

Ashton knows it's wrong, but something about Beau has her all hot and bothered. He's bringing out the bad girl in this sweet Southern belle . . .

Sultry, romantic and hotter than the Alabama sunshine . . . What will the Vincent Boys do for you?

The Vincent Boys Series:
The Vincent Boys
The Vincent Brothers

Visit Abbi Glines' website for more information.

Review:
Ashton was best friends with cousins Beau and Sawyer from childhood, the three of them were inseparable growing up and always did everything together. That all changed when Sawyer and Ashton became a couple though and now Ashton and Beau have barely spoken in the last three years. When Sawyer goes away with his family for the summer Ashton is lonely until she starts spending time with Beau. Beau and Sawyer couldn't be more different but which one does Ash belong with?

I've said it before but I'm going to say it again - I can't stand people who cheat on their partners. I have been known to forgive characters for making a one off mistake, after all we're all human, but if there is one thing I really despise it is ongoing cheating so I'm afraid The Vincent Boys lost points with me because of that. It hit one of my hot buttons and I know that isn't something that will bother everyone as much as it bothered me but this is my review so I have to be honest about it. Ashton has been dating Sawyer for 3 years, she supposedly loves him, one things for sure he never forced her to go out with him, but the second he's out of town she seems to forget all about him and start pining for his cousin. Sawyer is supposed to be the perfect guy - he's a good student, he's good looking, athletic and he adores Ashton but that isn't enough to make her happy. She has never felt good enough for him, she has to put on an act of being perfect and she is constantly trying to prove to herself that she is worthy of him, none of this is because of the way he treats her though - it's because of the way she sees herself. I could actually understand her low self esteem though, I think most teenagers have probably felt unworthy at some point and will be able to relate to that but I did find her attitude frustrating.

Unfortunately as much as I felt sorry for Sawyer I didn't really get to know him well enough to think of him as anything more than the stereotypical nice guy, he didn't show enough of a personality for me to particularly care about him and then the way he acted towards Ashton and Beau after he found out what had been going on just made no sense to me. I'm sure we're going to get to know him better in the second book but at the moment I'm not really excited about spending more time with him. Beau on the other hand I have to admit to developing a crush on, that boy is seriously hot! He is also a fairly typical bad boy and at times he was absolutely vile in the way he treated his girlfriend. Thankfully his attitude improves quite quickly and once Nicole was out of the picture I really did grow to like him. I was still unhappy with what he was doing behind his cousin's back but at least he was prepared to fight to be with Ashton. He knew what they had done was wrong but he was ready to step up and admit to his mistakes and deal with the consequences which is more than can be said for Ashton.

One of the reasons that I really grew to hate Ashton was her complete lack of remorse. For a start she has been dating Sawyer for 3 years and in that time she has completely avoided Beau - they haven't even spoken in the classes that they share! - but the second Sawyer is out of the picture I'm supposed to believe that she can't keep away from Beau. Why does she suddenly have this desperate need to be with him and why can't she keep her hands to herself? Why is she so prepared to drop her knickers in an instant for Beau when she hasn't taken that step with Sawyer after three years together? Even worse why is she still mentally planning on going back to Sawyer as soon as he returns home even after she has slept with Beau? It wasn't even that she was thinking that she'd made a huge mistake with Beau and was regretting it, no she was in fact planning on making the most of the time she had with Beau until Sawyer got home and then going back to her perfect boyfriend and their perfect life. No. Just no. I can't respect a character who thinks like that. I just can't do it and from that point on I was beyond caring what happens to her.

I sound like I really hated the book but surprisingly in spite of the problems I have mentioned I did find it a quick and enjoyable read. I was sucked into the story and I had to keep reading because I wanted to know how things would play out between the three of them. Beau and Ashton had great chemistry and if I completely put Sawyer out of my mind I could really enjoy their interactions with each other. I'm just a bit disappointed because it would have been so easy to make the story so much better. The relationship between Ashton and Beau could have been so much more believable if they had rekindled their friendship and spent time getting closer emotionally before they jumped into bed with each other. I might have even liked Ashton more if she had shown some sincere remorse for hurting Sawyer and if she had actually grown up a bit by the end of the book.

I did like Abbi Glines' writing style (even if there were a number of errors in the book) and I am very curious to see what happens in The Vincent Brothers. I'm wondering if I'll develop as big a crush on Sawyer in the second book as I did on Beau in this one. I'm also quite pleased that Ashton isn't going to be the heroine of the sequel because I'm still not a fan of hers. If it hadn't been for the cheating I would have rated The Vincent Boys a solid 4 stars and I do think that issue won't bother everyone as much as it did me. I think fans of the new adult genre who are looking for a sexy new contemporary romance series will enjoy this one so don't let my negative points put you off giving it a try. Even with those issues I still found that there was a lot to like about the book.

Source: Received from Amazon Vine 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: