About A Girl Blog Tour -- Out With The Old , In With The New.

About A Girl | Lindsey Kelk
Genre(s): Adult, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Romance
Pages: 402
Release Date: April 14, 2015 | Harper Collins
Edition: Physical ARC
Source: TLC Blog Tours
Rating:

The summer bestseller from the immensely popular Lindsey Kelk


Tess Brookes has always been a Girl with a Plan. But when the Plan goes belly up, she’s forced to reconsider.


After accidently answering her flatmate Vanessa’s phone, she decides that since being Tess isn’t going so well, she might try being Vanessa. With nothing left to lose, she accepts Vanessa’s photography assignment to Hawaii – she used to be an amateur snapper, how hard can it be? Right?


But Tess is soon in big trouble. And the gorgeous journalist on the shoot with her, who is making it very clear he’d like to get into her pants, is an egotistical monster. Far from home and in someone else’s shoes, Tess must decide whether to fight on through, or ‘fess up and run…

I received this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review. This opinion is my own, and will not be swayed by this.  

It's been forever since I've read a contemporary novel, shoot it's been ages since I've read Chick Lit, and to be honest, I truly missed it. The cute-ness, fluffi-ness, hilarious-ness . . . I just hadn't been getting that lately, and if there's one thing that About A Girl showed me, it's that no matter how far I stray away from my all-time favorite genre, it will always welcome me back with open arms and good book.

Reinventing Tess Brookes: Checklist

1. Get Fired From Job 

2. Have Sex With Male Bestfriend That You've Been Crushing On For 10 Years
3. Have Awkward Conversation With Male Bestie. Learn That He Slept With Your STD Carrying Flatmate
4. Make Irrational Decisions
5. Steal Your Flatmate's Identity. Takeover Her Photography Gig In Hawaii
6. Make New Friends In Hawaii
7. Fall In Love With A Handsome Asshole In Hawaii
8. Sleep With Said Handsome Asshole
9. Have Everything Blow Up In Your Face. Remember To Pick Up The Pieces Later
10. Come Home As A Brand New Tess
11. Make A Decision Between The Handsome Asshole, Or Adorably Irritating Bestfriend.

Notice how our checklist isn't quite complete?

What A Girl Wants, What A Girl Needs

That moment when every pop song from the 90's pops up in your head as you're reading. 

To outsiders, Tess Brookes has it all. She's smart, witty, and incredibly quirky. She has an amazing job in Advertising with the promise of a promotion, and yeah her flatmate Vanessa is a complete asshole, but she has two of the coolest bestfriends, Amy and Charlie. But just as I thought all of the pieces to her perfectly laid life was falling into place, the unthinkable happened. The UNTHINKABLE, that for Tess, is a total game changer (not in a good way) a wreck-my-life-why-don't-ya type of situation . . . 

She's gets fired from her job.

Now this may not be the end of the world for most, but reading about Tess, her job WAS her world. Other than Charlie and Amy, Tess had ZERO other friends. She wasn't entirely close to her family, and let's not get into her home situation. So literally working for Donovan & Dunning was all she really knew. This sounds beyond depressing right? As humans, when we're feeling down & out, a bit like the world is out to screw us over, we tend to . . . not think straight. We tend to make decisions, that in our right mind, we would probably NEVER even attempt to do. So when Tess sleeps with Charlie, I am more than surprised. I'm not however, surprised that their rump in the sack leads to an awkward situation afterwards, I am not surprised that she walks away from the situation a bit humiliated, but I was surprised when the story takes an exciting turn as Tess decides to do the unthinkable. Nah scratch that, when Tess decides to LIVE A LITTLE . . .

Aloha Baby 

I think I was mentally jumping for joy when Tess took a photography gig in a Hawaii pretending to be her trifling wench of a flatmate Vanessa. I mean, she didn't MEAN to do it, but when your booking agent hardly let's you get a word in, you can't do anything but nod your head and say " Uh huh " in agreement right? Her decision to finally take a risk and do something on the whim, was my absolute favorite moment in this story. Tess boards a plane before she even has time to produce any second thoughts, and before we know it, the story is leaving behind gloomy London for some sex-on-the-beach weather in Hawaii.

As a contemporary lover, I appreciated the fact that while this story wasn't entirely realistic, it was still fun, cute, and absolutely hilarious. After the setting switches to Hawaii, we're introduced to a whole new set of fun characters, and I must admit, I loved them all! Paige and Kekipi reminded me so much of my loud mouth friends, especially after they've had a couple of drinks! I have such a soft spot for Mr.Albert, and while Nick was out-of-this-world irritating, I thoroughly enjoyed the banter he and Tess often exchanged, and I soon found myself ditching my hopes for her and Charlie, and rooting for Nick Miller instead. 

Even if you're not the biggest fan of chick lit, About A Girl will be a pleasurable read. I couldn't help but to laugh at how ridiculously awkward Tess naturally was, and how she managed to royally fuck things up, in the best way possible. The writing is fast paced and before I knew it, the end was near, people were fighting, (I was thrilled to read about Vanessa getting her ass beat) and sadly we're left with the ultimate cliffhanger: 

CHARLIE OR NICK?

I won't even lie, I'm a bit disturbed to know that Tess won't be making a decision on either guy in this novel, but I am however, truly excited to continue the story with Tess and her bat-shit crazy friends, as they embark on an hilarious adventure of friends, travel, and love between the handsome pain in the ass, or the 10 year bestfriend.

It better be Nick, but I really like Charlie too. Lord I'm just as confused as she is!

About The Author: Lindsey Kelk

Lindsey Kelk is a writer and children's book editor. When she isn't writing, reading, listening to music, or watching more TV than is healthy, Lindsey likes to wear shoes, shop for shoes, and judge the shoes of others. Born in England, Lindsey loves living in New York but misses Sherbet Fountains, London, and drinking gin and elderflower cocktails with her friends. Not necessarily in that order.

Connect With Lindsey

Website |  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Wanna Purchase?

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Stacking The Shelves (8) -- Hashtag Breaking My Pockets.

This post is LONG overdue. 

After I purchased SIXTEEN books in February, I told myself I wasn't going to buy another book for a while. A LONGGGG while actually. But of course I was lying because,

A. I don't believe in book buying bans. 

( I have no will power when it comes to books. )

AND

B. It's just way too difficult to NOT buy books. 

( I mean, reading is fundamental so it's cool right? )

So over the past couple of weeks, I've been making little purchases here and there, and now I have a list of books that I'm so excited to share. 

Did anyone notice how that rhymed? lol. 

The Can't-Believe-I-Purchased-This Books

If you asked me last year if I was going to pick up any of these books, the answer would have been a very quick NO. My bookish tastes have changed tremendously, and I find myself making purchases that surprise even myself! 

The Selection - Kiera Cass
I have no clue WHY I never wanted to read this book. It's been recommended to me so many times, so I might as well see how cute, light, and funny it really is.

Game Of Thrones - George R.R Martin
Come on, ME reading a 800 page HIGH FANTASY book? Last year I would've fainted if I knew I was going to finally pick this up. If there's anyone to blame it's Noelia, Felicia, Olivia, and Eduardo. With their amazing reviews, and or tweets, I finally decided to watch the TV series and I AM HOOKED. I'll be starting the first book this June with Blessie!

  After - Anna Todd
This book has so many 1 star ratings on Goodreads it's a shame. BUT, it's New Adult, in a college setting (which happens to be my fav) anddd, it's a fanfiction of my baby daddy Zayn. (Former member of One Direction)

  The Academy Introductions - C.L Stone
Dear C.L Stone,
WHY ARE THERE LIKE 20 DAMN BOOKS IN THIS SERIES ?! I mean I love boarding school/academy stories but SHEESH!

Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
I never picked up this book for the same reason I overlooked The Academy. I have commitment issues when it comes to series.

The YASS BITCH YASS Books

The Game Of Love And Death - Martha Brockenbrough
When I heard that the heroine was an African-American girl who wanted to be a pilot and jazz singer, I knew I was picking this up. Then I read that she falls in love with a Caucasian boy during the Great Depression, and I definitely KNEW I was picking it up! My mom pre-ordered it for me, so come this Tuesday, this baby WILL BE MINE ! The author is such a sweet lady! She sent me swag (which I thought was going to be a bookmark) instead they were cute items that are related to the story. I'll be snapping pics when my book arrives.

Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli
I wanted this book the moment I read the synopsis. I mean HELLOOO it's LGBT!

Hold Me Closer - David Levithan
David Levithan . I love him . Tiny Cooper . I love him even more. It should be no surprise that when I heard he released this book, I immediately went over to Amazon and happily one-clicked it to my Kindle. I was supposed to be getting a completely different book, but all was forgotten when I seen Hold Me Closer.

The Wrong Side Of Right - Jenn Marie Thorne
Idk why I was so drawn to pick this up. It's about a politician's daughter, and lord knows I've been looking for some " spice " in YA. So Yesssss, something I haven't read about!

The Archived - Victoria Schwab
After reading A Darker Shade Of Magic, I would purchase an obituary if she wrote it! This needs NO explanation.

The I-Purchased-Because-I-Was-Bored-&-1Click-Is-The-Devil Books

The Grace Of Kings - Ken Liu
#GameOfThronesMadeMeDoIt. I was browsing Goodreads, stumbled across this cover, read the synopsis, and said " Oooooooo " all the way to Amazon. * Click, Click *

Bird Box - Josh Malerman
This was actually recommeded to me by a blogger friend on Instagram. I checked it out on Goodreads and noticed that a few of my friends on there had read and loved the story. The one review that stood out to me was Joy's from JoyousReads. It simply said: " HOLY SHIT " & that's when I KNEW I needed this book, because if Joy says " HOLY SHIT ", that means it's good. & let's not forget that the audiobook sounds AH-MAZING!

An Uncertain Choice - Jody Hedlund
#ReignMadeMeDoIt. I honestly have no clue as to why I purchased this lol. I'm obsessed with Historical Fiction, reign-ish, game of throne-ish type of books now it seems lol.

So as you probably can tell . . . I'm feeling much better! I'm ready to jump back into blogging, so be on the look out for more posts, reviews, all the good stuff that I'm behind on! & if you guys have read or recently purchased any of these books, let me know down below!

I'm rhyming again lol

The Girl On The Train Review -- Who Done It ?

The Girl On The Train | Paula Hawkins
Genre(s): Adult, Psychological Thriller
Pages: 323
Release Date: January 13, 2015 | Riverhead Books
Edition: Kindle + Audiobook
Source: Purchased | Amazon
Rating:

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

If you follow me on twitter, then you'd probably know that I have a very BAD sinus infection. For the past week I've been suffering from congestion, and on again off again headaches which have been hindering me from blogging like I want to. It's difficult for me to get much reading done, and let's admit it, getting behind in reading AND blogging, is not the best combination. 

Anywho, when I started The Girl On The Train, my sinus infection attacked full force, and I found myself unable to read. To solve this problem, I figured I would purchase the audiobook to use whenever my head was hurting. For a while I was able to follow along (reading while listening), but around 50% my head hurt to much, and I ended up listening to the rest of the story. Not such a great idea, especially since I'm not really used to listening to audiobooks in the first place. To make a long story short, I believe this is the reason why I gave The Girl On The Train a 3 1/2 star rating. At first I was truly engaged, captivated by the story even, but when I started the audiobook, I began to feel as though the story was dragging, (probably because the narrators talk a bit slow) and before I knew it I was huffing & puffing, wishing that the story would end. 

Who Knew Train Rides Can Be So Scandalous

" Twice a day, I am offered a view into other lives, just for a moment. There's something comforting about the sight of strangers safe at home. " 

Q: What do you get when you mix a cast of fucked up characters into a thriller novel?
A: Well a fucked up story of course.

Because The Girl On The Train is such a popular title, it'll be no surprise to me if you already know what this book is about. Told in alternating chapters, bouncing from morning to evening, day to day, month to month, we dive into the lives of three women:

Rachel - A Delusional Drunk.
Anna - A Shady & Oh So Annoying Housewife.
Megan - A Terrible Cheater.

Seriously guys, all the characters in this story, probably except for one, are HORRIBLE people. Anna for instance, was terribly nosey, Rachel was desperate and incredibly pathetic, and Megan was a immature child stuck in a woman's body. While the messed up qualities of these characters made the story THAT much better, I also couldn't help but to get annoyed with them, especially as I listened to the audio. Now, if you're used to listening to audiobooks, then this story will be spot on for you! The narrators were so damn good, (especially the woman doing Rachel's voice) that I found myself YELLING at the book in frustration.  (" PUT DOWN THE WINE RACHEL! RACH, GIRL IF YOU DON'T STOP DRINKING AND REMEMBER !! MEGAN GIRL YOU ARE A HOT MESS FOR REAL !! STFU ANNA DANG ! ALWAYS STARTING SOMETHING !! " ) It was as if these fictional characters were brought to life, and instead of being on the page as they should be, I felt as if I was right there with them, in the midst of all the tension.

One of the biggest selling points of this book is the plot twist, and while I know some readers who were able to figure out the WHO, WHAT, and WHY pretty early on, I didn't. I did however, have an idea of what the twist was, but the author did such a great job of throwing you for a loop, that I doubted myself on many occasions. I ended up being wrong at first, then right, as I was able to catch on to the clues a couple of chapters before the reveal.

As a fan of dysfunctional plots, and screwed up characters, I was truly able to enjoy The Girl On The Train. I completely bombed my own reading experience by choosing to listen to the audiobook, (I could seriously kick myself in the ass for this) but with all the drama, suspense, and all around craziness, I would highly recommend this to any reader who fancies psychological thrillers, and for those who you who don't as well.

I'm still conflicted on my rating though! lol. I'm leaning towards 3.5 stars to a solid 4.

Sorry for such a half-ass review guys. Hopefully I'll be back to being myself next week!

Normal by Graeme Cameron Review -- Killers Need Love Too.

Normal | Graeme Cameron
Pages: 304
Genre(s): Adult, Psychological Thriller
Release Date: March 31, 2015 | Mira
Edition: Kindle
Source: Purchased
Rating:

He lives in your community, in a nice house with a well-tended garden. He shops in your grocery store, bumping shoulders with you and apologizing with a smile. He drives beside you on the highway, politely waving you into the lane ahead of him.

What you don't know is that he has an elaborate cage built into a secret basement under his garage. And the food that he's carefully shopping for is to feed a young woman he's holding there against her will—one in a string of many, unaware of the fate that awaits her.

This is how it's been for a long time. It's normal... and it works. Perfectly.

Then he meets the checkout girl from the 24-hour grocery. And now the plan, the hunts, the room... the others. He doesn't need any of them anymore. He needs only her. But just as he decides to go straight, the police start to close in. He might be able to cover his tracks, except for one small problem—he still has someone trapped in his garage.

Discovering his humanity couldn't have come at a worse time.

Have you ever been out in public -- whether you're shopping, hanging out with friends, or just taking a solo stroll and think , " Mmm, which one of these men are serial killers? " & as you scanned the area, all of a sudden suspicious, did you think it was the short pale guy with the beady eyes, bushy eyebrows, and glasses too small for his face? I bet you mentally ruled him out. What about the gentlemen holding his wife's hand? The one with the salt & pepper hair, and who damn near drooled at the sight of another women's breast? His " wandering eyes " gave him the creepiest vibe, but you didn't rule him out, just mentally cataloged him under the " maybe-maybe-not " and the " possibly-just-a-cheating-bastard " category. 

But what about Mr.Tall-Dark-And-Damn-He's-So-Handsome? The one with the dark brown eyes that were hooded with mystery. Clean cut, with nerdy glasses that you knew weren't prescription. Beautiful creamy skin, that oddly smelled like Ivory soap & women's perfume. The same one you followed (no judging here girl) into the bookstore, as he browsed books he probably doesn't even read. The lad with the dazzling smile, and dimpled cheeks, that you bravely slid your number to after chatting about The Game Of Thrones. You didn't want it to be him, but you had a feeling right? This nagging feeling in the back of your mind. Woman's intuition? I think so baby. I mean HELLO, it's always the cute ones. 

So again, have you ever wondered WHO could be a serial killer? No? Well shit, me either. But after reading this book . . .

EVERY DAMN BODY IS A SUSPECT !!

One, Two Freddy's Coming For You

" The truth is I hurt people. It's what I do. It's all I do. It's all I ever done. I'm not . . . normal. "

If you're reading this book expecting this crazed, sick, deranged serial killer, then I'll be the one to let the cat out of the box -- you won't find him here. In his place is the idea of this handsome guy, charming, VERY charming actually, with a great sense of humor. Dark humor, but still hilarious enough to make you giggle. He was shy in a way, not used to be around a ton of people, but still cool enough to blend in and have a good time. I would be a liar if I said I didn't like this guy, I may have even LOVED him. We don't know his name, or anything about him besides the " hobby " he does on his spare time. So how does that work? How in the world can I feel so invested in him, but yet I can read other stories about characters that I KNOW, and still don't have any type of connection with them? Clever is the word for this. The author just happens to be one clever man.

" I pulled her back inside and straddled her naked hips and pressed my thumbs into her windpipe, silencing her screams. I maintained my grasp long after her hands fell away and her legs stopped thrashing, after her disbelieving, panicked stare faded and her eyes rolled back in her head. I held on through the faint twitching, until my arms ached and my fingers cramped and every trace of pink had vanished from her skin. And even then, I held on some more. "

He see's you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake . . .

I buddy read Normal along with two of my favorite girls, Blessie @mischievousreads and Sarah @onecurvyblogger, and it was so interesting to see how differently we felt about the novel. While Blessie rated it 3 stars after the shift in his personality, Sarah and I loved it, rating it 4 and 5 stars. But even though we all enjoyed it, ALL of us had different views as to what happened, what didn't happened, and what should have happened, that it sparked an intense, but healthy debate on voxer.

 I absolutely, 100% loved this book. I've read stories about serial killers before, but THIS, this was different. It answered questions that we as humans ask when it comes to these sick individuals, " Why do they kill? Do they want to stop? Do they feel guilty for what they do? Can they fall in love? " and according to Normal, the answer to these questions is YES. 

From chapter 1 to the end, I was completely hooked. The story was so riveting, so engrossing, that I finished  it in less than a day. I read it out while running errands, and our character had me so on edge, that every man I passed that fit his description in my mind, was a suspect! The characters are bat-shit crazy in their own little way, (one was actually crazier than our serial killer!) and the romance while unexpected, pulled the story from the typical " I'm a serial killer and that's all the hell I do " to " I'm a serial killer, I'm falling in love,  and dammit I want to be normal, but there's no damn way I can." This was my favorite aspect of the story because it gave us the sense that this happens with killers, (Even though I'm pretty sure it does.) that they strive to live normal lives, but the urge of killing keeps them trapped in darkness forever.

The writing, so incredible in a sick and twisted way, sold a vision that these monsters actually have a completely different side to them . . . our serial killer most certainly did. Usually sharp as a tack, always ontop of his game, he became distracted by the idea of being in love. Like anyone, it clouded his judgement, he was no longer crossing his T's and dotting his I's. Instead he started slipping -- being careless, making mistakes he NEVER would've made otherwise. He was a killer for god's sake, BUT underneath was the flickering light of humanity, and Normal was fucking brilliant for showing us that.

Cursed By Fire Review -- Vampires, Werewolves, and a WHAT?

Cursed By Fire | Danielle Annett
Pages: 202
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Mystery
Release Date: January 28, 2015 | Amazon
Edition: Kindle
Source: Author
Rating:

It has been six years since the Awakening and peace in Spokane, Washington is still tenuous at best. The vampires and shifters are all vying for control of the city and the humans seem to be the ones suffering the consequences, or so it seems.

Aria Naveed has spent the last two years of her life fighting to make the many wrongs of the world right, but soon finds out that the humans aren't as weak as they appear and may be a more terrifying foe than any of the other races combined.

When a stranger rolls into town with trouble on his heels, Aria finds herself trapped in the middle of a battle that could cost her more than she has bargained for as a fight for justice turns into an unexpected fight for her life.

I honestly had no clue as to what to expect when it came to Cursed By Fire. I knew that it wasn't a story that I would necessarily pick up myself, but I definitely deserve a pat on the back for stepping outside of my comfort zone, and being able to enjoy a book that I'd normally wouldn't take a second glance at. Now I know what you're thinking, " You enjoyed this book, but yet you rated it 2 stars? " Well . . . Sorta. There were many downsides to this book for me, but with the story being quite fast paced, I must say I was surprisingly entertained . . . sorta. 

What if Twilight & The Fantastic Four Had A Baby?

A 7 year old boy is found dead. Mutilated it seems, by a Vampire.
Aria Naveed, a mercenary for the organization Sanborn Place is assigned the job of finding out the WHO, WHAT, & WHY's of the situation. Her boss Mike plays the " inside " position, getting information on possible leads and or parties, while Aria is partnered with her good friend James, a shifter from Clan Wolf of the Pacific Northwest Pack. Together this duo will take down all supernatural beings involved . . . right? I mean come on, you have this beast of a wolf, matched with Aria who's a Psyker, a human born with Psychokinetic powers, so as a team they should be pretty badass . . . right?

Again . . . sorta.

As soon as I started this book I knew it was going to be either a hit or miss for me. I don't typically read Urban Fantasy . . . at all, but I figured this would be a great way for me to get my feet wet in the genre. I'm still a bit conflicted on my feelings and thoughts towards this book, so I figured a short list of likes and dislikes would break everything down, while keeping things short and sweet.

What Kept Me Going 

The Pacing. If it's one thing us readers love, it's a book that's a short read. Chapter one sets the pace for the rest of the story as we're quickly thrown into the investigation of a murder, followed by a few plot twists.

The Concept. I'm not the biggest fan of Urban Fantasy, well to be honest I haven't read much of the genre, but I was surprisingly intrigued by Cursed By Fire's concept. Multiply murders, aspects of forensics, my favorite supernatural beings, (Vampires and Werewolves) the action, (even though there wasn't enough) all these components kept the DNF monster from coming out to play.

Aria's Powers. I used to love watching The Fantastic Four as a kid, and when I discovered Aria was Psychokinetic, I was so excited! Her ability wasn't as cool as The Human Torch, (no one can touch the infamous " Flame On! ") but when angered, flames begin to trickle her skin, then WHOOSH, next thing you know she's a walking candlestick.

What Stopped Me In My Tracks

The Characters.  There wasn't much depth to any of the characters, making it very hard to connect with them. I liked James and Aria's playful friendship, but other than that, there wasn't really anything to remember about them or anyone else.

The Love Triangle? This was my biggest " Huh? " moment of the story. Some random guy pops up out of nowhere, and all of sudden he's a potential interest. Then next a friend starts showing his affection towards Aria, that you pretty much see coming from a mile away. It was just all a bit much.

Lacked Substance Out of all the issues I had with this story, this would be the one that nagged me the most. Even though I liked how fast paced the story was, NOTHING actually happened. I remember reaching the end of the book, and thinking, " Wait what? " So I checked the percentage I was at, and sure enough it said 100%. It seriously felt as if the book stopped dead smack in the middle of the story. Nothing was resolved, no questions were answered, and even though I know the author is setting things up for the sequel, I still think some aspects of the story could have been better developed. Another thing that was lacking in my opinion was the action. With this kind of story, you know that there's going to be some type of ass kicking, and to my disappointment, there wasn't much. Three action scenes is all we received, one where Aria was attacked, another where she used her powers, and finally a incident towards the end of the story, but unfortunately, they lacked depth as well, and ended up being flat.

Cursed By Fire may appeal to those who are fond of this genre, but it didn't entirely work me. If certain things were elaborated on a bit more, the characters & plot better developed, then maybe I would've had more of a pleasureable experience. But even after rating it only 2 stars, I'm still kind of intrigued to see what goes down in the second novel. I just have this strong feeling that what I didn't enjoy in book one, book two may redeem for me. 

Cursed By Fire By Danielle Annett | Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Cursed By Fire | Danielle Annett

Release Date: January 28, 2015

Genre(s): Urban Fantasy, Paranormal 

It has been six years since the Awakening and peace in Spokane, Washington is still tenuous at best. The vampires and shifters are all vying for control of the city and the humans seem to be the ones suffering the consequences, or so it seems.

Aria Naveed has spent the last two years of her life fighting to make the many wrongs of the world right, but soon finds out that the humans aren’t as weak as they appear and may be a more terrifying foe than any of the other races combined.

When a stranger rolls into town with trouble on his heels, Aria finds herself trapped in the middle of a battle that could cost her more than she has bargained for as a fight for justice turns into an unexpected fight for her life.

Interested In Purchasing Cursed By Fire?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

The light began to fade from his eyes as I crawled across the floor in an effort to reach my father. My nails were raw and bloody as I struggled to carry myself closer to him, digging into the rough wooden floors with each drag of my body. “I’m coming,” I panted in between breaths. “Just hang on, Papa, I’m coming.” I woke gasping for breath, drenched in a cold sweat, clutching the hilt of my dagger as if my life depended on it. I frantically looked around the room in search of our attacker while also taking stock of any injuries. I was perfectly whole. “It was just a nightmare,” I told myself, though that did little to ease the ache in my chest over the remembered pain. I miss you so much. Rubbing my hands over my face, I pushed back the wet, loose tendrils of hair that had escaped my braid during my fitful rest and returned my dagger to its resting place beneath my pillow. Taking another deep breath I registered a hint of smoke. My eyes roamed over the room, frantically looking for the source of fire. “You have got to be kidding me!” I untangled my body from the sheets, tripping and falling into a heap on the floor before I was able to crawl out of my covers and retrieve an old shirt. I frenziedly swatted at the bedroom curtains with the old t-shirt but the flames continued to rise. Deciding there was no other choice, I ripped the curtains from the window and rushed to the kitchen. Throwing the curtains into the sink and turning the faucet on all the way, I watched as the flames were snuffed and steam began to rise. The curtains ruined. Turning the water off, I allowed my body to slide down the smooth wooden cabinets until my bottom met the cool tile floor. I folded my arms across my knees and rested my forehead against them. Closing my eyes I took several deep breaths, my heart still racing from the effects of the recurring nightmare. This was getting out of hand. I had thought the nightmares were fading, but something was bringing the memories back with a screaming vengeance and this was the third time this week they’d plagued me. I missed my parents but it’d been over six years now. They weren’t coming back and I needed to let it go. My subconscious needed to let it go and I needed to let Daniel’s death go. Not the case, no, I wouldn’t let that go. But his death was affecting me in ways I couldn’t allow to continue.

I breathed deeply in an effort to calm my nerves. Small tremors racked my body, the nightmare had shaken me more that I’d like to admit. My skin was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. A physical reminder that I needed to relax before I accidentally caught something else on fire.

Giveaway

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About The Author 

Danielle Annett is a reader, writer, photographer, and the blogger behind Coffee and Characters. Born in the SF Bay area, she now resides in Spokane, WA, the primary location for her Blood & Magic series.
Addicted to coffee at an early age, she spends her restless nights putting pen to

paper as she tries to get all of the stories out of her head before the dogs wake up the rest of the house and vye for her attention.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

Now Playing: Nocte -- The fANGIRL Remix

 I'll rip out the AUX cord if you play this in my car.

Nocte (The Nocte Trilogy #1) | Courtney Cole

Pages: 277

Genre(s): New Adult, Contemporary, Thriller

Release Date: November 3rd , 2014 | Lakehouse Press INC.

Edition: Kindle

Source: Purchased

Rating: 

My name is Calla Price. I'm eighteen years old, and I'm one half of a whole. My other half-- my twin brother, my Finn-- is crazy. I love him. More than life, more than anything. And even though I'm terrified he'll suck me down with him, no one can save him but me. I'm doing all I can to stay afloat in a sea of insanity, but I'm drowning more and more each day. So I reach out for a lifeline. Dare DuBray. He's my savior and my anti-Christ. His arms are where I feel safe, where I'm afraid, where I belong, where I'm lost. He will heal me, break me, love me and hate me. He has the power to destroy me. Maybe that's ok. Because I can't seem to save Finn and love Dare without everyone getting hurt. Why? Because of a secret. A secret I'm so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming. You won't either.

Track One:  Save Me And I'll Save You 

Tika is NOT a happy camper.
If you remember my April BOTM post, you would have noticed that Nocte was one of the titles listed in the poll. Although you readers chose The Girl On The Train instead, I couldn't help but to pick this up as well -- I mean come on, the cover is beyond beautiful! Mix that with it's intriguing synopsis, plus the rating it has on goodreads, and you'll have the recipe for a damn good New Adult novel right?

* Sigh * Unfortunately No.

Starting off, Nocte was actually pretty good. It's presented as a contemporary, but to my surprise the author added in some twisted, dysfunctional aspects, wrapped it in a bow, then handed it back to me. To say I was excited would be a complete understatement. Told in alternate chapters between Calla Price and her twin brother Finn, we experience first hand just how screwed up individuals could actually be. After their mother was involved in a tragic accident, Calla, her mortician father, and her mentally ill twin, are trying to cope with life following their lost . . . the word trying is used as an exaggeration.

Track Two:  Duo 

As I mentioned earlier, this story is told in alternate chapters between the twins, and right off the bat I knew I would be more interested in Finn's POV than Calla's. While Calla was going boy-crazy over the dark, mysterious, and oh so British-ly handsome Adair Dubray, her brother however, was fighting with inner demons . . . the voices in his head. He begins to notice the liking his sister is taking towards Dare, and in his last attempts to not bring his twin in the darkness with him, he struggles to not let the voices take over, just long enough to keep Calla alive. Sounds amazing right? But with the concept and plot twist that this story consists of, the execution must be SPOT on. There's really no room for error, and for me there was quite a bit. From Calla's annoying-ness, to Dare's interesting character faltering and becoming flat, to the plot twist that held so much promise, but was mangled with pointless discoveries, Nocte easily slipped from the 4 star slot down to a measly 2.

Bonus Track: What I Liked & Disliked
Press Play: Likes

Finn's character & POV.  Finn definitely put the fun in dysfunction in this book. Suffering from a mental disorder called SAD, in his POV we witness just how off the rocker he tried so hard not to be. On the outside he seemed completely normal, but inside that head of his, all hell was breaking loose.

She doesn't deserve you. Kill her you f---ing pussy kill her now. Push her off the cliffs. Lick her bones. Lick her bones. Lick her bones.
(I'm squealing with delight. )

The Setting.  The story was set in Oregon Washington, in the gloomy mountainside town of Astoria. Our characters lived in a funeral home, so being surrounded by death, the craziness of Finn, and the constant rain, you have yourself a mood that's both dark and creepy.

Adair Dubray Adair, better know as Dare, was not only a breath of fresh air for Calla, but for me as well. He was tall, with dark hair and onyx eyes, a British accent (drools) and was quite mysterious. We have no clue as to why he moved to Astoria, or who he's visiting in the hospital, all we know is that he's gorgeous, likes to read & draw, and drives a motorcycle. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough for me.

When I'm upset, he calms me. When I'm breathless he gives me air. When I'm sad, he buoys me. That's all that matters right? 

(No you dummy.)

Press Stop: Dislikes
Calla's character & POV. Calla was the epitome of a lost girl in search of something, anything to fill a void. She was okay in the beginning, but very quickly she became more than annoying. First of all, it irritated my soul to see that Calla, at the age of 18 was so fixated on doing something she had NEVER done before. Her desperation to have sex with Dare was so freaking off putting, like seriously to the point I thought she was going to rape the poor boy! Thank goodness he was mature and didn't take advantage of her, but yeah, I'd be quite satisfied if Calla was removed from the story . . . completely.

He starts to walk pull away, but I stop him with a whisper. " Please don't. I need you. Make it all right. Please. Make it all right. " My whisper is broken and desperate, but I don't care. Because it gets me what I want.
(WTF?)

He stares at me hard. " Calla, when we . . . when this happens, it's not going to be in a house of horrors. It's going to be something you remember. " I look away, annoyed. " Shouldn't that be my choice to make? "
(I'm so done with her.)

Predictable plot & twist. Since the story isn't exactly original, I was hoping for a few twists and turns that would leave me on the edge of my seat, instead I grew a bit bored with the story, wishing around 65% that it would just END. My biggest disappointment with this book besides Calla being a irritating dog in heat was the plot twist. I guessed the big secret two chapters before it was revealed, and to be honest, that wasn't my problem. The plot twist was a decent one, sort of predictable if you're good at guessing, but still a good one. The author completely ruined it for me by watering it down with unnecessary discoveries, and " Oh I don't remember that ," then a couple of paragraphs later " Omg I remember everything! " moments.


Track Three: The Outro

There are plenty of other dislikes I had with this story such as why the kid's father never knew what was going on. He was oblivious to everything! I understand people deal with grieving in different ways, but look sir your children are out here running a muck! One is on the verge of doing something dangerous probably, while the other is desperately trying to get a boy, who you never bothered to get to know, to have sex with her while she's drunk. The same boy might I add, that has enough secrets to last us a lifetime. Which might I also add, is another aspect I disliked.

All in all Nocte was an OKAY read. If you're not that great at guessing plots and twists, can deal with an over-bearing main character, and looking for a darker side of contemporary that's also a pretty fast read, then  maybe, just maybe this is for you.

I can make no promises. 

Elle By Emma Mars: Promo Post!

Elle | Room Two In the Hotelles Trilogy
Author: Emma Mars
Pages: 448
Genre(s): Adult Fiction, Erotica
Release Date: April 7, 2014 | Harper Perennial
Get It Here: Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

A spellbinding, erotic, and revealing love story full of drama and poignancy--the sequel to Hotelles-in which a young French woman continues her carnal education in a mysterious Parisian hotel.

In a hotel room in Paris, a young woman named Elle experiences the most exquisite freedom and sensual pleasure she has ever known, thanks to Louis, the man who has conquered her completely.

So many things in life have changed since they first met. Her engagement to Louis's deceptive brother, David, has been broken. Her mother has died. Yet Elle is wholly fulfilled with Louis, the master who heightens her senses and unleashes her deep, seductive power.

In the alluring Hotel des Charmes, Louis takes Elle beyond her wildest fantasies. Exploring the boudoirs devoted to other courtesans--Mademoiselle Josephine, Deschamps, Kitty Fisher, Cora Pearl, and Valtesse de la Bigne--Elle willingly opens herself further. In sublime self-abandonment she discovers absolute ecstasy, absolute sweetness, absolute desire.

Then David unexpectedly returns, stirring up painful memories and threatening their bliss. Elle fears her education may soon be over. . .

She does not understand that it has only just begun.

Tour Schedule 

Tuesday, April 7th: Bell, Book and Candle

Wednesday, April 8th: Book Loving Hippo

Thursday, April 9th: fangirl confessions

Friday, April 10th: Kissin Blue Karen

Monday, April 13th: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Tuesday, April 14th: Good Girl Gone Redneck

Thursday, April 16th: Raven Haired Girl

Friday, April 17th: Books and Bindings

Monday, April 20th: Love Between the Sheets

Wednesday, April 22nd: Button Tapper

Thursday, April 23rd: bookchickdi

Monday, April 27th: Romance Novels for the Beach

Tuesday, April 28th: Hot Guys in Books

Wednesday, April 29th: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, April 30th: Giraffe Days

About The Author

Emma Mars is the pseudonym of an author who lives in France.

Check out Hotelles on Facebook.

Andddd That's Ah Wrap! -- March Edition

I know, I know, I'm late, I'm late. But better late than never right?

For the first time in FOREVER, Tika is ahead of schedule! I went back to a routine I used when I first started blogging, and thank goodness, it's been working out amazingly. Well, besides this post being late by 4 days, but who made a deadline for monthly wrap-ups anyway?! You guys know I bend the rules lol.

Let's get started!

7 books read + 3 I loved x 2 I surprisingly enjoyed - 2 I completely DISLIKED = Pretty decent reading month.

Favorite Book Of The Month

A Darker Shade Of Magic | V.E Schwab

Rating:  

Confession: It took me 4 hours to review ADSOM. This book was so brilliant, & after finishing I was left utterly speechless, to the point I had such a hard time putting this magical story into words. I stand by only a few books, but I will continue to yell to the heavens above until I'm heard . . . PICK UP THIS BOOK! Seriously, if I've recommended any other novel to you, scratch that, drop it, whatever you have to do. ADSOM is a must read! I just posted my thoughts, so tune in and witness me rave about the best fantasy novel I've read thus far this year!

The Runner Ups

The Witch of Painted Sorrows | M.J Rose 

Rating:  

This book guys . . . beyond incredible. Such a dark story full of passion and writing so beautiful . . . gah if you missed my review check it out here.

The Mason List | S.D Hendrickson

Rating:

Being the big fan of New Adult that I am, I can definitely appreciate when a novel from this genre is done very well. I could've done without the main character's annoying-ness, but our male lead, Jessup makes up for all of that. Missed my review? Click Me!

The Package Of Surprises

The Tragic Age | Stephen Metcalfe

Rating:

What I thought was going to be a pretty normal story about a teenage boy, ended up being a completely dysfunctional read, that I surprisingly enjoyed. You know the drill, click to read my review. 

What Lies Between | Charlena Miller 

Rating:

Even though the story dragged during most of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I mean come on it's set in Scotland, throw in a little mystery and you have yourself a solid novel! Jennie from Books & Tea and I teamed up for fANGIRLconfessions very own " Inter-Review. " Just in case you missed it, check it out here.

The WTF Did I Just Read  

The Ring & The Crown | Melissa De La Cruz

Rating:

If you read my review, rant then it's no surprise to you that I DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK! The characters were pretty much unbearable, well all except for one. The writing was amateurish, and the plot and twists were . . . not even worth talking about anymore.

Elle | Emma Mars

Rating: DNF

I'm not the biggest fan of Erotica, but as a blogger I feel I should dabble in all genres, especially those that usually make me cringe. I knew things were going to go down hill for me when I learned this would be a Dominant/Submissive relationship, which I have a serious problem with. I absolutely hate those types of relationships, add in some weird BDSM, and you've just cooked up a recipe of disaster for me.

  I had taken care only to clean it with water these past few days, that way my natural odor prevailed
' I love smelling you . . . I could stay like this for days. ' He confided for the first time.
So I wasn't alone in fetishizing the scent of our private parts. This discovery filled me with a new confidence, no longer would I fear him catching an odorous whiff.

Nothing was cute about that statement boo

So that's my wrap up! I had a good reading month despite the two books that ended up being total flops.

What are some books you guys read for the month of March?

A Darker Shade Of Magic Review -- Legendary

A Darker Shade Of Magic (ADSOM #1)
Author:  V.E Schwab
Pages: 400
Genre(s): Adult (right?), Fantasy
Published: February 24, 2015 | Tor Books
Format: E-Copy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London - but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — trickier than they hoped.

I NEVER do this but . . . 

YOU BETTER WERK VICTORIA !!

Have you ever finished a book, loved it so-so much, and thought, " How the hell am I going to review this ? " This book blew my mind in ways I didn't believe were possible, and I'm afraid giving it just 5 stars is a bit of an . . . insult. Not to mention I feel as though my little ole' review, probably won't do any justice -- probably won't give A Darker Shade Of Magic the praise it deserves. 

But guess what? I'm sure as hell going to try.

So sit back, buckle your seat belts, slide your shades on, and let's get ready for this ride . . .

A Darker Shade Of Perfection

 ' I'd rather die on an adventure, than live standing still. '

If we look up the definition for " Fantasy " in the dictionary, I'd be thoroughly satisfied to see a picture of A Darker Shade Of Magic beside it. ADSOM was a masterpiece, and even though this is the first novel I've read by Victoria, I can pretty much co-sign with other readers by saying, compared to other authors, her work is freaking SUPERIOR.

In this adventurous tale, we follow a handful of my favorite characters thus far. If originality was an aspect the author was gunning for, she definitely succeeded as we're introduced to two blood magicians whom are neither friend nor foe, (at first) a cross-dressing thief slash aspiring pirate, a royal prince, and a sadistic pair of twins whom are also a king & queen. Told in 3rd person, which is usually a perspective I hate, (definitely wasn't the case here obviously) we travel with our devilishly handsome main character Kell, as he uses his skill as an " Antari " to wander back in forth between the 3 Londons:

Grey -- The Magic-less City
Red -- The Healthy Empire
White -- The Starving World

FINISH HIM!

 One of my absolute favorite aspects of this story would be the characters. Never have I ever read about such an odd, eclectic, group of individuals, who are so different -- but yet similar in small, but significant ways. It was impossible not to fall in love with Kell, Lila, and Rhy, as they all brought something new to the table. Kell , with his copper hair, unusual eyes, and brilliant personality. He was the most peculiar of all the characters, and definitely my personal fav. Lila or "sticky fingers " as I liked to call her, was our bad ass cross-dressing-pirate-thief, with the witty, but very cunning attitude. & let's not leave out Rhy, our dashing, swoon-worthy prince. But this wouldn't be a great fantasy novel without a couple of devious villains now would it?

Of course in any novel where there are villians, you're automatically prone to hate them right? Well sorry to burst your bubble, but I freaking LOVED the bad guys! Now I didn't care for our second blood magician Holland too much, (although I did feel a DROP of sympathy for him) but the king and queen? I hated those asswipes, and that's EXACTLY what I liked about them the most. The twins Astrid and Athos were cruel, sick, twisted, evil individuals -- pretty much any foul name you could possibly think of, but because of this,
 they made the story THAT much exciting.

What can I say, they're wicked ways rubbed off on me.

  ' Do you know what I see in you? ' --- ' A fire. ' He strode across the chamber, caught hold of the boys face by his jaw, and slammed his head back against the wood frame. --- The king brought his lips to the boy's ear. ' It burns through you,' he whispered against the boy's cheek. ' I can't wait to carve it out. '

Flawless Victory

 ' You know so little of war, Battles may be fought from the outside in, but wars are won from the inside out. '

Have you ever read a fantasy novel, well any novel for that matter, where you felt you didn't get anything out of the story? The characters were . . . MEH, the plot and twists shaky & predictable, the writing amateurish? I'm positive we all can relate, and after finally purchasing ADSOM, I didn't have a clue as to what I was getting myself into. I anticipated a good outcome of course, but what I wasn't expecting was to be thrown into a story that was so beautifully composed -- so wonderfully executed, that after turning the last page, I was completely speechless. I've read other novels in the fantasy genre that held so much promise, but came up just a bit short, and I'm ecstatic to confess that this book does NOT suffer the same fate. 

 Victoria is an amazing storyteller, taking the heavily used concept of magic, and blending it into her story in a way I've never seen it, beautiful -- as it should be, but deadly if put into the wrong hands. I felt absorbed in her writing, completely to the point where I didn't want to devour this novel, but instead to savor it, to buy time so it wouldn't end so quickly. I found myself on edge while reading the action scenes, screaming at the top of my lungs, " Don't You Die On Me ! Don't You Dare Die On Me ! " Every type of emotion will be pulled from you, especially since the scenes were painted so vividly, making it difficult not to squirm during every chapter. So either my heart was racing, I was holding my breath, or I was screaming for my favorite characters not to die.

I don't get this excited for nothing people. 

Everything in this novel is woven together perfectly. From the characters, to the marvelous world-building, down to the itsy-bitsy details such as the native language of each London.  I wish I could sit here and rave about this book, maybe even spoil you guys, but what fun would that be? All I ask is that you pick this book up, read it, and experience this legendary piece of work that A Darker Shade Of Magic proved to be.