Tag Archives: Blog Tour

Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway: Addicted for Now by Krista & Becca Ritchie

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Addicted for Now by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Addicted for Now by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie
Series: Addicted #2 (full reading order below)
Release Date: November 30th 2013
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He’s addicted to booze. She’s addicted to sex…staying sober is only half the battle.

No. More. Sex.

Those are the three words Lily Calloway fears the most. But Loren Hale is determined to be with Lily without enabling her dangerous compulsions. With their new living situation—sleeping in the same bed, for real, together—Lily has new battles. Like not jumping Lo’s bones every night. Not being consumed by sex and his body.

Loren plans to stay sober, to right all of his wrongs. So when someone threatens to expose Lily’s secret to her family and the public, he promises that he’ll do anything to protect her. But with old enemies surfacing, Lo has more at stake than his sobriety.

They will torment Lily until Lo breaks.

And his worst fear isn’t relapsing. He hears the end. He sees it. The one thing that could change everything. Just three words.

No. More. Us.

New Adult Romance recommended for readers 18+ for mature content

Buy Links:
Amazon Ebook • Amazon Paperback • Barnes & Noble

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Holy fudgebuckets, this book is pure perfection! I honestly loved Addicted for You, and I didn’t think the series could get any better, but boy was I wrong. And you have no idea how happy to be wrong I am! For those of you who’ve read Addicted to You and thought that book was insane (in the best way possible!), then you are in for a wild ride in Addicted for Now. I loved this book so hard. It was everything I could expect for Addicted to You’s sequel and more. It’s action-packed–there’s never a dull moment, and you’ll be hooked on every word from start to finish.

I was actually pretty worried about how Lily and Loren would find a way to be together after Lo comes back from rehab, because Lily’s problem as a sex addict is still not fixed. Lo is now completely sober, though he’s tempted a lot, and Lily has managed to stay celibate for the entire time Lo was gone. But now that he’s back, it’s hard for her to curb her desires. She wants Lo, badly, but he knows that he can’t enable her addiction anymore. He loves Lily so, so much, and he knows he can’t give in to her. With the help of Lily’s therapist, and their friends, Connor, Ryke, and Lily’s sister Rose, Lily tries to tone down her sexual urges.

The book is told through both Lily and Loren’s POVs, and even though Addicted for Now deals mainly with Lily’s addiction, this is as much Lily’s story as it is Lo’s. Lily journey towards a healthier life is heartbreaking, because it hurts her so much not to have sex. Sexual thoughts and urges are so compulsive to her, and it takes everything she has and then some to be on the path of recovery. But Lo is there for her every step of the way. He’s finally found the help he needed at rehab, and even though he’s also battling urges himself, he won’t let Lily down.

And I step out of the car.
Ready to help Lily. Ready to be there.
Ready to change.

I loved loved loved that fact that even though we get lots of Lily and Lo, we also get tons more about Rose, Connor, Ryke, and even Lily’s youngest sister Daisy. When they all take a trip to Mexico, things really start heating up, and not just in a sexual way. Connor and Rose are still working on their relationship, even though they’re so perfectly suited together. And there miiight be a little something going on between Ryke and Daisy. We got the sense that there might be something happening between them in Ricochet, but Daisy is only 16 while Ryke is 23. So nothing ever really happens, but tensions are way off the charts, and I am dying to read their own stories. I’ve become so invested in these secondary characters, and while they provide so much humor and love to the story, they are all important to Lily and Lo’s road to recovery. It’s always just been Lily and Lo, but their family of two has grown to a family of six, and with the help their friends and family, they’ve truly changed for the better.

But some things set their recoveries back a step. Someone has been threatening to out Lily’s addiction to sex, which will ruin her family’s reputation. Lily spirals down towards depression while everyone is trying to help her and find the culprit. But I had nothing but love and admiration for Lily. This girl is tough, strong, and unwavering in her love for Lo. Her addiction brings her down, but she’ll always get back up.

He lifts me into a hug, and I promise myself that I’ll try harder. Even if everything starts slipping away again, I’ll remember this moment, how long it took me to right what I had done wrong. I don’t want to start that vicious cycle again. I want to break it. I want to beat my addiction for good, no matter if outside forces pull me down.
I can do it this time.

Throughout the entire book, Lily and Lo have a strong, supportive, and unwavering love for each other. Both of them might not be completely cured of their addictions, and they might sometimes have urges, but they’ll always stand by each other to support, respect, and love one another. They’ve grown to believe in themselves and each other, and I fell in love with their story all over again. It was heartfelt, moving, and phenomenal to read.

“Lo… I need you to know that I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be here when you come home. There will always be an us.”
“A Lo and Lily,” I breathe.
“Or a Lily and Lo.”

6 hearts! Absolute perfection.

6 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Addicted series

Addicted to You by Krista & Becca Ritchie Ricochet by Krista & Becca Ritchie Addicted for Now by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Kiss the Sky by Krista & Becca Ritchie Hothouse Flower by Krista & Becca Ritchie Thrive by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Addicted After All by Krista & Becca Ritchie Fuel the Fire by Krista & Becca Ritchie Long Way Down by Krista & Becca Ritchie Some Kind of Perfect by Krista & Becca Ritchie

#1 ~ Addicted to You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Ricochet: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Addicted for Now: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.1 (Calloway Sisters #1) ~ Kiss the Sky: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.2 (Calloway Sisters #2) ~ Hothouse Flower: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Thrive: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Addicted After All: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.1 (Calloway Sisters #3) ~ Fuel the Fire: My Review •˜ Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.2 (Calloway Sisters #4) ~ Long Way Down: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.5 (Calloway Sisters #4.5) ~ Some Kind of Perfect: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

about the author button

krista and becca ritchieBecca Ritchie is a carnivore of pop culture, television, film and of course YA and NA books. While in college, she worked at The CW television network and put her vampiric knowledge to good use, blogging about hit series and swooning over actors’ abs. When she’s not blogging, she writes novels and has teamed up with her twin sister for their New Adult novel ADDICTED TO YOU. Available July of 2013.

Krista Ritchie is the mind behind popular trading website YA Book Exchange and created Nawanda Files, a book blog that also features books into movies news. When not pouring over entertainment news and the newest releases, she spends her time conducting research in a genetics lab. She’s happy to join forces with her sister, harnessing their twin powers to produce the first in a New Adult series.

Author Website • Nawanda Files • YA Book Exchange
Becca’s Links: Goodreads • Twitter
Krista’s Links: Goodreads • Twitter

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1 – $25 Amazon Gift Card, Paperback copies of Addicted to You and Addicted for Now
(Open Internationally)

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Blog Tour Hosted by:
YA Bound Book Tours

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Embrace Blog Tour + Excerpt & Giveaway: Sneaking Candy by Lisa Burstein

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Sneaking Candy by Lisa Burstein

Sneaking Candy by Lisa Burstein
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All I ever wanted was to make a name for myself as Candice Salinas, creative writing grad student at the University of Miami. Of course, secretlyI already have made a name for myself: as Candy Sloane, self-published erotic romance writer. Though thrilled that my books are selling and I have actual fans, if anyone at UM found out, I could lose my scholarship…and the respect of my faculty advisor, grade-A-asshole Professor Dylan.

Enter James Walker, super-hot local barista and—surprise!—my student. Even though I know a relationship is totally off-limits, I can’t stop myself from sneaking around with James, taking a few cues from my own erotic writing…if you catch my drift. Candy’s showing her stripes for the first time in my real life, and I’ve never had so much fun. But when the sugar high fades, can my secrets stay under wraps?

Buy Links:
Amazon • B&N • Kobo

excerpt

“I’d rather be here with you,” I admitted, a bullet so true it could have knocked me back when I said it.

“Then be with me,” James said.

“I want to,” I said. I did. I wanted to be fearless. I wanted to “let go.” I wanted to be everything Professor Dylan and my parents thought I shouldn’t be. In my writing, in my life, in the love I chose. In the love that chose me.

I couldn’t stand it anymore. I kissed him hard. So hard, he stumbled and had to steady both of us.

He held the back of my head firmly, like he was afraid I would stop.

There was no way.

He turned me and pushed the exit door so we both fell outside, our lips and bodies still joined, tripping blindly alone and with solid certainty together.

We were out in the alley behind the restaurant. I was going after his belt, and he was raising my skirt. He pressed me against the wall and the humid air hit my thighs.

He put his finger in the waistband of my skirt, glided it back and forth, tickling my hip. “You sure about this?”

“I was always sure,” I said, pulling the condom from my pocket and handing it to him. It was true, even if Candice couldn’t admit it until now. Denying my feelings, denying me was done. This was what I wanted, who I wanted.

His tongue was in my ear and my mouth was on his throat when his body and mine connected, crackled. It was the first time I’d ever been with someone where I felt like I was in charge of what my body was doing. What my body was making his body do. I chose this. I chose him, and he had no choice but to comply.

Trailer:

about the author

Lisa BursteinLisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University. She is the author of the YA Novels: Pretty Amy and Dear Cassie and the NA Novella: The Next Forever. Sneaking Candy is her first full-length new adult novel.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

About Forged by Fate

Forged By Fate by Reese Monroe

He’s waited more than 900 years to love her…

Being the Gatekeeper to Hades is no small feat, and waiting almost a millennia to meet your mate is damn near impossible. But Theo Bradford’s mark has finally surfaced on his intended. Now all he has to do is find her and convince her to embrace her supernatural heritage.

Young genius, Sadie Nowland, has got life figured out. Graduating college at the age of eighteen and accepting a six-figure job is just what she needs to prove she’s made something of herself. But when a strange tattoo mysteriously appears on her shoulder and Theo starts talking about Mates, it catapults her neatly laid out life into chaos.

Somehow a vicious demon banished to Hades defies Theo’s vanquish and returns, setting his target on Sadie, and she is thrust into the volatile world of Shomrei warriors and a connection to Theo her brain can’t comprehend and her body can’t deny. That primal bond proves more imperative to their survival than either could have ever imagined—and just may be the key to the world’s survival.

about the author

Originally from Minnesota, Reese Monroe currently enjoys living in the sunny Arizona desert with her husband of seventeen years and her loveable Shetland Sheep dog, Maddux. Monroe holds a degree in psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. When she’s not busy writing her next trilogy, she can be found pounding the pavement, training to run her first marathon.

Reese Monroe is a contributing blogger at the widely popular site New Adult Alley (NAAlley.com) and has been part of the New Adult revolution for years having penned over thirty novels in the exciting new category. Look for her Bound by Hades trilogy coming soon from Entangled Publishing.

Twitter • Facebook • Amazon Page • Pinterest • Goodreads • Newsletter

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–$25 Amazon Gift Card

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Blog Tour + ARC Review & Giveaway: The Redhead Plays Her Hand by Alice Clayton

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The Redhead Plays Her Hand by Alice Clayton

The Redhead Plays Her Hand by Alice Clayton
Series: Redhead #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 17th 2013
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Gallery Books) in exchange for an honest review
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The third sexy novel in USA TODAY bestselling author Alice Clayton’s playful and erotic Redhead series continues the sizzling romance between actress Grace Sheridan and Hollywood’s hottest leading man Jack Hamilton. 

Grace has landed the lead in a new TV series—but when the director asks her to lose fifteen pounds, she goes public with her weight struggles and suddenly develops a huge fan club who support her right to have curves. But between that and the public’s continuing fascination with her “are they or aren’t they” relationship with Jack, Grace begins to wonder if anyone’s really interested in her because of her upcoming TV series, or if it’s all speculation about the size of her ass and her bedroom partner.

Meanwhile, Jack is voted the Sexiest Man Alive and becomes a little too enamored with the party-hard lifestyle. Grace vows to give him the space he needs to find himself, but then he begins to spiral down from lovable Brit to Hollywood brat. People are talking, but are Jack and Grace? Her career is on the rise, and his continues into the stratosphere, but will she be able to catch him if he falls? Will they ever be able to just be a couple who can hold hands when they walk down the street?

Purchase:
Ebook • Paperback

review

As frustrating as The Redhead Plays Her Hand was to read, I honestly enjoyed Grace and Jack’s final book. Grace and Jack have been through so much in the previous two books, but they’re not quite done yet. In this third and final book in the Redhead series, Alice Clayton amps up the drama, angst, and heartbreak, but everything else you can expect from a Redhead book–laugh-out-loud humor, hot, steamy sex, and the sweetest love between Gracie and Jack–is still there.

“I love you.”
“I love you more.”
“Not bloody likely.”

Grace has finally hit it big in show-business, but in order to have the job, she’s got to drop some pounds. She feels comfortable in her body already–Jack is a big help in this. He worships her body, loves her body, and is everything you can expect from a perfect (younger) boyfriend. She has no problem with having to lose weight, as it’s part of the job, but the public is harsh against her. With Jack becoming more and more famous, Grace is being critically scrutinized by fans, paparazzi, and gossip magazines.

Pick your path. You don’t get to decide how the public reacts. You only get to decide how you react.
True, very true.
Victim? Warrior? Pick. Your. Path.

The best part that I love about Grace is how she deals with tough situations. In TRPHH, Grace has to deal with harsh criticism about her weight. It’s Hollywood, so everyone who isn’t stick-thin is considered overweight, even if they are perfectly healthy, and this includes Grace. She lets the criticism bring her down a bit before she stands up for herself, and starts to make a change in Hollywood. I had so much admiration for this girl while I was reading, because she uses her growing fame to reach out to all women to show them that no matter what size they are, they’re beautiful.

And in that moment, I realized how out of control everything had become. Big, small, curvy, or bony, beauty was beauty. I was healthy. I was exactly the size I was supposed to be, and that was it.

Meanwhile, Grace also has to deal with Jack being… not so lovable anymore. Jack was perfect in the first two books of the series, and now, Jack’s not so perfect anymore. He’s the main reason why I couldn’t enjoy the book as much as I wanted to. The fame has finally gotten to Jack’s head, and it doesn’t help that he’s making friends with Adam, a fellow actor and known as Hollywood’s party boy. Adam influences Jack to party and drink more, but Adam can’t take all the blame. Jack deals with the fame, as well as the unsavory parts that come with it–the constant paparazzi, no privacy, the criticisms on his girlfriend–in the worst way possible. He pulls away from everyone, including Grace, and spirals down until he’s a mess.

But even with Jack’s hard partying, we can always feel the love Jack and Grace have for each other. These two are it for each other, and this is just another bump in the road for them before they can reach their happily ever after. They’ll work through anything and everything for each other.

In this moment, in this car, on this stretch of highway, we were a couple in love. We were not an older woman and a younger man, Jack wasn’t the Sexiest Man Alive, but he was the sexiest man in my world. I wasn’t an up-and-coming actress who’d been asked about the size of her boyfriend’s dick the night before by a total stranger, I was a girl in a convertible in my pajamas, holding hands with the man I was in love with.

It was difficult to read this book and not get frustrated with Jack, but I still loved the sweet ending to this series. I loved how Alice Clayton blended in the humor and sweetness with the more serious parts of the book. Can’t say I LOVED this book, but Grace and Jack’s story wraps up perfectly.

3.5 hearts
lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

The Unidentified Redhead by Alice Clayton The Redhead Revealed by Alice Clayton The Redhead Plays Her Hand by Alice Clayton

#1 ~ The Unidentified Redhead: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Redhead Revealed: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Redhead Plays Her Hand: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

about the author

Alice ClaytonAlice Clayton is a novelist with an unholy love for her KitchenAid mixer. Making her home in St Louis, she enjoys gardening but not weeding, baking but not cleaning up afterwards, and is trying desperately to get her long time boyfriend to make her an honest woman. Hi sweetie!!

After working for years in the cosmetics industry as a makeup artist, esthetician, and national educator for a major cosmetics company, Alice picked up a pen (read laptop) for the first time at 33 to begin a new career, writer. Combining her love of storytelling with a sense of silly, she was shocked and awed to be nominated for a Goodreads Author award in 2010 for her debut novels, The Redhead Series.

Alice has penned three novels, The Unidentified Redhead,The Redhead Revealed, and coming soon in November 2012, Wallbanger. She thinks you should purchase them immediately. She’s not kidding, not even a little bit. Everyone needs some comedic erotica in their lives. She is hard at work on the third book in The Redhead Series, set to release in Spring of 2013, continuing the saucy and sexual escapades of everyone’s favorite couple, Jack and Grace.

Additionally, Alice loves spending time with her besties on Not Your Mother’s Podcast, make sure you check them out at notyourmotherspodcast.com or over on iTunes. 3 women rushing towards their forties still acting like teenagers. A saucy little mix of sex, love, relationships, pop cultural, celebrity gossip and All Things Jake Ryan.

Alice enjoys pickles, Bloody Mary’s, 8 hours of sleep, and a good pounding.

Finally Alice would also like all her readers and listeners to help her convince Mt. Alice that the only other thing that would make her truly happy is finally bringing home a Bernese Mountain Dog. She is totally serious. And done talking about herself in the third person…

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

giveaway

5 signed sets of the Redhead series
Tiffany “Schmaltz” necklace

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Prank-Tacular Blog Tour + Giveaway: Needing Her by Molly McAdams

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WHO IS THE REAL MOLLY McADAMS?

Molly McAdams is pulling a prank on the internet to celebrate the release of her prank-tastic novella, Needing Her, on 12/23! For eight days until Needing Her goes on-sale, the internet will be brimming with New Adult celebs like J. Lynn, Jay Crownover, Sophie Jordan, and more—all pretending to be the REAL Molly McAdams. All have filled out the same Q&A, so it’s up to the fans to guess which one is the real Molly! Each day, a new Q&A will go live on a variety of blogs, and if you guess who’s answering the questions in the comments, you could win a fabulous gift basket, including books from all the participating authors, as well as a prank “starter-kit,” for your own practical jokes. Here are the participants:

Molly McAdams

J. Lynn

Monica Murphy

Lisa DesRochers

Jay Crownover

Sophie Jordan

Nichole Chase

Blogger Yara Santos of Once Upon A Twilight

So see if you can guess who’s who by commenting, and you’ll be entered to win a lavish prize basket. And check all the other participating blogs until 12/23 to see if you can pick out the REAL Molly McAdams. Identities will be revealed, and the winner will be announced on 12/24, on these blogs as well as on the Between the Covers FB page.

12/21- Molly McAdams Pretender #6

Favorite food?

Any flavored Cheesecake

Favorite color?

At the moment its light green

Favorite band and / or favorite song?

New Kids on the Block of course

How do you come up with your book ideas?

I can be surfing the internet or chatting on Facebook and Bam! New idea will pop in my head after seeing a sad story mentioned or a sad puppy pictured.

What’s the best prank you’ve ever played on someone?

I egged an ex-boyfriend’s car in high school when I found out he liked someone else.

What’s your fascination with cops and detectives?

Hello! Who doesn’t love a man in a uniform.

What’s the thing you love most about Needing Her?

The spiritual connection I felt while I wrote the book and hope that readers will feel it too.

Needing Her by Molly McAdams

Needing Her by Molly McAdams
Release Date: December 23rd 2013
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A fabulous, fun, and sexy New Adult novella from New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams. If you loved Connor in From Ashes, this is the story for you.

She’s the Girl Next Door

Maci Price isn’t really into relationships. Having four very protective older brothers has always made having a boyfriend very difficult, anyway. But her friend is set on finding her the perfect guy – and thinks the mysterious Connor Green is the perfect pick.

He’s Her Brother’s Best Friend

Connor Green is trying to find himself again. He loved then lost and it’s time for him to pick up the pieces. His brooding is making his friends crazy, but, Maci Price, who has grown up into a gorgeous and incredibly sexy woman, is about to break the spell.

They’re Made for Each Other

When Maci starts up old pranks to get Connor out of his slump, an all out war leads to a night that will break all their rules, and a relationship they must keep hidden. Together they’re electric. Apart they’re safe. And soon they’ll find they’re exactly what the other needs.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Apple Bookstore

2 more days

giveaway

–New Adult gift basket featuring a book from each participating author

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Monday, December 16th:
Books Over Boys
The Eater of Books!
Jennifer Weiser
Reading on the Rocks
A Life Bound By Book
YA Bookish News
The Novel List

Tuesday, December 17th:
The Irish Banana Review
Tart Sweet
Urban Girl Reader
Lebooksquirrel
Judging Books By Their Covers
Night Owl Reviews
BookCrushin
Read Lovely Books
Enticed by Books

Wednesday, December 18th:
My Overstuffed Bookshelf
The Reading Date
Vi3tbabe
Stuck In Books
Waste Paper Prose
Supernatural Snark
The Story Siren
The Book Reading Gals
Book Mom’s Reviews
Reading Teen

Thursday, December 19th:
The Bookish Babe
Tea Time Romance
Save Your Money For Books
Eclectic Passions
Vilma’s Book Blog
Ficwishes
EndlessReading
All in a Book
Will Read For Books

Friday, December 20th:
Books Like Breathing
Bookalicious
Reese’s Reviews: MA2F
Fiktshun
The Lusty Literate
Owl Always Be Reading
Live To Read
Starbucks & Books Obsession
My Summer Girl Books
Fic Talk

Saturday, December 21st:
Romancing the Readers
Got Fiction
Nevaeh’s New Adult Book Blog
YA Sisterhood
MEReadALot
Sties Books
TSK TSK What to Read
In The Best Worlds
The Book Trollop
Please Another Book
The Boyfriend Bookmark
Booklovers LaceyCat

Sunday, December 22nd:
Flirty & Dirty Book Blog
Seduced By A Book
Fiction Fare
Library of a Book Witch
Whirlwind Books
A Bookish Escape
CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
Swoon Worthy Books
Movies, Shows & Books
Brazen Reads
Good Choice Reading
Brit Nanny Reads

Monday, December 23rd:
Babbling about Books, and More
Toot’s Book Reviews
Cocktails and Books
Mean Girls Luv Books
Lola’s Reviews
Bookish Treasures
About To Read
I Read Indie
Just Booked
Reading Lark
Kimberlyfaye Reads
Paper Charade
Doing Some Reading

Blog Tour + Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

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Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Title: Under Different Stars (Kricket #1)
Author: Amy A. Bartol
Genre: YA Dystopian
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All she wants is a home, but can she find one…UNDER DIFFERENT STARS

Kricket Hollowell is normally not one to wish upon stars; she believes they’re rarely in her favor. Well versed at dodging caseworkers from Chicago’s foster care system, the past few years on her own have made Kricket an expert at the art of survival and blending in. With her 18th birthday fast approaching, she dreams of the day when she can stop running and find what her heart needs most: a home.

Trey Allairis hates Earth and doubts that anyone from his world can thrive here. What he’s learning of Kricket and her existence away from her true home only confirms his theory. But, when he and Kricket lie together under the stars of Ethar, counting them all may be easier than letting her go.

Kyon Ensin’s secrets number the stars; he knows more about Kricket’s gifts than anyone and plans to possess her because of them. He also knows she’s more valuable than any fire in the night sky. He’ll move the heavens and align them all in order to make her his own.

When everything in their world can be broken, will Kricket rely upon love to save her under different stars?

Purchase:
Barnes And Noble • Apple iBookstore • Kobo • Amazon US • Amazon UK • Smashwords
Amazon Germany • Amazon Italy • Amazon France • Amazon Canada • Amazon Japan • Amazon Spain • Amazon Brazil

review

This is my first time reading a book by Amy A. Bartol, and I’m impressed! I highly enjoyed delving into this fantastic dystopian world filled with intrigue, romance, and action.

It’s been a while since I’ve read anything other than contemporary, but Under Different Stars reminded me of just how much I love the dystopian genre. And there’s also some fantasy and sci-fi too, which I love. I wasn’t exactly sure what I’d be reading about–the blurb didn’t really tell me much. And while it took a bit to get me hooked onto the story, once I did get hooked, I couldn’t stop reading. There’s never a dull moment in Under Different Stars, and the characters are all well written and very likable.

Kricket is just a girl who doesn’t have any parents and is waiting for the day until she turns 18 so she can finally not have to worry about being placed in a foster home. She’s a fairly normal girl… until the day she gets chased by two different sets of men–Trey and his soldiers, and Kyon and his soldiers. Both of them want to take her away from Earth, because it turns out that they’re not human–and neither is Kricket. Kricket manages to avoid them, but eventually she is taken by Trey, and they, along with Trey’s men Wayra and Jax, have to travel to the world of Ethar to get to the country of Rafe, where Kricket half belongs.

Kricket was originally born in Ethar, and she is half Alameeda and half Rafe. This new world Kricket is thrust into is confusing and overwhelming, with its different lingo and mannerisms, but Kricket never gives up in the face of adversary. She’s tough and smart and witty, and eventually, she wins over her kidnappers. Kricket and Trey become more comfortable with each other, and there is an underlying sense of tension between them.

It was so fascinating to read this book. I never knew what to expect. Kricket’s life is constantly in danger, and Kyon is one of the reasons why. Trey becomes her guardian and protector, and though he’s not allowed to fall in love with her, he can’t help it.

“He was telling us that your voice will give comfort when the night becomes its blackest,” he replies. “And I’ll protect that voice with my body, my mind, and my spirit… because without it, I’m alone in the dark.”

Trey is the sweetest! He’s fiercely protective of Kricket, and he’ll do anything to save her life. And in between people who want to use Kricket as a pawn and a war brewing between Rafe and Alameeda, Kricket needs all the protection she can get.

I had such a great time reading Under Different Stars. It was nothing like anything I’ve ever read, and I loved that. It’s intense and thrilling, and I’m incredibly excited for more of Kricket’s journey.

4-hearts

lacey

excerpt

Water swirls around me as I open my eyes. I shiver, realizing I’m in Trey’s arms. He’s standing chest deep in crystal blue water with Wayra pacing on the bank only steps away. Clutching Trey closer to me, my cheek remains on his shoulder. Watching a bead of water slip down his powerful neck, I hear Jax say, “She’s waking up.”

Trey, cupping his hand in the water, pours some of it over my hair. It drips down the sides of my face, cooling me. “Let’s get her out. I’ll get the visor and we can check her vitals.”

As Trey wades out of the pond with me in his arms, I try to lift my head from his shoulder. It makes me dizzy so I lay it back. It’s then I notice that I’m only in my bra and underwear. A blush creeps into my cheeks as I hug Trey tighter to me. Wayra meets us on the bank, draping a blanket over us. Trey sits down with me on his lap. He leans against a tree trunk holding me securely to his chest. Peeking at his face, he seems angry as he smoothes my hair back from my face.

Hurrying over with the visor that looks like grandma goggles, Trey sets them on my eyes. Everything is green as I gaze around at the water in front of us. Flashing green lights and readouts occupy the peripherals of the glasses, but the information is running faster than I can possibly read it.

“Ho!” Jax exclaims next to me.

Immediately, Trey’s arms tighten on me as he barks out, “What? How bad is it?”

“Naw, it’s not bad…it’s just…Kricket…” Jax breathes, like he’s in awe. “Look at this brain activity…it’s massive.”

“What do you mean?” Trey asks with relief in his tone.

Jax grins. “She’s lighting everything up. Look at her frontal lobe…it’s off the charts.”

“What does that mean? Is she healthy?” Trey growls.

Jax nods enthusiastically. “She’s healthy! We didn’t fry her with heat stroke, that’s for sure. Or, if we did, she’s got more brain activity than anyone I’ve ever seen to compensate for it,” he replies, sounding seriously geeked about it.

“Those things aren’t broken, are they?” Trey asks speculatively.

“No…here.” Jax pulls them off my face. “Wayra, come here.”

Wayra walks over and Jax puts the glasses on his eyes. “See! He’s normal, well, normal for him. See how it doesn’t light up in these areas?” he points out to Trey.

“Yes.”

“Now watch this,” he says, taking the glasses off of Wayra, he places them back on my face. “See? It’s like Christmas in Chicago with all those lights,” Jax says proudly.

“So that means she’s smart?”

Jax beams. “Yeah, she’s smart! She’s brilliant! There’s no telling what she can do.”

“If she’s so smart, why did she run until she almost popped? Why didn’t she just tell us she needed to rest?” Wayra asks derisively.

“Personality flaw,” Trey replies. “She’s going to show us that she’s not weak.”

“She’s sitting right here,” I murmur, pulling the glasses off my face and handing them to Jax.

about the author

Amy A. BartolI live in Michigan with my husband and our two sons. My family is very supportive of my writing. When I’m writing, they often bring me the take-out menu so that I can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when I talk about my characters like they’re  real. They rarely roll their eyes when I tell them I’ll only be a second while I finish writing a chapter…and then they take off their coats. They ask me how the story is going when I surface after living for hours in a world of my own making. They have learned to accept my “writing uniform” consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at my nerdy bookishness whenever I try to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get me, so they are perfect and I am blessed.

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giveaway

prizes Under Different Stars

1st place: KINDLE FIRE + ebook of Under Different Stars
2nd place: Kindle Cover + $50 Amazon Gift Card
3rd place: $50 Amazon Gift Card

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