Blog Tour + ARC Review & Giveaway: Letting Go by Molly McAdams

Posted in 4 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Letting Go by Molly McAdams!

Letting Go by Molly McAdams
Series: Thatch #1 (full reading order below)
Release Date: November 4th 2014

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author returns with a sizzling novel of love, loss, guilt, and forgiveness.

When Grey and Ben fell in love at thirteen, they believed they’d be together forever. They never dreamed that three days before their wedding, twenty-year-old Ben would suddenly die from an unknown heart condition, destroying his would-be-bride’s world. Grey would have spent the next two years simply going through the motions if it hadn’t been for their best friend, Jagger. He’s the only one who understands her pain … the only one who knows what it’s like to force yourself to keep moving when your dreams are shattered.

While everyone else worries over Grey’s fragility, Jagger is the only one who sees her strength, and vows to always be there for her-even if it’s only as her best friend. As much as he wants Grey, he knows her heart will always be with Ben. But when Grey finds out that Jagger has loved her since before he even knew what love was, it might prove to be too much for her to handle.

Grey soon realizes their chemistry is undeniable, and they learn that admitting their feelings for each other means they’ve got to face the past. Is being together what Ben would have wanted . . . or a betrayal of his memory that will eventually destroy them both?

Buy Links:
Amazon Kindle • Amazon Paperback • B&N • BAM • IndieBound

Oh, wow. This book completely took me by surprise, and I loved it. It was the perfectly angsty read – not too much that it was excessive, but just enough to have me aching for the characters to get a happily ever after they deserved. I grew to care for Grey and Jagger. Theirs is a story about losing a loved one, but letting go and moving on all the while finding love again.

“Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting. It’s accepting, forgiving, and being emotionally ready to keep moving.”

Grey and Ben had the type of romance people dream about – they were childhood best friends, they loved each other since they were young, they were going to get married – until everything changes when Ben unexpectedly dies right before their wedding. Grey is devastated, and the one person who can pick up the pieces of her heart and soul is Jagger. Jagger, was also Ben and Grey’s best friend… Jagger, who has always been in love with Grey.

Jagger has been the one constant Grey has been relying on the two years after Ben’s death. She’s not over his death, but she’s slowly moving forward, which she could never have done without Jagger. Jagger is just happy the girl he loves is slowly healing, even if she has to take it day by day. He doesn’t need her to love him back, he doesn’t need her to know he’s in love with her – he’s content to be there by her side. But everything changes when Grey finds out Jagger is in love with her.

“I love you. I’m pretty sure I’ve been in love with you since we were nine, Grey,” he admitted. “I always felt like you were mine . . . I was in love with you long before I knew what it actually meant to be in love with someone.”

Jagger is literally the sweetest hero I’ve ever read. He makes my heart hurt with how much he loves Grey, how much he’ll do anything for her. He really is the perfect hero for Grey: he’s patient, loving, understanding, kind. He doesn’t push Grey to love him back; he’ll accept anything she’s willing to give.

As Grey reconciles how she’ll love anyone after Ben, she comes to realize that she’s been in love with Jagger for a while. Somewhere along the way, she fell for him, but she feels like she’s betraying Ben for falling for his best friend. It’s tough seeing the anguish going through both Grey and Jagger, but Molly McAdams writes them in the most realistic way as possible. I never once felt the story was too unbelievable or fake. I was able to feel Jagger and Grey’s love for each other, a thing that could never be considered wrong or a betrayal. These two were always meant to be together.

There’s so much heartbreak for Grey and Jagger, but they come out stronger in the end. Letting Go is a heartwarming romance that shows that you can find love even after the most devastating of circumstances. It’s an emotionally exhausting read, but I’m glad I had the chance to read Grey and Jagger’s beautiful story.

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

Reading Order: Thatch series

#1 ~ Letting Go: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ To the Stars: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Molly McAdams grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband and furry daughter. Her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling and long walks on the beach, which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes. When she’s not at work, she can be found hiding out in her bedroom surrounded by her laptop, cell, Kindle and fighting over the TV remote. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies, fried pickles and loves curling up in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm…or under one in a bathtub if there are tornados. That way she can pretend they aren’t really happening.

Website • Twitter • Facebook

Grand Prize- $50 gift certificate to an e-tailer of your choice: either Amazon, iBooks, or Barnes & Noble AND print copies of TAKING CHANCES, FROM ASHES, STEALING HARPER, DECEIVING LIES, CAPTURING PEACE, FIFTY FIRST TIMES, FORGIVING LIES, and SHARING YOU by Molly McAdams

Runner-Up Prize: Print copies of TAKING CHANCES, FROM ASHES, STEALING HARPER, DECEIVING LIES, CAPTURING PEACE, FIFTY FIRST TIMES, FORGIVING LIES, and SHARING YOU by Molly McAdams

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4Nov2014

Release Day Review: Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren
Series: Wild Seasons #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 4th 2014
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the publisher (Gallery Books) in exchange for an honest review

From the New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Bastard, Beautiful Stranger, and Beautiful Player, Book Two of the brand-new Wild Seasons series that started with Sweet Filthy Boy—a story of friends, love, and lust.

Despite their rowdy hookups, Harlow and Finn don’t even like each other…which would explain why their marriage lasted only twelve hours. He needs to be in charge and takes whatever he wants. She lives by the Want-something-done? Do-it-yourself mantra. Maybe she’s too similar to the rugged fisherman—or just what he needs.

I’m smiling so much!! God, how I adored Harlow and Finn. I had such high expectation for Dirty Rowdy Thing because I absolutely LOVED Sweet Filthy Boy (my review). Now that I’ve read this book, I can say that I am so thrilled to have experienced Harlow and Finn’s story.

We know from Sweet Filthy Boy that Harlow and Finn got, well, married in Vegas. But unlike their friends Mia and Ansel, Harlow and Finn annulled their marriage. They hooked up, had some hot sex, got married, got divorced, and that was the end of that. Or was it?

Finn and Harlow know that don’t have much of a future together – Finn lives up in Canada, Harlow lives down in San Diego; Finn is a fisherman whose job supports his entire family, Harlow doesn’t really have a set job or career. They are two completely different people, and yet when they’re together, none of that matters. I loved Finn and Harlow’s relationship – or more specifically, the changing dynamics of their relationship. They start off, well, on the wrong foot. They are pretty much jerks to one another, using each other for sex. But eventually, feelings get involved and they start falling for the person they ended up marrying all along.

Harlow is the outgoing type of girl. She’s fun, hilarious, loud, and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. I adored this girl. I had so much fun reading her thoughts, her narrative. She has a huge heart and she’s incredibly loyal – to her friends, family, those she loves. Aaaand… you can totally tell how much she wants to hate Finn, but can’t. She doesn’t exactly like him in the beginning though.

Finn Roberts, the only guy who ever managed to dodge my convenient guy-category strategy—Finn Roberts, the notorious ex-husband-of-twelve-drunken-hours-in-Vegas, who was good with hands, lips, and body, and who made me come so many times he told me he thought I passed out.
Finn Roberts, who turned out to be an asshole, too.

When Finn comes down to San Diego for business reasons, sparks fly. Finn and Harlow inevitably see each other, and they can’t keep their hands off each other. They use one another to distract themselves from their worries and to escape reality for just a little while. It’s when it seems like there could be something more between them that they decide they should become friends instead, but that doesn’t exactly work out too well…

What I loved about Dirty Rowdy Thing was how much both Finn and Harlow changed because of each other. They learned something from each other – their preconceptions of each other were wrong, and they learned to see who the other person really is. They do hide things from each other – they don’t want each other to know their vulnerabilities, but when they do share parts of themselves that no one else knows, it’s easy for them to fall in love. They fall fast and they fall hard for the one person they can be themselves with.

He could only do rowdy because he felt what I felt: that whip-crack unleashing that comes when you meet the person who frees you.

Oh gosh, I freaking adore Christina Lauren’s writing. And thank god for dual narrative!! I loved being in both Harlow and Finn’s heads. And I ADORED the banter between them. Every conversation had me smiling and giggling. As much as I loved Finn, I do have to admit that I still love Ansel the most 😉 (Although that could totally change once I read Oliver’s book.) Finn was still ridiculously hot though. The pages in this book were ON. FIRE. Oh my god, the things that Finn says and does. I totally did NOT expect him to be the way he was, but I LOVED it. One sexy, hunky fisherman for me please!

Dirty Rowdy Thing was just so much FUN to read. It has an unforgettable cast of characters who will have you smiling so much. I wholeheartedly adored everything about this book!

Reading Order: Wild Seasons series

#1 ~ Sweet Filthy Boy: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Dirty Rowdy Thing: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Dark Wild Night: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Wicked Sexy Liar: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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27Oct2014

Early Review: Last Light by M. Pierce

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Last Light by M. Pierce
Series: The Night Owl Trilogy #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 28th 2014
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (St. Martin’s Griffin) in exchange for an honest review

Tensions rise, secrets grow bigger, and passions run deeper—and hotter—in Last Light, the second novel of the Night Owl Trilogy from bestselling author M. Pierce.

Matt Sky is missing. After a solo ascent of Longs Peak that left only a large blood stain, tatters of climbing clothing, and the tracks of an animal in the snow, he is presumed dead.

Hannah Catalano is guarding a secret: she knows Matt is alive. After Matt’s memorial service, she lingers on the East Coast with his family, but it soon becomes clear that his brothers’ motives are less than gracious. Nate Sky is bent on tracking down the author of Night Owl, a book that charts the last days of Matt’s life with uncanny and scandalous accuracy, and which appeared only after his death. Seth Sky is bent on getting Hannah into his bed.

Hidden away in the woods, Matt and Hannah strive desperately to maintain their ruse and their relationship—but their web of lies only tightens as Matt struggles with the consequences of his decision, and Hannah tries to escape Nate’s libel suit and fend off Seth’s advances…until Hannah is put in danger, and Matt must make a life or death choice.

Eeep!!! I am just SO happy with Last Light. I honestly had no idea what direction the author would take Matt and Hannah (I mean just look at that blurb!), but I’m really glad overall with the way things went. Last Light is an exceptionally well-written second book in the Night Owl trilogy. Usually, second books seem to be mostly filler, but this one really fleshed out Matt and Hannah’s relationship. For the fans of Night Owl – Last Light is a heart-pounding, hot and dirty sequel that you don’t want to miss!

At the end of Night Owl, Matt has lost all sense of anonymity – his privacy, the thing he values most above all others, is obliterated. And then that WTF epilogue: Matt Sky is dead… except he’s not? The world seems to the think Matt, otherwise known as the famous author, M. Pierce, has died, but Hannah knows differently. She knows differently because she and Matt have concocted a plan to make the world believe Matt died – and it works. But now that they’re living a life of lies and deceit, can their relationship survive?

“I want to be with you. I want to be inside you. For hours. Here, by the fire. I need you like that . . .”

There are only two things Matt needs in life: to be able to write in peace and Hannah. There is no doubt about Matt and Hannah’s chemistry – they’ve got it in spades. If anything, it seemed like they were even hotter in Last Light, because they don’t get to be around each other all the time, with Matt in hiding and Hannah having to pretend Matt is dead. Hannah and Matt are living separately and they can’t be together or have sex whenever they want, which just amps up the sexual tension between them. But when the weekends come and they can finally get together, holy hell….

Matt’s desire seemed to suck the sound out of the room, and the breath out of my body. And he was only staring. I peeked at him through my lashes.
The look I found on his face is with me forever. It was need mingled with satisfaction. A hunger in his eyes, a thin smile on his lips.
Matt wanted me, and Matt already had me. I was his.

I’m not sure if it’s because it’s been a while since I’ve read Night Owl and I’ve forgotten how Matt is, but Matt… is even DIRTIER in Last Light!? Like holy shit, the things he says in this book. It’s hot, dirty, raunchy, sexy, scandalous – it’s like all this buildup from not being able to fuck and make love to Hannah explodes. And I definitely loved it. 😉

There is considerably less sex in Last Light than in Night Owl, but I liked it more that way. Not because I don’t like the sex (trust me, I really, really do) but because it was good to see the dynamics of Hannah and Matt’s relationship without so much sex. I needed to see a change, a development in their relationship, and I got that in Last Light.

Besides Matt being dead to the world, there is also the fact that Night Owl got published. Night Owl, the book that Matt secretly wrote about his and Hannah’s love story and had no intention of publishing. And we also get to see more of Matt’s brothers, Nate and Seth. Nate is the good doctor that Hannah can lean on, while Seth is the complete opposite. Seth is wild and tempting, and I loved his character, even though he’s an obstacle in Matt and Hannah’s relationship.

Matt isn’t exactly a good guy in this book either. He’s keeping secrets from Hannah, telling her lies, all because he wants her to be with him. But how can a relationship based on lies ever work? I love Matt, but I wanted to throttle him so much – he’s pretty childish at times. I wanted him to grow up and see that his actions have consequences not only to him but to the people around him. Last Light is definitely a book that had my emotions running all over the place.

Last Light was just so. good. It was nothing I expected and everything I grew to enjoy. And there’s SO MUCH going on! My heart was racing between Matt’s fake death, Night Owl getting published, and Nate and Seth. There’s not a dull moment in Last Light, and now I can’t freaking WAIT for After Dark!

“Always,” he whispered. “You feel it, to, don’t you? You always want me, I always want you. We belong together, Hannah.”

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

Reading Order: The Night Owl Trilogy

#1 ~ Night Owl: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Last Light: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ After Dark: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

20Oct2014

Blog Tour + Release Day Review & Giveaway: Killer Queen by L.H. Cosway

Posted in 4 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the KILLER QUEEN blog tour! It’s KILLER QUEEN’s release day today, so make sure to get reading!

The Killer Queen by L.H. Cosway
Release Date: October 20th 2014
Companion novel to Painted Faces

Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome…

Come inside The Glamour Patch club to see the star of our show, Miss Vivica Blue.

Do you want to read my diary you nosy little devils? Have a glass of champagne (you’ll need it) and get comfortable because you’re in for some crazy shenanigans brought to you straight from the horse’s mouth.

I can be whatever you want me to be: boy, girl, a little bit of both.

If you have a problem with a man in a dress then best be off with you. If males in make-up give you the willies, then I’ll say au revoir and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

So, who are we left with? Ah, a fine collection of curious souls. I want to tell you a tale of love, because those are the most glorious kind. I want to tell you about real love, a love that transcends labels and gender stereotypes.

The moment I first laid eyes on my Freda I knew that we were kindred. Well okay, I also knew I wanted to get into her pants, but that’s beside the point. My world was a grey place. I was at my lowest ebb. Then she came along and patches of colour began to spring forth. One day the daffodils were yellow and before I knew it, colour was everywhere, lighting up my life.

Love is not about how we appear on the outside, it’s about the soul contained within.

Our story was not a conventional one, but it was ours, and that’s what made it shine.

Killer Queen is a companion novel to L.H. Cosway’s contemporary romance, Painted Faces. It contains scenes that take place before, during and after the original story. It can also be read as a standalone.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Amazon UK • Barnes & Noble • Kobo • Smashwords • iTunes

Killer Queen is a fantastic companion novel to Painted Faces! I really enjoyed Painted Faces, but I think I have to admit that I liked Killer Queen slightly better. Most likely because it was narrated by the fabulous Nicholas Turner.

Killer Queen can be read as a standalone novel, but I highly recommend reading Painted Faces first. Killer Queen recounts only parts of Painted Faces, though we also get some of Nicholas’s story before and after. I really liked that we got to see how Nicholas was before he met Freda – you can see how he truly does hit rock bottom. I felt for this man, this man who doesn’t believe he has any self-worth. Nicholas’s past still haunts him and he drowns his past by becoming a woman.

The world was full of all sorts, and I was definitely one of them.
We human beings are strange creatures, and that strangeness makes us fascinating.

When Nicholas gets up on stage and becomes Vivica Blue, he doesn’t have an abusive past. He becomes an entirely different person and he loves it. Some people may think his quirks are strange, but he doesn’t care what people think. I loved being in Nicholas’s head, reading his thoughts. His mind goes back and forth, confident one moment, and then hitting rock bottom the next. And despite traveling around the world, performing shows, meeting all sorts of people, he’s lonely. It’s not until he meets Freda that Nicholas’s world is brought back to life.

Every morning I woke up looking forward to the day because I knew she was going to be in it. I didn’t dwell on the past so much anymore; now I found myself constantly looking to the future. And I didn’t mind being alone with my thoughts so much, either, because my thoughts were often about her.

Nicholas is one horny little devil. He absolutely adores Freda and her body – you think you know how much Nicholas wants Freda in Painted Faces, but you truly don’t know the extent of it until you read Killer Queen. It was adorable seeing Nicholas being so taken and enamored with Freda. You can clearly see how Nicholas falls in love with her, even though he doesn’t see it himself. His demons won’t allow love in his life, and it takes much heartbreak for Nicholas to finally realize he is more than worthy of loving and being loved.

“I feel like I need her more than air. Is that love?”

It was such a delight being in Nicholas’s head, reading his POV on certain parts of Painted Faces. I was just really happy overall with Killer Queen. We get a much clearer view on who Nicholas is, and I loved seeing how sweet he is to Freda. The ending of the book had me smiling so much! If you’re a fan of Painted Faces, you definitely won’t want to miss this companion novel – you’ll be falling all over again for Nicholas and Freda’s story!

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

Reading Order: Painted Faces series

#1 ~ Painted Faces: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Killer Queen: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon Page

Prize one: Signed copy of Killer Queen, Killer Queen tote bag, Limited edition MAC Rocky Horror Make-Up, Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack CD signed by Nicholas.
Prize two: Signed copy of Killer Queen & Killer Queen tote bag.

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14Oct2014

Release Day Review: Sublime by Christina Lauren

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Sublime by Christina Lauren
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: October 14th 2014
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

True love may mean certain death in a ghostly affair of risk and passion from New York Times bestselling duo Christina Lauren, authors of Beautiful Bastard. Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling author of Shatter Me calls Sublime “a beautiful, haunting read.”

When Lucy walks out of a frozen forest, wearing only a silk dress and sandals, she isn’t sure how she got there. But when she sees Colin, she knows for sure that she’s here for him.

Colin has never been captivated by a girl the way he is by Lucy. With each passing day their lives intertwine, and even as Lucy begins to remember more of her life–and her death–neither of them is willing to give up what they have, no matter how impossible it is. And when Colin finds a way to physically be with Lucy, taking himself to the brink of death where his reality and Lucy’s overlap, the joy of being together for those brief stolen moments drowns out everything in the outside world. But some lines weren’t meant to be crossed…

I’m very… conflicted about this book. On one hand, it’s gorgeously written – Christina Lauren’s writing is poetic. It makes Sublime feel haunting and mysterious. But on the other… I was NOT a fan of the romance. Still, it’s a fascinating read, no doubt, but Sublime wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be. I wanted an epic ghost romance, but the romance fell flat. I mean, I knew that a story about a boy and a ghost girl couldn’t exactly end well, but I wanted something more substantial for the plot. For the most part, the writing was what kept me hooked.

“I think I’m here for you.”

Lucy is a ghost. She doesn’t realize she’s a ghost at first – she wakes up at a school with no memories, no idea who she is, and it’s only when she tries to interact with others and they ignore her, don’t see her, that she realizes something is off. But it turns out Lucy’s not invisible to everyone, because Colin can see her.

As if she can feel him staring, she turns, an involuntary smile lifting the corner of her mouth. Her dimple makes him think of giggled pleas, mischievous promises, and the taste of sugar on his tongue. Gunmetal eyes meet his, and the color is alive, churning like an angry ocean, pulling him in.
He lets himself drown.

Colin and Lucy have an instant connection with each other. They are drawn to each other and neither are hesitant about forming a relationship, even though they don’t understand what that connection is or why Lucy is there as a ghost. I was a bit skeptical about their insta-love, but I was rooting for them to find a way to be together. It was pretty innocent at first – boy and ghost girl fall in love, they want to be together, it seems like they’re meant to be together. It’s only when they actually TRY to be together, in the physical sense, that things started turning a bit dark, even sinister.

Lucy and Colin become slightly obsessed with one another. It didn’t bother me at first – I wanted them to find a way to be together, but there’s a point where you have to pause and think, exactly WHAT will you do to be together? Their relationship started turning unhealthy – Colin kept putting himself in harm’s way to be with Lucy. At this point, their romance was a bust for me. So I turned my focus on the why’s and how’s of the story. Why was Lucy there? What happened to her? How was she a ghost?

Every step of the way, I wasn’t sure what was going on, which was a good and bad thing. Sublime intrigued me to no end – I expected some answers, but all I got were more questions. None of my questions were answered, and I was really disappointed about that.

So yeah, the writing was what kept me reading. And I have to say, the writing was beautifully written, even though I didn’t exactly like the content. I liked HOW Sublime was written, not WHAT was written. Christina Lauren really have outdone themselves with the writing in Sublime – it’s hauntingly gorgeous and elegant.

The premise held a lot of potential but I’m sad to say Sublime was only an okay read for me. There were some aspects I loved, some aspects I hated. I expected a lot more than I got. The romance just did not sit right with me, so I wouldn’t recommend reading this for the romance. Mainly, you should try Sublime out for the writing.

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

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