Before & After by Nazarea Andrews Blog Tour (Review + Giveaway)

Hey readers! Ethan here with an exciting post for you guys. A few weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of devouring my dear friend Nazarea Andrew's latest read, Before & After. I've never read any of her NA Contemporary works before so I was really excited to take the plunge. I'm so excited to share my thoughts with you all. Before we get to that, here's a but about Nazarea and the novel:

Rike and Peyton fell in love in college.

A boy from the wrong side of the tracks, covered in ink and crooning in a bar is the last person a straight laced girl with a art major should fall for, but his rough edges made her jagged, alive, shaving away the coddled southern princess and revealing a soul wild and brilliant.

They fell in love, despite her family and his past and all the reasons why it wouldn't work--and with their best friends, they made a life. Everyone was supposed to live happily ever after.

They, more than anyone, knows that life doesn't go according to plan.

Rike and Peyton fell in love in college. A boy with a guitar, and a poet's heart, and a girl with freckles dusted over her nose, a perfect fucking fairy tale.

But what happens when the fairy tale doesn't fall apart--but is forgotten?

          

Nazarea Andrews

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog. She is the author of Girl Lost, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. 

Find Nazarea Andrews

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Goodreads *

*****

My Thoughts:

Anyone who follows my ravings on the regular knows that I am one of Nazarea Andrews' self-proclaimed biggest fans. Let's pause and take a moment to think about our author. She's written more books than I can even count right now and she's seamlessly writes throughout genres. Contemporary Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Dystopian. You need diversity? Let me introduce you to Nazarea Andrews. The best part, every one is amazing. Each of her novels has been acclaimed in some way, shape, or form. She's got fans on every side of the coin imaginable. But where do I come into this? I've never read a contemporary romance novel by Nazarea Andrews.

*gasp*

Yes, you read that right. No Branton, no romance, nothing. How can I call myself a fan, right?

When Nazarea and the team approached me about this one, I wasn't sure what to think. Sure, I love N, but how will I feel about her NA Romances? No zombies? No aliens? No fantastical worlds? It's not a Nazarea I was familiar with, but I knew in her hands, I wouldn't be disappointed. What I didn't expect was to have my mind absolutely blown. Before & After has been my favorite NA Contemporary novel of the summer!

Let's break this down.

The plot for Before & After wasn't something I am entirely unfamiliar with. I've read several novels on the topic of memory life, but none fo them had the unique twist that Andrews has added. Each chapter alternated between BEFORE the accident and AFTER the accident that claimed Peyton's memories (thus the title). In each chapter we learn a bit more about Rike and Peyton as each alternating chapter is also told from a different POV. It was remarkable to see how each of their lives changed so drastically as a result of the accident. The entire tone of the novel switches with each passing chapter. It was a remarkable literary device and a true testament to the talent of Nazarea Andrews.

The characters were great. I won't lie, I couldn't relate to them as much as I would have liked as they live... entirely different lives than myself. That's not a bad thing by any means, but it was definitely a form of culture shock for me to read some of the things that these characters do. The novel really centers around four close friends: Rike, Peyton, Scott, and Lindsay. While Rike and Peyton play the biggest roles, the characters of Scott and Lindsay play extremely important side characters. In fact, in some ways they guided the plot more so than Rike and Peyton. A lot of people are up in arms and really want a sequel or special story devoted to them. I'm a little different as I see their story in completion here with Before & After. The accident changed many lives, I believe Nazarea Andrews does a fantastic job of wrapping up this world in one singular story. It's a perfect standalone.

It's a quick read and Nazarea's great talent for flow ensures that it's a read that you'll breeze through, only pausing to catch the feels every now and then.

If you're looking for steam, this novel is full of it. I'm not used to 'love' scenes from Nazarea as all of the sex scenes I've read from her have been more... out of necessity than love. So this was a big change of pace, one that I ultimately enjoyed. Each scene furthers the plot and digs deep into the emotional psyche of her characters, rounding out the story in an even more perfect light.

As I mentioned before, this is an emotional read which may be a trigger for some people. Consider yourself warned, Andrews with twist your heart and grip your soul until the closing words of this story.

Like other novels I have read recently, Andrews makes use of poems, lyrics, and song to tell the story as well. As a musician, Rike helps aid the story with his writings. All I can say is that if Andrews ever decided to take a break from writing, I think she may have a job waiting for her in the music industry.

A beautiful written, unique, and well-crafted story, Andrews delivers a powerful emotional punch with Before & After. It's the perfect blend of delicate and gritty, sure to leave all readers reflecting on their own 'Before & After's.

This being said, it should come as no surprise that I am granting Before & After by Nazarea Andrews a well-earned 5-star review. I'll be holding this one close to my bookish heart and anxiously awaiting more like it from Andrews. I can only imagine what genre she'll blow me away with next. Historic? Westerns? Who knows! Here's to you Nazarea Andrews, a true literary mastermind of our time!

*****

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Alright readers, that's all I have for you on the topic of Before & After by Nazarea Andrews. As you can see, I absolutely loved this latest release from her. Probably one of my absolute favorite novels she has ever released. Be sure to add this one to your TBR and be sure to enter the giveaway. Thanks so much for stopping by. Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout Release Week Launch (Excerpt + Giveaway)

 

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Jennifer L. Armentrout's Scorched! Scorched is a standalone New Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Frigid Series. And be sure to grab Frigid, the first standalone in this amazing series!!

   

Amazon Paperback ** Amazon Kindle ** Barnes and Noble **iBooks

    

SCORCHED Synopsis: Sometimes life leaves a mark… Most days, Andrea doesn’t know whether she wants to kiss Tanner or punch him in the gut. He is seriously hot, with legit bedroom eyes and that firefighter body of his, but he’s a major player, and they can’t get along for more than a handful of minutes. Until now. Tanner knows he and Andrea have had an epic love/hate relationship for as long as he can remember, but he wants more love than hate from her. He wants her. Now. Tomorrow. But the more he gets to know her, the more it becomes obvious that Andrea has a problem. She’s teetering on the edge and every time he tries to catch her, she slips through his fingers. Andrea’s life is spiraling out of control, and it doesn’t matter that Tanner wants to save her, because when everything falls apart and she’s speeding toward rock bottom, only she can save herself. Sometimes life makes you work for that happily ever after…   

Praise for SCORCHED: “Armentrout’s latest new adult offering tackles substance abuse and mental illness — and, thankfully, the love of a good man is not going to be what heals this heroine.” – RT Book Reviews

 Excerpt from Scorched

Tanner

Aw, shit.

I watched Andrea walk into the living room, the normal twitch of her hips absent. No one swayed ass like Andrea, and seeing it gone from her step was answer enough. Our normal whatever-the-fuck-it-was between us had gone further than I intended. No doubt what I’d said had cut her, but shit, it was no different than any other day.

My hand tightened on the neck of the bottle. For the life of me, I had no idea what the hell Andrea Walters’s problem was. Honestly. No fucking clue. One minute, sweet and sugary words parted those pouty pink lips of hers. Next second, she was a fire-breathing dragon from hell—a hot, fire-breathing dragon, but still. Her moods flipped more quickly than cups did during a game of flip cup.

Maybe it was because she was a redhead?

I smirked.

She’d always been this way with me, and the most fucked-up think about it, there was a part of me that actually looked forward to whatever was going to come out of her mouth. Twisted as fuck. It was like a game between us, to see who could hit the hardest without lifting a finger. If nothing else, it was damn entertaining—or at least, it had been until now. Now, I wasn’t too sure about it.

Those pretty doe eyes of hers had looked suspiciously damp right before she’d looked away, and yeah…that didn’t sit right with me.

Kyler shot me a look as he walked past me and grabbed a beer out of the fridge, but I watched Andrea sit on the edge of the couch, her posture unnaturally rigid.

Sydney leaned against the arm. “We’re thinking about leaving early in the morning, around six.”

My gaze flicked to Andrea, expecting her to make some kind of crack about not getting up that early, but she was abnormally quiet. My spine stiffened.

“That should put us at the cabin between nine and ten in the morning, depending on traffic.” Kyler stood beside me as he screwed off the cap. “Then we’ll be heading back the following Monday.”

“Sounds good to me.” I didn’t take my eyes off Andrea as she fiddled with a strap on her sandals, slipping them onto her feet.

Sydney glanced at me, smiling softly. “You’re definitely off from the fire department?”

I nodded. Kyler had mentioned weeks ago about wanting to hit up the cabin before everyone headed back to class, and I’d requested the time off then. Which had meant I’d pulled a lot of doubles, but I hadn’t minded it. Wasn’t too different from the twelve-hour shifts we worked in the first place, and I’d only be there until February of next year, and then I was off to the academy. Not that I was in any hurry to leave the fire department, but being a cop was in my blood. Except I wanted to be a good cop. I’d probably still volunteer at the fire hall once I knew what kind of schedule I was looking at on the force.

“It makes sense if we drive up together.” Sydney toyed with a strand of her hair. “Kyler and I can pick you two up.”

Andrea had twisted toward Sydney and started to protest the whole idea of taking one car. I zoned out, staring at her as the bottle of beer dangled from the tips of my fingers.

Damn…she was a cute girl. Nah, she was more than cute, and it wasn’t like this was the first time I’d noticed that. From the first time I’d seen her at the bar with Sydney, she’d done more than just poke my interest. Hell, anyone with eyes knew she was a very pretty girl. Lush lips. Freckled cheeks and thick, dark eyelashes. Come to think of it, she reminded me of a girl I’d had a crush on in middle school. Hell, couldn’t remember that chick’s name, but she’d had freckles and red hair. I think I used to pull on her braids or some annoying shit like that. My lips tipped up in a small grin as I lifted the bottle to my mouth. Andrea was a motherfucking firecracker, though, not the kind of girl who was easily tamed.

Hell, not the kind of girl you even wanted to tame.

 And don’t miss the first standalone book in the series…

FRIGID

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks

   

 

About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.  

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads

 

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Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Guardian by Courtney Cole Release Day Launch and Review + GIVEAWAY

 

We are absolutely over the moon excited about the Release Day Launch for Courtney Cole's GUARDIAN!!! GUARDIAN is a YA Paranormal Romance, and a book close to Courtney’s heart. Not only is this fabulous book back in a big way, it's Courtney's birthday! To celebrate all of the awesome she is making a few select titles only .99 TODAY ONLY! Grab them all and thank us later.

  Barnes and Noble ** Amazon ** iBooks

GUARDIAN Synopsis: Sometimes, things that go bump in the night are real. My name is Whitney Lane. I’m sixteen years old and at first, I thought I was crazy. I kept seeing shadows move along walls, and hearing whispers around corners, but whenever I looked, there was never anything there. Until one day, there was. Our world isn’t what we think. There are things around us, good things, bad things, scary things. Things that we tell ourselves aren’t real, but they are. They’re very real, and they’re terrifying. I’ve been swept up now, in a battle of good and evil, confused about love and what is supposed to be love, but isn’t. I don’t know what to think anymore. I can’t trust my emotions and I don’t know what is true. There’s only one thing I know for sure. Nothing is what it seems.


 

Excerpt:

Sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real.

Happy birthday to me. I close my eyes and burrow into my pillow as I try to sleep, as I try to escape this life. It’s a life I never thought I’d have, a life I most certainly don’t want. I’m still feeling sorry for myself as the blackness of sleep finally overtakes me. I don’t know what time it is when I shoot straight upward like a rocket. Something had yanked me from the oblivion of sleep, something loud and shrill scraping my window. My room is completely dark and I glanceat my clock in confusion. 3:00 a.m. As my heart pounds hard against my ribcage, I quickly scan every corner of the room. In the last few hours, dark shadows had migrated onto my pink walls, but they’re familiar, nothing out of the ordinary, although in the night, they seem twisted and scary. I remain motionless as I allow the sleep-induced fog to clear from my brain. As I sit, I feel common sense and logic slowly returning. Of course nothing had touched my window because my bedroom is on the second floor. Nothing can reach it. And there are no trees near enough to brush against it. It was just a dream. It was only a dream. I chant it silently to myself like a mantra as I consciously slow my breathing down, hoping that my racing pulse will soon follow. It was only a dream. But just as I’m calming down, I hear it again. A high-pitched shrill shriek, reminiscent of fingernails on a chalkboard, scraping down my window. I gasp and pull my feet up to my chest, which is when I notice the temperature. I notice because I can see my breath. Timidly, I blow a puff out again, watching the way my breath turns white in the air. Holy crap. Oh my God. What the hell? The sound stops and stillness surrounds me once again, the silence so loud that it echoes in my ear. Nothing moves around me, the shadows are perfectly still as they twist across my wall. They look like mangled fingers and arms and legs, but they don’t move. My legs are weak and shaking, but I know I have to move. I have to move off my bed because it feels like something is under it. Something terrifying. With a leap, I bound across the room, my feet hitting the floor several feet away from the edge of my bed. The floor is ice cold, as though it had been covered in a blanket of snow. I’m trembling as I race to the far wall and check the thermostat. Because that’s the only explanation. I must’ve bumped it earlier, I must’ve turned the AC way down. But the luminous numbers stare at me in contradiction. 74 degrees. It must be broken. It has to be broken. My breath is coming in pants now, terrified, anxious pants. My fear isn’t logical. I know there’s nothing here. I’m the only one in this room. Or am I? The air seems to push at me from all around, something dark, something heavy, something real. Something unseen. My fingers shake, my legs tremble, and then all of a sudden, they can no longer support my weight. I go down like a pile of bricks, collapsing onto the floor. I lie still because I can’t move, because something seems to sit on my chest, holding me down. The shadows start to move, to slither across the walls, to reach and pull and dance. I struggle to focus, to see what it is. But all I can see are the numbers on the thermostat suddenly moving, rapidly counting down from 74 to 20. Twenty degrees? The air is frigid as I suck it in, as I try to pull the ice crystals into my mouth so I can breathe. All of a sudden, there’s a blackness in front of me. It hovers over me, a shapeless mass, sucking in the cells of the air, the atoms and the molecules. It’s darker than the blackness of my room, blacker than the blackest black. Something is here. With me. “Dad?” I whisper in a white puff. Because what else could it be? I reach out a finger to touch it, and then I can’t see anything else, because the darkness of it surrounds me, bleeding into everything else, even my vision. The shriek is back, screaming into my ears, bleeding into my brain. Then there’s nothing.

To celebrate the release of GUARDIAN and Courtney's birthday the following books are on sale for .99, today only!

GUARDIAN
Confessions of an Alli Cat
Dante's Girl
Mia's Heart  

The Minaldi Legacy  

Soul Kissed Soul Bound

 
ABOUT COURTNEY COLE: Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people. Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.    

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My Thoughts:

I was approached by Inkslinger PR about reviewing this read by Courtney Cole a month or so ago and was a little confused, I had definitely heard of this book before. Oh hey, guess what? It was already on my TBR. It was a win-win all around. This book was Courtney’s debut novel several years back and this is promo is to celebrate its rerelease now that it’s publishing contract has expired. Glad I was able to straighten that up! 

I will say that although this book came to me highly recommended by several friends, I was still a little leery about starting it. I don’t know why, but I am thinking it may have been because since it was YA, I immediately assumed it would be a lower YA kind of thing. I love the angel/demon paranormal genre, but I really haven’t had much luck with it in the YA sector to be honest. Guardian definitely changed my views on that! I started this book last night and read the entire thing in one sitting. Seriously. I couldn’t put it down. Any of my regular readers will tell you that is quite a compliment, coming from me! 

From page one we are drawn into this extremely emotional story that Cole has created that sets the tone from the start. After 2 paragraphs you realize this isn’t going to be your average YA. This isn’t a happy story. It may have a happy ending (eventually) but the journey from cover to cover is as heartbreaking as it is redeeming. Cole has a beautiful writing style that allows us to really feel the plight of Whitney and Ellie. 

Whitney (our MC) is a strong willed 16 year old who is wise beyond her years. She faces demons (literally) in her everyday life (literally). Following the death of her father, Whitney’s life changes drastically when she is left to care for both her much younger sister and her grieving mother. While this book touches on the very important subject of grief and the importance of healthy grieving and learning to overcome that grief, I believe Cole also grants many other life lessons along the way. The forward speaks of Cole writing this novel after the passing of her own father, and I believe any father would be proud of this beautiful piece of literature Cole has crafted. I honestly don’t know why this sat in my TBR for so long. I absolutely loved every second of it.

This book did remind me of a few others I have read, but it really was unique in its own way. Unlike other YA’s the romance element wasn’t overbearing, nor did it leave a sour taste in your mouth. There were a couple of “jaw dropping” moments where I literally couldn’t believe that a character had acted the way that they had, but it eventually added to the huge plot twist ending that I did not see coming. Which again, is saying something, because I usually have the endings figured out quick? Not this time! 

The paranormal element of this novel was SPOT on! This is the second “guardian angel” type book I have read just this week and I was pleasantly surprised by Guardian. There are angels, demons, and huge elaborate back-stories given to each, which really helped to set the mood and plant out storyline. I really enjoyed this novel, immensely. There wasn’t any “over the top” antics, and everything was completely believable, even throughout the deep paranormal undertones. I would like to note, that unlike other Angel/Demon paranormals I have read, this novel actually addressed the existence/story of God vs. Satan (Lucifer/Helele) and Heaven/Hell. I think that was a very nice touch. Oftentimes in these novels the authors have to “tone it down” or make it more “uniform” so as not to offend others of varying religions. I liked that Cole was able to freely write about the spirituality she has chosen and still found a way to make it enjoyable for any audience, religious or not. Although, it will definitely scare the fear of God in you in a few parts! 

I really can’t say too much more without giving away specific plotlines, but I will just say that I seriously loved this book. It was a relatively easy read with great characters, an amazing storyline, and feels to boot. Cole has crafted a beautifully written paranormal novel with a great message for any readers. It doesn’t matter if you’re 15 or 65, I strongly believe this novel will speak to audiences across the board. All in all, I am giving Guardian by Courtney Cole a perfect 5 stars! I couldn’t have asked for any more. Generally I would even ask for a sequel here, not this time. Cole wrapped up this story PERFECTLY. I see that Cole has numerous other paranormal series out and after devouring Guardian, I will be adding them all to my TBR as well! This was all a really long way of saying two things, one READ THIS NOVEL!! And two, Happy Birthday Mrs. Courtney Cole! My wish for you is that your re-release of Guardian is all that you hoped it would be, you most definitely deserve it! 

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Giveaway

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Huge thanks to KP, Courtney Cole, and the amazing team over at Inkslinger PR for allowing me to participate! Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Fire Spell by T.A. Foster Blog Tour + GIVEAWAY

Hello readers and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for T.A. Foster's Fire Spell, book 3 in her Ivy Grace Spell series! I am a big fan of Mrs. Foster's work so being chosen to participate is a great honor. I am going to be offering a review for my tour stop. Below you will find an amazing giveaway, great graphic, buy links, the synopsis, and all kinds of information about our author, T.A. Foster! Enjoy your stop!

This is the third book in the Ivy Grace Spell series.

About Fire Spell:

Ever since her trip to New Orleans, Ivy Grace’s life just hasn’t been the same. Her magic is stronger, her stories more popular than ever, but something is missing. After she opens a forgotten inheritance from her grandmother, she learns the key to who she is and who should have her heart is in Charleston. She travels to the romantic city in search of answers, only this time everything she cherishes is at stake. Can Ivy’s Time Spell answer all her questions or will it bring her and her family closer to danger? In a race against time Ivy does all she can to rid the world of the darkest evil and save the men she loves.

Fire Spell buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/WA1R0Y

B&N: http://bit.ly/Ut4tMC

Smashworks: http://bit.ly/1A3PWbc

 

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My Thoughts:

After writing several reviews on the topic of paranormal books lately, you guys have surely picked up on the hint that I have a thing for magic. Any book with magic is usually my cup of tea. Fire Spell definitely fit the bill for me!

This third outing by T.A. Foster is more fast paced and enthralling than ever before. I read the first two books in this series quite awhile ago, so I was worried about how reading this third adventure would work for me. My fears were quickly abated after the first page where I was welcomed back into Ivy's life like no time had passed. Note: I will be rereading and posting a series review at some point in the near future. I am always left feeling satisfied after reading a T.A. Foster read because of how well her writing flows. It isn't often that I find an author who I can read their book, just as though it were a conversation between she and I. Fire Spell read like that for me.

The storyline was gripping, the romance was "real" and didn't seemed forced at all, and the villain was definitely villain worthy! I feel like the ending wrapped up pretty well, but I'm really hoping for a book four! Fire Spell really did a fantastic job of answering some lingering questions I had about the series and did a great job of filling in the gaps I was seeing! A note on the romance: as any of my regular readers will tell you I like to make a note about the romance element of the novels I read. Fire Spell, or the whole Ivy Grace Spell series as a whole is full of romance, however, it does not control the story. I love that about T.A. Foster, she can write a great paranormal story with an awesome plot and the romance doesn't ruin anything. That is a rarity in stories such as this. I would say that as a guy I find this whole series to be a relatively "safe read". You won't feel dirty or embarrassed after reading this! I cannot wait to read more from T.A. Foster and this series.

This was a relatively short and very fast read for me so I'm having a difficult time reviewing it without saying too much to give away anything from the plot! I will definitely go deeper into my series review so as not to give away any of the plot to readers who haven't gotten their hands of this worthy read yet! Overall I give Fire Spell a 4-star rating! It's a great third edition in the Ivy Grace Spell series that will definitely leave you satisfied and begging for more Ivy, Jack, Finn and the rest of the amazing cast!

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Check out the first two books in the Ivy Grace Spell series by clicking on their covers below!

 

Now that you know a little bit about Fire Spell how about you check out this awesome giveaway that Mrs. Foster is hosting for us! Up for grabs is a $20 Amazon gift card! Who couldn't use that? Enter now!

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And before you leave, here's a little but about our author, Mrs. T.A. Foster

 

T.A. Foster

 

T.A. Foster is a Southern girl whose heart and spirit are connected to the beach. She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children and two canine kiddos. T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing or planning her next beach trip.  

Find T.A. Foster

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Goodreads*

Alright readers there you have it, my blog tour stop for T.A. Foster's Fire Spell! As always I'm giving a HUGE thank you shout out to the amazing KP and the team over at InkSlinger PR for allowing me to participate! It's always such an honor to work with such an awesome company! Until next time readers, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Perfect Kind of Trouble by Chelsea Fine Release Day Launch + GIVEAWAY!

A little while back, I was approached by the amazing team at InkSlinger about a new novel written by a good friend of mine and one of my favorite authors, Mrs. Chelsea Fine. The new release Perfect Kind of Trouble, releases today! I was supplied an Advanced Reader Copy a few weeks ago and have already had the pleasure to read this awesome second novel in Chelsea's Finding Fate series and was very impressed. Without farther adieu, here's my release day post for Chelsea Fine's Perfect Kind of Trouble.

In case that awesome Release Day banner didn't catch your eye, here's the cover and the official synopsis!

Sometimes when perfect falls apart, a little trouble fixes everything . . . 

Twenty-one-year-old Kayla Turner has lost everything. After spending most of her life taking care of her ailing mother, she just wants to spot a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. So when her late father-a man she barely knew-leaves her an inheritance, she finally breathes a sigh of relief . . . until she learns the inheritance comes with strings. Strings in the form of handsome playboy Daren Ackwood, her father's protégé. To see any of her inheritance, she's forced to team up with him. From his expensive car to those sexy dimples, Kayla's seen his type before. But Daren isn't who he seems to be . . .

Struggling to make amends for his family's mistakes, Daren has a life more Oliver Twist than Richie Rich these days. He's beyond grateful that James Turner included him in his will, but working with Turner's princess of a daughter to fulfill his cryptic last wish is making Daren wonder if being broke is really so bad. Still, she's just as beautiful as she is stubborn, and the more time he spends with Kayla, the less it feels right being without her. Soon Daren and Kayla begin to wonder if maybe the best gift Kayla's dad could have left them . . . was each other.


Kind of an awesome synopsis huh? Well, I do have to say it was a pretty awesome read. Remember folks, this is the second book in Chelsea's Finding Fate series, however it can be read as a standalone novel. There is very little overlap between any characters. Not having read book one, Best Kind of Broken, will not hinder you from reading this one, although I highly recommend that you do check it out. BKoB is probably one of the best New Adults reads I have ever read. In fact you can check out my post about BKoB here http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogspot.com/2014/04/best-kind-of-broken-by-chelsea-fine.html!

In case you have been living under a rock and are new to OneGuysGuideToGoodReads and don't know of Chelsea Fine or my love for her, here is some information about the amazing Chelsea:

Chelsea lives in Phoenix, Arizona where she spends most of her time writing stories, painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs. She’s ridiculously bad at doing dishes and claims to be allergic to laundry. Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in, and crazy socks. She lives with her husband and two children, who graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of skill in the kitchen.

Website: www.chelseafinebooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChelseaFineBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChelseaFine

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChelseaFineBooks

Instagram: http://instagram.com/chelseafinebooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4984399.Chelsea_Fine

Also, just a side note. Chelsea is also the author of one of my all time favorite YA series ever, The Archers of Avalon. I read Archers some time ago and it was one of the very first reviews I did on this blog, check out that post here: http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-archers-of-avalon.html.

Check out these AWESOME PKoT graphics courtesy of Amber at GrownupFangirl!

 


Itching to know more about Perfect Kind of Trouble? Check out this official excerpt from the novel:

Still handcuffed together, we carefully maneuver our linked wrists and open the old train door. Inside, the boxcar is completely empty except for a single, folded piece of paper.

I scowl. Will this scavenger hunt for money ever end?

“What do you suppose it is?” Daren nods at the piece of paper in the back of the train car.

“A check for a million dollars?” I say hopefully.

The only way to reach the paper is to climb inside. Which won’t be easy since my chest barely reaches the bottom of the train car and we can’t climb in one at a time because, you know, we’re attached to one another.

I frown. “How do you want to do this?”

Daren scratches his jaw. “I’ll hoist you inside first then I’ll jump in. Come here.” He turns me around to face him and I step into the circle of his arms.

The summer sun burns down on us. I stare at his chest where his T-shirt pulls tight against the hard muscles of his pecs and a trickle of sweat slowly slides down the back of my neck.

The corded muscles of his neck ripple as he turns his head. “Hold on to my wrists. Then I’ll lift you up.”

He places his big hands on my waist and his thumbs slide under my shirt, grazing the bare skin of my stomach. A warm zing shoots down my belly.

I snap my eyes to him. “Did you do that on purpose?”

“Do what?” His expression is neutral but there’s a glimmer in his eye.

I eye him shrewdly as I wrap my hands around his wrists.

He glides the pads of his thumbs over my stomach again and another, more powerful, zing darts straight down my belly and between my legs as I suck in a breath.

“Cut it out,” I say.

“Cut what out?” His eyes dance with amusement.

“You know what.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” A mischievous grin spreads across his face and I can’t stop the smile that starts to play at my own lips.

“Daren...”

His eyes lock on mine and the twitching low in my belly starts up again. Then his gaze drops to my mouth and hunger lights his eyes.

I absently part my lips, my thoughts suddenly hazy.

Leaning in, he whispers, “Now do you want to kiss again?”

His words flutter over my ear like soft, warm butterflies beating their wings against my sensitive skin and a shiver runs through me.

The answer is yes. I do want to kiss him again. It felt so good to have his mouth on mine last night. To feel him up against me.

But I don’t answer.

He brushes his thumbs over the naked skin of my belly again, but this time dips them inside the waistband of my skirt and skims the lacey top of my panties.

I inhale sharply, tightening my fingers around his wrists as my nipples harden and heat builds in my core. I rub my thighs together, trying to alleviate the ache slowly building between my legs but it’s no use. I’m already a tight puddle of need.

How come this beautiful man can make me melt with just a simple touch? And how come it’s always so difficult for me to snap out of his sexy gaze?

I blink away from Daren’s pretty brown eyes and playfully whisper, “No,” before shifting back a few inches.

His eyelids, heavy with desire, open fully as he scans my face and throat with a smile. “Liar.”

I smile back, grateful he doesn’t try to convince me otherwise. I’d no doubt give in if he did. Because Daren affects me.

Every other guy on the planet is just that: a guy.

But Daren is a force. And I am a feather.

Now I know by now you are all kinds of excited about where you can get your copy of Chelsea's Perfect Kind of Trouble and I am here to help! Below you will find the buy links from multiple retailers! Check them out!

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBooks

Kobo

And don’t miss Book 1 in the Finding Fate Series…

BEST KIND OF BROKEN!

Alright everyone, you know we always have some great giveaways for ya'll, but this one is specifically for the ladies. Chelsea is known for being all about fashion (I guess? Lol.) and has decided to give away a special pair of heels. Check out the giveaway below!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Alright, I hope everyone has gotten familiar with Chelsea and is excited about Perfect Kind of Trouble! Book three in the series will come out in a few months so be on the look out for more info about that as well. Also, I will probably be doing a separate review post for PKoT later on with my own giveaway of some Chelsea swag so be on that look out for that as well! I do want to say something pertaining to this novel though. I know I told you guys before that I was going to be cutting back on the romance novels, and I really have. I have really focused on some YA paranormals and a few historical fictions as of late, but I have to defend myself and say that I don't care what the subject matter is: if one of my friends or a favorite author of mine has written it, I will be writing about it! Just wanted to give you guys a heads up. I am still cutting back on the genre as a whole, but I will be making exceptions. Especially considering this book was SO AMAZING. Even as a guy, I was very impressed with the way Chelsea handled the situations in this novel! With that being said, I hope you guys follow the links above to check out everything about the book! Order it, let me know what you think, and enter that giveaway!

Just want to give a shout out to the amazing team over at InkSlingerPR for allowing me to be a part of this release day launch. They really are awesome! Thanks KP and the team!

Lastly, I will be meeting Chelsea for the first time this coming Friday evening in Nashville, Tennessee at UtopYAcon! Head to http://utopyacon.com/fridayeveningfaninvasion/ to learn all about the Friday Evening Fan Invasion, I hope to see you there!

Be sure to check out OneGuysGuideToGoodReads at our brand new Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/OneGuysGuideToGoodReads

Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan