Book Release Blitz & Giveaway: Carry Me Home by Lia Riley!

Title: Carry Me Home
Author: Lia Riley
Series: Off the Map #3.1
Format: egalley
Release Date: May 5th 2015

About the Book:

Love doesn't have to be perfect to be true...

Years ago, Tanner Green loved Sunny Letman. She was meant to be his first kiss, first love, firsteverything. Then their world spun upside-down and out of control. Free-spirited Sunny doesn't do commitment. Sure, guys are great for a night or a week, but shealways leaves first. That is, until professional skateboarder and town golden boy, Tanner Green, unexpectedly walks back into her life.

Despite their broken history, a fragile and undeniably electric connection still holds them together. Now Tanner has to convince Sunny that even though love isn't always perfect, it's worth sticking around for. . .

Excerpt:

Tanner is in the shower when I let myself inside. There’s a wooden rocking chair in the corner. I walk over, sit and close my eyes. He’s naked, soapy, skin flushed from the hot spray. I could join him. He wants me. The space between my legs throbs to the beat of my heart. What’s set in motion between us isn’t going to stop.
I rock, straighten my backbone and focus my attentions. Imagine each breath spiraling through the open door, to the sky, leaving the atmosphere. A quiet prayer. Please. Please don’t let me fuck this up. My hands grip the rocking chair sides hard, hands that ache to touch his wet skin.
The water turns off and he’s out, rubbing a towel over his body.
I’m going for it, can’t help myself.
I tried my best to be my own island.
Turns out my best isn’t nearly good enough.
The door opens and he stands, backlit in a tight white t-shirt and pair of low slung jeans. His mop of hair is wet, slicked back from his striking face.
“Good, you’re back,” he says. “I didn’t like you out there alone.”
“I was fine, nothing scary outside.”
He frowns, catching my double meaning. “I decided to sleep in the back of my car.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“I don’t mind.”
Of course he doesn’t. He’d sleep on bare concrete if he thought it would be easier for me.
“I get it.” He backs toward the door. “Tonight’s been extreme. You want space. I’ll go--”
“Stop.” I’m in the darkest corner, in this rocking chair throne, the Queen of the Shadows. There’s a great mystery at work. How can my heart be chained to this guy and still feel free?
A bead of water drops from his thick hair and falls to his shoulder. Then another. Tiny wet patches appear on his shirt each time one makes impact. The way he watches me, his gaze writes a secret poem on my skin. “Tell me you don’t want me,” he says. “Say you’re not interested and nothing will happen.”
I want to curl in a ball. Instead, I stand up.
“Sunny,” he whispers, and it’s hard to know if he intends my name as a question or an answer. Funny, the way it sounds like both.
My lids flutter closed of their own volition as he closes the distance. He’s tall enough that when he bends, his face buries into the top of my head. He inhales as if I’m a secret flower. I wish I only ever bloomed for him. A stupid notion. This moment would be perfect if it wasn’t us. If we were other people.
I hook my fingers into his belt loops and do an uncharacteristic fumble, aim too high and brush his stomach instead. His abdominal muscles flex and there’s my cue to explore. I can’t help but inch under the cotton, trace the thick muscles that make up his defined V-line. My nails gently cut to the top of his jeans. His groan vibrates into my skull.
He’s slipping, less careful with every ragged breath. His skin heats under my fingertips. There’s no choice. There’s never been with him.
I rock into him, hard, and his mouth explodes on mine like a wet, hot grenade. He bites my lower lip and even though I’m scared, I’m not scared of him anymore.

Buy It Here:

Amazon | iTunes | BN

About the Author:

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. When not torturing heroes (because c'mon, who doesn't love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway:

And here's the blitz giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2200/?
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Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Three of Hearts by Kristina Wright

Title: Three of Hearts: Erotic Romance For Women
Editor: Kristina Wright
Format: Paperback, 232 pages
Pub. Date: March 17th 2015
Source: Cleis Press


Book Description via Goodreads:

Three’s company? No, three’s a charm! Three of Hearts features sexy trios who are not just falling into bed, they’re falling (or have already fallen) in love. These stories explore the threesome dynamic emotionally as well as sexually. Whether it’s a couple introducing a third person to their relationship for just one night of fun or for a lifetime commitment, or a woman torn between two lovers who decides not to choose, the focus of this collection of sexy stories is entirely on female pleasure.

Review:

★★★★

I'm a firm believer in the idea that "more is better", and I'm a big fan of Kristina Wright's anthologies. So when I was asked to read a book that combines menage and her taste in erotica? Yes, please. Sign me up for that. I was definitely not left disappointed.

As is the case with most anthologies, there were some stories that I absolutely loved, and others that I didn't care for so much. But the great thing is that these are short stories, so it's easy to skip ones that you don't like in the future, or to read as many steamy scenes as you want, or as little, without fear of missing something or mixing up stories.

This book contains sixteen short stories that all focus on a central theme: threesomes. There's a good representation here of combinations of men and women, ensuring that there's at least a story for everyone.

I'll give a brief highlight, as always, of the three stories that I like best. These are in no real particular order, nor are they the only ones that I enjoyed, just the ones that stuck out the most. The first story that stood out to me was "Eve's Apple Red" by Angela Caperton. In this story, a wife notices a new shade of lipstick on her husband's collar and explores who it belongs to. The reason why I liked this one is because I am an avid hoarder and user of makeup, so I really liked that the wife used lipstick colors to further the writing about her relationship. It catered to my interests in that regard, and of course the sex was pretty delightful too. The second story that I enjoyed is called "Medley of Desire" by AJ Lyle. Within this story, a lovely lady's two boyfriends come together in unexpectedly blissful way. Why I liked this one is because of the well done sex. It was steamy and hot and probably my favorite erotic scene in the book. On a more personal level, I liked it because one of her men calls her kitten, and that's what my girlfriend calls me. So it heated me up in a more personal, specific sort of way. My final highlight is for the story called "A Thief in the Night" by Giselle Renarde. This sexy little number includes a masked man who comes in the middle of the night, ties up one partner and has fun with another. Quite bluntly; that's my fetish. The author captured the sexual tension and the fantasy and the desire really well, and that is a story I'd read again and again.

All in all, I think this is a great collection of erotica. This is a perfect book for those who are in menage relationships or who dream about them. While I didn't love every story, I enjoyed most of them and loved quite a few. This is obviously a book that contains adult themes like sex and BDSM, so naturally I recommend it to readers who are of age. Go forth and get this book, and may it serve as inspiration in your own boudoir.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway:

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Blog Tour Spotlight, Excerpt, & Giveaway: Naming His Mate by M. Limoges

Title:Naming His Mate
Author: M. Limoges
Series: Black Hills Wolves #17
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Genre: GBLT Paranormal/Erotic Romance
Release Date: May 1, 2015
Length: 64 pg.

About the Book:

Small-town sheriff, Mike Hadley, would love to experience a headache-free day for once in his life. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen anytime soon. While investigating a rash of disappearances and dealing with his ornery lover, he’s thrown into a whole new world he never imagined existed.

Damien Marks has finally found a place to call home in Los Lobos, South Dakota, with the Black Hills Pack. He also stumbles across something he never thought he would—his mate. Falling hard, he decides he needs to come clean and tell the truth. But will his sexy lover accept what he is?

Embroiled in a potentially dangerous situation, both men have to decide where their loyalties lie—with duty or love?

Excerpt:

Mike Hadley adjusted his gun holstered on the belt at his waist and tugged his jacket over the weapon, concealing it from clear view. There wasn’t any doubt he’d incite a riot if he walked inside with his piece visible.

Coming here, to this place in the middle of nowhere, shouldn’t have troubled him. He’d stepped into shittier, more unstable situations than this hole-in-the-wall bar, but damn if a thread of apprehension didn’t prickle the length of his spine as he stood outside of the entrance. One small detail kept him from strolling into the establishment like he owned the place, and he sincerely hoped that minor detail stayed home tonight.

He rolled his neck from side to side in a bid to loosen the tension in his shoulders. With an air of confidence he didn’t quite feel, he pulled open the heavy steel door and strode inside the Den.
Thirty seconds was all it took for activity to grind to a screeching halt. The drawl of a country ballad playing on the music box in the far corner thumped through the stifling air. Weighted stare after weighted stare met his gaze head on as he scanned the bar’s occupants. Their open hostility battered at his senses.

He wasn’t welcome. That much was apparent, but he would deal with it. Despite a bar full of unfriendly locals, the absence of one in particular shaved off a degree of his unease.

Of course, his anxiety hardly mattered. As sheriff of the small town of Collins, South Dakota, it was his job to investigate a rash of disappearances over the last several weeks. Unfortunately, the trail had led him to the neighboring, inhospitable town and people of Los Lobos.

Buy It Here:

Amazon | Kobo | iTunes

About the Author:

Melissa Limoges lives along the Gulf Coast with her OCD cat, Mr. Tibbs. Tax assessor by day, romance writer by night, she enjoys anything coffee related, traveling, and reading happily ever afters.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway:

There’s a tour-wide giveaway (US only) going that includes a $25.00 Starbucks gift card, Naming His Mate Necklace, Ahava Weekender gift set, and a mini nail file set. :)

Entry-Form

Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway: Nobody's Goddess by by Amy McNulty

Title: Nobody's Goddess

Series: The Never Veil #1

Author: Amy McNulty

Publication date: April 21, 2015

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

About the Book:

In a village of masked men, magic compels each man to love only one woman and to follow the commands of his “goddess” without question. A woman may reject the only man who will love her if she pleases, but she will be alone forever. And a man must stay masked until his goddess returns his love—and if she can’t or won’t, he remains masked forever.

Seventeen-year-old Noll isn't in the mood to celebrate. Her childhood friends have paired off and her closest companion, Jurij, found his goddess in Noll’s own sister. Desperate to find a way to break this ancient spell, Noll instead discovers why no man has ever chosen her.

Thus begins a dangerous game between the choice of woman versus the magic of man. And the stakes are no less than freedom and happiness, life and death—and neither is willing to lose.

Get It Here:

Amazon | TBD | B&N | Indigo | Kobo

Review:

★★★

I really liked the overall concept of this story. This idea for a story where romance, or that is, the idea of romance is turned on its head in a new sort of society, mixed with the gorgeous cover art was enough to get my attention. Overall, I thought this was an okay read.

I really liked the world building. The author is clearly skilled at writing with description. Before long, it felt like I was alongside the characters, like I could see and hear and feel what they could as well. This descriptive writing also translated well into having a cast of voices that were unique from one another.

That being said, I really didn't care all too much for the main character. I thought she was fairly selfish and unreliable. Connecting to a character is a big thing to me while reading a book, and unfortunately I just didn't get that connection with her.

I also wasn't expecting the time travel bits of this book. While they gave cool insight and a nice twist to the story of the book, but it didn't always quite work out.

This is a book that I think overall is worth reading. It makes the reader ask themselves some interesting questions about what it means to love and be loved. I think it's a book that will lend itself well to discussion. There's really good world building and interesting concepts that come to play here. I think fans of YA fantasy and romance might like this one the best.

I was provided a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Follow the tour:

Click here!

About the Author:

Amy McNulty is a freelance writer and editor from Wisconsin with an honors degree in English. She was first published in a national scholarly journal (The Concord Review) while in high school and currently spends her days alternatively writing on business and marketing topics and primarily crafting stories with dastardly villains and antiheroes set in fantastical medieval settings.

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway:

·Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Nobody's Goddess (The Never Veil #1) by Amy McNulty (INT)

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Review: Wicka by Christy Deveaux

Title: Wicka: The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake
Author: Christy Deveaux
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: May 28th 2014
Source: Mother Daughter Book Reviews


Book Description via Goodreads:

“While mourning the loss of a mother figure, Elizabeth Blake, a smart but socially introverted seventeen-year-old girl from Ann Arbor, Michigan, enrolls in an international school in the south of France to finish her final year of high school. Here she meets her true love, finds out that she is a witch from an ancient family, and discovers that her life is in danger.

Meanwhile, the Elders—the most powerful coven of witches in the world—have been tracking Elizabeth since her birth. According to an ancient legend, a battle led by “One barely born existing to lead” will cause the downfall of the Elders. Fearing that Elizabeth is the heir to this legend, the Elders try to destroy her before she can fulfill the prophecy.

With the help of her new friends, Elizabeth must travel to Greece to try and prove to the Elders that she is not a threat and to ask for their permission to exist in peace.

With the prospect of having to leave each other once the school year ends and return to their homes on opposite sides of the world, Elizabeth and her new love have to find a way to stay together. However, a rival love interest discovers their plan and causes the Elders to act against Elizabeth. As time runs out, Elizabeth must learn to use the powers she possesses to protect herself and the people she loves most.

Review:

★★★

I love a good witchcraft story, especially when the main character is from Michigan. While this book wasn't one of my favorites, it was a solid read that I think a lot of people will enjoy.

The story is one that is a quick read. There's a fairly complex plot, and the pacing is really well done. The writing is done well enough where it leaves you wanting to know more, making it a book that's easy to read in one go. I liked the main character well enough. I think that she was relatable, which is a little weird to say about a teen age witch, but there you go. She was a believable high school age girl, and her emotions and thoughts were well conveyed. I wish that at the beginning, however, more information was played out in "live time" instead of being filled in by background information by the main character. It felt almost like I was reading a book already in progress.

I liked the setting of the book as well. I enjoy a boarding school-esque setting. I have no idea why. Possibly because my parents always threatened me with one and it backfired when I asked them to send me, haha. Elizabeth moves from Ann Arbor, Michigan to finish her school in France, and I really enjoyed the change of scenery.

What set me off a bit from this book is that it ultimately felt familiar to me. The female lead with powers in a new school setting reminded me a lot of the House of Night books. The powerful coven/society of foreign beings keeping an eye on a special female character reminded me of the Vulturi in the Twilight series. That's not entirely a bad thing; I enjoyed both of those series well enough. But the comparisons definitely entered my mind while reading the book.

That said, I think those comparisons will help a lot of people to enjoy this book. It has a lot going for it over all. Witches, foreign travel, murder, romance, secret societies, magic, relatable female lead. I liked this book well enough, and if you are a fan of witchcraft, HON, Twilight, or young adult fantasy and romance, this might be a book that you would enjoy.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Stacking the Shelves [91]

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to show off the books we've won, bought, or otherwise received in the past week. If a book catches your eye, *click* the picture to go to the Goodreads page of that book.

New from Netgalley:

Nothing Left to Burn by Patty Blount
The Firebug of Balrog County by David Oppegaard



Fabulous Freebies:

None!

In My Email Inbox:

What We Left Behind by Peter Cawdron
My Soul Immortal by Jen Printy



In My Mailbox:

I didn't get any books.... But my dad did surprise me with these!

What about you?

Blog Tour Spotlight, Playlist & Giveaway: Deception of a Highlander by Madeline Martin!

Title: Deception of a Highlander
Author: Madeline Martin
Publisher: Diversion Books
Release Date: April 28th, 2015

About the Book:

Scottish Romance doesn’t get much steamier—or more dangerous—than a spy hunting her quarry, and losing her heart to him instead.

To pay a seemingly impossible debt, Mariel Brandon has become a spy for Aaron, one of England’s deadliest minds. Aaron’s latest mission for the sharp-witted and daring Mariel is to find two people in a heavily fortified castle on the Isle of Skye, a castle headed by the clan MacDonald and the powerful Kieran. Mariel is to seduce Kieran and get him to take her to Skye. If she succeeds, Aaron promises to let Mariel’s young brother go, and to free both of them from their debt. If she fails, her brother will die.

What she doesn’t count on is craving Kieran MacDonald almost immediately upon meeting him. Now Mariel must keep a secret from Kieran—one that could get them both killed—as she tries to form a plan that will save her brother, get her out from under Aaron’s thumb once and for all, and keep her in Kieran’s strong arms forever.

Playlist:

Fever Ray – Keep the Streets Empty for Me

This one always made me think of Mariel’s rough start in life and her road down learning fighting skills. When I’d listen to this, I’d imagine her stalking down the poorer streets of London, battered from her training and burning with angst inside at wanting to be free and being trapped into something she doesn’t want to do.

Peder - White Lilies (not a video so much as just the song)

This also made me think of Mariel because the swaying tune is just so sultry seductive sounding. I could imagine her walking into a room with the kind of sexy confidence that turns every head.

Band of Skulls - Sweet Sour

This always made me think of Kieran. It’s one of those quiet badass songs. I could see him crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes at a room of people in silent contemplation.

Papa Roach – Scars

This also reminds me a Kieran because he’s a battle-scarred warrior. It also gave me a fabulous idea for my manuscript, but I can’t go into detail because it would reveal too much. Guess you’ll have to just read it. #ShamelessPromo

Loreena McKennitt – La Serenissima (again, really just music, not the video)

This made me think of their time on the Isle of Skye in one of their more quiet moments, where it was just the two of them and the attraction humming between them. It’s beautiful and haunting and sexy.

Buy It Here:

Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | BN | Indiebound

About the Author:

Madeline Martin lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her two daughters and a menagerie of pets. She graduated from Flagler College with a degree in Business Administration and works for corporate America. Her hobbies include rock climbing, running, doing Mud Runs and just about anything exciting she can do without getting nauseous. She grew up in Europe and still enjoys traveling overseas whenever she can find the time to get away. Her favorite place to visit thus far: Scotland.

Website | Twitter

Giveaway:

Follow the tour by clicking here!

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