Thursday, September 25, 2014

Book tour (review): Made For You by Melissa Marr

http://xpressobooktours.com/2014/07/14/tour-sign-up-made-for-you-by-melissa-marr/

My review follows:
NOTE: I received the eARC via Edelweiss for my tour stop in exchange for my honest review.

Melissa Marr is a name that always gets me a bit high. I loved her Wicked Lovely series so of course I wanted to read Made For You. Different genre and all.

Picking up this novel, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I knew there'd be a murder mystery, a creepy stalker and of course, a romance. I just didn't know who would end up doing what and for what reasons. So yeah, lots of variables wrapped up in a bestselling name. Here goes my dissection..

Writing style:
I really liked the switch between Eva's and Judge's POVs, Judge being the nicknamed killer. The subtle clues that Marr dropped here and there had my brain going wild. I can honestly say that it was a well written and well edited story that could definitely keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat.

Story line:
Eva seems to have a stalker who knows entirely too much about her. Also, he tried to kill her in the opening scene. Other girls weren't so lucky. The story progresses from there with one murder after the other, each followed by a clue that the killer is adamant Eva would be able to understand. Because after all, she was made for him. And wouldn't you know it, he has quite the justification for his actions.
I can't say I figured him out early. It took me quite a while, to be honest. Which only ups Marr's story-telling/mystery-keeping skills.

Themes:
- true friendship and how it can pick you up after something terrible happens.
- psychopaths can be largely misunderstood
- live seems different from the eyes of the murderer
- second chances are really a good thing
- friendship can sometimes lead to love, but it can also lead to obsession.

Characters:

Eva Tilling was the most popular and wealthiest girl in town. She had a large following because of it. What was good about her - she never took advantage of who she was. Her background didn't much matter to her. She had friends of all parts of society and she valued them all. But she also knew who she could count on and who was just a casual acquaintance. After Judge tried to kill her, things changed a bit. She became a bit insecure. And she also started seeing these visions that she couldn't quite place, or trust. Then her long lost friend/crush, Nate, stumbled into her life and the old feelings revived. I wasn't sure how she'd react to his life story, but was impressed that she took him in and loved him for who he was.

Nate had a difficult childhood. With a father who couldn't care less, a sick half-brother, and nothing left of his family's prior glamor, he turned to alcohol, drugs and girls. But that was the before Nate. The now is quite different. He's considerate, responsible and isn't afraid to show his feelings to the people who matter. Him taking care of Eva, worrying over her and protecting her was really sweet.

Grace was Eva's best friend. She wasn't at all in the same social standing as Eva, but that didn't make them any less close. I really liked how the two girls had each other's backs at all times. I also was impressed by the inner strength that Grace showed. Even cuffed and cornered alone with a serial killer, she tried to keep her cool and think of an escape plan.

Judge... well I'm not sure there's much to say about this psycho except that I hated he was so young. How could someone his age get so screwed in the head? It was sad and I wish I couldn've actually hated him more. But I think I just pitied him.

In conclusion:
Melissa Marr has woven another great story - a murder mystery for teens. The book is good for both genders and I really recommend it. 
My rating is:
Book & Author details:

Made for You by Melissa Marr
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication date: September 16th 2014
Genres: Southern Gothic, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely books Melissa Marr’s first contemporary YA novel is a twisted southern gothic tale of obsession, romance, and murder. A killer is obsessed with Eva Tilling. Can she stop him, or will he claim her?
When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.
For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling.


Purchase:

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AUTHOR BIO
Hmm, I’m never good at the bio bit. I used to teach college & bartend, now I write novels. I love to meet new people, to hear their stories, to walk through new streets and see new vistas. I enjoy art in all its guises–graffiti, surrealist paintings, classic sculptures, tattoos, interesting buildings, Renoir, photography . . . Art & nature, they feed my soul & thus my muse.



Giveaway details: Tour-wide giveaway (US & Canada)

Prizes:
All 5 of Melissa's Wicked Lovely books (paperback),
The Desert Tale - Wicked Lovely companion book (paperback),
A hardcover copy of Made For You

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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Blog tour(interview): The Strength of Ballerinas by Nancy Lorenz

Book details:
Title: The Strength of Ballerinas
Author: Nancy Lorenz
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Comes out in September, 2014
Genre: YA contemporary

Synopsis:
Dad bent down to my eye level. There were tears in his eyes too.
"I know it's a shock, honey, but we have to do it. You can find another ballet school out in the Napa Valley."
"There is no other ballet school!" The entire apartment building on West 79th Street probably heard me, but my voice rose up anyway. "I go to the Manhattan Dance Company!"

All Kendra has ever wanted to do is dance. But when her father's job takes their family from the city lights of Manhattan to the quiet Napa Valley in California, Kendra's dreams are shattered.

Still determined to dance, she tries to adjust to her new life until a debilitating diagnosis threatens to change everything. Now Kendra must decide which dreams are really worth fighting for.

Step onto the dance floor and into Kendra's heart in this poignant and compelling story. Written by former dancer Nancy Lorenz, this is a debut novel you won't want to put down.


Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20613983-the-strength-of-ballerinas?from_search=true
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Ballerinas-Nancy-Lorenz/dp/1462114520/ref=la_B00JT4KCH4_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411562877&sr=1-1


My stop in The Strength of Ballerinas blog tour is an interview with Nancy Lorenz.  

Me: What experience of yours relates to a scene in your book?

Nancy: Well, I also made the move from New York to California, and found it hard to find a good dance school.  Since i moved years ago, many good dance schools have opened, and I’ve since found a great ballet school which I still attend.

Me: Where would a person find you usually?
Nancy: Writing and researching on my laptop. I not only write, but I’m also a teacher, so I do a lot of school paperwork, and grading, online.  My main chunk of time though, is devoted to writing.  I am editing other YA books, and a women’s fiction book club type novel.  I am always writing!
Me: How did your life as a writer begin?
Nancy: This is an interesting story.  I got an article published when I was twelve!  It was a paragaph actually for a magazine of the time called, Young Miss.  They sent me a check for twenty-five dollars.  I was so exited!  I couldn’t wait for the magazine to be delivered to my house.  I had a subscription, but now I was chomping at the bit to see my own article in print.  The problem was that my article on “washing the dishes” never appeared!  Every month I was disappointed when I looked in vain at page after page.   Where was my article?  After a year of  waiting, I finally gave up hope.  I had a twenty-fve dollar check as the only proof that the publishing company bought my piece.
Years later, I was working in New York at Harper & Row, Publishers (now Harper Collins)  in the Marketing and Publicitiy department.  I had access to publishers addresses and telephones, and I suddenly wondered if I should call the editors of Young Miss magazine.  I did.  When I called the editor, she said, “I’m so glad that you called.  We just put your article in the magazine for this month.”  Imagine my surprise when twelve years later, I saw my article in print in the current issue.  The editor sent me two copies of the magazine, which I have to this very day.  I was paid for the article when I was twelve, and it was published when I was twenty-five -  twelve years later.  Now, why did I make the call that day?  Was it fate?  
Since that time, I have been writing.  I started with scriptwriting, but then changed to writing fiction.  I’ve belonged to a writer critique group for four years, and have attended the Writer’s Digest Conference in New York to pitch my stories; however, I sent my ballerina story to Cedar Fort Books, and they published it.  I felt a little like Jo March in the Louisa  May Alcott’s Little Women.  It was my first novel to be published.  I had to wait a long time between my twelve year old self and my adult writing self, but it is a journey that continues...
Me: How did you come up with the idea for your current story?
Nancy: A lot of the story is borne out of my own experience.  I also had obstacles to becoming a professional ballerina (although they were not medical like Kendra’s in the story).  Like Kendra, I made a cross country move, although I was married by then.  I didn’t have a brother with autism; however, I know that it’s hard for families to allocate money for every child in all their endeavors, even if they are well.  I had siblings too, but back then, kids usually did only one extracurricular acivity.  Now, kids do multiples activites, such as piano and dance.  For example, if big sister is a ballerina, but little sister is on the traveling softball team, and child number three wants to figure skate, it can get very expensive for parents!  Throw in a child with special needs, and it makes life more difficult financially.  That’s why I thought of Petey, the little brother. The father is torn between money, resources, and time beause of Petey’s syndrome.  Anything in a family affects all members, and it affects character, Kendra as well with money for her dance training. 
As for ballet, I took many of the ideas and scenes in the book from previous classes I had taken at a number of schools, composites of dancers, and great longing to become a company member.  We all aspire, but very few make it to the top, due to geographical proximity, injury, ability, as well as financial and emptional support from parents, who need to pay, drive to practices and rehearsals... 
All in all, my “self” is throughout the novel, in many ways that Kendars acts, thinks, dreams.  We all need to step away once in a while, lie down and look up at the ceiling and just dream.  Dreamtime, I call it.  Many of the dreams of millions of girls are in this book, including my own.
Me: The best book I’ve ever read.
Nancy: Well, it’s a three way tie.  For the classic reads, I love Jane Eyre  by Charlotte Bronte, and Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.  For modern days novels, I love To Kill a Mockingbrd by Harper Lee.
Me: What's the last book you bought? Have you read it yet?
Nancy: I bought The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and it’s been sitting there half unread, due to the work I’ve been putting in on my own book for marketing and promotion.   Love the book though, and will get back to it as soon as possible.  I am trying to do the Goodreads challenge of a book a week, but fell a little behind.  Before that I read The Fault in Our Stars, and If I Stay  – other good ones!   Will be back to Mr. Zusak’s novel soon
Me: Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
          Nancy: I’d love to meet Shakespeare!  He wrote about the human condition and all of the emotions  
we read about in modern YA novels today.  We all want to fall in love, like Romeo and Juliet; we feel great indecision as we grow up sometimes just like Hamlet, we play jokes or fool people, as in Twelfth Nght, or want forgiveness in the world, as in The Merchant of Venice. Jealosy, rage, joy – it’s all there within his plays.  I studied Shakespeare in college, and he was actually not as stuffy, as we portray him;  he was a regular guy who met his friends to share a meal, and wrote at home. The only difference is the archaic language  and his genius, but if you can read between those archaic lines, you will find the stuff of YA and more!
Me: Five deserts that make your mouth water.


          Nancy:
    1. Chocolate! Chocolate!  Chocolate!  Chocolate! Chocolate!   
    2. O.K. – the real list.....!
1.     chocolate ice cream
2.     chocolate cake
3.     apple pie a la mode (vanilla or chocolate ice cream)
4.     chocolate cheesecake
5.     Mocha Frappochino with an extra pump of.....you got it - chocolate
 
Me: What's the most complicated meal you've ever cooked? 
Nancy:Gourmandines de Veau au Gratin S.S. France..  I started gourmet cooking when I was in New York.  I taught myself through cookbooks of famous chefs.  This recipe from Craig Claibornes’s book, Veal Cookery has a recipe that called for veal, which has since become politically inorrect – the baby calves!  So, now I make it with chicken instead, and it is just as good.  It is complicated because you have to make white sauces –a cream sauce with the meat for the inside filling of the crepe, and Mornay sauce drizzled over the top.  The crepes, I made from scratch.  Today, they have crepe-makers – Darn!  I had to make the Mornay sauce from scratch too.  It was a process to put the whole thing together.  I added Carrots Vichy (carrots sauteed in butter to brown) and new potatoes roasted, in quarters brushed wth butter. 
Hmmmm.  I have to make this again soon......!
Me: What do you carry in your purse/pockets?
       Nancy: Everything! From makeup to first aid, from wallet to coupons and perfume and barrettes, mints, chocolate, cell phone, keys, a thousand pens, old printouts of driving directions, past movie ticket stubs, and other clutter.   Bought a smaller bag to keep out the clutter.  It didn’t work.  I need to buy a bigger bag again, to stuff in all my “can’t live withouts!” or sentimental keepsakes.






Nancy Lorenz can usually be found here:






Facebook  
Web Site:


Giveaway details:

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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Blog tour (audio interview): The Marian by Taylor Hohulin


Hi Everyone!

Today I'm doing an experiment. I'm hosting a tour stop with author Taylor Hohulin, doing an audio interview via Skype. Of course, the connection had to drop, and I'm happy it was only once. So, in case you were wondering, that's why there are two players down there. Also, I tried to combine the files, but with the limited amount of time and resources I have, you can imagine that I gave up on it pretty quickly.

Anyway, the interview was recorded back in August but all the info you find in this post is up to date. Hope you have a fun time, and don't laugh at my inexperience too much.




Book Title: The Marian

Author Name: Taylor Hohulin

Publisher: Self-published

Date of Publication: September 19, 2014

Genre: Young Adult Post-apocalyptic/Steampunk

Length: 72,000 words / 370 pages

Blurb:

Fifteen-year-old Ethan Denby doesn’t know how he got on the Marian. He just woke up one day inside the body of its captain.

The Marian is unlike any ship Ethan has ever seen. It crawls on long, metal legs over dunes of salt in search of water, despite laws granting exclusive harvesting rights to a corrupt organization known as HydroSystems Worldwide.

HydroSystems is closing in, tensions are mounting aboard the Marian, and on top of all that, Ethan is beginning to think the dreams he's been having aren't completely harmless. If he doesn’t get home soon, Ethan could die inside someone else’s body in this wasteland of a world. The only way back seems to be through a place known simply as the Cloud, but how can he convince the crew to take him there when it means confronting a dangerous cult and venturing into a place where the very fabric of reality has worn thin?

  
Free preview chapter download: http://books.noisetrade.com/taylorhohulin/the-marian-excerpt 
Goodreads page: The Marian (The Marian #1)
 iTunes preorder: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-marian/id906165972?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 
Nook store preorder: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-marian-taylor-hohulin/1120079480?ean=2940046081664
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marian-Taylor-Hohulin-ebook/dp/B00MXAW37S


Author bio:
Taylor is a DJ at a Christian rock station in Dallas, Texas. He lives in Arlington with his wife, two cats, and a dog. He has lost track of the number of times he ate a whole sleeve of Oreos.   

Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Hohulin/e/B00DHTY20A/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7136484.Taylor_Hohulin?from_search=true

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Book review: He Belongs With Me by Sarah Darlington

Two girls. One Leo. 

Identical twins, Maggie and Clara Ryder, both grew up with Leo Maddox, billionaire playboy, apparent alcoholic, and heir to his grandfather's world-famous Maddox hotel empire. Their roles were cemented long ago: Maggie, as his best friend and Clara as his childhood nemesis. But when a simple twist of fate changes everything and both girls start to fall for the lean, mean, ridiculously sexy and seemingly spoiled Leo... which girl will win his heart? Throw in a little mischief, drama, and one smoking-hot bartender and lines are sure to blur. But one thing's for certain, neither good-girl Maggie nor rebellious Clara will be satisfied until they each figure out where they belong. 


*NEW ADULT ROMANCE. Recommended for 17+ due to sexual situations and adult language.*



NOTE: I received a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Picking up this book, I was expecting a light, romantic read. That's exactly what I got, only it lacked the beauty of a well polished and edited novel. Some scenes were unbelievable and unrealistic. Too many things happened 'coincidentally-on-purpose'. The phrase 'sawing some serious logs' was mentioned repeatedly in reference to snoring loudly. It was okay the first time, but became irritating afterwards. Other than that, it was a sweet story.

Writing style:
It was good enough to take me through the whole book, but by no means was it spectacular. Some things could've been written better, or edited better.
Also, I was unsure of the necessity of all the swearing.

Story line:
It's pretty simple actually. Two twins who have nothing in common finally find commong ground in the face of a childhood friend, Leo, and a past step-brother, Dean. Each of the falls for the right guy, at exactly the wrong moment.

Themes:
-twins – their differences and similarities
-finding love where least expected
-family approval is quite important in a child's development

Characters:
Clara was described as the bad twin. She was supposed to be impossible to live with, selfish and easy with guys. She turned out to be the complete opposite. She was a fiercely loving sister, even though she never showed it openly. Because of that she got in trouble more often than not. Clara was largely afraid to have her heart broken.

Maggie appeared to be the good girl – she adored her father, helped out on his golf complex and was generally easy to talk with. Still, she wasn't the angel everyone thought she was. She was fiercely jealous of Clara, had her fair share of boyfriends and could be pretty nasty when she wanted.

Leo could be sweet when he wanted, I suppose. But I had a huge issue with his dirty mouth. That kind of disgusted me and instead of waiting the scenes where he was featured, I kind of wanted to avoid them. I'm not sure what the large amount of cursing was supposed to accomplish towards developing his character, so I think it was quite unnecessary. Leo was selfish at times and was such a brat... he's definitely not the kind of book boyfriend I'd pick.

Dean... well, his story seemed to just have popped out of nowhere. He was the twins' ex-step brother, who returned to town. He was the most mature of the lot, and knowing his story it was no wonder. I liked reading the chapters where he was featured.

In Conclusion:
He Belongs With Me is not for everyone, but people who don't mind profanity may enjoy it.

My rating is

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Blog Tour (trailer + giveaway): Knight of Light by Deirdra Eden

Hi guys,

The Watchers tour runs this September, and I've chosen today as my stop. What should you expect below? Surely not a lengthy post. There's a very nicely made book trailer that I'd recommend you to see. It got me curious about this book so I might be buying it :) Enjoy!


The Watchers Book 1: Knight of Light
Author: Deirdra Eden
Audience: YA
Genre: fantasy




In England, 1270 A.D., Auriella (pronounced yurr-ee-ella) flees her village after being accused of witchcraft. Pursued by nightmarish creatures, she struggles to accept the truth about her humanity. Filled with fairies, dwarves, pixies, dragons, and monsters, Knight of Light is an enthralling tale that will capture the imaginations of readers young and old.
The Watchers Series has been described as Braveheart meets Supernatural. The mythology for the series is based on many theological texts from dozens of sects with correlating themes. Ancient writings include The Dead Sea Scrolls, The Traditional Apocrypha, The Pearl of Great Price, and The Kabbalah.

“The Watchers” are supernatural beings in human form whose duty it is to protect and guard mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, as the Book of Enoch mentions, some of these Watchers go bad. Although the mythology is based on these texts, Deirdra Eden’s The Watchers Series is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl’s discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions.






About the Author


"My goal in writing is to saturate my books with intrigue, mystery, romance, and plot twists that will keep my readers in suspense. I want to see fingerprints on the front and back covers where readers have gripped the novel with white knuckles! Aside from writing, I enjoy jousting in arenas, planning invasions, horseback riding through open meadows, swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, camping in cool shady woods, climbing trees barefoot, and going on adventures."
-Deirdra Eden

Find Deirdra Eden and The Watchers Series online on AmazonDeirdra's websiteFacebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Wattpad, and Pinterest.


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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Book review: Where You'll Find Me by Erin Fletcher

When Hanley Helton discovers a boy living in her garage, she knows she should kick him out. But Nate is too charming to be dangerous. He just needs a place to get away, which Hanley understands. Her own escape methods (vodka, black hair dye, and pretending the past didn't happen) are more traditional, but who is she to judge?

Nate doesn't tell her why he's in her garage, and she doesn't tell him what she's running from. Soon, Hanley's trading her late-night escapades for all-night conversations and stolen kisses. But when Nate's recognized as the missing teen from the news, Hanley isn't sure which is worse: that she's harboring a fugitive, or that she's in love with one.
 





Note: I received the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I did not expect this story to plunge in such deep waters. I didn't think it would go beyond the average teen romance. And yet, the romance wasn't the main theme in this novel, even though it was the driving force that put all things into motion.

Both main characters were put in situations where they had to deal with the grief and pain that only the loss of a loved one could summon. And while Hanley was only suffering on the inside, Nate's case wasn't as easy.

Writing style:
The story was told in a first person POV- Hanley's. It was engaging and entertaining. I liked how there was a balance between dialogue and narrative. Nothing was overdone, which made the pace steady and easy to fall into.

Story line:
Original, following the (mis)adventures of Hanley and how a random, homeless boy entered her life literally through her back door. It was a creative story with a strong emphasis on plot, characters and emotional hardships.

Themes:
-Homelessness and hospitality
-Building trust
-Loss and how different people deal with it
-Love can be found in the weirdest of places

Characters:

Hanley has friends but feels as lonely as ever. She also has secrets she hides from her family, her friends and her own self. She tries to quench the feeling of loss and guilt in immeasurable quantities of alcohol, but we all know how well that ends up. Until Nate came in the picture, Hanley was the perfect picture of pretense. Seeing Nate's grief, and the very danger of losing him to a faulty system, Hanley finally comes to terms with her own loss and begins to realize that a warm, cuddly feeling has taken a hold of her heart.

Garage boy, a.k.a. Nate is sweet and has manners beyond Hanley's expectations of the homeless. What he doesn't have is a place to stay. The secrets he keeps are no small deal, so he dreads sharing them with anyone, let alone the drunk girl in whose garage he's taken residence. For how would he know her reaction, seeing that the police is after him?

Heather, Hanley's older sister appeared to be a goody-two-shoes. She never went out, never got in trouble, was accepted to a good college, had dreams and goals and a plan to accomplish them never in a million years would I have thought that she had a rebellious streak in her. That she'd be the one to guard Hanley's back, but I admired her for it. Sibling love rocks!!!!

In conclusion:
Where You'll Find Me is a really great book about finding strength to face your past and the problems connected with it.

My rating is:

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Blog tour (guest post): Before He Was Gone by Becky Wicks

  Blog tour post:

I wasn’t sure whether or not to make a book trailer for Before He Was Gone. After all I’m not Steven Spielberg and I don’t exactly have a massive budget. Whatever I did was likely to come out as the digital equivalent of taking some sticky tape, paper and glitter and throwing it all at a wall.

But I got on the case anyway and decided that the best approach was probably going to be the honest one. Why not be straight up about the fact that making trailers is kind of hard for authors? Cos it is. It’s reeeeeally hard. It’s not only expensive, it’s time-consuming and we don’t all have the tools either. All I had was iMovie on my MacBook… oh and a bunch of photos, mostly of me looking awful. I spend a lot of time hiding out when I’m writing. And drinking coffee.
 
My video would be fueled by coffee…

I found a decent photo of what I imagined the Deserted island to look like. Then I sourced some free music from YouTube, and went about creating a little script to accompany all that. I added the photos of myself (bleurgh) and it turned out as a more honest approach that I think my mom might approve of more than the book (ahem).

Here’s the finished homemade trailer for Before He Was Gone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-b-SSkc0Vs
Behind the scenes: The making of the Before He Was Gone book trailer
 
 
Book details:

Before He Was Gone by Becky Wicks
(Starstruck #2)
Publication date: Summer 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:
Sometimes, you have to get lost to find yourself…
When her rock star boyfriend breaks things off out of the blue, Alyssa applies to hit reality TV show Deserted and to her shock she gets through. Abandoned on a remote island with a bunch of strangers and none of the luxuries she’s become accustomed to, it’s not long before an undeniable attraction to the mysterious Joshua starts complicating things even further.
Joshua’s different to everyone she’s ever known – a traveller, a man with no plan, a world away from the celebrity life she’s left behind. As a series of challenges test their wits and weaknesses, things start heating up in paradise, but in a game designed to break people down, it soon becomes clear that Joshua is hiding a painful secret – one he won’t risk anyone finding out.
Struggling to know where she belongs, Alyssa will have to choose – a life she once loved that wants her back, or a brand new reality that heartbreakingly may just have its limits.
˃˃˃ “Becky does it again, delivering a searingly hot, emotionally intense and brilliantly written book. I loved it.” – Sarah Alderson (author of Hunting Lila, Fated, The Sound)
***Warning: this book contains graphic language, sex, and mature situations. Not intended for young adult readers.***


Purchase:


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AUTHOR BIO
Becky Wicks lives in Bali and scribbles books, and she’s mostly powered by coffee. Her first book in the Starstruck Series, Before He Was Famous recently reached #1 in Amazon’s Coming of Age and New Adult & College categories, and her three travel books, published by HarperCollins are online to make feet nice and itchy. Mostly though, she loves to write love stories. She blogs most days at beckywicks.com and always welcomes distractions on Twitter @bex_wicks. Especially if you have photos of cats.

Author links:


Giveaway:


Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
--50$ Amazon gift card
--A character named after the winner in book 3 - Before He Was a Secret
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