Sunday, September 20, 2015

Bonjour Cherie by Robin Thomas


Author: Robin Thomas
Publisher: Escape Publishing - Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd
Date published: 1 September 2013
Pages: 89 pages
Rating:  3 stars
Buy on: Amazon UKAmazonKoboBarnes & Noble

"It's Paris or bust in this New Adult comedy of errors about seeing beyond the surface...

Beth Jenkins is into all things French — especially her French teacher, André LeBlanc. She’s on the fast track to Paris and nothing will stop her, not even the very Australian Zach Mills, whose abs and attitude are a powerful combination. As she endeavours to catch André’s interest, she also stubbornly ignores the growing chemistry with Zach. 

But as mishap after mishap delays her dreams, Beth begins to learn that neither Zach nor André are quite what they seem. Will it be too late to win the one man who shows her that Paris is not the only destination worth planning for?"



Bonjour Cherie is this cute short story romance that has a bubbly heroine's voice. Beth, with her obsession to all things french and her foolish determination, is hard not to love.

However, that and the guy's niceness are the only thing I liked about this book. 

Yes, it has funny moments but as times it dragged too long (which says a lot for a short story)

Yes, the wrap up was nice and the author didn't go overboard with anything, but....For such a short read it failed somewhere very important to me- characterisation and love. 

All the characters are exactly what they appear to be from start, there's nothing to be explored about them. 

Also the whole thing happens in about 2 weeks, and yes, some people might fall in love in such short a time. But when the story ended with 'I love you's I couldn't help but being suprised. 

They didn't date, they barely talked and all of sudden they said they loved each other. WTF?!

What the Fuck?

because I didn't  feel  the love. Yes, there was attraction. Yes, they liked each other (So what? I like my neighbour *NOM NOM NOM*), and there was something- something that just might develope to love if given enough time. But it wasn't there yet!

In conclusion- while it was OK, while it was good I can't help thinking there are better. 

*A review copy was provided to my by Escape Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

This review also appears on:BookLikesGoodReadsAmazon UKAmazon

Friday, September 11, 2015

Cover reveal: Sugar Skull by Glenn Dallas & Lisa Mantchev

Today we are hosting the cover reveal of Sugar Skull!

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:

Sugar Skull by Glenn Dallas & Lisa Mantche
Published by: Skyscape
Publication date: November 10th 2015
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult, Science Fiction







Synopsis:
Welcome to Cyrene, a city where energy is currency and music is the lifeblood of its young citizens. Everyone lives on the grid, and the residents of the world’s largest playground are encouraged to pursue every physical and emotional pleasure imaginable.

Vee is the lead singer of the Sugar Skulls, an all-girl band that is Corporate’s newest pet project. Micah haunts the city like a ghost after an overdose of a deadly illegal street drug knocks him off the grid. When Micah and Vee forge an immediate, undeniable connection, their troubled worlds collide.
Trading concert stages for Cyrene’s rooftops and back alleys, they have to evade vicious thugs and Vee’s possessive manager as they unravel the mysteries connected to their dark pasts. And before the curtain falls, Micah and Vee will bring the city to its knees in their desperate bid for love, home, and a future together.





AUTHOR BIOS:
When not working on puzzles for Penny Press or writing about them for PuzzleNation, Glenn Dallas is an author of short stories and at least half of one novel. After appearing in the acknowledgments of several outstanding novels, he looks forward to returning the favor in the future.

Lisa Mantchev is the acclaimed author of Ticker and the Théâtre Illuminata series, which includes Eyes Like Stars, nominated for a Mythopoeic Award and the Andre Norton Award. She has also published numerous short stories in magazines, including Strange Horizons, Clarkesworld, Weird Tales, and Fantasy. She lives on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State with her husband, children, and horde of furry animals. Visit her online at www.lisamantchev.com.

Author links (Lisa):

Author links (Glenn):


Sneak a Peak: 

If strings ran up my spine, she just plucked the high E, a fierce vibration that shakes me to my core.
She looks away, and quakes subside into mere tremors. Propping myself up against the bar, I abandon my drink to process the last few seconds.
All these months, there’s been nothing. But just now? I felt it. I feel it. I pulse with life, lightning dancing across my skin as she batters the crowd with furious verses.
But I’m stuck on that first gasp.
One note. One word. She laid me low and resurrected me in one fell swoop.
Who is this girl?

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

EVER AFTER A Nantucket Brides Novel by Jude Deveraux

Praise for Jude Deveraux’s Ever After

“A sweet cast of supporting characters rooting for the lovers adds zest and humor to this
thoroughly pleasurable novel.” –Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“Best-selling Deveraux’s fans will relish the closing installment in her Nantucket Brides series, which features many of her trademarks—a sensual love story, a touch of the supernatural, and members of the sprawling Taggert clan…The combination of a popular setting, likable characters, and happy endings
for all make this another winner from this prolific author.” –Booklist

“Deveraux saves the best for last in the final installment of the Nantucket Brides trilogy…
This sexy, lighthearted romp brings the series to a satisfying close.” –Kirkus



9780345541857.jpg
New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux’s wildly popular Nantucket Brides trilogy concludes with, EVER AFTER (Ballantine Hardcover, on sale June 23, 2015).


EVER AFTER opens with physical therapist Hallie Hartley working overtime to take care of her spoiled stepsister, Shelly, after the untimely death of their parents. When she learns of a house on Nantucket bequeathed to her by a mysterious ancestor and Shelly’s plans to steal it, Hallie throws caution to the wind, taking on the house and a physical therapy client who comes with it―the handsome and troubled Jamie Taggert. Their mutual attraction is undeniable, but if they want to be together, they need answers first―why can’t Jamie sleep through the night without terrors and why was Hallie left the house in the first place?

Susan Elizabeth Phillips agrees readers of Jude Deveraux are in for “a very late night turning the pages straight through to the delicious end!” EVER AFTER delivers all the elements of a spellbinding love story—secrets and surprises abound every step of the way.

Jude Deveraux is the author of more than forty New York Times bestsellers including Moonlight in the Morning and A Knight in Shining Armor. She was honored with a Romantic Times Pioneer Award in 2013 for her distinguished career.


EVER AFTER A Nantucket Brides Novel by Jude Deveraux
Ballantine Hardcover | 978-0-345-54185-7 | On Sale June 23 |$27.00 | 368 pages

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Spotlight: Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally

About the Book (#musicismylife):
Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow the Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

Order Links:

About the Author:

Growing up in Tennessee, MIRANDA KENNEALLY dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband. Visit www.mirandakenneally.com, and follow Miranda @MirandaKennealy & www.facebook.com/miranda.kenneally.



Excerpt:

As much as I love music, I am generally not a fan of country. I don’t like banjos. I don’t like sappy lyrics about trucks and hauling hay. Dolly Parton is my mortal enemy—my mom plays “Jolene” over and over and over and over, and it makes me want to chop my ears off like van Gogh. Yeah, yeah, I’m from Tennessee, where it’s a crime if you don’t love country, but I like deep, rumbling beats and singing loud and fast and hard. I do not like closing my eyes and crooning to a cow in the pasture. Yet here I am at a Jesse Scott concert, getting ready to meet him and to see if he’ll let me shadow him next Friday.

My school requires every senior to “shadow” a professional for a day. It’s their way of helping us figure out what kind of career we want. Like, if you want to be president when you grow up, you might get to shadow the mayor. Want to be a chef? Have fun kneading dough at the Donut Palace. When I said “I want to be a musician,” I figured they’d send me to work in the electronics section at Walmart.

I certainly never expected to shadow the king of country music.

It turns out that Jesse Scott is my principal’s nephew. Jesse won TV’s Wannabe Rocker when he was ten and has gone on to become very successful. In sixth grade, every girl in class—myself included—took the Teen Beat quiz: “Would Jesse Scott Like Your Kissing Style?” (Obviously the answer was yes.) In middle school, I had a Jesse Scott poster on my ceiling. It’s hard to believe he’s only eighteen, because he’s already won three Grammys. When he was younger, his songs were about family, fishing, and playing baseball, but lately they’re about love and making love and all things sexy.

I wouldn’t say I’m a fan anymore, but I would never give up an opportunity to learn from a professional with such a gorgeous, pure voice. I want to learn what it’s like to perform day in and day out. Despite what everyone and their mom says—that I’ll struggle as a musician—all I want is to play guitar in front of a crowd and hear people cheer for me.

I can’t believe I’m backstage at the Grand Ole Opry! I bounce on my toes. Jesus, is that an archtop Super 4, the model Elvis played? I’ve never seen one in real life. It probably cost more than my house. I’m ogling the guitar when Jesse Scott comes out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. He pads across the room to the couch, wearing nothing but a pair of rugged jeans with more holes than Swiss cheese. The lighting is dim, and he doesn’t seem to notice I’m here, which is good, because I’ve moved from ogling the guitar to ogling him.

Who wouldn’t? He was one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People,” and it is a truth universally acknowledged that you should stare at people who’ve made that list. The guy’s gorgeous. Like in the boy-next-door way. His wet, wavy, brown hair curls around his ears and nearly hits his shoulders, and while he doesn’t have a six-pack or anything, his body is fit. I wish he’d look my way so I can see his famous brown eyes. They always remind me of those caramel chews Poppy gives me when I visit. Jesse has some sort of Gaelic symbol tattooed on his left shoulder blade. I want to reach out and trace the design.

God, get ahold of yourself, Maya. Don’t be a horndog. Besides, he’s so not my type. I don’t do pretty boys.

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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Guest post - Jessica Lemmon author of the upcoming book If You Dare


About If You Dare:


He'll make her a bet she can't refuse...

Lily McIntire is in the creepiest mansion in town. Alone. At night. Because she's  an idiot-and can't ignore a dare from her cocky and infuriatingly hot co-worker, 

Marcus Black. But she'll be damned if she's going to give him the satisfaction of  winning.

Marcus has had a thing for Lily for ages, and he has no intention of losing this  bet. His plan? Scare her out of the house, and into his arms. Once there, scaring  her turns into protecting her and soon after, into seducing her. 

And his plan is working...

Lily is having trouble relegating Marcus to the role of "asshat" as easily as before. 

He came to her rescue, and he's actually funny. Charming. Sexy as sin on a  stick. But Lily has a strict no-love-in-the-workplace rule, and even one night of the best sex ever won't make her change her mind. So she's calling everything off...

Surviving a night in the mansion might just be the easy part. Surviving Marcus's increasingly convincing advances is going to take everything she has. 

Losing is not an option...

NOTE: This title was previously published November 2013 on Flaunt as a novella but has been significantly revised and lots of yummy new scenes added to give readers a full-length category romance full of humor and sizzle.

Buying links: Amazon B&N


____________________________________________________________________

Hi everyone, 

so today we have a guest post with the lovely Jessica Lemmon, who was very nice to answer my

questions regarding her writing process and her new book. This guestpost is a part of her tour 

celebrating her new book If You Dare (Note: this title was previously published November 2013 as a 

novella, but now it went through lots of revisions and had new scence added!)

Now, I prestent to you - Jessica Lemmon!!!

Hi Sharon!

Thank you for having me today. :)


1. How do you write your heroes?


Alpha, sexy, and with a soft spot for the heroines. In Marcus’s case in IF YOU

DARE, he’s a hot, joker of a playboy with a knee-weakening crush on his

coworker, Lily. The banter was the most fun part of writing him!


2. Do you find it hard to write heroes?


I find it awesome to write heroes! I love to dive into their heads and figure out

why they do the things they do.


3. Which do you prefer to write—heroes or heroines? 


I love the hero’s POV, sometimes even more than the heroine’s. Especially

when the hero is acting like a tough guy on the outside, but is goo on the

inside.


4. What is your process when creating a character?


Often, I start with a line of dialog, or just a scene idea. With Marcus and Lily in

particular, I loved the idea of the bet, and him trying to scare her out of the

“haunted” house. He fails so epically and it’s fun to watch. I also like to make

a Pinterest board with ideas for what a character looks like. It really helps to

refer back to my boards to get the “feeling” of the book just right. Sometimes I

do a playlist as well. (in the case of IF YOU DARE, I did both).




Saturday, July 18, 2015

Spotlight: Dave vs. The Monsters : Ascendance by John Birmingham

DAVE VS. THE MONSTERS :
ASCENDANCE
For fans of Jim Butcher and Kevin Hearne comes the final book in a heart-pounding urban fantasy series featuring monster slayer Dave Hooper and his magical splitting maul

John Birmingham’s ASCENDANCE: DAVE VS. THE MOSNTERS (Del Rey Mass Market; On Sale 6/30) is the third book in an action-packed urban fantasy series featuring the tough, bald, bleakly funny, down-on-his luck oil rigger Dave Hooper…who has an unlikely destiny as a monster-slayer and savior of the planet.

Kids, there are no monsters under the bed. They’re in the front yard.
As a hardworking monster-slayer, Dave Hooper tries not to bring his work home with him. But nowadays it’s hard to keep them separate. Email, cell phones, empath daemons, they never let a guy rest.
The Horde has been raising hell and leveling cities from New York to Los Angeles, keeping Dave and his fellow monster-killer, Russian spy Karin Varatschevsky, very busy. But when the legions of hell invade the small seaside town his boys call home, Dave has to make a call. Save the world? Or save his family?
Not as easy a choice as you’d think, since Dave’s ex-wife expects to be saved too. And there’s no convincing her that the super sexy Russian spy isn’t his girlfriend. She’s just his sidekick—and an assassin.
 ASCENDANCE is an action-packed satire novel from one of the biggest talents in urban fantasy today.
 John Birmingham is the author of EmergenceResistanceAscendanceAfter AmericaWithout WarningFinal Impact, Designated TargetsWeapons of Choice, and other novels, as well as Leviathan, which won the National Award for Nonfiction at Australia’s Adelaide Festival of the Arts, and the novella “Stalin’s Hammer: Rome.” He has written for The Sydney Morning HeraldRolling StonePenthousePlayboy, and numerous other magazines. He lives at the beach with his wife, daughter, son, and two cats.

Ascendance: Dave vs. the Monsters by John Birmingham
Del Rey Mass Market 
 On Sale: June 30, 2015  978-0-345-53991-5  $9.99  400 pages


So, I have to admit this cover is really good, it makes it more like a UF and with that name I just get a Dresden vibe, this is the last book of the trilogy that. Now, I know it's not exactly like that but still he slays fucking monsters - how much cooler could it be? ;)