The Only Option, from Megan Derr

Hi, there! Welcome to another gay book review and I got to say that this one is on fire! Haha! Annelise, dear, this joke is so old when referring to dragons, please pull yourself together. Yeah, sorry guys Anyway, I was talking about The Only Option (haha), from Megan Derr! I received my review copy from Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review, so thank you a lot! Let’s go 😀

A desperate dragon. A lonely necromancer. A marriage neither wants.

When he is summoned to the royal castle, Rochus anticipates nothing more than a particularly difficult assignment. The bothersome journey is almost made worthwhile when he is propositioned by a young, beautiful dragon, Tilo, who seems untroubled by the fact that Rochus is a necromancer.

When Rochus arrives at the castle he is ordered to marry the very same dragon he spent the night with. Though Rochus would rather sign papers and return home, he is helpless against Tilo’s pleas for help, even if it means spending more time around a man he is desperately drawn to but who doesn’t seem to want him.

Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! Actually, it’s a novella and honestly? The size was just right! Don’t get me wrong, I would gladly have read more about Rochus and Tilo’s romance, but I think Megan was a queen executing a great plot without that feeling that something was left off or that it has too many pages. Perfection, seriously. I loved every aspect of The Only Option: the narrative, the characters, the necromancy ( ❤ ), the shifting deal, the battle scenes, sex scenes, the cozy mystery… PERFECT. Five stars!

The narrative style was third person from Rochus point of view and I found that awesome, as he is funny, awkward, powerful and dangerous all the same time! I really liked him being a necromancer and how Derr didn’t try to beautify this on him: Rochus had black teeth, for goodness sake! That is so not sexy, haha! You know what would probably help him?

Annelise, dear, he would end up eating the poor dentist’s hand, stop joking around and review the book.

Back to business, I also adored Derr’s writing style: it was simple, with a fine humor behind it, cliché-free, entertaining and really fluid. I flew by this book and almost cried when I saw it ended, haha! Any chances we will have more adventures from Rochus and Tilo??

The plot was simple but with layers of complexity. At first, we have an unknown problem that summons Rochus and a fateful meeting with Tilo. Then, a mystery is added to the mix of guilty, anger and lust that the couple experiences by being forced to stay together. And as Rochus fights to help Tilo, a new layer of complexity is laid for us in the book until the reader has as many – or more – doubts as poor Rochus, haha! I really liked this simple start with a complexity added in bits 🙂 OH, AND NO INSTALOVE!!!! /o/

The characters were very developed and complex, especially Rochus, our narrator. He is a bit self-conscious despite being an experienced necromancer, as being physically different often causes social trouble – come on, it happens to the best of us and we don’t even have a full set of sharp and pointy black teeth, haha! I admit I felt the other characters aside Rochus and Tilo a bit superficial, but I think it isn’t a surprise in a novella. There is so much one can do with 30k words and Derr slayed nevertheless.

No surprises that both men ended up on that list, right? 😉

I really need to spotlight the necromancy details and explanations that Derr gives to her reader, as they were fascinating and totally didactic without falling on the boring side. It was awesome to see Rochus’ mind working and putting together his power and spells *–* I really want to dig more into this theme, Derr opened a reading appetite I didn’t even knew I had, haha!

And then there is this cover.

I arrest my case, haha!

Overall, if you enjoy fantasy, shifters, quick reads, macabre themes like necromancy, magic and steamy sex scenes, you really need to read The Only Option!

Thanks for reading my review! Bellow you can find more info on where to find this book, about the author, an excerpt and the giveaway prepared for this tour 🙂

You can find The Only Option in ebook format only 🙂

ARe | Amazon

Megan Derr is a long time writer of LGBTQ romance and keeps herself busy reading, writing, and publishing it. She is often accused of fluff and nonsense. When she’s not involved in writing, she likes to cook, harass her cats, or watch movies. She loves to hear from readers, and can be found all over the internet. For more information on other books by Megan, visit her website.

Website | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Rochus briefly considered changing into fresh clothes, but there was little point until after he’d had a bath—and no telling what would happen in the dining hall. It would hardly be the first time some country bumpkins or foreign nitwits wailed superstitious nonsense and tried to kill him, nevermind he reported directly to the crown.

He smoothed out his robes, frowning at a small tear in the right sleeve. He’d have to stitch it later after his bath.

For the moment, it was time for supper, and hopefully he’d get to enjoy it in peace.

Heading back downstairs, Rochus walked into and through the dining hall, keeping his head up even when the whispers started.

Necromancer.

Half-dead.

Blood-drinker.

His lips curled briefly when he heard someone ask their companion if Rochus was a vampire. As though he was one of those needle-teethed, full-dead mongrels. He drank blood and his teeth were meant for hunting, but it wasn’t the same thing. His teeth were more like those of a wolf—teeth he did not use thus because he was a civilized, capable necromancer of forty-three, not some ravening monster.

Rochus sat down at a table in the corner where he wasn’t too close to the fire but would still be warm and would be able to see anyone who tried to approach him.

A couple of minutes after he sat, a pale-faced young man brought him a pitcher and cup with faintly trembling hands. Rochus slid a coin across the table, nodding for him to take it. The boy took it and skittered away, and the whispers increased as Rochus poured himself a cup of blood and sipped it. Pig, which he preferred, save for those rare occasions he was able to get something as decadent as human.

He took several more sips, savored the way it warmed him through. There was nothing he hated more than being cold, but it was the one thing he would always be due to what was called his half-dead state. He wasn’t actually dead, half or otherwise, but necromancy demanded a high price, drained away half his spirit, replaced it with those unique spiritual energies he needed to wield his strange magic. The physical effects—the corpse white skin, the death-black bones, the need for food replaced by a need for blood—were what earned necromancers the reputation of being half-dead.

Three lucky winners will take home each a digital copy of Jumping In, by Cardeno C.!

To enter, just click here and good luck: GIVEAWAY!

That’s it, thanks for reading the whole post 🙂

BOOK BLITZ: The Rose and the Dagger, by Renée Ahdieh (The Wrath and the Dawn #2)

Hello, there! Welcome to our last book news post of the day ❤ I’m talking about the release blitz for The Rose and the Dagger, second book in the The Wrath and the Dawn series, by Renée Ahdieh! This blitz is courtesy of Rock Star Book Tours 🙂

The Rose and the Dagger

The Wrath and the Dawn #2

by Renée Ahdieh

Release Date: April 26^th, 2016

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

432 pages

I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid’s empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.

While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn’t yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.

You can find The Rose and the Dagger in paperback, hardcover, ebook and audiobook formats! 😀 (aka. any format that your heart desires, haha!)

Amazon | B&N | iBooks 

 

“Above all there is the shattering, triumphant catharsis of love… In a story about stories, love is ‘the power to speak without words.’ Thrillingly full of feeling.”—Kirkus Reviews 

~*~

“Fiery romance, a spirited heroine, shifting loyalties… With more than a few heartrending twists and turns.”—Booklist 

You can read the full prologue of The Rose and the Dagger by clicking here 😀

Renée lives in North Carolina (Go Heels!) with her husband Victor and their dog Mushu. In her spare time, she likes to cook, dance salsa, and wreak havoc on the lives of her characters. She’s also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, as well as an active member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.

Website| Twitter | Facebook| Goodreads | Tumblr  Pinterest | Instagram

This giveaway is only for the lovely residents of the US 🙂 If you’re a lovely US resident yourself or have someone there to receive the prize for you, don’t forget to try your luck!

One lucky US winner will receive:

• A paperback copy of The Wrath & The Dawn
• A hardcover copy of The Rose & The Dagger
• A His Calipha candle from The Melting Library’s Etsy Store

To enter this giveaway, just click on this link and good luck: GIVEAWAY!

That’s it, thanks for reading 🙂 I hope you’re excited about this one! I still haven’t read The Wrath & The Dawn, but I’ve only heard good things about it.

 

 

BLOG TOUR: Starr Valentine, by Wende Dikec

Hello, there! Good afternoon and welcome to a blog tour hosted by Bewitching Book Tours! It’s my deepest honor and pleasure to introduce you to Starr Valentine, by Wende Dikec 😀

Starr Valentine

Wende Dikec

Genre: Young Adult/Sci-Fi

176 pages

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Release Date: March 10^th, 2016

Cover Artist: Najla Qamber (you get a free hug coupon for such a beautiful cover!)

What happens when the beautiful swan becomes the ugly duckling?

Starr Valentine has a perfect life in Middleton, Ohio. She was named captain of the cheer squad, her mother finally allowed her to get highlights, and the cutest boy in school asked her to homecoming. But everything comes crashing down when she finds out her parents are actually monarchs in exile from a mysterious planet called Vega. Starr doesn’t want to leave, but loves the idea of being a princess, and decides moving to an alien world might not be so bad. When she gets there, however, she discovers that something is terribly wrong.

Starr has always been the winner of the family, but now everyone is fawning over her chubby older sister, Astra. And everyone, even a handsome and annoying young duke named Julian, seems to hate her. That is when she realizes the awful truth. Astra is now the pretty one. Astra has all the friends. Astra gets all of the attention. And Starr Valentine, voted Miss Perfect, is now the ugly duckling. Her biggest fear is…will she be able to turn back into a swan, or is she doomed to be a loser forever?

You can find Starr Valentine in ebook format 🙂

Amazon | BN | Kobo | iTunes | ARe

 

We all met in the captain’s lounge just after the transport ship had safely landed. My father wore some sort of military uniform, and he was completely dashing, as always.

“Girls, you both look lovely.”

I smiled up at him. “So do you, Daddy,” I said, and he patted my cheek.

My mom fluttered up to us in a cacophony of lime green lace and feathers. A large gold medallion was pinned to her breast and she had on the crown she’d worn for the nightly news. She reached for our hands, tears swimming in her eyes.

“I have something for you,” she said, her voice trembling. Captain Augustus stood behind her, looking just as handsome as my father. He held open a wooden box. Inside were two small, yet perfect, tiaras.

I gasped. “Diamonds.”

“These are not your true crowns,” my mother explained. “Those went missing during the confusion when we were trying to escape. These are just a substitute until we can find something better.”

I couldn’t imagine something better. The tiaras seemed perfect. I leaned over slightly so my mom could slip it onto my head, glad I’d decided to wear my hair up in a French twist. The tiara was beautiful. I admired myself for a few minutes in the mirror before looking at Astra. She and my mother stood side by side, their hair a riot of dark curls, their dresses positively painful to the eyes, and I sighed. I really hoped they didn’t humiliate themselves too much at the ceremony. They looked like clowns from a circus performance.

My father, of course, didn’t seem to notice. He bowed and kissed my mother’s hand gallantly before linking it through his arm and leading her out the door. I could tell it was a very emotional moment for both of them. They were returning to the home they loved after being exiled for so many years. Even I could feel my throat tightening up.

Astra walked up and took my arm. “Are you ready?” she asked, and I nodded. It was time to face the music, or the Vegonians, as the case may be.

We stepped out into a warm, sultry evening on Vega. Lights had been set up all around the landing bay, and we followed my parents to an elevated platform near the ship. People waited as far as the eye could see, and as soon as my parents stepped up to the podium, the crowd roared.

I stood arm in arm with Astra, taking in the moment. The city of Celesta glittered in the light of the fading sun, just beyond the crowd of people assembled before us. It sparkled like it was made of glass. I could see what must have been the royal palace on one side of the city on top of a small hill, and it made me think of Aladdin’s castle, all gilt and white marble. I decided I could definitely get used to living there.

As I stared at the people in front of me, I started to notice something odd. The women here were not at all what I’d expected. Supposedly the most beautiful women in the universe, they all looked a lot like my mother and sister, with short, oddly shaped bodies and large behinds. They also dressed just like my mother and sister, in a riot of colors and patterns.

A quick assessment told me that I was the only pretty girl around, other than Maya, and definitely the best dressed. Maya had been forced by her parents to wear some sort of Vegonian monstrosity made out of a hot pink iridescent fabric. Torture. I, on the other hand, felt like an elegant swan dumped into the middle of a bunch of plump, gaudy, peacocks.

I heaved a sigh of relief. I’d been a little teeny tiny bit worried when I’d heard about how beautiful Vegonian women were. It was good to realize those rumors had been pure exaggeration. No one in this crowd could hold a candle to me.

Another quick look around told me that there wasn’t a single bad looking guy here. I was completely devoted to Adrian, of course, but I couldn’t help but admire and appreciate male beauty when I saw it. The boys were all works of art. It was as if I’d been dropped into a huge candy shop full of the most delicious boys I’d ever seen, and knew I could have my pick. Of course I would never cheat on Adrian, but it felt like a candy shop here, nonetheless.

My joy proved short-lived. None of the boys even looked at me. At first I thought that several of them stared at me, which made me happy, but soon realized it wasn’t me they stared at. They had their eyes locked on Astra with the same sort of enraptured expressions boys usually reserved for me.

A cold wave of shock crawled over my entire body. Boys never looked at Astra like that, especially when I stood right next to her. Something was very wrong here.

I smoothed my hair, which was perfect and didn’t need smoothing. I stuck out my chest and turned my body so they could see my best angle, but none of them even noticed me. Astra had suddenly become the center of attention.

My mother gave a very lovely and heartfelt speech, which I barely paid attention to. The crowd roared and screamed her name, but I hardly even heard it. People waved and cheered with tears streaming down their faces, but I felt numb to everything.

When we were introduced to various dignitaries, everyone said “lovely,” and “a vision,” when they met Astra. When they saw me, they looked a bit confused and then mumbled something boring like “nice to meet you.” Something very strange was going on, and I had to figure it out.

I searched the crowd for Adrian, but he was nowhere to be seen. One sexy, appreciative look from him might have been enough to restore some semblance of balance and order to my universe. But he wasn’t around and I’d been cast adrift in a sea of beautiful boys to whom I was invisible.

“Art thou okay, Princess Starr?” asked Captain Augustus. “Thou art pale.”

I blinked as I digested his words. The Vegonians spoke English, but a weird form of archaic Elizabethan English mixed with modern slang. The only people who had spoken like that on the transport ship were the captain and the crew. All of the Vegonians who been on Earth for the last fifteen years spoke standard, modern English, although I’d heard a few “thou’s” and “thee’s” begin to slip into the language of the older passengers, including my own parents.

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

As the captain bowed and turned away, I realized I wasn’t fine at all. I stared around at the sea of happy, glowing, faces, including those of my parents and my sister, and understood that suddenly, and without any explanation, I had become the outsider.

“Thou art in hell, Starr Valentine,” I murmured to myself.

AND GUESS WHAT?! Wende herself is here with us today! 😀

Thanks so much for agreeing to be here today, Wende! It’s a pleasure ❤ I asked Wende to tell us five fun facts about her book Starr Valentine and it’s writing process and she indulged me! Let’s see what she has to say about the matter? 😀

My young adult book Starr Valentine is the story of a beautiful, popular cheerleader who finds out her parents are aliens and she has to return to her home planet. When she gets there, she realizes the standard of beauty if very different, and she isn’t pretty anymore. Not good news for the vain and slightly vapid Starr.

Five Fun Facts about Starr Valentine:

1) The book was inspired by a chance encounter near a tennis court.

Tennis season had just started for the boys’ team, and I was standing around, waiting for my son’s practice to end. I noticed a woman standing nearby with two girls by her side. I didn’t know her, but she caught my attention because she was remarkable. She had on brightly colored clothing in several contrasting patterns, a head full of curly hair divided into what looked like random ponytails, and a self-confidence that exuded itself in her booming voice and glowing, happy face.

Next to her stood a young girl who looked just like her, the same colorful clothing, wild hair, and extremely curvy shape. She was smiling, just like her mother, the spring sunshine kissing her face as she lifted it to the sky. They both looked so happy, so completely at ease.

And then I noticed the other member of their little trio, a girl shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot as she eased away from the other two. I could feel her embarrassment, a palpable thing, as if she wanted to physically separate herself from them. She had on a very plain navy blue skirt and a white t-shirt. A very pretty girl, she looked extremely…normal next to the other two.

And then I heard the whisper of a story start to swirl around inside my brain. What if?

What if I was looking at a family? What if a mother had two daughters, one who looked just like her and one who was very different? What if the “different” daughter was beautiful and popular, and felt ashamed of her mother and her older sister?

What if? I really need those words in a tattoo.

 2) Starr Valentine was originally written as a short story called “So Pretty” that won third prize in Writers’ Journal Magazine’s annual science fiction contest.

I couldn’t get the image of the woman at the tennis courts out of my head. When I saw an advertisement for the Writers’ Journal contest, the “what if” started again. I thought, what if they are aliens? What if the way the mother looked is considered to be the epitome of beauty on that world? What if the girl who is pretty on earth, suddenly isn’t beautiful anymore?

 3) My son helped make Starr into a cheerleader.

I have three boys, and while I was writing Starr, my oldest son was the school’s mascot. That meant he spent a lot of time with the cheerleading squad – on the bus, at football games, and at practices. He would come home and share some of their discussions with me, and that led to the creation of several characters in the book. Having girls is a very different experience from having boys, and I don’t think I realized how different until I started writing Starr.

 4) I wrote Starr Valentine in ten weeks.

I already had the basis for the plot in my short story, but the rest of the book nearly flew onto the page. It was such fun to write, and sometimes I felt like I couldn’t type fast enough to keep up with the story that was taking place in my head.

 5) I learned about different standards of beauty because I lived it.

I studied Japanese and International Economics in college, and spent six year living abroad. I learned that different cultures can have very different ideas about beauty. In China, for example, tiny feet are treasured, but have you ever seen what a bound foot actually looks like? It’s terrible. And painful.

Interestingly enough, the reaction you probably had to the photo of the bound feet is very similar to the reaction I had from Japanese students when they saw my pierced ears. They often asked me to take my earrings out, and shivered in disgust when they saw the hole in my ear lobe. “How could you do that to yourself?”

Beauty. Sometimes it isn’t something that can be translated across cultures. Or, in the case of Starr Valentine, across galaxies.

 I’m officially shocked, haha! But Wende has a very valid point: beauty is nothing but a standart and that’s why it is so important for us to not care about other people’s opinion about our own looks 🙂 I wish 15-year-old-me had known this, haha!

Once again, thanks so much for being here today, Wende!! I can’t wait to read Starr Valentine! *–*

Wende Dikec has spent her life traveling the world, and collecting stories wherever she visited. She writes in several romance genres, and her books are quirky, light, and fun. Fluent in several languages and married to a man from Istanbul, Wende is a trekkie, a book hoarder, master of the Nespresso machine, and mother of three boys. A puppy named Capone is the most recent addition to her family, and she blogs about him as a way of maintaining what little sanity she has left.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram

One lucky winner will get a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

All you have to do to participate on this giveaway is to subscribe to Wende’s newsletter here. The winner will be announced on June 1^st 😀 Good luck!

That’s it, thanks so much again to Wende for being on my post, thank you for reading this post and thanks to Bewitching Book Tours for my spot on this marvelous tour! 😀

BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY: Life in the Lucky Zone, from Patricia B. Tighe

Hi, there! Welcome to a very special book tour hosted by Chapter by Chapters 😀 I already talked about our star on its cover reveal day, but now the baby is born 😀 Congratulations to Patricia B. Tighe for the second baby in The Zone series: Life in the Lucky Zone!

Life in the Lucky Zone

(The Zone #2)

by Patricia B. Tighe

Publication Date:  April 5, 2016

Publisher:  Swoon Romance

Summary

Seventeen-year-old Lindsey Taylor has been living a charmed life—always the lead in school plays, possessor of a healthy entourage and a hot boyfriend. But halfway through her junior year, the unthinkable happens. Her boyfriend dumps her. She screws up her audition for the spring play. And to top it all off, her theater teacher wants her to run lines with Trey Berger, a gamer guy who irritates her practically every time he opens his mouth. Lindsey needs to find some better luck and quick.

Trey Berger can barely tolerate Lindsey Taylor. It’s bad enough that their best friends are dating and he has to see Lindsey at group hangouts. Now they have to rehearse together. Berger would rather do just about anything else, even chill with his grandmother, whose dementia has forced her to move in with his family.

But as the semester continues, Berger discovers there’s more to Lindsey than the drama queen

persona she puts on for everyone else’s benefit. And the person behind the mask might be someone he cares about. A lot. So what exactly is he going to do about it?

And while Lindsey desperately tries to change her luck and heal from the breakup, she slowly realizes Berger has become her best friend. This video-game-playing boy makes her laugh. And holds her when she cries. Could he possibly become something more?

I’ve had the luck of recently reading several awesome contemporary romances, so I’m more excited about the genre’s latest releases, haha! I won’t lie, I’m still very picky, so if you hear me good mouthing a contemporary romance, you should consider checking it out, haha! ;D

You can find Life in the Lucky Zone on Amazon, both on paperback and ebook formats!

AMAZON

And guess what? Patricia heself agreed to stop for a bit here in my blog!! ❤

Thanks so much, dear *–*

So, I asked Patricia to tell us five curiosities about Life in the Lucky Zone and here’s what she can say for the book:

Ha, ha! Thanks for having me on your blog. (You’re most welcome, Patricia <3)

Well, let’s see:

• Someone does wonder if chickens have toenails
• A Chihuahua named Bartholomew
• A stuffed-animal throwing girl with seriously bad aim
• A girl who’s fascinated by UFOs
• Multiple boxes of good luck charms.

I personally never thought about chickens with or without toenails and I love a good charm box, so you tugged hard at my curiosity, Patricia! Haha! Thanks so much for coming over ❤

Of course, I also had to include an excerpt ❤ Nothing better to tell you what to expect of the book writing style and to sneak peek a little in general, right? 😀

EXCERPT

I had to find Lindsey. Lines of cars inched along the road just past the parking lot. It was peak everybody and their dog leaving school time. I scanned the small groups of people that were standing around by the buildings or parked cars. Where was she? I sighed. I should’ve gotten her phone number so I could find out what was going on. I’d give it five minutes, and if she didn’t show, I’d head home.

Three minutes later, a silver sedan that had been working its way around parked cars pulled up to the curb in front of me. The automatic window went slowly down. “Come on, Dragon Boy,” Lindsey said, leaning over the passenger seat. “Let’s go.”

A Honda? And by the scratches on its doors, it wasn’t even new. This was a surprise. I climbed in, setting my backpack between my feet. “Where are we going?”

“To my house,” she said, pulling into the line of cars exiting the lot.

“How am I supposed to get home later? And you can stop with the ‘dragon’ stuff. I don’t play that many games with dragons in them.”

She pursed her lips as though she were fighting a smile. “But you play at least one, right?”

“I have.”

“Then ‘Dragon Boy’ stays.”

I let out a huge exhale. “Whatever happened to ‘Dragon Master,’ anyway? Why’ve I been reduced to just a boy?”

“I like the sound of it better. And, don’t worry, I’ll take you home later.”

“Okay. But why aren’t we rehearsing at school?”

“You’re just full of questions, aren’t you?” She checked out her side window, then turned right onto the road. When I didn’t say anything, she mumbled, “I’m expecting a package.”

I thought she might tell me more, but instead she turned on the radio. Pop country music almost shattered my eardrums, and she lowered the volume. Oh, goody. We were going to listen to, “You cheated on me and I’m getting revenge,” all the way to her house. Maybe I could fix that.

“Do you want to run some lines right now? Save some time?”

“No,” she said. “I like to focus on one thing at a time.”

“Driving and listening to music are two things.”

We made it through the major four-way stop and sped on, the traffic thinning out. “That’s different,” she said. “I don’t have to focus when I listen to music.”

I had to give her that point, but I still wanted the music off. “Is there any other kind of music we could listen to? You know, like music without words?”

She laughed. “You don’t like this?” She gestured to the radio. “Were you born in this country?”

“Very funny.”

She pushed the radio button, cutting off some guy mid-wail. “Whatever you want, Dragon Boy. I was just trying to save us from awkward silence.”

“Awkward silence is completely underrated. You should try it sometime.”

I kind of laughed my ass of from this excerpt, but okay. I’m alive, haha!

Bellow, you can learn more about Patricia. Guess what? We have an Q&A! ❤ (Never give a journalist a lot of material to work with, haha!)

The mother of two grown sons, Patricia B. Tighe lives in El Paso, Texas, with her husband and two dogs. Her love of the written word caused her to get a journalism degree from Texas A&M University in 1980 and an MA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2008. When not writing or reading, she can be found walking the dogs or yelling at the TV during an NFL game. She’s also a fan of British TV shows. Downton Abbey, anyone?

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr | Instagram

Q&A with Patricia B. Tighe!

1. What inspired the story?

First off, I was writing a series and needed to write a book. 😀 Second, at the end of Life in the No-Dating Zone, the situation with Lindsey and her boyfriend, Adam, was left a little up in the air—especially as far as Claire was concerned. I knew that I needed to settle it, to have Lindsey come to understand more about herself. And who better to instigate that than someone who drives her crazy? Plus, many readers wanted to see more from Berger, who was a secondary character in LitNDZ. So I thought, a drama queen and a gamer boy? Why not?

2. What is your favorite scene?

That would have to be when a hurting, tipsy Lindsey makes a move on Berger. His reaction was so much fun to write!

3. What was the hardest scene to write?

The video-game playing scene, because I had to continually stop to get information and critique from my son.

4. Who would play your characters in a film?

AnnaSophia Robb with auburn hair and Matthew Lewis with glasses—especially now that he’s grown up to what I’ve seen described as “nerd hot.”

5. What’s your favorite book to film adaptation?

The Princess Bride.

6. Do you have any pets?

I have two mixed-breed dogs, ages sixteen and fifteen. One is a cross between a lab and a chow, and the other is a cross between a boxer and probably a lab. They are ridiculous and I love them.

7. If you could be any character in your book who would you be and why?

The female version of Berger, because he loves to laugh and to make people laugh.

8. What’s the best advice you can give someone who wants to be a writer?

Read! Read the genre you want to write. Read for pleasure and then re-read to analyze how it’s done.

9. How will you spend your release day?

Probably helping with promotion and checking sales rankings too often. But I do plan to go out to dinner to celebrate.

10. What are you writing now?

I’ve turned in the third book in the Life in the No-Dating Zone series, and now I’m working on a YA contemporary romance that I hope will be the first in a new series. We shall see!

Stay tuned on Patricia’s website and social networks. The brilliant mind behind Life in the Lucky Zone promises more gold to come soon! ❤

And yes, I didn’t forget. There is also a GIVEAWAY!

GIVEAWAY

• One lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card and a digital copy of Life in the Lucky Zone (INTERNATIONAL)

Join me on this chance by clicking here: GIVEAWAY!

That’s it! I’m so sorry for the long post, but there were so many cool things to say about this book ❤ Thank you for reading! Also, thanks so much to Patricia to take the time to be here as a guest and huge thanks to Chapter by Chapter that made it all possible! 😀

COVER REVEAL: The Replacement Crush, from Lisa Brown Roberts

Hi, there! Welcome to another book cover reveal brought to you by YA Bound book Tours! Our star now is The Replacement Crush, from Lisa Brown Roberts!

The Replacement Crush

by Lisa Brown Roberts

Release Date: September 6th 2016

Entangled Teen

Summary

True love can’t be strategized.

Romance book blogger Vivian Galdi is a girl with a plan: the Replacement Crush mission. After her longtime crush pretends their secret summer kissing sessions never happened, Vivian creates a list of safe targets, determined to protect her heart and avoid anyone who pings her zing meter. But nerd-hot Dallas, the new guy in town, sends the mission and Vivian’s zing meter into chaos. While designing software for the bookstore where Vivian works, Dallas wages a counter-mission, analyzing his target and taking advantage of the tactical errors in her strategy.

Does Dallas just like a good game of Replacement Crush Battlefield, or is he on his own mission to prove to Vivian that true love isn’t a matter of strategy? And how much collateral damage can they both sustain during the heat of battle?

You can already pre-order this beauty in both paperback and digital formats at our top book buying places 😀

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│iTunes│Kobo

Amazon UK│Amazon CA│The Book Depository│Books a Million

Bellow, you can read a brief bio from Lisa, the author!

 

Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn’t recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life’s painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way. She lives in Colorado in a house full of books, boys, four-legged prima donnas, and lots of laughter.

Website│Twitter│Facebook│Goodreads

Tumblr│Instagram│Pinterest

That’s it! Thanks so much for reading 😀 And thanks to YA Bound Book Tours for the reveal! Did you like The Replacement Crush’s cover?? (I loved it!)

BOOK BLITZ + GIVEAWAY: Love in B Minor, from Elodie Nowodazkij (Broken Dreams #3)

Hi, there! Welcome to my last news of today: a book blitz hosted by Xpresso Book Tours for Love in B Minor, from Elodie Nowodazkij!

Love in B Minor
Elodie Nowodazkij
(Broken Dreams #3)
Publication date: March 15th, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Summary

No promises. No fake tomorrows. That was the plan.

New city. New life. At least, that’s what nineteen-year-old Jen Harrison believes. On the surface, she’s living her dream: dancing in a prestigious dance company in Paris. But her sister’s death and the mistakes she’s tried to bury haunt her. She’s become a pro at hiding who she truly is, and she definitely doesn’t want a guy to derail her, but a one night-stand she can do. Nothing more. She definitely doesn’t plan to see the sexy stranger who made her laugh for the first time in years ever again.

Girls don’t walk away from Lucas Wills. Bad boy turned rock star, he’s got his share of groupies. Always upfront, he doesn’t promise fake tomorrows because love can destroy everything. Been there, done that. His ex not only lied to him, she stomped on his heart, used him to become famous, and almost ruined him. So, waking up alone after a night beyond his wildest imagination with a girl he just met shouldn’t upset him, shouldn’t inspire one of the saddest songs he’s ever written, shouldn’t make him want to chase after her.

When Jen, the one-night stand who got away, auditions to be a dancer in Lucas’ next music video, they can’t stop their growing attraction. But Jen’s secrets and his ex could shatter the careers they tried so hard to build and their hearts…they will have to decide what’s more important and if love is worth the fight.

Love in B Minor is the third standalone novel in Elodie Nowodazkij’s Broken Dreams series.

I’m not the biggest contemporary fan in the world, but this book sounds like the type that you want to hug while you read ❤ Feel this vibe!

Seriously, I’m in love. You can already get Love in B Minor at our usual book buying places:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Oh, romance. How I adore you. Just feel this vibe:

EXCERPT

And his laughter booms in the quiet night. And seeing him laugh makes me want to smile right along with him. And I want to hold on to that feeling a bit longer. One of my hands slowly reaches out and my fingers trail down his cheek while my other hand falls on his knee. He stops laughing. His gaze turns hungry.

“I’m not really thirsty anymore,” I whisper. Our eyes lock. The tension crackling between us gets even more intense. He leans in and I hold my breath. We’re lost in the moment, in the anticipation, in that one second. That one second before a first kiss. I bridge the tiny distance between us and when our lips meet, I breathe again.

His lips are strong and soft.

My body melts into his despite the layers. One of his hands caresses my back and I press myself against him, wishing I could feel his skin against mine. His tongue slips inside my mouth, teasing mine into a playful dance. His other hand cups my face and I could stay like this forever. But I want more. And what I have in mind probably shouldn’t happen outside.

We might get arrested.

But I don’t want to end the night here and now.

I don’t want this night to end at all.

 I just need this book now, OMG. I can’t even! Bellow, there’s more about the author, Elodie 🙂

Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she’d never lose her French accent. Now she lives in Maryland with her husband, their dog and their cat.

She’s also a serial smiley user.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Tumblr

And now… GIVEAWAY TIME!

GIVEAWAY!

• Amazon $25 gift card

To participate (and join me, haha!), just clikc the link bellow!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That’s it, thank you so much for reading and thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for introducing to my next to-buy book ❤

Triumph of Chaos, from Jen McConnel (Red Magic #3)

Hi, there! Welcome to the Triumph of Chaos Blog Tour, brought to you by Chapter by Chapter! This is the third and last book on the Red Magic trilogy, from Jen McConnel, and I was kindly sent a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review on my tour stop. Thanks again to Chapter by Chapter for the chance and the moment is here!

from my Instagram 😀

The Story

(Goodreads Blurb)

After the disaster in Europe, Darlena’s starting to get desperate. She knows the only way to defeat Hecate and the other crazy Red Gods is by banding together with other Witches, but is it any wonder she has a hard time trusting them?

With Izzy’s support, Darlena begins making fragile strides toward repairing the mess she made, but she just can’t catch a break. As chaos runs rampant around her, Darlena begins to think that things would be better if she’d never become a Red Witch in the first place. But there’s no way to change the past…is there?

The final book in the Red Magic series brings Darlena face to face with impossible odds, and a terrifying choice.

The Analysis

Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂

I’ve flight through this book. I decided that I’d forever hate Darlena when still reading the second book of the series, Gods of Chaos, but my feelings for her reached a new level on this book. Honestly, it could have been a hundred pages shorter if we just cut out the pages where she tries to put the blame of her actions on others, whines or simply dives into self-loathing. I think that those moments are more than allowed to exist on every book, as they are normal for every human being, but seriously. This girl is a mess. Lucky her that lived on a very constructed world with wonderful magic notions and a delightful mixing of Gods from the whole world! Also, lucky her that I adored Izzie since Gods of Chaos. McConnel’s managed to build a wonderful trilogy despite her protagonist and for that, I bow to her. I couldn’t stop reading Triumph of Chaos until I reached the end and, even with so many loose ends, I think this is a satisfying end. Three stars 🙂

The narrative style followed the other two book’s one: first person styled from Lena’s point of view only. This trilogy illustrated loudly why I don’t usually like this type of narrator. In the moment I couldn’t go back on my hatred feelings for Lena, most of the enjoyment for the wonderful world that McConnel created for Red Magic was lost for me. I couldn’t have a break from her and her whining, her selfishness, her denseness, her soul. This may have been a five stars book, but oh well.

The plot was one of the strongest points of the book, as it was full of surprises and twists. I simply couldn’t tell how the book would end, much less if it was going to end well – you now see why I couldn’t release the book, haha! In a way, many things didn’t go well or on the way I wanted, so that’s why the book lost another star.

The characters again were a source of problem for me. I liked so few characters over this series that I got really upset to see so many of my favorite ones gone. Due to spoilers, I won’t comment further on the matter, but I was so sad to see them gone 😦 Also, I didn’t really like the love triangles that McConnel set up for Lena, but that’s a personal thing for me, as I couldn’t see why anyone would fall for Lena. Looks aren’t everything, after all.

Anyway, there was two characters that I loved really much on the series and that survive all the chaos [haha]: Persephone and her dearest husband, Hades. I loved them so much!! My favorite Gods and characters, along with this boy named Marcus (aka the reason why I gave Gods of Chaos two stars; I couldn’t get over what happened with him).

Overall, this series had a satisfying end and McConnel did create a magic world in which I’d love to live. I may have not been trilled for Darlena, but I highly recommend this series if you like witches, magic, Mythology and a plot full of twists and turnings 😀

Thank you for reading my review! Bellow, you can find the links to grab your copy of Triumph of Chaos and to add it to your Goodreads shelf!

Where to find Triumph of Chaos

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Also, you can learn a bit about Jen McConnel, the author of Red Magic series, bellow 🙂

A Michigander by birth, Jen McConnel now makes her home in the beautiful state of North Carolina. She writes NA, including the recently released Adventures Abroad series (Bloomsbury Spark), the award winning YA novel Beautiful Curse (Swoon Romance), and various other works. When she isn’t writing, she can be found on her yoga mat or wandering off on another adventure. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time. Visit http://www.JenMcConnel.com to learn more!

Website |Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

• Five winners will receive a digital copy of Triumph of Chaos (Red Magic #3) by Jen McConnel (INTERNATIONAL!)

Don’t miss out that chance 😀 Click here to participate: GIVEAWAY!

That’s it, thank you for reading! And again, a huge thanks to Chapter by Chapter for giving me this chance 😀

BOOK BLITZ + GIVEAWAY: Triumph of Chaos, by by Jen McConnel (Red Magic #3)

 Hi, there! Welcome to a very special book blitz, brought to you by Chapter by Chapter, as it’s release day for…

Triumph of Chaos

Triumph of Chaos is the third book in the Red Magic series, by Jen McConnel! Happy Book Birthday, Jen! 😀

 

Triumph of Chaos (Red Magic #3)
by Jen McConnel
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books

Summary

After the disaster in Europe, Darlena’s starting to get desperate. She knows the only way to
defeat Hecate and the other crazy Red Gods is by banding together with other Witches, but is it any wonder she has a hard time trusting them?

With Izzy’s support, Darlena begins making fragile strides toward repairing the mess she made,
but she just can’t catch a break. As chaos runs rampant around her, Darlena begins to think that things would be better if she’d never become a Red Witch in the first place. But there’s no way to change the past…is there?

The final book in the Red Magic series brings Darlena face to face with impossible odds, and a
terrifying choice.

You can already grab your copy in both paperback and ebook versions here:

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Also, we bring to you where to find books one and two on this series!

 

Daughter of Chaos (Red Magic #1):

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

 Gods of Chaos (Red Magic #2):

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

The best thing is that you’ll get to see reviews for all three books until Monday 😀 Exactly, I’m part of the upcoming book tour for Triumph of Chaos! ❤ Stay tuned to not miss a single review and update ;D Bellow, you can read a bit about the author, Jen!

A Michigander by birth, Jen McConnel now makes her home in the beautiful state of North Carolina. She writes NA, including the recently released Adventures Abroad series (Bloomsbury Spark), the award winning YA novel Beautiful Curse (Swoon Romance), and various other works. When she isn’t writing, she can be found on her yoga mat or wandering off on another adventure. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time. Visit http://www.JenMcConnel.com to learn more!

Website |Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr | Goodreads

 And, last but not least, the…

• Five winners will receive a digital copy of Triumph of Chaos (Red Magic #3), by Jen McConnel and it is INTERNATIONAL!

To participate, just click on the link bellow!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t miss out the chance, guys!!

That’s it, thank you so much for reading 😀 And thanks to Chapter by Chapter for picking me up for another delicious book blitz ❤