Topic: Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2015 This year so far I have read 46 books. I am a little behind my target of 100 in a year but am hoping to catch up this summer. This year so far it has all been about series, for me. I have started and finished 7 book series this year and finished the rest of one series. Here is my top 10 favourites so far: * All reviews are available to read by clicking on the titles of the books.*
I read What Remains back in April and I really enjoyed it. I give it a 4* rating. It's a story that really stuck with me. I read all 4 books currently available in the Cross fire Series and give them all 5* ratings.
The It girl was one of the funniest and fun books I have read so far this year. A solid 5* rating. I read both The 5th Wave and The Infinite Sea back in April and loved both but The Infinite Sea was by far my favourite out of the two.
I read all the Vampire Academy series but Shadow Kiss was by far my favourite. I also read all the After Series back in February and thought it was fantastic.
Yay I have read all the 50 Shades of grey trilogy twice this year. I loved it so much. Things We Know By Heart was fantastic it was my most anticipated book of the year and it lived up to my expectation.
Undertow is by far the book that surprised me this year and fell in love with it and I think it's my favourite of the year so far. Vendetta was another book I thoroughly enjoyed this year giving it a 5* rating.
Welcome to the sexy, crazy, wildly unpredictable world of modern matchmaking, where fixing up strangers is part of the job—but falling in love is an occupational hazard…
He's The Perfect Catch.
Blake Donovan is tall, handsome, rich, and successful—so why would a guy like him need a matchmaker? Andrea Dawson has no idea, but a job is a job. After being blackballed from a career in marketing, Andrea agreed to use her unique profiling skills to play matchmaker out of pure desperation. But when she meets her highly eligible—and particular—first client face to face, she wonders what she’s gotten herself into…
Is She His Perfect Match?
Blake knows exactly the kind of woman he’s looking for—and it’s the total opposite of Andrea. Though smart and undeniably sexy, she is simply too headstrong for a man who’s used to being in charge. Still, Blake’s blood pressure rises whenever she’s near him. How can he explain the smoldering attraction that sizzles between them? And how can Andrea deny she’s feeling it, too? Maybe, just maybe, they’ve finally met their match…
Laurelin McGee is the pseudonym of Laurelin Paige and Kayti McGee.
Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She's a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there's kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters.
Kayti McGee is a Kansas City native who now calls Colorado home. When she isn't writing, she's making up recipes to go with her favorite books.
Pixelated by L.S. Murphy releases tomorrow, June 30th. Check out the book and my interview with the author and let me know your thoughts on the book in the comments below.
For Piper Marks, the answer is simple. She's determined to have her photography rock the cover of National Geographic someday, and moving to Clarkton, Iowa for her last year of high school is not going to stop her. Even if her usual subjects have changed from bright lights and skyscrapers to fields, cows…and more fields.
But when photographer at the local paper quits in a huff, she steps into his spot. Her new job keeps Piper busy capturing tackles, and zooming in on first downs and end zone dances, not to mention putting her directly in the path of varsity football star Les Williams IV. Her new friends warn her off, but she can't resist the pull she feels toward this mysterious country boy. But this small town is keeping a secret, and it's one that could destroy any chance they have to be together.
It's up to Piper to decide what to do with the distorted truth. Can she risk exposing her heart? It might be worth it, 'cause Les is about to change her world from black and white to fully saturated color.
Tell us a little about your and your writing career?
My writing career, like most, has been peaks and valleys. But the peaks always outweigh the valleys. :) I'd wanted to write for a long time, but I never could find my voice. It wasn't until I went back to college and took a course called Adolescent Literature that I realized what I really wanted to write. I discovered YA was more than just "kiddie books" and the stories were so heart-wrenching and beautiful. I knew after reading RATS SAW GOD by Rob Thomas that I'd found what I really wanted to write.
Tell me about the creation behind Pixelated.
PIXELATED actually began for me in high school, although I didn't know it then. My creative writing teacher used to take our class off school grounds to find inspiration. One day we were walking back from the town square and he forced us to stop. He pointed to the school's southern parking lot and said, "If that's not inspiration, I don't know what is. Now write!" He pointed at a row of tractors parked under the trees. I thought it was stupid, but that image stayed with me for years.
Eventually, Piper's voice emerged and a plot slowly developed. And by slowly, I mean YEARS of this swirling around in my head with less than a hundred words on the page. It wasn't until Les Williams jumped in that I finally started writing the novel. He was worth the wait I think. ;)
Describe Piper in 140 characters or less.
Piper is determined to be the best photographer in the world and to travel it.
Why should we pick up Pixelated?
PIXELATED has a sweet romance that I just loved writing. But it's also a story about finding your voice. It's really hard to do, and I think even harder in this day and age than when I was a teen. Don't be afraid to speak up.
The Sunday Post was created by Caffeniated Book Reviewer this is a post where we recap on the going on's on the blog the week previous and the week coming up as well as the awesome books we have received, bought or been gifted for review!
This week I didn't get all my posts I wanted to get up as I have been busy trying to get my U.S. Virtual Road Trip posts ready which kicks of this Wednesday. I am so excited for it and can't wait for you guys to see all the awesome posts. Check back on Wednesday for our first stop in Alabama, and then every day after that for 50 days.
Thursday: ~U.S. Virtual Road Trip - Alaska with author Jolene B Perry
~Review of Last Sacrifice ( Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead
Friday: ~U.S. Virtual Road Trip- Arizona with author Chelsea Fine
~Mini reviews
Saturday: ~U.S. Virtual Road Trip- Arkansas with a post by me and giveaway
~Extra stop in Texas with author Rachel Caine and giveaway
Sunday: ~U.S. Virtual Road Trip- stop in California with blogger Stacee @ Adventures of a book junkiee
Songs I found and love this week...
Shut up and dance by Walk The moon~ this is such a fun song.
Travie McCoy feat Sia - Golden~ This song is so good. I love Sia's voice.
Zedd- Beautiful Now feat Job Bellion- the video is awesome and so is the song.
Colton Dixon- Through all of it~ This is a powerful video and the song is beautiful. Colton has one of the most beautiful voices.
Now to the books.....
Yeah so it's the end of the month which means I get paid which means I buy way too many books that I don't need but you know how it is you just have to buy them.
Ebooks....
Veils and Vengeance I received for review, I enjoyed the first book, Diamond Rings are deadly things earlier in the year and can't wait to get to this one this summer. Until we meet again is an e-ARC, it releases November 2015 ~ netgalley
LOL I am excited to read, I read The Duff a few months back and enjoyed it, I think LOL releases this week ~ netgalley ~ Twisted Hook I received for a August blog tour VIA Xpresso Book Tours
Suicide notes from beautiful girls really caught my eye. It releases this week ~ netgalley~ Forgotten was an Amazon freebie
These three where Amazon freebies, please check these are still free if you want to download.
Physical books...
There's a lot :/
Velvet I didn't realise was released in the UK. This book is so me, the tag line had me, "First rules when dealing with vampires? Dont fall in love." ~ I really liked the movie, World War Z so I thought I would buy the book as it was only £1.99.
These two I picked up while doing my weekly food shop. I do my shop in ASDA and it has a book section, my thoughts are add them in with my weekly food shop and it doesn't look like I brought them, great logic I think LOL. The longest ride will be my first Nicholas Sparks read and the Gypsy Girl cover just caught my eye.
Bloodlines had to be brought as I read all the Vampire Academy books in the last month, so now I need to start the companion series. ~ Playlist for the dead has been on my to buy list since its release, I am really looking forward to this one.
Siren I picked up for £1.99 so why not buy it. ~ The last summer of us looks like a perfect summer road trip read, I am actually giving away a copy of this later in the week.
So I have been into erotic books this last few months so my sister kindly gifted me these. I'm currently reading Pleasure's edge.
As you know if you have been following my blog, I have been reading and loving the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. We went for a solid 4* review for Vampire Academy ( Vampire Academy #1) to 5* reviews for Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) and Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3). Now to Blood Promise. I was really excited to read it as I wanted to give Shadow Kiss a million stars but I was really disappointed in Blood Promise, thus the 3.5* rating.
Now am not sure if it was a change of setting, we are now in Russia, or that Rose is struggling with the way she thought things in her world was and is dealing with grief that her voice changed for me. Am just not sure. Don't get me wrong Richelle portrayed Rose's grief and turmoil fantastically but I just felt some of her decisions and characteristics did change and this again could be down to her grief but it just didn't feel very, Rose.
With Rose we are discovering more about the Vampire world and how it's integrated in real life outside the academy and a part of that is though a new character, Sydney, her introduction to the story is great and is opening up many questions. We also have Abe who is creepily charming and I guessed kinda who it was and its giving the story an interesting twist that I can't wait to see where it goes.
Now I didn't leave the book at a 3* as it did get back into a pace and style I liked. I felt that in all the other books in the series, the writing was fast paced and that was what draw me in but in Blood Promise it slowed right down until half way though.
The last half of this book and especially the ending made for some exciting reading and am even more excited for the next book now. The introduction of new characters and the creation of new sub plots made for a good read. I am excited to continue with the series.
Light Me Up is a contemporary romance and it is the second book in The Three Little Words Series.
Light Me Up Synopsis:
For Rachel Hennessy, it’s been an interesting six months. Boyfriend? Cheated on her. Job? She totally just got fired. Starting her own wedding planning business sounds exciting … in theory. In reality, it’s completely terrifying. And on top of all that, the freaking cherry right on top? She just had an ill-timed, alcohol-instigated one-night stand with her bff Casey’s brother, Tate. Yeah, that Tate. The one that she’s had a teensy, inconvenient crush on for years.
But nothing about it is ill-timed or inconvenient for Tate Steadman. Because he finally feels free. Free of the oppressive relationship he’d been in for the past six years. Free to pursue Rachel, because one alcohol-fueled night was not even close to enough for him. He just wished she saw it that way. Because she makes him want more than he ever knew he was capable of.
When their one night has unexpected consequences, Rachel has no clue how to trust that he’s not just trying to be ‘the good guy’ who wants to do ‘the right thing’. And even though the chemistry between them practically burns down an entire city block when they’re together, she doesn’t know how to let down the concrete wall she’s built up around herself.
The ‘mistake’ of one evening can change the trajectory of two lives, but maybe a mistake is all they really need to push them right into true love.
Light Me Up is a 90k word humorous contemporary romance with a moderate heat level, and is second in a series of standalones.
Karla Sorensen Bio:
Karla Sorensen has been an avid reader her entire life, and not long after the purchase of her first e-reader, she realized that it would probably be cheaper to just write out her own happily-ever-after stories. It doesn’t take much to keep her happy … a book, a glass of moscato, and at least thirty minutes of complete silence every day. She still keeps her toes in the world of health care marketing, where she made her living pre-babies. Now she stays home, writing and mommy-ing full time (this translates to almost every day being a ‘pajama day’ at the Sorensen household…don’t judge). She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two exceptionally adorable sons and their German Shepherd, who is not nearly as well trained as the one in her first book.
She tried to ignore them. But some things won’t be ignored.
Kat Preston doesn’t believe in ghosts. Not because she’s never seen one, but because she saw one too many. Refusing to believe is the only way to protect herself from the ghost that tried to steal her life. Kat’s disbelief keeps her safe until her junior year at McTernan Academy, when a research project for an eccentric teacher takes her to a tiny, private island off the coast of Connecticut.
The site of a grisly mystery, the Isle of Acacia is no place for a girl who ignores ghosts, but the ghosts leave Kat little choice. Accompanied by her research partner, Evan Kingsley, she investigates the disappearance of Cassie Mallory and Sebastian Radcliffe on their wedding night in 1886. Evan’s scientific approach to everything leaves Kat on her own to confront a host of unbelievables: ancestral curses, powerful spells, and her strange connection to the ghosts that haunt Castle Creighton.
But that’s all before Kat’s yanked through a magic portal and Evan follows her. When the two of them awaken 129 years in the past with their souls trapped inside the bodies of two wedding guests, everything changes. Together, Kat and Evan race to stop the wedding-night murders and find a way back to their own time—and their own bodies—before their souls slip away forever.
Expected Publication: August 1st 2015 by Beckett Publishing Group Why am I waiting? This one sounds like something I will totally love. I am lucky enough to have a copy of this and I can't wait to get started. What are you waiting on?
Re-belle-ious, free-spirited Lauren Renwick has decided it’s time to trade her wings for roots. That means no more bad boys, no more foolish choices. Yet when she’s stood up on New Year’s Eve, her resolution to stick to her Mama’s Rules for Dating weakens. Especially when she spots sex-in-leather-and-tattoos, Jackson Sullivan.
One look at Lauren, and Jackson is hell-bent on getting her on the back of his Harley and riding straight for his bed. Their night together is an erotic rush that has a new word popping up on his horizon—forever.
Lauren tries to convince herself he’s just one last fling to get bad boys out of her system, yet she finds herself falling hard and fast for a man with a stalker ex and a meddling Irish family. Plus, he has zero chance of passing her uptight parents’ inspection.
Jackson has Lauren’s back, but if she wants all of his heart, she’ll have to meet him halfway—by ditching rules that hold her prisoner, and learning to stand up for what she really wants.
A woman with the heart of a revolutionary,
The mind of a pragmatist,
And the inappropriate humor of your tipsy BFF...
Born in California and raised in South Florida, I've moved around like a gypsy with a bounty on my head ever since. Along the way, I've worked as a community organizer, a professional matchmaker, an art teacher, a popular blogger, and a crisis counselor (to name a few). All the while, longing to have the guts and follow-through to do what I really wanted: to write and become a published author. That wish has finally come true and I am tickled pink with glitter over this good piece of fortune.
What else? Hmm...I love indie, lo-fi, complaint rock played on vinyl, wearing black because it's slimming, the theater, well-informed optimism, happy endings (both kinds),and making those close to me laugh 'til they snort. I'm a self-admitted change junkie, loving new experiences and places, but have now happily settled in the cutest lil' town, Vienna, Virginia. I totally love hearing from readers so stalk me via social media or email me at HarperKincaid26@gmail.com!
Through space and time, sisters entwined. Lost then found, souls remain bound. Three sisters escape the Salem witch trials when the eldest casts a spell that hurdles their souls forward through time. After centuries separated, fate has finally reunited them in the present day. One the healer, one the teacher, and one the deceiver. Will their reunion return their full powers, or end their souls journey forever? A Witches of BlackBrook novel.
Tish Thawer writes paranormal romances for all ages. Her magickal elements and detailed world-building are a welcome constant in every novel. Before becoming a writer she worked as a computer consultant, a photographer and a graphic designer. She also operates a custom glass etching business, in addition to being a wife and the mother of three wonderful children. She's been a fan of the paranormal for as long as she can remember. Anything to do with superpowers, myth and magic has always held a special place in her heart. From her first paranormal cartoon, Isis, to the phenomenon that is Twilight, this genre has always been a part of her life. You can find Tish on Facebook A common FAQ: "How do you pronounce her last name?" Answer: Think "Bower" or "Thow-er". It's Persian!
