Author Feature: Lia Riley

Title: Upside Down (Off the Map, #1)
Author: Lia Riley
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release date: August 5, 2014

In this New Adult debut by Lia Riley, a college student embarks on a study abroad trip to Australia and learns that sometimes you have to go upside down to land right way up.

Talia Stolfi lives her life by one rule—fake it till you make it. But the act is getting harder and harder to maintain. Her older sister was taken off life support after a long-term coma last year. Then Mom bailed to Hawaii and drunk-dials Talia with TMI about the hairy hippie she’s dating. Talia disastrously loses her virginity to her sister’s boyfriend in a shared moment of grief. No one knows she suffers from OCD. In fact, she’s been so wrapped up with her secret compulsions that she never turned in her senior thesis. Now she’s not graduating with an honors in history. She’s not graduating—period.

A low-key exchange semester to Melbourne, Australia seems like the perfect way to cut and run until a chance encounter on a city street throws her into the path of a surly environmental activist.

Bran Lockhart is square in the midst of a shite year. After the girl of his dreams turned into his worst nightmare, he slunk back to Melbourne, and lives in the world’s dodgiest share house. He alternates his days between being mocked by commuters while dressed as a pocket-change collecting Koala for The Wilderness Society and part-time tutoring at Melbourne University. He needs to salvage his research plans to study climate change or pack it all in, move to the beach and be a full time surf bum. The last thing he needs is this nagging curiosity about a cute American with sad eyes.

But one unexpected kiss leads to another and soon Talia and Bran discover they are in uncharted territory. As they are tested by life’s challenges, they discover the courage to claim love and learn that sometimes in order to find yourself, you need to venture off the map.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Waiting on Wednesday (25): Only The Good Die Young by K.K. Hendin

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Only The Good Die Young
Author: K.K. Hendin
Publisher: Self
Release date: March 11, 2014

The first year of college is supposed to be about parties, parties, and getting the hell out of Texas. Instead, Milcah Daniels is spending her eighteenth year in and out of Houston's hospitals. Her hair is falling out, they’ve cut off her boobs, and if she makes it to nineteen, she’ll consider it a personal miracle.

Breast cancer really has a way of messing with a girl’s social calendar.

When Milcah’s temporarily discharged from the hospital, she’s determined to get a tattoo for every medical procedure she’s had. Her quest leads her to Skin Stories, a new tattoo parlor a block from her apartment. And to it’s infuriatingly sexy artist, Callum Scott.

Callum is everything Milcah wants, and everything she shouldn’t have now. A new relationship when the official prognosis is one to five years is a terrible idea. But Callum doesn’t know about the breast cancer, and Milcah’s not running to tell him.

But when the doctor says things are actually looking positive, her entire life turns upside down. How is she supposed to start living again when she’s finally learned to accept her death?

Sneak Peek‏: Past Imperfect by Alison G. Bailey

About the book:

Title: Past Imperfect (Perfect, #2)
Author: Alison G. Bailey
Publisher: Self
Release date: February 20, 2014

In Present Perfect, Brad Johnson was sexy, cocky, rich and a complete Smurff**ker. He could afford anything he wanted and could charm any girl he set his eyes on. Everything was laid out in front of him, all for the taking except the one thing he craved and needed. A tragic event forces him to reevaluate his life. When he tries to change, will the people in his life let him move on from his past or will they constantly hold him to the life altering mistakes he’s made?

Mabry Darnell is intelligent, ambitious, beautiful, and sassy. Secrets from her past haunt the present causing her to question her actions in order to shield her heart and protect her life.

From the moment Brad and Mabry met, their connection was strong, intense, and electrifying. Both knew they had found the one person who could satisfy what the other ached for. When their pasts collide with their present, will it prevent them from having a future together or will love be strong enough to conquer their demons?

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Lifers by Jane Harvey-Berrick

Happy release day to Lifers by Jane Harvey-Berrick!

About the book:

Title: Lifers
Author: Jane Harvey-Berrick
Publisher: Harvey Berrick Publishing
Release date: February 7, 2014

Jordan Kane is the man everyone loves to hate.

Forced to return to his hometown while on parole, Jordan soon learns that this small town hasn’t changed since he was carted off to juvie all those years ago. He is the local pariah, shunned by everyone, including his own parents. But their hatred of him doesn’t even come close to the loathing he feels every time he looks in the mirror.

Working odd jobs for the preacher lady, Jordan bides his time before he can leave this backwards town. But can distance erase the memories that haunt him? Would living in another state free him from the prison of his mind? Will the pain of living ever subside?

Torrey Delaney is new in town and certainly doesn’t behave in a way the locals believe a preacher’s daughter should. Her reputation for casual hook-ups and meaningless sex quickly spreads around town. And that’s on top of her budding friendship with the hardened ex-con handyman – the good Reverend is less than thrilled with her estranged daughter’s path.

As friendship forms, can two damaged people who are afraid to love take their relationship to the next level? Can Torrey live with Jordan’s demons, and can Jordan break through Torrey’s walls? With the disapproval of a small town weighing heavily on them, they struggle to find their place in the world. Can they battle the odds, or will their world be viciously shattered?

Is love a life sentence?

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Song of the Fireflies Blog Tour: Guest Post, Excerpt + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Song of the Fireflies Blog Tour hosted by Forever. I'm so super excited to have a slot on this tour because Redmerski is definitely, without a doubt, one of my top, top, top favorite authors! I love her books like mad, so it's a huge honor to be featuring her on the blog today!

For today's stop, I've got an awesome excerpt from Song of the Fireflies, a fun guest post by J.A. Redmerski, and the epic tour wide giveaway to share with all of you, so stick around and don't miss a second of any of it! ;p

About the book:

Title: Song of the Fireflies
Author: J.A. Redmerski
Publisher: Forever
Release date: February 4, 2014

"I loved every last word! Beautiful, heartfelt, consuming--I couldn't put it down. There's pure magic in J. A. Redmerski's pen." --- KATY EVANS, New York Times bestselling author of the REAL series

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Edge of Never and The Edge of Always

THE TRUTH WILL SET THEM FREE

Brayelle Bates has always been a force of nature. Even as a child, Bray's wild and carefree spirit intimidated everyone around her. The only person who's ever truly understood her is her best friend, Elias Kline. Though every fiber of her being wants to stay with Elias forever, Bray can't bear the thought of him discovering her agonizing history. She's done everything she can to keep him at arm's length, including moving away. But their undying bond was too strong a pull to deny, and Bray couldn't survive without him. Now she's back home with Elias, and things have never felt more right--until one night changes everything.

Elias vowed never to be separated from Bray again. So when she decides to flee in a desperate attempt to escape her fate, Elias knows he must go with her. As the two try to make the most of their circumstance, taking up with a reckless group of new friends, Elias soon realizes there's a darkness driving Bray he can't ignore. Now in order to save her, he'll have to convince Bray to accept the consequences of their reality--even if it means losing her.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

Book Blast: What's Left of Me by Amanda Maxlyn

Don't miss out on the $.99 sale for this highly rated debut!
About the book:

Title: What's Left of Me
Author: Amanda Maxlyn
Publisher: Bandit Publishing
Release date: December 12, 2013

Life works in mysterious ways.
Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.
I refuse to cry.
And I refuse to give in.

A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me.
He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.
But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.

What if it changes everything?
Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.
Love found me when I was twenty-one.
My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

what does your crack read like?

a few weeks ago, i had monica murphy by the blog for an interview. in the interview, i had asked her:

q. as i started reading savor, i realized that the first book, crave, had that sister/best friend thing going on. in torn, it had that haters-to-lovers thing going on and in savor it had that forbidden/opposites attracts thing working. which of the three is your favorite to read about?

um…all of them? truthfully, i love love the forbidden, i work for him/she works for me boss/assistant storyline. those stories are my crack.

click here to read the full interview.

ever since then, i haven't been able to get the question outta my head. hence, the prompt for this post.

as the question came and left, i kept pondering my response and eventually, i realized that my absolute most favorite stories to read about are the ones where they've been friends for forever long and then one day, boom—they're not. i mean, in some stories, it's totes-ma-goats obvious and that's fine because i can go in expecting it but the heroin to my veins are the ones where it's unexpected. the ones where they've been the bestest of friends since the beginning of time, but throughout the entire book, they're not trying to get at each other until something or someone crosses the "friends-only" line.

Waiting on Wednesday (24): Nova and Quinton: No Regrets by Jessica Sorensen

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Nova and Quinton: No Regrets (Nova, #3)
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Publisher: Forever
Release date: April 15, 2014

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Saving Quinton comes a story about giving in to love—body and soul . . .

Today is the first day of Quinton Carter’s new life. The toxic guilt of his past left him in pieces—but one girl unexpectedly put him back together. Thanks to Nova Reed, Quinton can finally see the world with clear eyes. She’s the reason his heart is still kicking behind the jagged scar on his chest. And he would love to have her in his arms every minute of the day . . . but he’s not ready yet.

Playing drums in a band and living with her best friends are just some of the highlights of Nova’s life. But the best new development? Talking to Quinton on the phone each night. She wishes she could touch him, kiss him, though she knows he needs time to heal. Yet shocking news is on the way—a reminder of life’s dark side—and Nova will need Quinton like he once needed her. Is he strong enough to take the final leap out of his broken past . . . and into Nova’s heart?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Google Play

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Saving Quinton by Jessica Sorensen

Happy release day to Saving Quinton by the amazing, Jessica Sorensen!

About the book:

Title: Saving Quinton (Nova, #2)
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Publisher: Forever
Release date: February 4, 2014

From the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Breaking Nova comes a gripping story about what it takes to save the one you love . . .

Nova Reed can't forget him-Quinton Carter, the boy with the honey-brown eyes who made her realize she deserved more than an empty life. His pain was so similar to her own. But Nova has been coming to terms with her past and healing, while Quinton is out there somewhere, sinking deeper. She's determined to find him and help him . . . before it's too late.

Nova has haunted his dreams for nearly a year-but Quinton never thought a sweet, kind person like her would care enough about a person like him. To Quinton, a dark, dangerous life is exactly what he deserves. And Nova has no place in it. But Nova has followed him to Las Vegas, and now he must do whatever it takes to keep her away, to maintain his self-imposed punishment for the unforgivable things he's done. But there's one flaw in his plan: Nova isn't going anywhere . . .

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

Book Review: Saving Quinton by Jessica Sorensen

Title: Saving Quinton (Nova, #2)
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Publisher: Forever
Release date: February 4, 2014



Jessica Sorensen's Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

From the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Breaking Nova comes a gripping story about what it takes to save the one you love . . .

Nova Reed can't forget him-Quinton Carter, the boy with the honey-brown eyes who made her realize she deserved more than an empty life. His pain was so similar to her own. But Nova has been coming to terms with her past and healing, while Quinton is out there somewhere, sinking deeper. She's determined to find him and help him . . . before it's too late.

Nova has haunted his dreams for nearly a year-but Quinton never thought a sweet, kind person like her would care enough about a person like him. To Quinton, a dark, dangerous life is exactly what he deserves. And Nova has no place in it. But Nova has followed him to Las Vegas, and now he must do whatever it takes to keep her away, to maintain his self-imposed punishment for the unforgivable things he's done. But there's one flaw in his plan: Nova isn't going anywhere . . .

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Be with Me by J. Lynn

Happy release day to Be with Me and huge congrats to the one and only, J. Lynn!

About the book:

Title: Be with Me (Wait for You, #2)
Author: J. Lynn
Publisher: Avon (William Morrow)
Release date: February 4, 2014

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play