Swooning Over Books

Sunday, February 9, 2014

GIVEAWAY! Sara Mack's Guardian trilogy

Post by Swooning Over Books.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Release Day Blitz: Broken by K. Webster

Goodreads Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20455516-broken

Synopsis:

Andi has the perfect life. She is about to graduate with an Architecture degree and marry her-All American baseball star-fiancé. When she catches him in bed with another woman, her world is turned upside down. Left to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, she takes on a new persona—a promiscuous one. This new role protects her heart from ever being broken again. Andi now lives by a set of rules. The game? Sex with a new pawn every weekend. Every Friday, she sets her sight on a new sexy, successful man to play along—no strings attached, please. When Monday rolls around, she kicks them to the curb and moves on. It has helped her get through the pain of her past—that is, until she meets Jackson. The mysterious Jackson is excited to play her game. He too has had his heart broken in the past and isn’t looking for a repeat. Eventually, hearts get involved and Andi wonders if the game is still worth playing. Will she look for a new pawn or will she break the rules with Jackson?

Author Bio:

I’m a thirty-two-year-old self-proclaimed book nerd. Married to for nearly eleven years, my husband and I enjoy spending time with our two lovely children. Writing is a newly acquired fun hobby for me. In the past, I’ve enjoyed the role as a reader. However, recently, I learned that I absolutely love taking on the creative role as the writer. Something about determining how the story will play out intrigues me to no end. My husband claims that it’s because I like to control things—in a way, he’s right!

By day, I run around from appointment to appointment, wearing many hats including, mom, wife, part-time graphic designer, blogger, networker, social media stalker, student, business owner, and book boyfriend hunter. (It’s actually a thing—complete with pink camo. I lurk around the internet, “researching” pictures of hot guys who fit the profile of whatever book boyfriend I’m reading or writing about)

I guess you can blame my obsession with books on my lovely grandmother, who is quite possibly my favorite person on the planet. At an early age, she took me to the half-priced bookstore each weekend and allowed me to choose a book. Every single time, she caved when I begged for two. Without her encouragement, I wouldn’t have been able to cope during some hard times without my beloved books.

Currently, I am finishing up my college degree that has taken me forever to complete. It’s just on the list of my many “bucket-list” goals that I subject myself to.

Most days, you can find me firmly planted in front of my computer. It’s my life. If the world ever loses power, I’d be one of the first to die—of boredom! But I guess as long as I have books and a light, I might just survive.

Looking forward, you can expect to see two more novels in the Breaking the Rules Series. I’m nearly finished with the third. Also, I have a standalone novel that will be released soon as well.

This writing experience has been a blast, and I’ve met some really fabulous people along the way. I hope my readers enjoy reading my stories as much as I do writing them. I look forward to connecting with you all!

Social Links:

Bog Tour: Never Say Goodbye by T.Renee Fike

Synopsis:

**This contains graphic sexual content and situations suitable for readers 18+**

Liv’s childhood best friend, who she’s been inseparable from her entire childhood, moves out of state. She’s devastated and forced to move on with her life without “her everything.”

Luckily, she finds a new best friend, Brynn. These two have been best friends for so long; they decide to attend the same college as roommates.

After things don't turn out so well with a failed relationship, Liv chooses to forgo any romantic commitments. She’s in college after all, so why not enjoy being single and free?

Brynn however is in a happy relationship and wants nothing more than for her best friend to be in one too. As much as she tries to play matchmaker, Liv refuses to be tied down. Unfortunately, when it's least expected, someone at school makes Liv’s world turn upside-down. As much as she doesn’t want him to affect her, he does.

To make matters worse, Brynn’s boyfriend knows more about Liv then he realizes and eventually he’s able to put the pieces of her past together.

When tragedy strikes, the past and the present collide, allowing secrets to come out and change everything.

Will friendships be torn and goodbye’s said or will they keep their promise and never say goodbye?

Purchase Links

Amazon US- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HY1LHJG

Amazon UK-https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HY1LHJG

Review

(I received this novel from the author for an honest review.)

Where to I begin... I liked this book. I liked the concept of love lost and promising to never feel the heartache again. I thought Liv was a good character. I found her easy to relate to. Her relationship with Brynn was entertaining. Throughout the novel they felt more like sisters then friends, which was due to the author's great writing.

The part I struggled with was the timing. It went to fast. I felt like each page I turned I was pushed ahead a few weeks or months. Now, don't get me wrong, the author was able to make these jumps and keep the story tied together, which is an accomplishment. The story could have easily fallen apart, but it didn't. Again this was due to the author's writing. However, despite the leaps in time it took a while to get to the plot twist. Perhaps I am too impatient, but I would ave liked it to have happened sooner.

I would recommend checking out this book.

Happy reading!!

Excerpt

I just look at him, shocked and speechless. Here, I never once forgot about him and he looks like he can’t wait to get away from me. ME.

Before I say anything he starts talking, he lets out a frustrated sign, “Yes O, I do remember you, but that was a long time ago. You don’t know me or anything about me now,” he states surprising me.

“Why are you being so rude?” I ask confused and hurt, because it’s been so long since I’ve heard him call me by the nickname O, the one he gave to me when we were kids.

“I’m not, I just don’t want anything to do with you,” he says looking intently at me.

“Why not?” I can’t believe he’s being this mean, this guy, one I freaking would have done anything for, and here he is being rude and wants nothing to do with me. What the hell did I do to him?

“Like I said, I’m not that stupid little boy anymore. We know nothing about one another and I don’t want to know you. Stay away from me,” he says harshly.

I feel like I want to cry, but I won’t do that in front of him. Instead I look him dead in the eyes, “You grew up and became an asshole,” and then I storm off towards the library, never looking back.

About the Author

T. Renee Fike is a born and raised country girl from Pennsylvania. When T. Renee isn’t writing, she’s working her full-time day job, or pursuing her Master’s degree. Aside from work and school, she enjoys hanging out with friends, reading a good book, watching football, (GO EAGLES) or hanging out with her niece and nephew.

You can follow T. Renee Fike on Twitter https://twitter.com/TRFike

Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/TRFike83

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/trfike

Giveaway Link

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Friday, February 7, 2014

We are being taken over...

That's right Swooning Over Books is being taken over. We have several take overs in the works. The first two were announced this week.

First, we have Sara Mack, author of the Guardian series scheduled for Wednesday February 12th.

Second, we have Lisa Suzanne, author of the He Feels trilogy scheduled for Tuesday February 18th.

Check back for more take over announcements!!

Blog Tour: Song of the Fireflies by: J.A. Redmerski

Amazon * Goodreads

Synopsis:
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.

Review:
(I received this novel from the author and netgalley.com on return for an honest review.)

J.A Redmerski does it again. Song of the Fireflies was heavy and dark with a glimmer of hope. I loved every second. I felt the grimy, grittiness of the story with each turn of the page.

Bray and Elias' story is one of hope and survival. Meeting as children they form a bond that is unbreakable, even in the worst times. When a cruel twist of fate threatens to tear them apart they remain tethered together. Are they strong enough to stay together even in the darkest of times? Can they save each other from an uncertain future?

Beautiful story.

Happy Reading!!

Excerpt:
When I made my way back to the top, I found Bray wasn’t sitting near the edge of the ridge where I had left her I moved farther out into the clearing with our blankets draped over one shoulder.

“Bray?” I said, looking around.

I brushed it off for a second, thinking she was probably just taking a piss behind a tree somewhere, and I set our blankets on the ground.

But then I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I walked quickly toward the edge and looked over. My heart started to bang against my rib cage. I peered down as far as my sight could penetrate the darkness, but took a step back upon realizing that if she had fallen there was no way I’d be able to see from way up here.

She had to be somewhere around close by. She had to be.

“Bray?” I called out again. “Where the hell did you go?”

Still no answer.

Panic set in quickly. I stood there as still and as quiet as I could for several long seconds in case she was coming through the woods, but I heard nothing. I arranged both hands around my mouth and shouted, “BRAY!” and my voice echoed through the wide-open space. But still nothing. I felt sick to my stomach. She wouldn’t have left like that way out here. And if she did, I would’ve seen her on the path coming down as I was making my way back up.

I ran toward the tree line, searching for any sign of her, for another path she might have taken. I refused to believe that she had fallen off the edge.

Just as I noticed another path through the woods that seemed to head south and I started to go toward it, I heard footfalls in the leaves. I didn’t wait to see if it was her, I ran blindly straight into the woods. A skinny branch slapped me across the forehead on my way, but I didn’t stop.

Bray and I nearly crashed into each other.

“Shit, baby! Where the hell did you go? Scared the hell out of me!” I started to pull her into a hug, but something about her was off and I stopped. She didn’t respond or even raise her head to look at me.

“Are you all right?”

I took her hands into mine. Hers were shaking. Her whole body was shaking.

I cupped her face in my palms and raised her head so that she’d look at me. She was crying, and something in her eyes…I couldn’t place it, but it haunted me. I wondered if she even knew I was standing right in front of her. Her hair was messy, with pieces of leaves stuck within a mass of strands. Dirt was smeared across her left cheek. She looked like she’d been in a fight.

I touched her split lip, where a thin line of blood glistened near the corner. “Bray, you’re scaring me. What happened to you?” I shook her gently and then more aggressively when she still didn’t respond. “What happened? Talk to me!”

Her lips trembled and more tears seeped from the corners of her eyes. And then as if a floodgate had been opened, she started screaming through her tears, “It was my fault! Elias! Oh my God!”

“What happened?” I roared, scared for her and for myself, my heart about to burst through my chest.

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Thursday, February 6, 2014

Release Day Blitz: Ravage Me by Ryan Michele

After spending the last two years stuck behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit, Harlow ‘Princess’ Gavelson’s time inside has finally come to an end, and she’s ready for revenge. Unfortunately, being the daughter to the Vice President of the Ravage Motorcycle Club cuts into her plans, as orders must be followed. Trying to settle back into this life is proving difficult when the tables are turned and the woman who framed her is out for blood. Lucky for Princess, growing up in a MC has taught her how to hold her own.

After spending years in hell overseas, Donavon ‘Cruz’ came home to lose the very thing he went into hell for, sending him to the darkest moments of his life. Joining Ravage two years ago was his safe haven, and he protects his family at all costs.

When a dark-haired bombshell struts into the club’s shop, he’s caught off guard but immediately knows she’s the one he’d do anything for. Tough as nails, and taking no crap from anyone, he’s captivated by a woman who could handle this life. Trying to meet the needs of the MC business and follow his heart proves to be difficult when the two collide, and lives are at stake.

Can these two find a way to be together, or will the needs of Ravage cost them everything, including their lives?

*Contains mature content including, sex and violence. Mature audiences only.*

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/moeenhq

Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/mh5re4j

Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/lxdxcl9

B&N: http://tinyurl.com/nxou8ad

FACEBOOK / GOODREADS / BLOG / TWITTER

Ryan Michele’s a mom and wife who works full time. She lives in the Midwest and enjoys being outside when the weather’s nice. She even helps out in the corn field when it’s necessary.

Ryan Michele has a huge obsession with reading, which only came to life after her best friend said she had to read Twilight. After reading that series, her entire world changed in the blink of an eye. Not only was she sucked into new worlds and all of the wonderful words authors put down on paper, she felt the urge to begin to write down the characters that played inside of her head. In doing so, Safe was born. Then Wanting You and currently Ravage Me.

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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Blog Tour: Changing Course by: Aly Martinez

Title: Changing Course (Wrecked and Ruined #1)

Author: Aly Martinez

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: January 29, 2014

Synopsis

I met Sarah Kate Erickson when I was 21 years old. I was lucky enough to keep her for seven years before a tragic accident stole her from me. She didn’t die, but sometimes I think it would have been easier if she had.

I lived in a haze for those four years after the accident. Catering to her every need, even though she hated the very sight of my face. I tried to hold on to her and the future that we were supposed to build together. But you can’t hold on to someone that doesn’t exist anymore.

It wasn’t until I met Jesse Addison, a barista at the local coffee shop, that I realized I didn’t just lose Sarah that tragic night, I lost myself as well. Jesse taught me how to let go of the past and learn to love again. But what happens when your past haunts your present and the woman you used to love refuses to accept the woman you can’t live without?

Excerpt

"Shall we make a little bet?" I ask, twirling my thumbs like an evil madman. "Aren't you sick of losing yet?" She laughs so hard at her own joke, she almost rolls out of the chair. Her reaction alone is enough to make me laugh right along with her. This girl is drunk...and beautiful. And drunk. And sexy as hell. And drunk. And so very fuckable. Did I mention drunk? She isn't in the danger zone, where she is going to be hating her very existence tomorrow. She's in that loose-lipped-say-things-that-will-make-you-cringe-the-next-day stage. I would be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying the hell out of seeing her in this state. Jesse always seems to have a filter when she talks to me. It's as if, she analyzes every word in her mind twelve times before actually spitting out a sentence. Since she started drinking, she hasn't stopped talking. She has officially made the leap from best friend’s little sister, to woman I want to fuck. Jesus, what the hell am I saying? Am I drunk too? "So, is that a yes or no to the bet?" I smile, glancing down and catch a glimpse of her peaked chilled nipples. "You cold, Jess?" I ask, nodding down at her nipples noticeably showing thorough her skimpy excuse for a dress. I watch her eyes travel down her own body and her cheeks immediately redden. Oh shit! I really am drunk! Why the fuck would I say that to her? Better yet, when the hell did I lose my filter tonight? Oh God, what else have I said to her without thinking? I frantically try to think of a way to moonwalk out of this conversation. She's uncomfortable, and I'm mortified. We both know it too. It's written all over our faces, but in our drunken states, neither one of us can think of anything to say.

Review

(I received this novel from the author for and honest review.)

Changing Course is a roller coaster ride from start to finish the author sucked me in with the prologue and never let go. I f fell in love with Brett and Sarah. I fell in love with their relationship. It was real. I could easily see my husband and I in their roles They had what every young couple dreams of, a future together.

Just when I was settling in for a happily ever after the author rips my heart out and squeezes it. I felt betrayed and heartbroken right along side Brett. What a cruel world. Brett pulled me under and together we drown in despair until a little shimmer of light appeared in the haze. The light started of dim but grew brighter and stronger cutting through the fog guiding me out of the storm and through the rest of the book. That little light was Jesse.

Jesse was a dynamic character. She was a little firecracker wrapped in wholesomeness. Her innocence was endearing. As perfect as Bret and Sarah were, I have to admit Brett and Jesse were even better together.

This is an amazing debut and Ms. Aly may have inspired me.

Go one and get a copy of Changing Course today.

About the Author

I’m a 32 year old wife and stay at home mom to four kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. My life is crazy, which is probably why I drink entirely too much wine. Oh who am I kidding, I had a love affair with wine long before the kids came along. I was born and raised in Savannah Georgia, but we recently moved to Chicago. Let me tell you, this southern girl was not ready for the cold weather up here! I’m an avid reader, but I haven’t always been that way. A few years ago my sister loaned me her Nook Color, and it changed my life forever. In the span of about two years, I read over 500 books. My newfound love of reading led me to start a book blog with two of my best friends. (Insert shameless plug here: WhiteZinBookends.com). Through WZ Bookends, I've had the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing authors, bloggers, and readers out there. Now that I have taken the leap into writing my own book, they’ve all shown me endless amounts of encouragement and support. While driving home from Walmart one day in late October, a story embedded itself in my head and would not let go. It spiraled out of control until I finally opened my laptop and started writing. This journey has been a wild ride filled with tears, hand cramps, and tons of laughs. I love company, so follow me at one of the social links below and join me aboard this crazy train!