Review: Come Back to Me by Mila Gray

Title: Come Back to Me
Author: Mila Grey (aka Sarah Alderson)
Published: June 19th 2014 Pan Macmillan
Read: July 20th to 22nd, 2014
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have.

But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms.
What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.

When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for.

Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.

A breathtaking, scorchingly hot story about love, friendship, family and finding your way back from the edge of heartbreak.

So you should all know by now that my lovely Jazzy is obsessed with all things Sarah Alderson. I’ve been meaning to read something by her for the longest time since Jasprit can’t shut up about the magic that is Sarah Alderson. And for a good reason too, let me tell you! When Sarah published Come Back to Me under her pseudonym Mila Gray, all of my friends’ blogs blew up with praise and that was honestly where I lost my patience (in a good way). Reading it almost right after Thrive (which I knew would create the biggest bookish hangover) was a risky move, but I just knew that Come Back to Me was something I couldn’t simply ignore.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet

I wasn't planning on posting more than twice this week to slowly get back into the habit of blogging (more about it in my August wrap up), but this topic simply could not be ignored. We all have huge TBRs, but it doesn't make us crave for new, gorgeous, haunting stories any less. I've picked 5 books from books that have already been published and 5 from the unpublished category, and for good measure, added honorable mentions :) Let me know if my choices match yours and which ones do you desperately want to own. If you have a link for today's TTT, leave it down below and I'll try my best to visit you back asap. *all covers link to Goodreads

Review: Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins

Title: Sweet Reckoning (The Sweet Trilogy #3)
Author: Wendy Higgins
Published: April 29th 2014
Read: July 4th to 8th, 2014
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

Buddy-read this one with Rashika as well and, as a whole, I can say that this series is made of win. Light, fun, fast-paced and character-driven, Sweet Evil and its following novels bring you laughs and enjoyable reading experiences. While Sweet Reckoning wasn’t my favorite novel from the whole series, nor one of my favorite series endings, I did truly enjoy this read.

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Amour Amour by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Haven't done a cover reveal in ages. Last one was last spring/summer? No? I don't even remember. Anyhow, this book (and the authors) just demands your attention. I mean, look at the title and the synopsis! I can't wait to devour this gorgeous thing, dance around and shout my love. Because I'm 98.3% sure that's how it's going down in December. Sooo le twins have a new book coming out and it's a NA Standalone contemporary romance novel and today I have the pleasure to show you the prettiness Krista has come up with *sprinkles glitter all over her and stares in awe*

(Shhh. Don't tell anyone, but Krista finished Hogwarts at the top of her class and I think can all agree that there's pure magic on all the Addicted and Calloway sisters covers she has designed, so I'm not surprised I love this cover too :)) Without further ado, here's the lovely cover.

Book Haul #33

This is quite awkward since I'm constantly updating my instagram with book hauls, but my last official book haul on le blog was in March. Um. Oops. Trying to remedy this and do more of those when I have a bunch of books to show you. Not going to show you everything I've gotten since March (if you'd like to see, you can visit my instagram), but I want to give a few shout-outs and show you my latest hauls :) Anyhow, as always, if you have read any, let me know what you thought and be sure to leave your links below so I can visit you back :) Have a great weekend, lovelies! x

Review: Before You by Amber Hart

Title: Before You (Before & After #1)
Author: Amber Hart
Published: July 29th
Read: from July 2nd to 4th, 2014
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
*An ARC was provided in exchange for my honest thoughts*

Some say love is deadly. Some say love is beautiful. I say it is both.

Faith Watters spent her junior year traveling the world, studying in exquisite places, before returning to Oviedo High School. From the outside her life is picture-perfect. Captain of the dance team. Popular. Happy. Too bad it’s all a lie.

It will haunt me. It will claim me. It will shatter me. And I don't care.

Eighteen-year-old Diego Alvarez hates his new life in the States, but staying in Cuba is not an option. Covered in tattoos and scars, Diego doesn't stand a chance of fitting in. Nor does he want to. His only concern is staying hidden from his past—a past, which if it were to surface, would cost him everything. Including his life.

At Oviedo High School, it seems that Faith Watters and Diego Alvarez do not belong together. But fate is as tricky as it is lovely. Freedom with no restraint is what they long for. What they get is something different entirely.

Love—it will ruin you and save you, both.

It’s true! I didn’t like Perfect Chemistry that much. Sorry guys! I read it about 2-3 years ago and wasn’t a huge fan. I wish it had had a little more culture in it and was a little less about the HS drama. I read the synopsis for Before You and thought perhaps Perfect Chemistry was just not for me at the time; perhaps I’ll love this book since I love me some star-crossed romances; perhaps I’ll love it and fall in love so madly that I’ll want to re-read PC and love it too. While those things didn’t happen, I’m still glad I read Before You, because now I know that these kind of books just aren’t for me. Period.

Review: Five Ways to Fall by K.A. Tucker

Title: Five Ways to Fall
Author: K.A. Tucker
Published: June 24th 2014
Read: June 26 to 30, 2014
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she’s made plenty of them in her twenty-odd-years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it’s time for a change. She moves to Miami with the intention of hitting reset on her irresponsible life, and she does quite well…aside from an epically humiliating one-night stand in Cancun with a hot blond bouncer named Ben. Thank God she can get on a plane and leave that mistake behind her.

Football scholarship and frat parties with hot chicks? Part of charmer Ben Morris’s plan. Blown knee that kills any hope of a professional football career? So not part of the plan. Luckily Ben has brains to go with his knockout looks and magnetism. After three long years of balancing law school with his job as a bouncer at Penny’s Palace, he’s ready to lead a more mature life—until his first day of work, when he finds himself in the office of that crazy, hot chick he met in Cancun. The one he hasn’t stopped thinking about.

If Ben truly were a smart guy, he’d stay clear of Reese. She’s the boss’s stepdaughter and it’s been made very clear that office romances are grounds for dismissal. Plus, rumor has it she’s trouble. The only problem is, he likes trouble, especially when it’s so good-looking…

Ten Tiny Breaths was one of my first New Adult novels and I really, really liked it. Then I had the worst luck with One Tiny Lie and Four Seconds to Lose (Hey, we cannot all love the same books! I’m glad that almost all of you loved FStL.), so I was legit scared to read Five Ways to Fall. I’m going to be really, really honest with you right now. Five Ways to Fall is K.A. Tucker’s best work to date and was also the best book I had read since Hothouse Flower in March! I absolutely loved loved loooooved it and you need to read it ASAP. Don’t believe me? Let me convince you a little more :)

July Wrap Up

Pardon me for taking so long to wrap July up and send it to the past, but reviews, Lily Calloway's birthday and all sorts of other stuff took residence in the must-do-asap pile so wrap up had to be left untouched for a while. Better late than never, right? July totally flew by! I spent my time mostly at work, but during the few moments I wasn't in our downtown office, I was either reading at home, eating strawberries and cherries, enjoying sunshine, seeing Bastille live, having fun at my friend's BBQ or relentlessly looking forward to the publication of Thrive. I also interviewed four bloggers this month: Sam, Amber, Melanie and Jeann. Now it's August. It's mah birthday soon! You're all welcome to stop by at the end of August and I'll offer you chocolate cake, cupcakes and all sorts of other delicious things :) Anyhow, seeing as you're here to hear (read) about the books I read and reviewed in July, let's get down to business!

Occasional Book Spine Poetry #1: Kiss the Sky

Remember how last week we celebrated Lily Calloway's birthday? Well, today is Rose Calloway's birthday. I love this character to no end. Out of all the Calloway sisters, I'm the most like her and my personality, dreams, fears.. Let's just say that I can identify with her a lot. At first I wanted to have a discussion today: talk about strong women in fiction and use Rose as the prime example. When I started writing it though, I realized that there are so many other characters I want to portray as well and that the post would do injustice to them. So I thought hard over what to do today and had an Einstein moment *insert light bulb* where I came up with the most brilliant idea.. only to forget it.

YEP. HOW? I have no idea *shakes head* As hard as I tried, I could not remember that idea to save my life. Clearly, clearly someone is getting old. Needless to say I had a small panic attack yesterday, because Rose is one half of my OTP *waves a team Coballoway flag*, my favorite female character in the Addicted and Calloway Sisters series and one of my favorite female characters ever! Obviously I needed to do something to honor this character who helped me through some hard times this last semester at uni; inspired me to push myself further and further; who has given me so many feels while following her story.

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure to meet the fiercest Calloway sister yet, Rose is extremely smart. She loves knowledge. I wanted to do something fun for today. Something that Rose would perhaps appreciate. Since Connor and books are some of the things she loves the most in addition to her sisters, fashion and standing for women's rights, what better way to celebrate by creating a non-traditional book spine poem about the two nerds (read: Rose and Connor) on the same orbit. The following poem is inspired by Kiss the Sky, my favorite book in the whole series and tells the story of my OTP: Rose Calloway and Connor Cobalt. 

“I’m just excited for you,” I tell her. “It’s like a milestone in your relationship.” The orbiting nerd stars have finally collided. — Lily Calloway, Thrive.

Review: All Lined Up by Cora Carmack

Title: All Lined Up
Author: Cora Carmack
Published: May 13th 2014
Read: June 23 to 26, 2014
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows up her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking It, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights.

In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.

Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.

Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.

Started this on a random morning while taking the bus to work. Figured it wouldn't hurt to try a New Adult novel since Cora is amazing! Her writing suits me so well and I missed some steam and smexy from the YA reads I had going on lately. Truly glad I started it since already during the first 20%, I couldn't wipe this silly grin off my face. One could say that I fell hard for Carson and Dallas, their adorable chemistry and intense attraction. And you know what? They're absolutely right!

Lily Calloway's Birthday Extravaganza & Giveaway

Hiiii, my lovelies. Where does one even begin to introduce a post like this? *takes a deep breath* Ok. So, almost all of you must know by now that I have a slight obsession with the Addicted and Calloway Sisters series by Krista and Becca Ritchie. After reading Thrive two weeks ago, I have suffered through crazy withdrawals and wanted to do something to put my excitement and fangirling abilities to good use. What better way to do that than honour one of the quirkiest, most adorable and lovely characters I have ever had the pleasure to read about?! Today is Lily Calloway's birthday *dances around the room* I have invited some pretty amazing people to join me and together we want to wish Lily a big, big happy birthday :) I hope you lovelies enjoy this post and don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post. Thank you for reading and I hope you have just as much fun with reading and watching these birthday wishes as we had creating them *hugs*

Lily Calloway

Source

CASUAL

Name: Lily Calloway
Birthday: 08/01
Height: 5’5’’ and a smidgen (I guess 5’6’’)
Eye color: Green
Location: Bedroom
Position: From behind. With Lo, just to be clear :)

FAVORITES

Color: Purple
Season: Fall (no sweating and no puffy winter jackets, makes for easy access)
Movie: X-Men: First Class
Person: Loren Hale
Quote: “With great power comes great responsibility.” – Spider-Man