A Sneak Peek at EMPOWERED by Jessica Shirvington!

I can’t WAIT for Empowered! Check out the cover and this sneak peek at the first chapter! I need more!!

It has been two years since Violet Eden walked away from the city, her friends, her future and – most importantly – her soulmate, Lincoln. Part angel, part human, Violet is determined to stand by the promises she made to save the one she loves.

Living in the perpetual coldness of a broken soul she survives day to day as a Rogue Grigori in London.

But when an unexpected visitor shows up at her door, the news he bears about someone she swore to protect leaves Violet with no choice.

Even worse, she fears that this might all lead back to the night she tries hardest to forget. And what was taken without her permission.

Violet is going back to New York … and she knows exactly who is going to be there.

With Phoenix in her dreams and Lincoln in her heart she knows it is only a matter of time before the final choice must be made.

In My Mailbox (227)

Goodness gracious! I had an EXCELLENT book week this week! I finally got my signed copy of Allegiant that I ordered and a whole bunch of other awesome goodies!

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase
Jet by Jay Crownover
Rome by Jay Crownover
Deadly by Sara Shepard
Passionaries by Tonya Hurley
Precious Blood by Tonya Hurley
Pretty Sly by Elisa Ludwig
Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor
Ruins by Dan Wells
Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Perfect Lies by Kiersten White
Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
Never Too Late by by A. Destiny & Rhonda Helms
Hung Up by Kristen Tracy
Neverwas by Kelly Moore
Liv, Forever by Amy Talkington

Bought:

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones 5-Book Boxed Set
No Good Duke Goes Unpunished: The Third Rule of Scoundrels (Rules of Scoundrels) by Sarah MacLean
Night of Cake and Puppets (a Daughter of Smoke and Bone novella) by Laini Taylor

eGalley:

Be With Me by J. Lynn
The Professional by Kresley Cole
COmpromising Willa by Diana Quincy
My Sweetest Escape by Chelsea M. Cameron

Being Thankful

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Well, for those of you in the US celebrating this week. I think I’ve gained about 30 lbs the past few days and we still have one more family get together tonight. It’s been really exciting because this is the first time a lot of my family has gotten to see my baby girl! And of course I’m always down for a holiday that revolves around food!

I have so much to be thankful for this year. 2012 was a really difficult year, there was some wonderful moments but also some very hard times for myself and my family. It’s made me appreciate all the things that I do have.

The one thing I’m most thankful for this year is my daughter. I was not one of those people that wanted children. It’s not that I didn’t like kids, I liked them just fine. I was just a very selfish person, and liked to have things my way and do things when I wanted to do them. I didn’t want kids…. until I did. It’s not easy being a mom, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. This little girl has taught me more about myself and about love than I ever thought possible. And I hope she is as caring, compassionate, intelligent, and strong as the women she was named after.

I am so thankful for my husband. All those single parents out there, you are my heroes! I don’t know what I would have done without my husband! We’ve been married for seven years now and I can honestly say that I love the guy more every year. He is my best friend in every way possible.

My friends and family. It’s easy to take your friends and family for granted. Well it was for me anyway. Having my family dynamic change to so much in the past few years it’s made me not only appreciate my family more, but value the family that I’ve started to build. I still don’t email and message my friends as much as I should, but I think about them so often it feels like I do. I’ve made some of my most treasured friendships from blogging. They’ve changed my life!

My health & my family’s health. I’m so thankful that I’m healthy and my family is healthy. I just hope it stays that way.

My home. Although I think my house is too small and I get mad at my neighbors that think they need to party with the stereo thumping until 3 in the morning…. I am so thankful that I have a roof over my head. I know that having a home is a luxury that not everyone can afford.

My job. Not only does my job pay my bills, which I really am thankful for! But I am thankful that I work for and with a wonderful group of people. I can honestly say that I love my job. Sure I don’t like when the alarm goes off and I’ve only had two hours of sleep, lol! But I love what I do and the people that I do it with.

I’m thankful for this blog, it’s readers and the authors and publishers that have supported me all these years. I don’t get to spend as much time than I’d like to on my blog and I don’t get to interact with my readers as much as I’d like, but I’m so thankful for you all. I love that you share my enthusiasm for books and reading and that reminds me that I’m not such a freak! You make it worth writing up that post, when I would much rather be sleeping for an hour! HA! I can’t thank you enough! Seriously, thank you.

These are just a few highlights on my list, I hope that you have much to be thankful for this year too. It’s easy to focus on what you don’t have, what you think you need and what you think you deserve. I’ve been guilty of that too often in my life. But don’t forget about all the good things that you have in life and treasure those!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sneak Peek at Courtney Cole’s BEFORE WE FALL and a Giveaway!

I’m so excited to be helping out with this special campaign to celebrate Courtney Cole’s newest book BEFORE WE FALL! This book is part of the Beautifully Broken series, If You Stay & If You Leave. They could be read in order or as stand-alones, though I think reading in order makes the best reading experience since the characters are all connected.

I have a special excerpt for you today and a giveaway!

Here’s a little bit more about BEFORE WE FALL:

One dark moment was all it took to turn twenty-four-year-old Dominic Kinkaide’s world black. On the night of his high school graduation, a single incident changed him forever, and he became a hardened man-famous in the eyes of the world, but tortured inside. Now all he cares about is losing himself in the roles that he plays.

At twenty-three years old, Jacey Vincent doesn’t realize how much her father’s indifference has affected her. She is proof that sometimes it isn’t one specific moment that wrecks a person, but an absence of moments. She tries to find acceptance in the arms of men to fill the void-a plan that has worked just fine for her, until she meets Dominic. When jaded Dominic and strong-willed Jacey are thrown together, the combination of his secrets and her issues turns their attraction into the perfect storm. It could change their lives for good-if it doesn’t tear them both apart…

Excerpt:

“Are you feeling warm yet?”

I watch his lips as he speaks the words, husky and low. His lips are full, yet manly and suddenly I ache to lean over and press mine to his, to touch them in any way that I can.

But I don’t.

Because I’m not a girl who gets used. Not anymore.

“No, not at all.”

But Dominic takes that as a challenge. He’s not used to hearing the word no and he’s not about to start now. I see that in his dark eyes a scant moment before he dips his head and consumes my mouth.

I say consume, instead of kiss, because that’s what he does.

He consumes me.

His lips are fiery and hot and he kisses me with a fierceness that touches a secret part of me; moist, hot, firm, sexy. I want to inhale him, to suck him down. I vaguely feel his hands on my back, his warmth emanating through my clothes, his hardness pushing into my softness.

I’m breathless when he pulls away.

“What about now?”

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Courtney Cole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives near Lake Michigan with her family. She’s always working on her next project… or staring dreamily out her office window. To learn more about her, please visit courtneycolewrites.com

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Giveaway:

(Continue Reading…)

In My Mailbox (226)

Sorry for the late post today lovelies…… I had this scheduled for the morning. BUT I forgot to take it out of draft and actually post it. Story of my life right now! Anyhow, better late than never right?

Nothing in the mailbox for me this week, but I did get a few fabulous eGalleys that sound awesome:

ERASED by Jennifer Rush (LOVED book one in this series and can’t wait to read this one!!)
ANYTHING TO HAVE YOU by Paige Harbison
ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART by Tracey Martin
A CREATURE OF MOONLIGHT by Rebecca Hahn

Hope you had a wonderful book week! And Happy early Thanksgiving to you in the US!