Blog Tour+Excrept+ARC Review+Giveaway: "Can't Hardly Breathe" (The Original Heartbreakers #4) by Gena Showalter 31/8

   

From New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes the next standalone romance in the Original Heartbreakers Series—CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE!

Order your copy today!

                                 

CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with an irresistible Original Heartbreakers story about a woman who’s never felt desired and the man who wants her more than air to breathe…

Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter. Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out…but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.

Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.

But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.

 

Preorder CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE here!

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EXCERPT

Daniel, having served multiple tours of duty, had come back a hero.
His life had meaning, hers didn’t. He and two of his friends had started a security company right here in Strawberry Valley. He took care of his ailing father, and in his free time he dated a plethora of city girls.
Dorothea knew about the girls because he’d stayed at the inn every time a date had ended…successfully.
Her flush returned full force as she considered the other five rooms he’d wrecked since his return…all the pleasure he’d been having…all the pleasure she wished she could experience.
Not with him, of course. With someone she liked and respected. Someone who liked and respected her, too, despite the fact that she was still too round for society’s unhealthy standards, a lot too freckled and trapped in a dead-end job.
Daniel Porter would never qualify.
Dorothea found him attractive, yes, but to her, appearance would never outshine personality.
My man must be my equal. She had a lot of love to give. She’d even grown to like herself…kind of. Maybe. Fine, she was trying to like herself.
Avoiding Daniel’s gaze, she said, “No, you stay. I’ll go.” Words her mother had drilled into her shouted inside her head: the customer comes first. “I’ll finish your room later.” She rolled the vacuum toward her cart.
“You live here, right?” he asked. “You own the inn?”
“I… Yes.” Technically she lived in the attic. The more rooms she had available for guests, the more money she would make. At least in theory.
Money was the number one reason she cleaned the pigsties herself, rather than hiring a maid. She was saving her pennies to turn every plain, ordinary room into a themed paradise. Then Strawberry Valley residents would happily pay to stay just for fun.
Again, in theory.
So far she’d decided on six themes. (1) Four seasons—the weather, not the hotel chain. (2) An enchanted forest. (3) A techno dance club. (4) The underwater world of Atlantis. (5) A royal palace. And (6) an inner sanctum, aka a superhero’s wet dream.
Also up for consideration? A beach hut, an igloo, an insane asylum for her more daring patrons and a desert oasis.
With twenty-three rooms in total, she needed other ideas fast. And more money. A lot more money.
Maybe, when the transformations were completed, the feeling of accomplishment would finally chase away her anger and bitterness. Maybe she would feel alive. Happy.
“If any part of your stay was subpar,” she said, “I will personally—”
“No, everything has been great.” He looked over his shoulder and winked at her. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to get into trouble with the boss.”
Every pulse point in her body leaped with excitement. He’d winked at her. Her!
I think you’re perfect just the way you are.
Red alert! She would not read more into his words than he’d intended. Not this time. He was a flirt, plain and simple. Always had been, apparently always would be.
“Why would I get in trouble?” she asked.
“For not finishing the room.”
Oh. Right. “Well, as long as you plan to come back to the inn, I won’t fire myself. Not because I’m desperate to see you or anything,” she added in a rush. “I’m not.” Dang it! “I mean, I’m always glad to see you here. I mean, I just want your money.” Okay. Enough!
He laughed, his amber eyes twinkling.
Air caught in her throat and sizzled. He had the sexiest laugh on the planet. His entire face softened. He pulsed with new life; fresh and vibrant, he was the epitome of spring.
Then he frowned, as if he couldn’t believe he’d found humor in, well, anything.
Her brow furrowed with confusion. Why the doom and gloom?
“In that case,” he said, his tone flat, “I think I’ll stay another night.”
“Really?” She licked her lips. “What about your girlfriend?”
He stiffened. “She isn’t my—”
“No, don’t tell me. I’m sorry I asked. Your love life isn’t my business.”
“I live in Strawberry Valley. My love life is everyone’s business.”
His wry tone made her chuckle, and he stiffened all over again. Great. What had she done wrong this time?
“I’ll be alone tonight,” he said, looking anywhere but at her. “Apparently I hover over my dad when I’m home, so he’s asked for another night off. But I swear to you, this room will be clean in the morning.”
She snorted. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “Doubting Dottie.” A pause, then, “Would you like a cup of coffee before you go?”
“Oh, uh, no, thank you.” While she no longer viewed Daniel through the wounded eyes of high school betrayal— he’d been a nice boy doing a nice thing for a vulnerable girl in desperate need of a white knight—she’d endured too much heartbreak over the years to risk getting to know him better and reigniting her crush.
Look at the way she’d reacted to him already.
He appeared…disappointed? No, of course not. A trick of the light, surely. “Well. See you around, Daniel.”
“Yeah. See you around, Dottie.” He returned his attention to his toiletry bag, dismissing her.
Irritation had her snapping, “My name is Dorothea.”
Before he could respond, she stepped into the hall and closed the door with a soft snick. Hands trembling, she hooked the vacuum to the cart and rolled the cargo to the supply room…where her younger sister Holly was smoking a cigarette.
       
                                           


REVIEW

I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

I was excited to hear that this series was getting three more books! Neddless to say that Dorothea's story was one of my favorites, even more than the three previous books. 
It's a story about bullying, family problems and how a woman's resolve to help her family makes her stronger. I liked Daniel as the male protagonist. He and his friends have lots to deal with (PTSD mostly) andaround Dorothea he softens and becomes the boy Dorothea had fallen in love with.

The cameos of previous characters were a nice touch too! And obviously I am excited to read about Jude and Ryanne on the next book too!


   

    About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans  

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Gena Showalter’s CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
August 21st
Obsessed by books – Review
Scandalous Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt
August 22nd
Alpha Book Club – Review
Beware Of The Reader – Review & Excerpt
Evermore Books – Review & Excerpt
Melena`s Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Romance Rebels – Review & Excerpt
August 23rd
Booknerd1107 – Review
East Coast Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt
Reads & Reviews – Review
Sweet Red Reads – Review & Excerpt
Under The Covers Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt
August 24th
Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm – Review & Excerpt
Read. Eat. Love. – Review & Excerpt
Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Shannonbookishlife – Review & Excerpt
August 25th
Never without a book in hand – Review & Excerpt
Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt
August 26th
Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt
Kayns Book – Review
The Lovely Books – Review & Excerpt
With Love for Books – Review & Excerpt
August 27th
From the TBR Pile – Review & Excerpt
Kdrbck – Review & Excerpt
Nessa's Book Reviews – Excerpt
August 28th
Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt
My Nook, Books & More – Excerpt
Read-Love-Blog – Review
The Book Reading Gals – Review & Excerpt
August 30th
As The Book Ends – Review & Excerpt
Nerdy Dirty and Flirty – Review & Excerpt
Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt
Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt
August 31st
Embrace the Romance – Review & Excerpt
Milky Way of Books – Review & Excerpt
Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
September 1st
BJ's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Books and Things Blog – Review & Excerpt
Foxylutely Books – Review & Excerpt
Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt
September 2nd
A Fortress of Books – Excerpt
Nicole's Book Musings – Excerpt
September 3rd
Francoise's Reading Corner – Review & Excerpt
September 4th
All Things Dark & Dirty – Review & Excerpt
Lover of Big Books Cannot Lie – Review & Excerpt
Rantings of a Reading Addict – Review & Excerpt
September 5th
Escape Inside the Pages – Review & Excerpt
Taylor Fenner's Bookish World – Review & Excerpt
The Sassy Bookster – Excerpt
September 6th
Travels N Reads – Review & Excerpt
Sassy Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt
September 7th
JOJO THE BOOKAHOLIC – Review & Excerpt
Sofia Loves Books – Review
Wrapped Up In Reading – Review & Excerpt
September 8th
Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt
Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Dirty Girl Romance – Review
Stuck In Books – Excerpt
Shannon's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
September 9th
ContemporaryCween – Review & Excerpt
G & T's Indie Café – Excerpt
Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt
Ms. Me28 – Review & Excerpt
Relentless Romance – Review & Excerpt























   

Double Review: "Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda" & "The Upside of Unrequited" by Becky Albertalli. Cuteness Overload!


Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.



BUY ON




REVIEW


After "The Upside of Unrequited" was published I decided to give a chance to both of Becky Albertali's books! I have read glorious reviews, plus Simon's book is also going to become a movie!

"Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda" deals with the life of Simon, a 16 years old boy who is gay but not so openly, since he fears that his sexuality will create problems with his friends and family. He corresponds via email with Blue, which is a pseudonym and mayybee one of Simon's classmates.

When he is discovered by Martin and he sublty blackmails him, Simon will have to deal not only with him, but also with his friends and all the daily adventures they have together.
This was a really nice book; not only because it's LGTB+ themed, but because it features supportive characters, funny moments and a really nice and good family enviroment.

Plus, Becky's writing is easy-going and really quirky, so I never had a moment when I wasn't smiling. I adored the cuteness and I found really quickly who Blue really was! (yay Sherlock-mini me!).

Now I can only hope that the book will be adapted right into the movie and not miss some amazing and touching scenes!








The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

“I don’t entirely understand how anyone gets a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. It just seems like the most impossible odds. You have to have a crush on the exact right person at the exact right moment. And they have to like you back.”

What does a sixteen-year-old girl have to do to kiss a boy? Molly Peskin-Suso wishes she knew. She’s crushed on twenty-six guys…but has kissed exactly none. Her twin sister Cassie’s advice to “just go for it” and “take a risk” isn’t that helpful. It’s easy for her to say: she’s had flings with lots of girls. She’s fearless and effortlessly svelte, while Molly is introverted and what their grandma calls zaftig.
Then Cassie meets Mina, and for the first time ever, Cassie is falling in love. While Molly is happy for her twin, she can’t help but feel lonelier than ever. But Cassie and Mina are determined to end Molly’s string of unrequited crushes once and for all. They decide to set her up with Mina’s friend Will, who is ridiculously good-looking, flirty, and seems to be into Molly. Perfect, right? But as Molly spends more time with Reid, her cute, nerdy co-worker, her feelings get all kinds of complicated. Now she has to decide whether to follow everyone’s advice…or follow her own heart.




BUY ON




REVIEW


This is maybe far cuter than Simon's book. And with more representation. Molly's family is amazing. She has two moms, a twin sister and a sweet baby brother. The timeline of the book takes place when equal-marriage became legal in the US and through this course of the summer Molly struggles with he growing crushes and how her releationship with her sister Cassie changes after gets a girlfriend.

I relate with Molly a lot. I was shy in high school and never got the chance to confess to my crushes (though when I grew up and went uni, I realised that they were idiots.) Molly though is a sweet girl, shy with an artistic spirit. Her relationship with Reid was one of the most heartflet and sweetest I've read in a contemporary (along with Kassie West's books).

Because the characters feel so real with their struggles and emotions that you can't help but want to hug them! Really good story and lovely ending!






About the author:


Visit the author's website:


https://www.beckyalbertalli.com/about/




Top 10 Tuseday: Ten Hidden Gem Books in the Genres I read


This meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week’s topic is Top Ten Tuesday #116: Top 10 hidden Gems in the books I read! I decided not to showcase only one genre but instead create my list with books from the genres I read!






10: The Starling series by Lesley Livingston: Mythology meets 21st century in this tale of mystery, romance and mythical creatures. Although the author is now know with her book "Valiant" I believe that this series is not quite known.





9: Flux by Ellie Carstens: Vikings and aliens mix in this debut novel by Ellie Carstens. The cover is beautiful and the story unique!




8: The Mortal Beloved series by Pamela DuMond: Time-travel, a love that transpires time and space and history mix together in this epic trilogy, which also has been optioned for a TV series! The books are worthy enough to be known more.




7: Ink Series by Amanda Sun: One of the most inspiring books about Japan, the society, the language and the history behins the country! I love the chemistry between the characters, there IS representation of the Japanese as also beautiful calligrapphy inside the pages!




6: Magic Under Glass by Jackie Dolamore: This little gem was one of the first books I've read at the beginning of my blogging days. It's the tale of a singer who meets a magic piano playing automaton. The story is beautifully written and really sweet.




5: Tandem by Anna Jarzab: The multiverse meets parallel worlds in this glorious tale of love, war and secrets. Unfortunately, I haven't read the second book yet and it's now known yet if the third book will be published.




4: A Soul to take by Emily Taylor: Futuristic Victorian-like, society meets Beauty and the Beast/Black Butler in this action packed adventure. You have a kick-ass heroine and a slow burn romance!




3: The Next together series by Lauren James: Reincarnation, an unsolved mystery across centuries and love are the thems of this adventure which combines writing with notes, letters and drawings! It's beautiful, sweet and heartbreaking.




2: Master of Crows by Grace Draven: This author knows how to create amazing worlds and add sweeping romance in it! I love this book, especially because there's so much secrets and the heroine is quite headstrong.




1: The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson: One of the most amazing hidden gems out there! Post-apocalyptic worlds, South America, sexual diversity and representation, a heart-breaking romance and GLOWING TATTOOS! Don't you also love the cover?!





HONORABLE MENTION GOES TO:



Heartstopper by Alice Oseman: This prequel webcomic follows the tale between Charlie and Nick, characters from Alice Oseman's books. It's funny, sweet and beautiful! You can find the comic on the Tapas site and read it for free, or you can support Alice by following her on her Patreon.





Review: "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline


Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?

It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. 
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape. 





BUY ON 



REVIEW

The reason I read this book was SDCC. When I saw the teaser trailer of the movie, I KNEW that I had to read the book. I listened to it and when I got the ebook I dove back to it, so I could also do some research on the 80's pop culture.

The plot is not so dystopian as you'd expect. Humans have destroyed the planet, there are wars, famine and the riches are gathered to the few. But all have access to the OASIS, a virtual reality which can be accessed through haptic gloves and visors. The OASIS is based in 80's; the Sectors, planets, pop culture music, TV shows, EVERYTHING!



Wade is the main protagonist who hunts along with other players, the Easter Egg, the creator of the OASIS hid into the game, before he died. Wade's avatar meets with others, as also his virtual crush Art3mis, and together they try not only to discover the Keys which will lead them to the Egg but also hide from the Sixers, avatars working for the corporation IOI which wants to win the contest and take the fortune of the OASIS creator, Halliday, along with it.



The book is a riddle filled with 80's trivia. Now except from some known movies like Star Wars, Back to the Future, Indiana Jones and the such, I have no knowledge of the rest Wade mentions in the book. So I researched everything mentioned and I was able to recognize most of them.



I was born in 1992 and most of my knowledge of the 80's comes from my parents who liked the music and most of the movies. When the Delorean, Doctor Who and Lord of the Rings, the Iron Giant are mentioned in the book I smiled. When the virtual world is described I gawked because I'd give everything to visit something like that. Needless to say that Steven Spielberg's name is mentioned too, and he is the director of the movie!



But (and it is a big, fat BUT), as it happens with dystopian enviroments, humanity prefers to closes its eyes to the world's problems and get lost into the virtual world. Wade describes how life looks outside the OASIS, and how he lives when he isn't logged into the game and truthfully it's a sad excuse for a life.

There is no real social exchange, since you can customize your avatar into ANYTHING you want, people can get rich or poor when they interact with the game and many of them turn into "working slaves" for IOI, the enemy corporation who wants to win the race for the Egg.

The ending was amazing. The battle scenes and the quests fantastic! And for the record, there are many known anime mentioned, we have a Japanese character and a hidden surprise for a avatar, friend of Wade's.

I can only wish for Ernest Cline to write a similar book for us poor souls born in the 90's! Because we had: Pokemon, Disney, Studio Ghibli, Sailor Moon, Jurassic Park, Digimon and all our favorite tv shows and movies!



Here's the teaser trailer:







About the author:

ERNEST CLINE is a novelist, screenwriter, father, and full-time geek. His first novel, Ready Player One, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller, appeared on numerous “best of the year” lists, and is set to be adapted into a motion picture by Warner Bros. and director Steven Spielberg. His second novel, ARMADA, debuted at #4 on the NYT Bestseller list and is being made into a film by Universal Pictures. Ernie lives in Austin, Texas, with his family, a time-traveling DeLorean, and a large collection of classic video games.

ARC Review: "A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares" by Krystal Sutherland


A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Ever since Esther Solar's grandfather was cursed by Death, everyone in her family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime. Esther's father is agoraphobic and hasn't left the basement in six years, her twin brother can t be in the dark without a light on, and her mother is terrified of bad luck.

The Solars are consumed by their fears and, according to the legend of the curse, destined to die from them. 

Esther doesn't know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to), a feat achieved by avoiding pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces, and crowds are all off-limits. So are haircuts, spiders, dolls, mirrors and three dozen other phobias she keeps a record of in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares. 

Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she d been saving, Jonah also steals her list of fears. Despite the theft, Esther and Jonah become friends, and he sets a challenge for them: in an effort to break the curse that has crippled her family, they will meet every Sunday of senior year to work their way through the list, facing one terrifying fear at a time, including one that Esther hadn't counted on: love.




PRE-ORDER



REVIEW



I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exhange for an honest review!

Esther Solar's family is cursed. Her grandfather met death when he was alive and since then all of her family members suffer from a phobia which eventually will kill them.
Or is that the truth?

"A Semi Definite List of Worst Nightmares" was a 180 degree turn from Krystal Sutherland's first novel "Our Chemical Hearts". There is humor, mystery, romance and a good dose of magical realism, should I dare to mention.

Esther sees herself as someone ugly, fat too ginger for her own good and tries desperately to keep her family from crumbling. Her best friend is selective mute, so both Esther and her brother know how to use sign language.

Enter Jonah Smallwood, a boy who lives in a tortured family, yet tries desperately to escape his life, by creating movies. When he decides t help Esther to overcome her list of possible fears, a funny emotional journey begins.

And secrets are uncovered.

I enjoyed this book whole-heartily! Some scenes, like the ones with the lobsters and the geese were hilarious! And some others, were heart-breaking (Trigger warnings for suicide attempt, domestic abuse, physical abuse).

But Esther and Jonah matured through the course of the book, although there was ONE final scene (you'll see which one I mean) that made me cry. Because if everything they learnt about Esther's Grandfather was true, then my lovely couple needs more time!

Overall, this book is very enjoyable and maybe one of the best contemporaries, I've read in 2017. ;)








About the author:

I am Krystal Sutherland, writer of books. Or, more specifically, I am the writer of one lonely book, OUR CHEMICAL HEARTS, which is being published in September 2016 by Penguin in the US and ANZ, and Hot Key in the UK. 

I was born and raised in Townsville, in the far north of Australia. Since escaping to Sydney in 2011, I've also lived in Amsterdam, which was awesome but cold, and Hong Kong, where I currently reside (though I speak neither Dutch nor Cantonese). 

Growing up, I never dreamed of being a writer. I wanted to be a) a florist, then b) a volcanologist, then c) an actress. It wasn't until shortly after my 18th birthday that I sat down to write my first (terrible) novel. 

OUR CHEMICAL HEARTS, thankfully, is slightly better than that hot mess. Nonetheless, I am notoriously bad at explaining what it's about, except to say that it involves the terribly tragic and awful experience of falling in love for the first time. 

I have no pets and no children, but in Amsterdam I owned a bicycle called Kim Kardashian. It was somewhat difficult to get along with. I was fond of it regardless. 

Blog Tour+ARC Review: "Wild Card" (North Ridge #1) by Karina Halle

SBPRBanner-WildCard-BT.jpg

Wild Card, an all-new contemporary STANDALONE by New York Times Bestselling author Karina Halle is available NOW!!!

                          Wild Card AMAZON

Wild Card is a standalone novel and the first book in the North Ridge Trilogy about rough and rugged Canadian mountain men, the Nelson brothers. Canada’s never felt so hot.

She swore she’d never go back home.
She swore she’d never see the man who broke her all those years ago.
But you don’t always get to choose your path.
And sometimes that path is as wild and rugged as the heart.

Rachel Waters thought she saw the last of the small mountain town of North Ridge, British Columbia, when she left six years ago. But while her advertising career blossomed beneath the skyscrapers of Toronto, her mother’s sudden illness has the 26-year old returning to North Ridge to care for her, putting her career on hold while dealing with family secrets, regrets and unresolved goodbyes.
Shane Nelson has always been a bit of a wild card. The youngest of three brothers, Shane’s spent most of his life being underestimated and misunderstood. With his quiet intensity, classic good looks and thoughtful demeanor, he’s an enigma on horseback, managing his father’s sprawling ranch on the slopes of North Ridge.
But while Shane remains the quintessential brooding cowboy, complete with an arsenal of inner demons, all of that changes when Rachel steps back into his life.
She was the girl he pushed away.
Now she’s the girl who wishes she could leave.
Despite the odds, Shane will do everything to convince Rachel he needs a second chance that he doesn’t deserve but when the two of them head off into the wilderness together in search of lost cattle, more than just their hearts are at stake.
Whether it's love or lives on the line, one thing is for sure: always bet on the wild card.


WildCard-AN

Read Today!

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/6WuDjh


Wild Card - Teaser 4

REVIEW

I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Wild Card was one of these books you get to enjoy, knowing that not only will you be introduced to new characters but also you'll get to enjoy the AMAZING scenery! I may not know enough of British Columbia, but after reading Karina Halle's new book, I really want to travel there!

The characters may be flawed but you have some funny moments, some heart-wrenching ones and a good dose of the male heroes I enjoy reading from this author! My beautiful Shane and my sweet Rachel, as also the other two brothers and their respective (soon to be seen) love interests.

There is also a small issue of assault which Karina Halle manages to deliver subtle and quite well and it gives light to everyday problems which in some cases the society likes to turn its eyes away.


Meet Karina:

KarinaHalleKarina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books. Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina:

Join her Reader Group: https://goo.gl/wpCBSS
Stay up to date with Karina by signing up for her newsletter here: https://goo.gl/Ve4eCh

Milky Way of Books on space hiatus+Giveaways Reminder

Hello everyone! The next few days the blog is going to be a little quiet. I'm leaving for vacation on Chalkidiki, one of the greek places to go if you need a nice good swim! I'll be back next week to catch up with reviews on ARCs and blog tours.

Let me remind you of the two giveaways I've been having on my blog!

1)The PB box set of the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas!










2) 7 Swag packs giveaways on my blog as also the grand prize of three books which is on Twitter!



Cover Reveal: "The Misadventures of a Life Less Lived" by Clayton Gerrard


Welcome to the cover reveal of yet another amazing new title by REUTS Publications! The book is sarcastic, it's about college and image!

The Misadventures of a Life Less Lived by Clayton Gerrard is coming on stores on September 12th!





Back Cover Copy:

College junior Doug has built his entire collegiate experience around having a cool life, a status he maintains by keeping his bookish tendencies and crush on “nerdy” Eliza a secret from his popular fraternity and cheerleader girlfriend. But when he wakes one morning to discover that the life he’d kept in the fraternity fridge (because where else would one store a chill life?) has spoiled, panic ensues. As a high-ranking member of a popular fraternity, having no life is social suicide. He’ll be ostracized, forgotten, and maybe even kicked out of the frat.

Desperate to remedy his lifeless status before anyone notices, Doug embarks upon a mission to replace his ruined life with a similar one. But finding a new life isn’t quite as simple as going to the store. And Doug quickly discovers that if he wants another life, he’s going to have to earn one by running a gauntlet of humbling, and often humiliating, life lessons. Though resistant, he may yet learn that his deceptions have never served him and have only helped enforce the biggest lie of all—the one he’s told himself.

A snarky, often ridiculous satirical examination of what makes a fulfilled life, The Misadventures of a Life Less Lived is a quirky, thought-provoking debut full of clever metaphors and literary allusions.




Release DateSeptember 12, 2017

Pre-Order Link: Pre-order off the REUTS website and get it a weekend before everyone else! http://www.reuts.com/product/misadventures-life-less-lived-clayton-gerrard/





About the author:


Clayton Gerrard awoke one day and decided he’d be a writer. He was two, and the clacking sounds produced by his mother’s electric typewriter when he randomly mashed the keys were most satisfying. Ever since then, he’s been trying to hone his craft and find his voice, but the more he focused on the former the more the latter eluded him and vice versa. So he gave it all up and spent ten years in college. Now with more degrees than sense he erroneously believes he has something to say.

When he’s not wrestling with his Magical Realism or Fantasy stories, he enjoys a good craft beer, indie movies, complaining about complainers and judging judgmental people. He believes all of life’s challenges are opportunities for personal growth, but tends to forget that when he’s stuck in traffic. His friends and family mean the world to him, but he hopes they never read this bio because the bastards would lord it over him forever.

Clayton currently lives in Portland, OR. Where else would such a nutcase live?


Milky Way of Books Presents: Master Giveaway! 7 Swag Packs & 3 Books!



This is going to be one of the posts I've been planning for a while. Through my 4 years of blogging, I had the luck to win some amazing swag! Alas, my room is small and I don't have that much place left for them! So, I decided to create swag packs and gift them to you!

If you are a swag hoarder or you want some rare editions OR you wish to win a unique sampler and notebook here's your chance!

Enter for a chance to win one of the seven swag packs and also gain one more entry for the Twitter giveaway I'm doing for three books that I'd love to give!




GIVEAWAYS END ON 9/25!




SWAG PACK 1


SWAG PACK 2


SWAG PACK 3


SWAG PACK 4


SWAG PACK 5


SWAG PACK 6



SWAG PACK 7


RULES:

-International
-NO GIVEAWAY ACCOUNTS
-All entries will be verified!
-There'll be seven winners for the swag packs. Three of these seven winners will also win ONE book of their choice from the pic I've uploaded on Twitter.







a Rafflecopter giveaway