HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Books you Want to read inspired by this day!

Happy Valentines Day! To every couple of every race, religion and sexual preference; you are beautiful and unique and love will always win! I love this season even despite the fact that I don't have a Valentine (right now). So today's post, since I'm in a review slump, will be about books, both YA & NA which celebrate love and are some of my favorites!

Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins: This lovely one is about Cupid and Psyche! It's NA, lots of mythology and...steam. Perfect for this day!

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor: I am putting this here because my sweet Lazlo is a cinnamon roll and he deserves all the love! He and Sarai are one of my favorite couples!

A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas: I am placing this cover on purpose because it's one of the most beautiful in the series. Plus, we do get the setting for the upcoming books too.

The Wish Collector by Mia Sheridan: Part inspired from The Phantom of the Opera and set in New Orleans, this book is a delight with the stellar writing of Mia Sheridan!

What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon: I read this book recently and GOD IT BROKE MY HEART! But there is a HEA here I promise despite the weird Outlander-vibes I got. Amy Harmon knows how to pull your heartstrings.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer: Beauty and Beat meets a dark fantasy world in this new book by Brigid Kemmerer! You'll love the characters and...pretty much everything!

A Deeper Love, part of the Shadow Market anthology by Cassandra Clare: Excuse me but this was one of the best stories in the book! Tessa and Jem is my top couple...along with Tessa and Will. It's the only love triangle I accept in every book I've ever read.

One True Love by Linda Kage: In a world where you can find your true love, a good knight discovers his true love...in his new king's married sister. It's NA, and filled with comedy and slow-burning romance!

Trust by Kylie Scott: A contemporary story about loving your body, and finding love through friendship, despite the oddities. One of Kylie's best books I've read so far.

Heart of Fae by Emma Hamm: The first book to introduce me to the delightful world of Emma Hamm's writing is a story of a cursed Fae Prince and the healer who will change everything. Amazing descriptions and a romance to swoon over!

Untold Tale series by J.M. Frey: I am just imagining Forsyth buying flowers and chocolate and being a lording gentleman to Pip. They are one of my favorite couples!

The Game Plan by Kristen Callihan: One word...Ethan!

Master of Crows & Entreat Me by Grace Draven: I am stealing the spot here and putting two books because I love Grace Draven and her writing! If I could jump int one of her worlds, I would!

Every book by Ilona Andrews: I couldn't pick so I am throwing everything here because I don't want anyone to hunt me for choosing Curran over Rogan and pretty much every other male in the books. 

Every book by Laura Thalassa: I couldn't pick one here too, so I am putting Rhapsodic because my best Aussie friend Dayna worked on this cover!

The Newsoul series by Jodi Meadows: I am sorry but this book has become a part of my soul. It was one of the few that led me to blogging and making me love reading again. Plus, the aspect of reincarnation is gorgeous and there are centaurs here too!

And that's for now! I have pretty much more than 2000 books in my lists and I could spend weeks talking over them! Which are your favorites? Give me your recommendations!

Review: "Echo North" by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

summary from GoodReads

"Epic and engrossing. Magic pulsates through every page.” —Kirkus, starred review

"...a compelling, satisfying romantic adventure with metafictional undertones.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A marvelous, enchanting tale about the power of love and stories.” 
—Rosamund Hodge, New York Times bestselling author of Cruel Beauty 

"...beautifully written retelling..." - School Library Journal

Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart when her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an ultimatum: if she lives with him for one year, he will ensure her father makes it home safely. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.

In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, and something new and dark and strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books- turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear and Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.

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REVIEW

HOLLY WOW! This was such an amazing book! Echo's and Hal's story was one of the few that made me wish to be in that world of magic, stories and witches!
This story, which is inspired by East of the Sun, West of the Moon and also it has some elements of Beauty and the Beast, is a must read!

When Echo's family slowly crumbles after her father remarries, she will form a bargain with a mysterious wolf and join him in a magical mansion hidden from the mortal world. The mansion is filled with mysterious rooms and with a library which every bookworm would wish for! But the mansion is crumbling and the wolf is dying, and as Echo tries to find a way and save the wolf she will discover Hal, trapped in the mansion too and the mystery will make this story far more intense.

Seriously I couldn't stop reading! I loved the descriptions, the characters and the man with his wife and sweet baby! The magic and the hidden worlds within the books was the best part.

This is highly recommended to every fellow blogger who knows about a good library! ;)

About the author:

Joanna Ruth Meyer hails from Mesa, Arizona, where she lives with her dear family, a rascally feline, and an enormous grand piano. When she’s not writing, she’s trying to convince her students that Bach is actually awesome, or plotting her escape from the desert. She loves good music, thick books, looseleaf tea, rainstorms, and staring out of windows. One day, she aspires to own an old Victorian house with creaky wooden floors and a tower (for writing in, of course!).

Release Day Blitz+ARC Review: "The Son and His Hope" by Pepper Winters

The Son and His Hope, a sweeping standalone from New York Times Bestselling author Pepper Winters is live!

“Things you should know about me from the very beginning:

I was born to true love, witnessed the destruction it causes, and vowed never to let such agony happen to me. I am not a story-teller like my father. I am not a writer like my mother. I am just a son—their son.

I am happy being alone.

And that is all I ever want to be.”

JACOB

The day he was born, Jacob learned his hardest and longest lesson.

It wasn’t a lesson a boy should learn so young, but from his earliest memories he knew where happiness lives, so does tragedy. Where love exists, so does heartbreak. And where hope resides, so does sorrow.

That lesson carved him from the kid to the teen to the man.

And nothing and no one could change his mind.

HOPE

I first met him when he was fourteen at a movie premiere of all places. A movie based on his parent’s life.

He was stoic, strong, suspicious, and secretive.

I was only ten, but I felt something for him. A strange kind of sorrow that made me want to hug and heal him.

I was the daughter of the actor hired to play his father.

We shared similarities.

I recognised parts of him because they were parts of me.

But no matter how many times we met. No matter how many times I tried.

He stayed true to his vow to never fall.

Download your copy today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2HUEKLf

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/SonHopePW

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2UOVBAP

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Kobo: https://goo.gl/yUJUqc

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2RQr8EN

REVIEW

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

I knew that after having finished The Boy and his Ribbon duet I was in for lots of heartache, tears and love. Jacob's and Hope's story is filled with trauma, horror over the idea of death and losing those you love. But this is life and without these things, you never learn to cherish the love you have from the people around you.

It was a delight to read this book, despite the fact that I read it at the same time with "What the Wind Knows" by Amy Harmon and both books made me cry. Especially when Della's POV came around and pretty much smashed my heart into tiny pieces.

But the ending was bittersweet and hopeful because there's too much love in this writing that you can't help but burst from it. Those three books are by far the best Pepper Winters
has written and I'll treasure them always.

About Pepper:

Pepper Winters is a multiple New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today International Bestseller.

After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an multiple #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. With 19 books currently published, she has hit the bestseller charts twenty-six times in three years.

Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work. Her Pure Corruption Series was released by Grand Central, Hachette.

Her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian and Turkish. Audio Books for her entire back-list will be available in 2017.

Connect with Pepper:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pepperwintersbooks/ Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lLHxdG Twitter: @PepperWinters Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1511645192400372/ Never miss an update! Sign up for Pepper’s newsletter today! http://www.subscribepage.com/www.pepperwinters.com https://pepperwinters.com

ARC Review: "Between the Water and the Woods" by Simone Snaith & Sara Kipin (Illustrator)

Between the Water and the Woods by Simone Snaith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Emeline's quiet village has three important rules: 
Don't look at the shadows. 
Don't cross the river. 
And don't enter the forest. 

An illustrated fantasy filled with beauty and power, BETWEEN THE WATER AND THE WOODS sweeps you into a world where forests are hungry; knights fight with whips; the king is dying; and a peasant girl's magic will decide the future of the realm...

When Emeline's little brother breaks all three of their village's rules, she is forced to use her family's forbidden magic to rescue him from the dark things he awakens, the Ithin. Now that the Ithin are afoot in the land, she must, by law, travel to the royal court and warn the king. But the only way she and her family can make the journey to the capital is with the protection of a sour magister and a handsome, whip-wielding Lash Knight. Will Emeline survive in a city where conspiracies swirl like smoke and her magic is all but outlawed?

Seven full-page black-and-white illustrations accompany BETWEEN THE WATER AND THE WOODS, a lush, fairy-tale-style fantasy perfect for readers of Karen Cushman and Shannon Hale. 

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REVIEW

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

A beautiful story about love family and nature. The illustrations will be fantastic in print since I got this as an e-ARC and Emeline's power of love is a delight to read. While this borders, to me, the line between YA and MG, it is recommended for its lush descriptions and wonderful storytelling.



About the author:

Simone Snaith is an author of Fantasy, Young Adult, and New Adult novels. She is also an editor at The Los Angeles Beat and sings in the band Turning Violet. Her new YA Fantasy, BETWEEN THE WATER & THE WOODS (March 2019, Holiday House Books), is available for pre-order now at your local bookstore or on Amazon.

Blog Tour+ARC Review: "You asked for Perfect" by Laura Silverman

You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire 
Release Date: March 5th 2019 
Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary 


Synopsis: Senior Ariel Stone is the perfect college applicant: first chair violin, dedicated community volunteer, and expected valedictorian. He works hard - really hard - to make his life look effortless. A failed Calculus quiz is not part of that plan. Not when he’s number one. Not when his peers can smell weakness like a freshman’s body spray. Figuring a few all-nighters will preserve his class rank, Ariel throws himself into studying. His friends will understand if he skips a few plans, and he can sleep when he graduates. Except Ariel’s grade continues to slide. Reluctantly, he gets a tutor. Amir and Ariel have never gotten along, but Amir excels in Calculus, and Ariel is out of options. Ariel may not like Calc, but he might like Amir. Except adding a new relationship to his long list of commitments may just push him past his limit. 

         BOOK LINKS 

REVIEW

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

This book is an honor to every child and teenager who HAS to manage STRESS and meet their parents' expectations! I connected with Ariel instantly because he was ME IN HIGH SCHOOL! When tests were a menace, few teachers were supportive enough of our university and college choices and I also had the blessing to have the most supportive family ever.

The details on the Jewish rituals and gatherings were a rare sight (I don't think I've read anything similar in another book?) and I enjoyed Ariel's family, despite that even his little sister became a victim to stress and no one noticed.

The book is amazing, it moves at a steady pace and it's a great example of knowing that you have to do what to love in order to succeed.

AUTHOR INFORMATION

My debut novel, GIRL OUT OF WATER, is a summery coming-of-age story about a California surfer girl sent to landlocked Nebraska for the entire summer. It debuted in May 2017. You can order it from most book retailers and of course request it at your local library! My second novel, YOU ASKED FOR PERFECT, is about the effects of intense academic pressure on a teenage Valedictorian-to-be. It comes out March 2019, and you can add it on Goodreads here. I have degrees in English and Advertising from the University of Georgia, and I have an MFA in Writing for Children from the New School. While I lived in NYC, I interned at Penguin and two different literary agencies. In addition to writing, I also freelance edit manuscripts and query letters. Please check out my services if you’re interested! I particularly love helping with those query letters!

TOUR SCHEDULE


GIVEAWAY Prize: 
Win a copy of YOU ASKED FOR PERFECT by Laura Silverman (INT) 
Disclaimer: INT as long as Bookdepository ships to the country of the winner. 
Start Date: 11th February 2019 
End Date: 24th February 2019



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Blog Tour+Excerpt+ARC Review: "Second Chance" by L.B. Dunbar

Second Chance, an all-new sexy, silver fox standalone from L.B. Dunbar is available now!

                          

Her.

A widow at forty-four, her husband left her a letter.

Contact Denton.

Once upon a time, the three of them had been best friends.

Mati Rath isn’t sure she should look back.

Her heart isn’t ready, or so she thinks.

Him.

A pleading phone call forces him to make a decision.

I’ll be there.

Yet, he hasn’t been home in twenty-seven years.

Denton Chance isn’t sure he should return.

The past still haunts his heart.

A desire that never left them, along with circumstances beyond their control, brings the past to the present.

Can one sexy silver fox face the woman he once left behind but never let go?

Sometimes love deserves a second chance.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RTydoE

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Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2zPTqEX

Excerpt:

1

The Letter Dear Mati, If you’re reading this, something has happened to me. Hopefully, it wasn’t something long and drawn out, but quick and peaceful. Baby, I’m also hoping it didn’t take you, too, although you know I’d find you in heaven if you are here with me. So, you’ve made it to cleaning out my office, which you’ve been asking me to do for years. I never was the neatone. Reassure the boys I’m watching over them. I have faith that the two halves of us will find their way in the world, hopefully as fathers, as fatherhood has been one of the greater joys of my life. The greatest joy has been your love, Mati. I know you gave it to me willingly, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer. We know we’ve covered all four areas. Death does not part us, but I don’t want it to stop you from living. We promised each other, young or old, which ever one of us went first, the other would continue to enjoy the gift of life. It’s an adventure. Ours has certainly hit some bumps, taken curves, and ridden steep hills, but we enjoyed the ride, right? Don’t stop now. You’re the driver, Mati. A new road awaits. I want you to do me a favor. Just consider it before you get mad at me. (Those vows should have included in moments of conflict and peace.) Contact Denton. He was one of our best friends. He loved you asI did, only I’m the luckier man. Despite riches and fame, I won you. I had your ear and your heart and your body. You might need someone to talk to, and he could be the ear for you. I have no doubt his heart is still open to yours. As for your body, well, I’d be a selfish man, deserving hell instead of heaven, if I expected it to waste on earth without attention. We gave each other permission, in vows outside our wedding, babe. I expect you to accept them. For once, don’t argue with me.

Live life. 
Love from heaven,
Chris

REVIEW

I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
A highly emotional read about true love and second chances. Denton's and Mati's story is proof that it's never too late to discover love again. Both characters learn valuable lessons about grief, heartache, and family as they try to navigate through their own feelings and those of the people around them. 

Also with recollections from their pasts, we get to know how they came to meet with each other and how Denton took the decision which changed everything. I loved the author's style and how the story even made me cry as I read it.

This is a beautiful read...not counting in the sexy cover model. :P

About L.B. Dunbar

I’ve been accused of having an over-active imagination. To my benefit, this imagination has created over twenty novels, including the creation of a small-town world (Sensations Collection), rock star mayhem (Legendary Rock Star series), MMA chaos (Paradise Stories), rom-com for the over forty (The Sex Education of M.E.), and a suspenseful island for redemption (The Island Duet). My alter ego, elda lore, creates magical romance through mythological retellings (Modern Descendants). My life revolves around a deep love of reading about fairy tales, medieval knights, regency debauchery, and strong alpha males. I love a deep belly laugh, a strong hug, and an occasional margarita. My other loves include being mother to four grown children and wife to the one and only.

Connected with L.B. Dunbar

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Website: https://www.lbdunbar.com

ARC Review: "Vortex Visions" (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles #1) by Elise Kova

Vortex Visions by Elise Kova
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

A desperate princess, a magical traveler, and a watch that binds them together with the fate of a dying world.

Vi Solaris is the heir to an Empire she’s barely seen. Her parents sacrificed a life with her to quell a rebellion and secure peace with a political alliance. Now, three years past when her wardship should’ve ended, Vi will do anything to be reunited with her family.

The Empire is faltering beneath the burden of political infighting and a deadly plague. Yet, Vi can’t help but wonder if her inability to control her magic is the true reason her parents haven’t brought her home. Suspicion becomes reality when she unleashes powers she’s not supposed to have. 

Powers that might well cost her the throne.

As Vi fights to get her magic under control, a mysterious stranger appears from across the world. He holds the keys to unlocking her full potential, but the knowledge has an unspeakable price — some truths, once seen, cannot be ignored.

All eyes are on her and Vi must make the hardest choice of her life: Play by the rules and claim her throne. Or, break them and save the world.

If you enjoy epic fantasy stories with sorcery, slow-burn romance, and expansive worlds to adventure in, then you’ll love the Vortex Chronicles. Scroll up and one-click now!

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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The sequel series to Air Awakens is a tale of mystery, hidden clues, and new cast. Following the end of Crystal Crowned which concluded the story of Vhalla and Aldrik, this new book focuses on their daughter Vi and her attempts to discover her new powers as also realize how much bigger the world is.

The story has a slow pace which picks up quickly enough, yet I really enjoyed Elise's writing with its great descriptions and the different personalities of her characters. Taavin was so mysterious and although he is quite the jerk at the beginning of the book, he slowly changes his opinion about Vi and her powers. I can't wait to see what will happen to the sequel!



About the author:

Elise Kova is the USA Today bestselling author of fantasy stories filled with magic and romance.

In her past lives, she has graduated from an MBA program, lived in Japan for a bit, and worked for a Fortune 500 technology company. However, she finds herself much happier in her current reincarnation as full-time author. When not writing, she can usually be found playing video games, drawing, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. She's happy to call Saint Petersburg, Florida, her home, but is always looking forward to her next trip.

Her debut series was Air Awakens. Since then she's penned the dark fantasy, the Loom Saga. As well as a co-authored paranormal romance, the Wish Quartet.

Review: "King of Scars" (Nikolai Duology #1) by Leigh Bardugo

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal. 

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REVIEW

I wanted a book about Nikolai, hell I would love to see a series of TEN BOOKS, dedicated to this privateer turned king after the brutal civil war of Ravka. King of Scars takes place three years after the end of the first trilogy and you can see that the legacy of Alina is still strong. People have turned her into a Saint yet at the same time the country is under economic turmoil and enemies have gathered in the borders threatening everything Nikolai, Zoya and the rest of Alina's friends have fought for.

Nikolai also has to fight his inner demon/volcra, which also is a threat to his future as king. So...when a mad priest named Yuri

                                                     (NOT MY SWEET ICE SKATER),

appears with ranting about a ritual which could save Nikolai from the demon, he and Zoya will travel back into the Fold...or what left of it where more secrets await.

On the other hand, Nina, my beautiful waffle lover, works with Adrik and Leoni in the brutal land of Fredja as a spy while at the same time she tries to find a place and finally put to rest Matthias's body. I swear that scene was the most tragic I've read and I CRIED! I COULDN'T STOP CRYING! AND HIS WOLF! MATTHIAS WOLF!!

Also, Nina will come across Hanne, a strong woman who doesn't want to be the stereotype her people wish for a woman to be. That was a great storyline and very promising.

But seriously! The last chapters? OMG I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN BUT LEIGH BARDUGO IS A GENIOUS! I am sure that the second book will have lots and lots and LOTS OF ANGST AND FEELS because with these new developments there'll be no time to rest!

I am also very curious to see how the fandom will react and what stories I'll see.

So here're my questions about book two:

Will Alina appear?
Will Zoya confess her feelings to Nikolai? BECAUSE SHE IS A QUEEN DAMM IT!
Will KAZ appear? His meeting with YOU KNOW WHO would be glorious!
And what will this new power do to this world?

(on a side note I have been fan-casting the actors who COULD BE NIKOLAI! BECAUSE OF NETFLIX!!!!!!)


About the author:

Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse. With over two million copies sold, her Grishaverse spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, and The Language of Thorns—with more to come. (To hear about new releases, tour dates, and giveaways first, sign up for Leigh's newsletter here.) Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including The Best of Tor.com and the Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and the forthcoming Ninth House. Leigh was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Southern California, graduated from Yale University, and has worked in advertising, journalism, and even makeup and special effects. These days, she lives and writes in Los Angeles, where she can occasionally be heard singing with her band.

She would be delighted if you followed her on Twitter, elated if you visited her web site, and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.