The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris Release Day #Excerpt #Giveaway

I'm happy to be sharing the release of The Fine Art of Pretending because seriously Rachel rocks. I read this book and loved it. I'm excited for everyone else to read it too. I've loved all of Rachel's books but this might be my fav of her YA. I mean Brandon..... So check out the excerpt and make sure to stop back at my blog October 9th for my blog tour stop which will include a review and dream cast. Woot!! Go Rachel!

Title: The Fine Art of Pretending
Author: Rachel Harris
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary
Pub Date: Sept. 30 2014

According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

An exhale of breath leaves Brandon’s lips, almost like a laugh, and he scoots closer to me on the blanket. I twist my legs under myself, sitting tall as I face him. He cups my chin and tilts it toward him, drowning me in the now dark-green depths of his eyes, the cologne I gave him for his birthday filling my head. It’s woodsy and yummy and I always loved how it smelled on the store testers, but on Brandon, it’s even sexier. My eyes flutter closed, and I inhale again, this time slowly. Goose bumps prickle my arms, and my head gets fuzzy.

Brandon slides his hand down the column of my neck and brings the other up, threading his fingers through the hair at my nape. His breath fans across my cheek, and everything south of my bellybutton squeezes tight.

When his mouth first meets mine, it’s hesitant, questioning. But as I move my lips with his, he quickly grows bolder, coaxing them apart.

Desire, pure and raw, electrifies my veins as his tongue sweeps my mouth. A whimpering sound springs from my chest, and instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. Needing more. My teeth graze his full bottom lip, and I pull it, sucking on it gently.

He moans and knots his fingers in my hair, and a thrill dances down my back.

Brandon is an amazing kisser, just as I knew he would be. I have no control over my body’s reactions. I lose myself in his lips, his tongue, and his strong arms, forgetting time and space and even my surroundings—until Gabi’s snicker brings reality crashing around us, reminding me we have an audience.

And that I’m kissing Brandon.

We break apart, out of breath, and stare into each other’s eyes.

That was unexpected.

Award-winning and Bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls next door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, and LOVES talking with readers.

   

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As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre Release Day Launch #Giveaway

We are absolutely ecstatic to bring you the Release Day Launch for Ann Aguirre's AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME! AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME is the second novel in Ann's New Adult Contemporary Romance 2B Trilogy Series, published by Harlequin HQN! If you haven't already read I WANT IT THAT WAY buy it NOW. We can't wait for you all to read it so you can dish with us about it!

Amazon | B&N | BAM | IndieBound | Vroman’s | Book Depository | Powell’s| iTunes

Most people dream about getting out of Sharon, Nebraska, but after three years away, Lauren Barrett is coming home. There are the justifications she gives to everyone else—missing her family, losing her college scholarship. And then there’s the reason Lauren can’t admit to anyone: Rob Conrad, her best friend’s older brother.

Football prowess and jaw-dropping good looks made Rob a star in high school. Out in the real world, his job and his relationships are going nowhere. He can’t pinpoint exactly what’s missing until Lauren comes back to town, bringing old feelings and new dreams with her. But he’s the guy that women love and leave—not the one who makes them think of forever.

Though she’s terrified of opening up, Lauren’s ready to take that chance. Because the only thing more important than figuring out where you truly belong is finding the person you were meant to be with.

AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME on Goodreads

Mom was asleep, so I checked my email. I had the usual spam, plus notes from all my former roomies, which made me happy. I missed all of them, even Max, though things were unspeakably awkward between us at the end. I opened Nadia’s first:

LB! You know I miss you like crazy, right? Courtney’s in your bed right now, and she has completely alphabetized my books. I’m pretty sure there will be a lending library program implemented the next time I get home from work. So how’s Nebraska? Did you find a job yet? Have you started applying to any schools? I have like ten more questions but you’ll get grumpy if I dump them on you all at once. Hug and kiss my family for me, okay? Write back soon or I’m sending my brother to track you down.

She didn’t mention the hot single dad she’d broken up with right before I left. Mr. Hot Ginger had dumped Nadia for her own good, which would drive her quietly crazy. I’d felt horrible about the timing, but there was little I could do about it. I hadn’t gotten to know him well before I left, but Ty seemed like a good guy. He was only a few years older than us, but already had a four-year-old. That was the crux of the conflict.

Writing back, I didn’t quite nail the tone, talking about Rob too much and inventing interesting anecdotes because there was so little going on. I could’ve mentioned Krista, but Nadia had never been as close to her, and there was some tension by the time she moved. Mostly I didn’t want Nadia to worry; things would be fine once I got a job and had less time to fret about whether I’d made the right decision.

I opened Angus’s email next:

Hey, you. Got your check. It appears not to be rubber, but I said you didn’t have to pay me back. I hate you for leaving. Come back right now. I’ll wait. This is me, waiting. It’s been at least five minutes. You’re shattering my faith in humanity, Lauren. Take responsibility for it! Not sure what you’ve heard from Nadia, but she’s such a hot mess. I can’t believe you abandoned us. All the light has left my life. All of it! Okay, enough drama. I’m working on getting over Josh. Classes suck but I will survive. (You’re singing it now, aren’t you?)

“Damn you, Angus Starr. You know me too well.” I got up on my bed with a hairbrush and sang two verses before reading on.

In all seriousness, there is a Lauren-sized hole in my life. Please don’t lose touch. Write soon. Love and hugs, Angus.

It was simpler writing back to Angus; our friendship was sweet and uncomplicated. Briefly I considered deleting Max’s email without opening it, but that seemed like an asshole move. In the end, I read it, two lines only:

I’m sorry about everything. Take care of yourself.

Grab the whole series today!

I WANT IT THAT WAY

AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME

THE SHAPE OF MY HEART

Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.

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Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton #AuthorInterview #Giveaway

Title: Fire in the Woods
Publication date: September 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Jennifer M. Eaton

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky—literally. But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel.

But her father runs their house like an army barracks, and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. Ever. So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met?

Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. It just means she can’t get caught.

Helping David get home while protecting her heart—that’s gonna be the hard part. After all, she can’t really fall for a guy who’s not exactly from here.

As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she’s to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth—and everyone on it.

What gave you the idea to have a boy fall out of the sky?

Well, he doesn’t fall out of the sky in the literal sense. He is on a spaceship that crash lands on Earth. If he fell from the sky, he would have gone splat, and that would have been messy. And it’s a little hard to write a chase novel if your main character is in traction. [grins]

How do you make time for writing with three boys?

It’s certainly not easy! I try very hard to balance writing and family… especially with soccer practice nearly every night and most of Saturday taken up at games. I just had to re-prioritize. For instance, I do not watch TV anymore unless I am on the treadmill. (This gives me the incentive to exercise.) I do most of my conceptualizing and plotting in my head during my one hour up and back drive to work. I do most of my actual typing on my lunch break. Evenings are usually spent with marketing and social networking.

Did you have any input into your covers?

Yes and no. I really had no idea what I wanted for the FIRE IN THE WOODS cover. My comment to my publisher was that I didn’t want stock imagery that looked like everyone else’s cover, and I also wanted something that could carry the branding of the book. Wow, was I excited when I saw what the artist came up with!

What was your favorite scene or character to write?

I really love writing David’s character. There is a sweet innocence to him that I think is very refreshing. My favorite scenes with him are where he misinterprets Jess’s words or actions. It makes for some really enduring interchanges that I hope people will warm up to.

If you could have any talent/job in the world besides writing. What would it be?

I would love to be an archeologist. How cool would it be to dig something up and discover part of the past? That would definitely be cool.

How do you read? Audiobook, Ereader, Physical Book?

It is mostly Ebooks these days simply because books are easier to store and carry in an eEeader. I do prefer paperbacks when I am reading outdoors though.

What would you consider your favorite genre to read?

Bring on the dragons! I love an epic fantasy tale. If I am in a bookstore, and I see a great dragon cover, I will almost always pick it up and read the blurb. There are not too many dragons I’ve met that I didn’t like.

Describe your book in 5 words.
Romantic high octane thrill ride.
Oh! Look at that. I actually did it.
Or I could have used:
Explosive alien romance chase novel.
I think both of those are good descriptions.

Thank you for having me. This has been fun, and I hope everyone enjoys FIRE IN THE WOODS!

Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.

Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.

Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.

   

- Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton (INT)

-- One (1) custom made necklace (used as inspiration for the necklace in Fire in the Woods). Adjustable chain from 10 to 12 inches. T (US ONLY)

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Predator by Janice Gable Bashman #BookReview #Giveaway

Title: Predator
Publication date: September 16, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Janice Gable Bashman

“Predator is a fast-paced, creepy page-turner! Bashman had me at the opening sentence and she’s still got me. I want more!”

Nancy Holder, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Rules

The hunt is on!

Sixteen-year-old Bree Sunderland must inject herself with an untested version of her father’s gene therapy to become a werewolf in order to stop a corrupt group of mercenaries from creating a team of unstoppable lycanthrope soldiers.

When Bree went with her scientist father to Ireland, she thought it would be a vacation to study bog bodies. She never expected to fall in love with a mysterious young Irishman and certainly never expected to become the kind of monster her father said only existed in nightmares. Dr. Sunderland discovers that lycanthropy was not a supernatural curse but rather a genetic mutation. When they return home, her dad continues his research, but the military wants to turn that research into a bio weapons program and rogue soldiers want to steal the research to turn themselves into unstoppable killing machines.

Bree’s boyfriend Liam surprises her with a visit to the United States, but there are darker surprises in store for both of them. As evil forces hunt those she loves, Bree must become an even more dangerous hunter to save them all.

Predator gives the werewolf legend a couple of new spins by introducing the Benandanti (an actual folkloric belief that certain families of Italy and Livonia were werewolves who fought against evil), as well as a modern scientific approach to mutation and the science of transgenics.

Predator is a new and interesting take on an old legend. I enjoyed the pacing and the plot the book follows. I also liked the characters and their relationships.

I really like the relationship between Bree and her dad. Even though he can sometimes get engrossed in his work you can still tell he cares about her. It’s not like he completely ignores her. We see different instances of it when she sneaks out or when there is trouble at the Bog. I liked how they had more of normal relationship. She gets frustrated with him but she also loves him very much.

It’s very cool how the story of werewolves is woven into Predator. It’s interesting how everyone doesn’t necessarily think it’s possible but also do not dis the theory either. They are true scientist whose curiosity gets the best of them. If it is a Lycanthrope they are going to prove how it is, if it is not a Lycanthrope they are going to prove how it isn’t. I also like how their is an ancient society that is a part of it too. It gives the Lycanthrope more of an Origin.

The bog bodies are creepy. The whole process of extracting them is creepy. I loved the way the book started and the imagery it immediately puts into your mind. I love the way Predator opens because this kind of beginning helps me really get a feel for how the book is going to go. Even the romance is already established which is nice for this kind of book where the focus is really on the werewolves.

This book is so fast paced and I was trying to figure out the best way to describe. Sometimes I felt like I was missing something but not in a bad way. Bree doesn’t mope like some other ya heroines. She is all action, when she has to leave her boyfriend behind she’s sad but her life keeps going. The story doesn’t stop it keeps moving and I think that constant pace helps build up the suspense.

Since the romance is already established the story is more about the military and werewolf aspects. We do get some really sweet tidbits from Bree and Liam though and I liked how they don’t play games with one another. They seem to have a pretty solid beginning fondation.

I think if you are looking for something fast paced and interested in something a little different in the werewolf department this is a good book. The way things are presented being mixed with Science almost makes them feel like they could really happen. It’s a pretty cool idea. I enjoyed it.

Janice Gable Bashman is the Bram Stoker nominated author of Wanted Undead or Alive and Predator. She is managing editor of the The Big Thrill (International Thriller Writers’ ezine). Janice lives with her family in the Philadelphia area, where she at work on her next novel. Visit her at janicegablebashman.com.

   

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