Tuesday, May 27, 2014

BEA 2014

Morning Swooners,

It's here, it's here, it's finally HERE!!!! ::insert flails::

kelly rowland veryexcite gif

and another

the vampire diaries stephen amell gif

and one more (this is what I look like when i'm not holding my composure...my "real" flail)

epilepsy warning flailing gif

So now that you've gotten a glimpse into the mind of Lexi, let's talk about BEA.  Sorry i've been MIA lately. I've had so many things to do before BEA last week that I kind of lost track of time. So here we are, the Tuesday morning before I leave to NY for BEA and all I  can think about is how anxious I am and how much fun this may (or may not) be...I HATE crowds and standing in lines so the "fun" aspect of BEA may be very, very lost to me when i'm there. But overall I am really, really excited to be going (this is my first time) and I can't wait to meet all the authors and publishers that will be there and I especially can't wait to meet all the bloggers that are going. I'm not really a social butterfly, but being able to network and meet so many other bloggers that love doing what I love doing is going to be so much fun! Not to mention the books, so many beautiful, shiny books...ok, one more flail because I simply cannot comtain my joy!

omfg what is air?! deacon claybourne gif

Anywho, I promise to give you all a full report when I get back from BEA and definitely would love any comments or friendly advice from anyone who's been there or has anything they want me to know to prepare :)

Happy Tuesday everyone!!


Friday, May 16, 2014

REVIEW: Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) by Veronica Rossi

Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) by Veronica Rossi
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determines to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do—and they are just as determined to stay together.

Within the confines of a cave they’re using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.


Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn’t just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival—he’s also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

This book was absolutely perfect. Veronica Rossi stayed true to herself and her characters and gave them the ending that they deserved, total happiness. I love how every moment was full of action, emotion, and romance-oh, the romance!  She did such a great job at bringing this series to an end and I couldn't be happier!

We pick up Into the Still Blue right where Through the Ever Night left off. As you can imagine, the aftermath of saving the Dwellers from the pods and bringing them to Tides compound was not as smooth a transition as we would have hoped for. Not to mention the disastrous results of Roar and Aria’s visit to Rim to save Liv. Things are off to rocky start for our trio, but after some time and drama and a few near death experiences, things clear up really fast.

I love the relationship between Aria and Perry. Their love is so pure and strong. They just know that no matter what happens, they’ll always love each other and be there for each other. It’s such a beautiful thing to watch every time they’re together. No matter what obstacles they have faced, they always persevere because of their love for each other. Of course, I have to admit that I am completely in love with Perry. He’s such an amazing person and I love that he was able to step up and become the leader that we always knew he was meant to be. Seeing him take charge and protect his tribe, protect his people, was such a beautiful thing to watch. Even in the beginning, when he didn't know Aria he still managed to save her life and protect her throughout their first journey, before they fell in love. And Aria has become such a kick-ass heroine. I love how she’s transformed throughout the entire series. She’s so strong and brave. So sure of herself and her strengths.

Then there’s Roar. My heart broke into a million pieces for Roar. He’s such a good person and seeing him suffer the way that he did was so unnatural to me. bad things shouldn't happen to good people…EVER! But in the end we see him begin to cope with everything that’s happened and finally become at ease with his new life. I don’t think I've ever prayed for a fictional character before, but I found myself praying for him to survive everything.

Then, somewhere along the lines, I actually started to like Soren and Brooke. I know, crazy right?! It turns out, they both had  a lot of growing and learning to do, but in the end, when it really mattered. They were perfect. I loved seeing them change and finally become at ease with everything. So happy they ended on the right note!

And finally, can we talk about Veronica Rossi’s acknowledgments?! I literally almost broke down. I feel like her words make me want to do more, be more, than I've ever been. Like I know that I can achieve anything I out my mind to. If you haven’t read this book GO.READ.NOW! If you have, then I just hope that you’ll take a moment to really appreciate these words: 

”Finally, thank you for letting me tell you a story about a girl and a boy who did something extraordinary. Your turn now. Find your heading, your Still Blue, and get there. I know you can.” V. Rossi, Into the Still Blue Acknowledgment 

This has been such a bittersweet ending for me and I’m so happy and thankful to have been a part of this journey with Perry, Aria, Roar, and Veronica. Thank you Ms. Rossi, for creating a series that was absolutely perfect in every way!

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

FEATURE: Waiting on Wednesday~ You're The One That I Want by Giovanna Fletcher (#28)


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Hi Swooners :-)

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" pre-publication selections are:

Expected release date: May 22, 2014
Puchase: Amazon



Summary from Goodreads:

Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob-the man she's about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben-best man and the best friend any two people ever had.

And that’s the problem.

Because if it wasn’t Rob waiting for her at the altar, there’s a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right?


Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it…

Why I'm waiting:

What drew me to the book was that cover...it's pretty...so, so pretty :)
But what kept me hooked was the synopsis, two best friends, one girl, fight to the death!? Yea, this is my kind of book (minus the fight to the death since i'm pretty sure they wont be doing that lol)

Monday, May 12, 2014

Quotes (#8)


Morning Swooners,

I hope you had a great weekend and Mother’s Day for those of you who celebrate it J
As usual, the Monday Blues are hitting pretty hard today so I thought I’d share some of my favorite book quotes to take the edge off J
Happy Monday!

“I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.” Lauren Oliver, Delirium

“I try not to think. It interferes with being nuts.” Rick Riordan, The Mark of Athena

“ ‘Hercules, huh?’ Percy frowned. ‘That guy was like the Starbucks of Ancient Greece. Everywhere you turn-there he is.’ ” Rick Riordan, The Mark of Athena

“ ‘What I was trying to say,’ he whispered, ‘is that I see you in everything. There isn’t a word for you that means enough, because you’re everything to me.’ ” Veronica Rossi, Into the Still Blue

“Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.” Veronica Roth, Divergent

“Have you ever picked up a book you've read before, and found it speaks to you in a new way?” Django Wexler, The Forbidden Library

Friday, May 9, 2014

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi
Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn't know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never though she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world…but that’s not all he wants with her.


If I could give this book a million stars I would! That was literally the best ending I could ever have hoped for. In a time of crappy series finale endings that leave the reader feeling unsatisfied and incomplete, I have to give a huge shout out to Tahereh Mafi for restoring my faith in the ever-elusive “Happily Ever After.” Though technically it wasn't a "happily-ever-after" since they left off knowing that they still had a long way to go, but for now just knowing that they were victorious and happy left me feeling so complete and happy as well.

Juliette has suffered so much her entire life but it’s her near death experience that changes her into this new, take charge person. Somewhere along the lines she becomes a leader, someone that inspires hope and courage to all that she encounters. She’s willing to fight for what she believes in and she’s such a badass while doing it!

Now I have to admit that I have always been a Team Adam fan, but seeing Juliette’s relationship with Warner bloom in such a beautiful way and seeing how much Warner truly loves Juliette was just heart melting. I also loved learning about his life and childhood and my heart truly broke into a million pieces when we learned what kind of monster Anderson really was. I can totally see why Juliette was so torn between Adam and Warner in the beginning, there was just something so deep, so intense about Warner that she couldn't leave him alone even when she was committed and in love with Adam. Plus, sorry to say that Adam was actually a huge d-bag! I mean we knew that coming from Fracture Me, but I hoped he would change back to “normal” and sadly he never did! Then there’s the whole bloodline issue with Adam, Warner and James. It’s pretty serious in the beginning but I love how Warner handles it when he finally learns the truth about everything. Seeing his reaction to Adam and James for the first time with a fresh mind-set was amazing. Even his guilt about the whole "almost killing Adam" thing was nice to see. Maybe there is hope for him after all? Just maybe? Definitely!! Warner has come a long way since Shatter Me and getting to see this softer, gentler side of him is just beautiful!

And let’s not forget about Kenji! No one can compare to what I feel for Kenji! He’s the best friend I wish I had, the brother that is always defending his little sister, the confidant and comedian that always makes you laugh. He loves Juliette so much and it actually kind of hurts me that they never even considered being together. I mean hello!?!! He’s so perfect in every way…Can I keep him? Please, pretty pretty please? There I said it! I’m totally, 100%, certifiably in love with Kenji!!!

And can we just take a moment to acknowledge the genius that is Tahereh Mafi!? I mean, this woman is amazing with words in every way possible. The way her mind works and the way she is able to form sentences using simple words and create so much emotion behind it is truly an amazing skill. There were so many amazing quotes in this book but for the sake of this review I will only post my two absolute favorites (because I can spend days writing down all the quotes that have literally changed my life!)

“And every moment in the world drops dead just then, because they woke up and realized they’d never be as important as this one.”

AND 

“I actually stand up this time. My eyes are filling fast with tears and I blink and blink but the world is a mess and I want to laugh because all I can think is how horrible and beautiful it is, that our eyes blur the truth when we can’t bear to see it.”

So you see how amazing she is right?! With just those two quotes I have so many emotions floating around right now that I can’t see straight. So yea, I will follow Tahereh to the end of the world and back as long as she keeps writing it all down! So thank you, Tahereh, for giving us the perfect ending, for giving Juliette the perfect ending, and for giving us a world that we can always revisit on our darkest days. It’s been a great journey to tag along with.

GIVEAWAY

Rules:
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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

FEATURE: Waiting on Wednesday~ Complicit by Stephanie Kuehn (#27)


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Hi Swooners :-)

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" pre-publication selections are:

Expected release date: June 24, 2014
Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble


Summary from Goodreads:

Two years ago, sixteen-year-old Jamie Henry breathed a sigh of relief when a judge sentenced his older sister to juvenile detention for burning down their neighbors fancy horse barn. The whole town did. Because Crazy Cate Henry used to be a nice girl. Until she did a lot of bad things. Like drinking. And stealing. And lying. Like playing weird mind games in the woods with other children. Like making sure she always got her way. Or else.

But today Cate got out. And now she's coming back for Jamie.


Because more than anything, Cate Henry needs her little brother to know the truth about her past. a truth she's kept hidden for years. A truth she's not supposed to tell.

Why I'm waiting:

This book sounds dark...and creepy....and just my kind of fun read! 

Monday, May 5, 2014

FEATURE: Book Blitz: Surviving Love by M.S. Brannon

Book & Author Details:
Surviving Love by M.S. Brannon
(Sulfur Heights #4)
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance 

SYNOPSIS

“She is my heart and the other half of my life, and now, that life no longer exists.” ~Drake Evans, Surviving Love

For Drake Evans, life was once happy. He was living the kind of existence that any man would envy. By his side was the woman he loved and a daughter he cherished. Life was truly perfect, until the day demons from the past came crashing into their perfect world, destroying everything he had been so sure would last forever.

Today, Drake’s life is shrouded in misery. Every day he faces the unyielding pain of losing the love of his life at the hands of a drug dealing murderer. On top of it all, he has to live with the anguishing betrayal caused by the devastating role his brother played in Presley’s death. Gone are the days of carefree happiness and impending futures. They’ve all been replaced with the shallow emptiness hollowing out his heart and the undeniable rage pumping through his veins. Drake is only moving through the motions of life, raising his daughter and earning a living, in the only way he can tolerate—alone.

Since the day she was banished from her family, Zoe Ledoux lives her life as a free spirit. For the past four years, Zoe’s been moving through life day by day, place by place. She never stays in one area long enough to establish relationships. She refuses to get close to anyone, protecting herself from the fear of once again being left behind. Then a turn of fate sends her to Sulfur Heights where she lands a job working as a bartender.

In a chance meeting, an instant connection forms, bringing together the wounded souls of Drake and Zoe. It is together that they begin to cope; to mend the brokenness of their pasts and feel what it is like to truly live again. However, will their newly formed friendship be enough to pull Drake and Zoe from their dark pasts? Can Drake overcome the fear of losing someone he loves and eradicate his anger just enough to let someone in? Will he learn that Surviving Love with Zoe is what he ultimately needs in order to be happy?

AUTHOR BIO

M.S. Brannon was born and raised in the Midwest. She still resides there today with her wonderful husband and son. When she is not writing or reading, M.S. Brannon spends time with her family, watching movies, and discovering new music. She writes romance because she believes love and heartache is the rawest emotion one can experience.

                       Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook










Teaser 2

Everywhere I turn, Presley is there. I can smell her soft, delicate skin and taste her sweet cherry lips. If I close my eyes hard enough I can see her lying underneath me in our bed. I can feel her warm, tiny body attached to mine as I express every ounce of love I have for her through my kiss. She is my heart and the other half of my life and now, that life no longer exists. Tears break free once again and I allow them to fall down through the stubble grown across my face. 

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                                               Book Blitz hosted by: Xpresso Book Tours
                                                           

Friday, May 2, 2014

FEATURE: Blog Tour and GIVEAWAY: Plus One by Elizabeth Fama

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Date of Publication: April 8, 2014
Purchase links: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

SYNOPSIS:

Divided by day and night and on the run from authorities, star-crossed young lovers unearth a sinister conspiracy in this compelling romantic thriller.

Seventeen-year-old Soleil Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller prohibited by law from going out during the day. When she fakes
an injury in order to get access to and kidnap her newborn niece—a day dweller, or Ray—she sets in motion a fast-paced adventure that will bring her into conflict with the powerful lawmakers who order her world, and draw her together with the boy she was destined to fall in love with, but who is also a Ray.

Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights, and a fast-paced romantic adventure story.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Fama is the author of Plus One (FSG, 2014), Monstrous Beauty (FSG, 2012), a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection and Odyssey Award honor winner, and Overboard (Cricket Books, 2002), an ALA Best Books for Young Adults. She is represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Inc.

     Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Tumblr








EXCERPT:

Soon the sky had become a blanket of stars; and then it became heavy, bulging down on us, so thick it was like soup that I might reach up and stir with my hand if I tried. And finally, to my relief, Cygnus the Swan and the Great Summer Triangle began to emerge from the cosmos with the faint, cloudy dragon spine of the edge of our galaxy.

“Oh my god, is that the Milky Way?” he whispered.

My throat got hot. It was the most beautiful thing I could ever have hoped to show him. I could be grateful for one thing that night.

“You’re a brave guy,” I said, my voice cracking just to make sure I felt like an idiot.

“Why do you say that?”

“It took me ten years not to wad my body into a tight ball every time I saw the Milky Way.”

He burst out laughing. It was too loud. Night people don’t belly laugh outside of their homes. He really was a Ray. I shushed him.

He laughed again, but softer, and then turned his head to-ward me and said in a low, smiling voice, “A ball?”

“Four hundred billion suns spiraling through space together. Our solar system just one grain on that galactic carousel. The carousel itself a speck in the cosmos. And here I am in this small clearing, on the surface of the earth, as transient and un-noticed to the universe as the dry blades of grass that are poking into my shirt. It’s too much to comprehend up there, too enormous, and I’m so small when it’s on top of me. It frightens me, like I’m being crushed.”

I could feel him staring at me, although it was almost pitch-black around us, as I poured out my childish thoughts. After a moment he said, “Holy cow, Plus One.”

“What?” I said defensively.


He settled his head in the cradle of his arms again and refused to answer. Then he said, “Here on earth, where it counts . . . you’re not unnoticed.”

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                                             Blog Tour hosted by: Oops I read a Book Again

Thursday, May 1, 2014

FEATURE: Book Blitz & GIVEAWAY: You Make Me by Erin McCarthy

Book & Author Details:

You Make Me by Erin McCarthy
(Blurred Lines #1)
Publication date: April 21st 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Purchase: Amazon

SYNOPSIS:

The guy she wants…

Growing up on the coast of Maine with a revolving door of foster siblings, Caitlyn Michaud spent one intense and passionate year falling in love with her foster brother, Heath. Then he left without a word. The betrayal devastated Caitlyn and made her vow to forget the compelling bad boy. But forgetting his sensual touch and their deep all-consuming friendship is easier said than done.

Isn’t the guy she needs…

Determined to move on, in college Caitlyn has risen above her small town impoverished roots and has joined a sorority, reinvented her appearance, and landed the right boyfriend. Pre-law major and frat president, Ethan, is thoughtful and always laughing, and he makes her feel happy, calm. He also gives her the social acceptance she craves.

But the perfect world she tried so hard to attain is ripped apart when Heath appears one night out of nowhere. Caitlyn remembers all the reasons why she loves him, even if they don’t make sense to anyone but her. Out of the military, Heath is as brooding and intense as ever, and he is determined not only to win her back, but to exact revenge on everyone who kept him from her…

And when one love allows her to breathe, but the other feels as essential to her life as air, how does she choose between them?

AUTHOR BIO:

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written almost fifty novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for New Orleans, tattoos, high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.

                                    Website / Twitter / Goodreads 








Excerpt 

“Did you have sex with him?” Ethan asked, catching me off guard.
He had never asked me details about my past boyfriends.  He’d known I was almost a virgin, had known I needed him to go slow.  But he had never asked who the one guy was and I had appreciated that.
That he just asked now, so boldly, in the hallway, unnerved me.  “What?”  I knew I should tell the truth.  But I was afraid.  Afraid that Ethan would see what Heath had meant to me.  So before I could think about the consequences, I lied.  “No.  Of course not.”
He knew I was lying.  I could see it in his eyes.  But he didn’t call me out on it.
Instead, that night when we got back to his apartment a few streets from the fraternity house, Ethan fucked me.  He’d never done that.  Not the way he did that night.  He had always been tender, thoughtful, gentle with me, pausing to ask if I was okay, spending the majority of his time on pleasing me.  Coaxing me open and wet with kisses, hand strokes, his tongue between my thighs, before he entered me.  He’d never been rough.
But as soon as we got in the apartment, he pushed me against the wall and kissed me hard, hand yanking up the skirt of my dress.  His fingers were frantic stroking over me, in me, his tongue plunging deep into my mouth.  I wanted to tell him to slow it down, let me catch up, but I couldn’t because I knew why he was doing it.  He was staking a claim, putting his stamp on me.  Reminding himself that he had me, and Heath didn’t. 
I couldn’t deny him that, not when I knew what he must have seen on my face, not when the very night Ethan had asked me to marry him, I had been distracted and emotional over someone he had never even heard me talk about.  If our roles had been reversed, I would need reassurance too, if some random chick showed up out of nowhere, and I wanted to give him that. 
So when he pulled the zipper down my back and shoved my dress to the floor, I let him.  I let him peel off my bra and suck my nipples with uncharacteristic roughness, surprised that my body did respond.  It was different, yet I liked it.  It was the distraction I needed and I gripped Ethan’s head, my own falling back as I moaned.  I loved Ethan.  His ring was on my hand, invisible in the dark, but foreign on my finger, so that I was very aware of it. 
His touch trailed down my stomach and bending down, he pulled my panties to the side so he could shatter me with his tongue.  I held onto his shoulders and gave him the moans he wanted, my verbal commitment in oral sex form.  “Yes, Ethan, yes.” 
As soon as I came, he stood up, unzipping his pants and lifting his erection out.  I fought for breath as he lightly smacked my thigh.  “Wrap your leg around me,” he said urgently. 
I obeyed and then my back hit the wall hard as he pushed into me.  All the air left my lungs before I sucked in another breath, holding onto his shoulders for balance. 
“I love you,” he said, panting, his forehead pressing against mine.
But all I could think was that for the first time ever he hadn’t used a condom.
And his head was hard, his air stealing mine.  I felt pressed, smothered.  Turning my head to steal a fresh breath I whispered, “I love you, too.”  Then after another thrust, felt compelled to remind him, “You have to pull out.  Ethan.  Please.”
Because he was Ethan, he did.  He gave a groan of frustration but he pulled back, raking his hands through his hair.  “Oh, my God, you felt so good.  God.  Caitlyn.  Are you sure I can’t…”
The thought of getting pregnant had me shaking my head rapidly.  “I’m sorry… no, we can’t…”
“Shit.  I know.  I know.”  He helped me step out of the circle of my dress on the floor and he took me to the bed, his shoulders rising and falling rapidly with the urgency of his breathing.  “I’m sorry.”
Once in his room, he was careful Ethan again, undressing himself and worshipfully taking off my bra and panties.
He was quieter, more subdued, in control again. 
When he pulled me onto his chest afterwards, for the first time ever I felt there was a gap between us.
And I was afraid I knew exactly who had created it

Rules:
  • To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below
  • Must be 18 years of age or older
  • Contest is open to US and INTL entries
  • Winners will be announced on the blog via Rafflecopter
  • Winners will also be notified via email

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                                      Book Blitz hosted by: Xpresso Book Tours