As Long As You Love Me release day launch

Today is the release of Ann Aguirre's sizzling and stunning new adult romance I Want It That Way, the first book in the 2B trilogy! I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of I Want It That Way, and trust me, you DO want it this way! I'll be posting my review later this week (and since I'll be seeing Ann on Thursday, there will be a giveaway involved!!), but right now, I'll just say that this is one of the books that has sold me on the validity of the new adult genre. This book is sexy, sweet, thoughtful, and really unique. I know I'm counting the days until book two, As Long As You Love Me, is released! Also, BACKSTREET BOY TITLES FOR THE WIN!! Seriously, the 90s teeny-bopper fangirl in me is squeeing because of the BSB song references, and the 26 year-old me is squeeing because Nadia and Ty's chemistry is insane! READ THIS BOOK!



Author: Ann Aguirre
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
Status: book 1 in the 2B trilogy

Summary: Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she's determined to make them come true—for her parents' sake as well as her own. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B…

Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can't risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia's and Ty's paths cross, and soon they can't stay away from each other.

The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can't know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.



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Teaser:

 Read the first chapter of As Long As You Love Me HERE!

Excerpt:
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.





The series starts with Nadia & Ty's story

Pub Date: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
Summary: Most people dream about getting out of Sharon, Nebraska, but after three years away, Lauren Barrett is coming home. She has her reasons—missing her family, losing her college scholarship. But 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's the guy who women love and leave, not the one who makes them think of forever—until Lauren comes back to town, bringing old feelings and new dreams with her.

Because the only thing more important than figuring out where you truly belong is finding the person you were meant to be with.


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Pub Date: November 25, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
Summary: Some people wait decades to meet their soul mate. Courtney Kaufman suspects she met hers in high school only to lose him at seventeen. Since then, Courtney's social life has been a series of meaningless encounters, though she's made a few close friends along the way. Especially her roommate Max Cooper, who oozes damaged bad-boy vibes from every pore.

Max knows about feeling lost and trying to move beyond the pain he's been on his own since he was sixteen. Now it's time to find out if he can ever go home again, and Courtney's the only one he trusts to go with him. But the trip to Providence could change everything because the more time he spends with Courtney, the harder it is to reconcile what he wants and what he thinks he deserves.

It started out so simple. One misfit helping another. Now Max will do anything to show Courtney that for every heart that's ever been broken, there's another that can make it complete.


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About the Author:
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.


Author Links:
    

Giveaway:
5 signed sets of I Want It That Way & As Long As You Love Me
US/Canada

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Fine Art of Pretending release day launch



Author: Rachel Harris
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary
Genre: young adult contemporary romance
Status: book 1 of the Fine Art of Pretending series

Summary:
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.


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Excerpt:
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.

 
About the 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 families are a staple in each of her Rachel Harrisbooks…and kissing. Lots of kissing.

A Cajun cowgirl now living in Houston, she firmly believes life’s problems can be solved with a hot, sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations. She homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches way too much Food Network with her amazing husband.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and losing herself in story. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

Author Links:
    

Giveaway:
US/Canada only
signed copy of The Fine Art of Pretending, poster, and journal


Weekly wrap-up: September 21-27

Originally, I was planning to read a bunch of first-in-a-series books this week, but after The Young Elites, I really just needed to keep it contemporary. Oddly, I was apparently big on road tripping this week. Also, I got to moderate another panel this week which was awesome! How was your week?

Completed:
Let's Get Lost - Adi Alsaid: 4.5 stars. Really enjoyed this, but there were just a couple minor complaints that kept it from being a total 5 for me.
The Fine Art of Pretending (Fine Art of Pretending #1) - Rachel Harris: 4 stars. I loved the first half of this so much more than the second half, but overall, this is a Rachel Harris novel: it's sweet, funny, emotional, and relatable. And if you're not in love with Brandon by page 10, I don't believe you.
The Young Elites (Young Elites #1) - Marie Lu: ?? stars. I'm going to be honest. I don't really know WHAT to rate this book. I enjoyed it, but it's so unexpectedly dark (well, not entirely unexpected because I heard reviews mentioning said darkness, but I was not expecting the extent of said darkness) that I felt my enjoyment lessen. Also, this is pure speculation on my part, but there's an epilogue that leads me to believe that book two will be going in a certain direction, and that makes me nervous. But to alleviate any fears, Marie is a masterful writer and world-builder. The prose is gorgeous.
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour - Morgan Matson: 5 stars. OH MY GOSH WHY DIDN'T YOU PEOPLE TELL ME TO READ THIS SOONER?????

Reread:
Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine & Eden Riegel: 2 stars. This is one of my favorite books, and I got a real craving to reread it after I watched the movie a couple weeks ago. However, when I realized the narrator was a child, I said some REALLY bad words. Does Eden do a good job of reading the book? Sure, I guess. Does she do a good job of keeping characters' voices distinct and individual? She tries. Are those different vocies and tones tolerable? Not really. Also, I don't want a CHILD NARRATOR while I'm over here cheering for Ella and Char to make adorable babies! Also also, in a complaint that actually has nothing to do with Eden's narration, I often wonder the wisdom of audio adaptations of books with fictional languages. That (the attempt to read gnomish and ogrese, not the book as a whole) was painful to listen to, truly (not that the book as a whole was fantastic either, much to my utter dismay).

Currently Reading:
The Iron Trial - Holly Black & Cassandra Clare. I know, I know. I started this ages ago. I just keep having to put it on hold for other books!
The 5th Wave audiobook - Rick Yancey. YAY DUAL NARRATORS!!!! Liking this so far!

New to my bookshelf this week:
Library:
The 5th Wave audiobook - Rick Yancey. I wanted to reread before I start The Infinite Sea, and I heard the narration is fantastic. Here's to hoping!
Fire (Graceling #2) - Kristin Cashore. I just finished the audio and LOVED it. To right a review, I wanted to have the actual book on hand.

Bought:
B&N:
The Beautiful and the Cursed (The Dispossessed #1) - Page Morgan
The Lovely and the Lost (The Dispossessed #2) - Page Morgan 
Winterspell - Claire Legrand x2. I usually try not to buy books before their official release date because that actually can affect sales numbers, but I really could not resist when I saw two copies. I had a huge B&N coupon available for this weekend only and only in stores. B&N coupons are not available for preorders either. PLUS now I can ship them off to be signed!!!
Afterworlds - Scott Westerfeld
Rumble - Ellen Hopkins

Amazon:
"Lie for Me: Griff's Story" (Find Me #0.5) - Romily Bernard
I went a bit bananas this week and preordered a veritable butt-ton (a unit of measure common in the American South, just fyi) of novellas and short stories

Gifts:
Afterworlds - Scott Westerfeld. My dear friend Karen of Teen Librarian Toolbox gave me this beauty just because she saw I tweeted that I couldn't wait to read it. <3

Giveaways & Contests:
For Real - Alison Cherry. Alison did a quick giveaway on her Twitter for this one, and miracle of miracles, I won! I'm super excited for it because I LOVE sister books AND romance AND reality tv! This book and I are a match made in heaven! Thank you, Alison!

Events Attended: 
Let's Get Lost tour with Adi Alsaid. Harlequin Teen & Irving Public Library let me moderate this awesome panel with Adi. We had a lot of fun! Giveaway coming soon!

Cover Reveal: Inspire by Cora Carmack





Inspire
Muse Series #1

by Cora Carmack
December 15, 2014


 

Summary:
Kalliope lives with one purpose.

To inspire.


As an immortal muse, she doesn’t have any other choice. It’s part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors—they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life— a normal one. She’s spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she’s ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly… he’s not an artist. He doesn’t want her for her ability. But she can’t turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It’s happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.


About the Author
Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, Losing It, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Author Links:
  

Cover reveal organized by:
http://www.inkslingerpr.com/