Author Spotlight: Sarah J. Maas

So yesterday I paired one of my favorite outings (the beach) with one of my most favorite pass times (reading)..... the result is two awesome novellas read and a nice sun tan!  Oh, not to forget that I found a new series and a new author to rave over.  Sarah J. Maas's The Throne of Glass series.  I read the first two novellas yesterday and fell in love with the world setting and the undeniable charisma of the female lead, Celaena.  Celaena has just turned 17 years and she is already a renowned assassin.  Was is it with me and assassins with a conscience?  Maybe I'm drawn to the physical aspect or the use of many lethal weapons..... either way, I love reading books that have high physical action. 

 I found myself savoring Celaena's adventures as much as I was savoring the sun and sand!  Of course, I'm not as envious of Celaena seeing as how she spends the second novella in a desert and I'm far from that.  *Wicked Grin*  I like when reality reigns supreme.... most times it's few and far between.

Anywho, I am really digging how Sarah J. Maas is releasing her books.  There will be 4 novellas before the first full length novel release this August.  I've already pre-ordered the third novella from Amazon.  I;m praying to the book gods that the book will arrive Eastern time on my kindle so I can read it 6 hours earlier than Hawaii time. 

My Review:

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord 

(Throne of Glass 0.1)

January 13th 2012 by Bloomsbury Children’s
Rating: 5/5 stars

Amazon

On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes—and she will risk everything to right the wrong she’s been sent to bring about.  

16 year old Celaena has quite the reputation but she has an attitude to match.  I'm liking her borderline cockiness and stubbornness.  The former will guarantee character growth in coming works and the latter will guarantee loyalty to herself and those who entrust her.  

Assassins, Sam and Celaena, have been sent on a task by their master.  They are to meet with a Pirate Lord and conduct their master's interests.  When Celaena learns of those interests she is far from pleased and refuses to do the bidding.  An open tab at a tavern, a hole at the bottom of a mug, and a brawl later Celaena's plan to free two hundred slaves is in full swing.  

I absolutely love Maas's writing style.  Her characters have a unique flare.  Even the Pirate Lord holds appeal so I'm hopping we'll see him again.  And since I am a romance fiend, there is just enough subtle action to hint that there is love on the horizon or at least affection....whether it'll be revealed and or reciprocal is yet to be known. 

The Assassin and the Desert

(Throne of Glass 0.2)

March 30th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Rating: 5/5 stars

Amazon

The Silent Assassins of the Red Desert aren’t much for conversation, and Celaena Sardothien wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s not there to chatter, she’s there to hone her craft as the world’s most feared killer for hire. When the quiet is shattered by forces who want to destroy the Silent Assassins, Celaena must find a way to stop them, or she’ll be lucky to leave the desert alive.

After falling love with Celaena's character, I read this novella right after I finished the Pirate Lord.  In this installment, Celaena's spends her 17th birthday on a journey through the desert.  After costing her master ample funds from freeing two hundreds slaves she is given a beating and then sent off to train in the Red Desert. 

Not knowing what to expect and only taking guesses on how best to gain the Red Desert master's attention, Celaena has her work cut out for her.  Luckily, she meets Ansel.  They become quick friends and so easily embark on adventures of their own.  However, personal gain and desires come into play and with that many lives are lost come the end of the novella.  

In The Assassin and the Desert, new characters spring about and like I stated previously Maas has a great way of bringing forth her characters.  I am willing to bet the spidersilk merchant will make an appearance in latter books and I'm hoping to see a few of the other characters as well.  Seeing as how both novellas are shorter compared to full lengths it did not take long for me to grasp the character and feel invested in their journeys.  Suffice to say, I want more.

For more information, visit:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

See my Flickr set for Srah J. Maas:

I've already pre-ordered the third novella... Amazon

If any readers of LovLivLife Reviews happens to read and even review these titles please do leave a link in the comments.  I'd love to read your thoughts. 

xoxo,

The Wreck by Marie Force

The Wreck by Marie Force

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW! Defiantly wasn't what I was expecting.
I was caught from the beginning.


Carly Holbrook and Brian Westbury are weeks away from their high school graduation. The young couple plans to marry before they head to college, and their future seems bright with promise. Everything changes one spring night when their six closest friends, including Brian's younger brother, are killed in a fiery car accident that Carly and Brian witness. The trauma leaves Carly unable to speak, and Brian is forced to make unimaginable decisions about a future that once seemed so certain. With Carly incapable of going forward with their plans, Brian leaves home—and Carly—for good. Fifteen years later, disturbing new clues indicate the accident that wrecked so many lives wasn't an accident at all, bringing Brian home to face a past—and a love—he's never forgotten

 Jen's Review

We start off in May 1995 - a great year for me :)

A group of Teenagers hanging out with their friends and girlfriends.

We have Sam, Toby, Pete and Brian - Brian and Sam are brothers, Toby and Pete have been their best friends since they were babies..

Then the girls moved in.. Michele, Jenny, Sarah and Carly.

They were all best friends, when they were 13, They all grouped together, and no one else seemed to matter anymore. They had other friends, but these guys were so close, it didn't matter if they never had anyone else in their lives. They were happy. and they were in love.

We hear a lot of the story told in Brian's POV - which I love. His love for Carly was sweet - he just couldn't imagine life without her. It wasn't even an option.

When the group of friends got the call from Toby's sister saying his parents were on their way home, the kids knew they had to leave. Scattering out into the car, Brian took Carly's hand and told their friends they were going to walk to their house. They wanted some alone time.

Carly loved her friends, but she loved Brian, and she was happy to be with him.

As the kids drove off to get a pizza then head over to Sam's and Brian's house to hang out, Carly and Brian headed to their favorite spot - Under the Willow Tree. They were excluded from the world. And there the two of them could share their intimate relationship with each other.

While they were there. They started discussing their future. They were both planning to go to Michigan for collage. They pulled together their money and bought an apartment just outside of campus so they could live together. Carly was afraid her parents would find out, but Brian assured her that everything would be ok. In fact, if it bothered her so much, he decided maybe it was time they got married. Since they were planning on being together anyways, why not sooner then they had planned?

Carly was excited and couldn't wait to tell her friends. But she enjoyed staying in Brian's arms for as long as she could.

After a while, they finally got up and headed towards the house.

On the way, they heard a loud noise. Metal being crushed - they ran around the bend and saw the fire. Brian pulled Carly to his chest and begged her not to look. They could smell the burning flesh of his brother and 5 best friends from across the street.

Carly couldn't take it anymore and had to look. She started screaming, and screaming, and screaming..

Brian's dad is the chief of police but wasn't there when they called him. All Brian could think about was his brother, how his parents were going to take this .. his friends... Carly.. She was with the ambulance people. They had to medicate her because she was hysterical. They took her to the hospital.

Brian went home to break the news to his parents. It was the most heartbreaking thing I've read in a LONG time! no parent should have to deal with that! WOW!

Anyways - Sam's funeral was the last of the 6 kids who died that night. Brian was going through so much, he really needed Carly to talk to him. Since the accident, she kind of shelled out. She wouldn't talk to anyone. She refused to eat, wouldn't get out of bed. She was in bad shape. When Brian went back to her house, he just cuddled up beside her and cried.

Day after day he went back to her house. BEGGING her to talk to him, write him a note, something - ANYTHING - he NEEDED her - but she couldn't do it.. She wanted to talk, but every time she tried, she couldn't. She just ... couldn't.

Brian got really frustrated with her, and told her he needed a break.

Her father had put it all out there for her. Tough Love is what i call it :) He told her she had to get out of bed, she had to help around the house, she had to get her act together... talking or not, she couldn't lay in bed anymore. So she did.. for her father. She got up and went through the motions of life.

After two long excruciating weeks, he finally showed up again at her parent's 4th of July party. She was Ecstatic to see him again. and he could tell by the way she kissed him that she was trying to make her way back to the land of living. She wrote him notes to talk to him, and he talked to her. They were finally happy to be together again. Especially after everyone had gone to see the fireworks, leaving the two of them home alone together *wink*

As time got closer for Brian to leave for Michigan, Carly started getting worried. She knew she wasn't going to make it this year. She couldn't leave the house. It scared her to no end - the thought of driving in a car terrified her. So once again, Brian set down his foot.

If she didn't want to go to school, fine, but they had an apartment together. She just had to come with him...

Bug she couldn't... He said there was too many memories here, he couldn't deal with the death of his brother, friends, and her in this town. So he vowed he'd never set foot back in their little town in Road Island.

SO SAD!!!!!

SO Brian went off to college and made himself a name in Law - he became a great lawyer.

Now we're in April 2010 - 15 years later.

Michael, Brian's dad who is the chief of police in the small Road Island town was working hard to solve the mystery of the serial rapest. Someone was targeting the cheerleaders, and things were beyond scary. The FBI was called in when the rapes started spreading out more. and he was grateful for the help.

Carly was coming out of her shell. A year after Brian left, Her dad, again with the Tough Love, told her to get up, get a job or go to school, or he was kicking her to the curb. She didn't really think he would do it, but she put on her big girl panties and went to work at the local diner. And after 15 years of not talking, and not forgetting, she was as happy as could be expected. She longed for Brian, but knew he was better off making his name known to the world.

Brian had just won a big case and his boss told him it was time to go on vacation. He wasn't going to give Brian a choice. Since Brian had vowed never to go back to his Home Town, he decided to visit his mother in their Florida home. He was concerned that his dad hadn't taken the time off work to visit like he usually did. But figured he was still working too hard.

Time moves on, and Brian starts thinking about Carly. He doesn't know why, after 15 years she kept sneaking into his mind. But he wouldn't go back to Road Island. He figured it would pass, just like it always did.

When Brian was in the middle of a new case, he got a phone call, His father had collapsed at work and was in the hospital. Promise or not, he went back home..... and nothing would ever be the same for Brian again.

*Sigh* Yes that was a good ending to my review :)

I loved this story. It really had a lot of emotional settings to it. And the surprises that were thrown in there to throw you off the trail was awesome! I totally loved the mystery of "WHO was responcilbe for everything going wrong in this town" I was shocked beyond words when I read the ending of this :)

How to Kill a Rock Star by Tiffanie DeBartolo

How to Kill a Rock Star by Tiffanie DeBartolo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have to say this book was really fun to read - I actually had to stop myself from continuing for a bit because I got a little too emotional about it -

Written in her wonderfully honest, edgy, passionate and often hilarious voice, Tiffanie DeBartolo tells the story of Eliza Caelum, a young music journalist, and Paul Hudson, a talented songwriter and lead singer of the band Bananafish. Eliza's reverence for rock is equaled only by Paul's, and the two fall wildly in love. 

When Bananafish is signed by a big corporate label, and Paul is on his way to becoming a major rock star, Eliza must make a heartbreaking decision that leads to Paul's sudden disappearance and a surprise knock-your-socks-off ending.

 Jen's Review 

This book is told as the story of Eliza and Paul - Eliza found herself face to face with the one and only Legendary Doug Blackman - Eliza has known of Doug Blackman's famous songs since she was born. There is something about the way Doug writes and sings his songs that just grab you by the gut and pull you in. She was a huge fan.

But that was many years ago. Doug is still a star - kind of like the king of rock and roll, but he doesn't tour anymore - and he doesn't give off interviews either..

When Eliza stepped onto the elevator with her idle, she couldn't think, she couldn't talk. She didn't want to come off as one of those crazy fans, so she kept her eyes in front of her and her mouth shut. That's when Doug pulled out a pack of cards and told her to write her name on it.. His card trick helped her relax a little, but she still didn't know what to say to the man. In a way, he was like a father figure to her.
So when he blurted out "wanna f***" she couldn't believe it! She burst out in tears and started sobbing her whole sob story to him.

After she finished, she looked up at him with her eyes and he says "How the hell am I suppose to say no to those eyes, huh?"

So Eliza got her interview. Not only did Doug tell her about his life of music, but he told her personal things about his family. She got the story of a lifetime, and no one else could.

She showed the article to an editor in New York where her brother lived. She got the job right away.

Her brother Michael and her best friend Vera - She was friends with Vera before they got together. But they're married now. Michael got 3 years of playing in a band. and if after those 3 years he didn't make it big, it was Vera's turn to go to college and Michael quits the band and gets a job. It's only fair right?

Once they got married they moved out of their tiny apartment . Leaving their lead singer Paul alone and in need of a roommate.
Of course Michael talked to Paul before letting Eliza know - It was a good opportunity, and they didn't want to blow it.

When Eliza finally made it to New York, she met up with Vera who brought her into the tiny apartment she would now be living in. She met Paul.

Paul is a typical stereo type of a rock star. He's the song writer and lead singer of the band (Bananafish) he takes his women and his smoking and drinking seriously.

When Eliza wakes up and goes for her run, hoping that Paul's "friend" wouldn't be there when she got back, but she did see her brother. And she was happy to see him.
Their parents died in a plane crash when they were kids. Scaring Eliza for life about flying in a plane. But she loved her brother. And he was happy to have her close by.

Telling Paul to hurry up, they had a meeting to get to, and Eliza needed to get ready for her new job.

She hated her job. Well no, she didn't she hated her boss, Lucy. Terry the guy who hired her was a great guy, and he loved her work. but LUcy was the one who was in charge of giving Eliza her assignments in the musical magazine they wrote for. And Lucy didn't like anyone who didn't start off at the bottom like she did.

When Paul got to his meeting with the guys, Mr. Winkles asked Paul to talk to him in private. It seems they want to sign Paul for a major record.. but not the rest of the band..
That's where Paul introduces us to the Michaels.. all 3 Michaels :) They're friends, like family to him, so there was no way he was going to take the deal and leave his friends behind.
But when the guys asked Paul what they talked about. Paul just blew them off and said it wasn't a big deal, they didn't get it and didn't want to say anything more.

When he got back to the apartment, he wasn't sure Eliza was home. All the lights were off, but when he peeked into her room and saw her laying on her bed in nothing but a pink set of panties and a matching bra, he couldn’t' help but tease her.

When she saw him, she scurried under the sheet, but that just made Paul more playful. He walked over to the bed and took off his shoes and climbed over her to laydown beside her. She kept telling him to get out. they hardly knew each other. But Paul had a different story. See they were roommates, that made them friends in his book, and he needed a friend to talk to.
After making her swear that whatever they talked about never left those walls, he confided in her. Told her about the meeting and how lousy he felt.

They talked and all of a sudden they're friends.. But for Paul, it seemed deeper. Just from that one conversation his whole world seemed to have changed. The way he looked at things, the way he thought.. he wanted to make himself better because of her..

He took her out to the club to see where they played once a week. She had talked to the bartender before so they were familiar with each other. They talked more and got to know each other more. On the way up to the apartment, He kissed her. And that's when he knew that he was never going to find happiness anywhere else.

This story was really fun to read. It was told in both Paul's and Eliza's POV - and then it threw in a couple of other POV's towards the middle that helped explain things a little more.

When Paul finally started getting ready to make it big, things started getting tense. He started getting scared he was going to lose her. And she wanted nothing more then for him and her brother to chase their dreams...

Defiantly a great read :)

She Wolf by Teresa D'Amario

She Wolf by Teresa D'Amario

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a fun book - I love a good PNR - those Alpha males are just so ... hot :)


A small town veterinarian has a big time problem. She's not human. Plagued as a child with an extra-sensitive sense of smell, strength, and eyesight, Anna Callaway always thought she was special. But she didn't understand how special until she met Kieran Hunter. He insists they are True Mates, but he's not human either. He's wolven. Kieran is a protector of his race. No longer the Alpha of his pack, he spends his time searching out and punishing any who may reveal their race to humans. While patrolling, he finds two wolven about to kidnap Anna. He battles to protect her, but is surprised to find himself drawn to her in a way he never expected. The couple must learn to deal with their differences before they can address their similarities. But when three men kidnap Anna, she must decide if she is to embrace the wolven way of life, or return to her quiet existence. And whether to abandon the man who claims her as his True Mate

 Jen's Review

Anna is a veterinary, she loves her job, and her friends. so when one of her assistants just turned 21, and wanted to go to a bar to watch the male show, she had to go..
Growing up Anna had always had a sharp sense of smell. She could distinguish different smells everywhere. And in a closed up bar with all that smoke and sweaty people. ugh! She had to get out of there.

She finally made it outside. gulping in air, she was distracted enough not to notice the scent of the stranger coming towards her. When she did notice him, she backed up.. right into the arms of another stranger. He tightened his grip on her and covered her mouth.

The guy in front, Joshua told the guy in back, Rayland that Anna would make the perfect mate. Fear streamed through Anna as she heard the two talking. "Let me go" But the guys just laughed at her. There was nothing she could do.

The men taunted her a little longer before showing their true identity. When Rayland shifted halfway into a werewolf, she did everything she could think of to convince herself it was a special effects, or she was drugged.
She'll make a great mother. Perfect for the pack."
"No, no I don't think I will .. I un... I can't have kids... so you don't want me. Go try another bar."

They didn't believe her, but she knew the cold hard truth. Even her doctor couldn't figure out why she didn't ovalate. She was not able to have children.


Just as she started to panic, she heard the voice

Rayland’s arms tightened around her waist. Joshua and Kieran fought. Anna fainted, and Joshua died. When Kieran turned to Rayland and told him to let her go. He let it be known that he was not going to forget this. Anna would be his.

Kieran took Anna home in her car. Since he didn't know where she lived, he took her to His home.
Laying her in his bed where she belonged. He scented her as his true mate. He couldn't believe it.

Their species were close to dyeing out. Their females were only fertile once a year, and there were few She Wolves around

When Anna woke, she remembered the night before. She realized she was in Kieran's home. He saved her from those two guys.
When she found him sleeping on the couch, she couldn't understand the reaction her body was giving off.. she had never felt this way before.

When he awoke, they talked about what she remembered last night. She told him that they wanted her to bare their children, but she wasn't able to have children. Kieran disagreed with her. In fact, he scented her so strongly, he knew she was going into Heat

She went home and back to work. For 3 days Kieran left her alone, and her body was going crazy. She had started thinking about what they had talked about, and was ready to try to except what was happening.

A Lot of time passed :) and Anna was getting ready to head out to Kieran's compound to meet his family/Pack - she was nervous. But when they got there. 2 wolves ran past her, and then they heard shouting. Both her and Kieran ran to see what was going on. 2 werewolves and a regular wolf was shot. Being a Veterinary, she put her skills to work and helped get the silver bullets out of the wolves.

SOMEONE was hunting the wolves!

This was a great romance story - the chemestry between Kieran and Anna is great.

Cute Quick read :)

Lovin' Covers 4.20.12

Geekomancy  by Michael R. Underwood

July 3rd 2012 by Pocket Star

Dark Light of Day (Noon Onyx, #1) by Jill Archer

September 25th 2012 by Ace

  Dark Water (Siren #3) by Tricia Rayburn

July 10th 2012 by EgmontUSA

Warrior Reborn (Warrior #2) by Melissa Mayhue

October 30th 2012 by Pocket Star

A Howl for the Highlander (Heart of the Wolf, #10) by Terry Spear

February 1st 2013 by Sourcebooks

Creating Fate (Unspun, #1) by Rachel Firasek

July 2012

Magic Without Mercy by Devon Monk

Magic Without Mercy (book 8) by Devon Monk

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Can't WAIT for November for the final installment of this series to come out! That battle is going to be AWESOME!

Allison Beckstrom’s talent for tracking spells has put her up against some of the darkest elements in the world of magic, but she’s never faced anything like this.

Magic itself has been poisoned, and Allie’s undead father may have left the only cure in the hands of a madman. Hunted by the Authority–the secret council that enforces magic’s laws–wanted by the police, and unable to use magic, she’s got to find the cure before the sickness spreads beyond any power to stop it.

But when a Death magic user seeks to destroy the only antidote, Allie and her fellow renegades must stand and fight to defend the innocent and save all magic…

 Jen's Review 

(I made myself a new signature - Needed a change :) Now keep your eye out for me with my new Dragon :)

This book was great! Starts off 3 days after the last book left off. They're still recovering and trying to figure out what to do. Allie's being hunted down by both the police and the Authority, She can't use magic, it makes her sick, and the veiled are biting and possessing innocent people and killing them... what's a girl to do??

Luckily she has her group of friends that will stick by her side.
Zayvion, Shame, Terric, Maeve, Hayden, and Victor, together they break up in separate groups and head to the Magic wells to sneak in and check out how much it's contaminated.

They each get a sample of the magic, and meet up at the warehouse that Collins is looking after Davey. Since Davey had been bitten by Anthony, just before he died (as a veiled) Davey was very sick. But Collin's found a way to keep him a live... well mostly alive.

With the help of Allie's dad who's in here head, they figure out a possible way to work the magic, but when his experiment causes an alarm for the Authority, they have jump fast into the gate Zay makes.. Zay had been using magic left and right and it was really wearing him down.

It's hard to write this review. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but the whole book is written in just one day. They're on a deadline to save magic - so they're acting as fast as they can. Recovery time from the dismemberment spells is very little, so you see each one of them carrying their pain through the next spell - over and over.

This series just keeps getting better and better. I am anxious to read the last book :)


( I started this series a long time ago, so I don't have reviews for the previous books - I do have reviews for the last 3 books on goodreads though )

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1375697.Devon_Monk

My favorite NEW COVER reveal!

I am a BIG fan of Jennifer Estep's Elemental series.  I love everything about the books so I wanted to make a separate post just for the next book coming out August 21st 2012 by Pocket. For more info, head over the Jennifer's blog by clicking HERE. 

   Outer cover image                Inner cover image

J. Estep's says that this book will look a little different in paperback.  I;m sure many of us have seen these kinds of covers already like with Jeanine Frost books but it's called a step-back cover.  She below for the other image.

Amazing!!!  The cover for this series has only been top notch.  I'm wicked excited!!!!


See my flickr set for Jennifer Estep:

Lovin' Covers 4.17.12

Undead to the World (The Bloodhound Files #6) by D.D. Barant

November 27th 2012 by St. Martin's Press

Drive Me Wild by Christine Warren

November 27th 2012 by St. Martin's Press

Midnight's Warrior by Donna Grant

November 27th 2012 by St. Martin's Press

Moonshifted (Edie Spence #2) by Cassie Alexander

November 27th 2012 by St. Martin's Press

After Dark (The 19th Year #1) by Emi Gayle

October 31st 2012 by J. Taylor Publishing

Vortex (Cutter Cay #3) by Cherry Adair
May 22nd 2012 by St. Martin's Press

The Ripple Effect (Rhiannon's Law #3) by J.A. Saare
2012 by Mundania Press

Trust in Advertising by Victoria Michaels

Trust in Advertising by Victoria Michaels

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


WAY cute story! I loved this one! (sorry it's so long)


Lexi White finds herself at a crossroads. After putting everything on hold to care for her ailing father, it’s finally time for her to start living her life again. An exciting new job holds the promise of a fresh start, until she comes face to face with someone from her past who has always stopped her dead in her tracks, and who evidently still has the power to make her forget her own name. This time around, Lexi’s a grown woman who refuses to back away from her dreams, even if it requires working with her old high school crush. Side by side. Every day. Will he end up being her downfall or exactly what she needs?

Vincent doesn’t even remember Lexi from high school, but he begins to take notice when the fiery young woman is hired as his new assistant. Quickly, Lexi turns his world upside down and becomes an invaluable addition not only to his team, but to his life. Having learned a few hard lessons about trust in the past, Vincent is reluctant to let down his guard, especially when it appears that someone is out to sabotage his family’s advertising agency. Professionally, they are dynamite together, but when sparks fly between them personally, will Vincent let lies and jealousy ruin everything between them, or will he finally learn not only how to love, but ultimately trust…in advertising?

Victoria Michaels once again delivers a can’t-put-it-down novel loaded with engaging characters, cheeky dialogue, and powerful emotions. Trust in Advertising is a cleverly woven tale about two people getting to know each other and ultimately themselves

Jen's Review

Lexi just moved into a new city - She graduated from High school top of her class, but her shy and timid personality had her blending into the background. But that was ok with her.
She had a crush on Vincent Drake - the star of the football team, the top of the class in popularity and all around "most likely to succeed" - but he didn't even know who she was. Sure he copied off her tests in History, He leaned against her locker while waiting for his girlfriend, but still, he didn't even know her name.

About a year and a half after she graduated from high school, she had to drop out of college to take care of her dad. Since her mom passed away when she was younger, she was all he had left. He was getting worse and worse with his Alzheimer's .
After 8 years of taking care of him, he passed away, she moved to the city to start over. It was too painful for her to stay in her home town.

Just after she moved in, her new best friend moved in across the hall from her. Her and Hope were great together. Hope owned her own mechanic shop and Lexi helped her out with her advertisement. Even though she didn't go back to college, she still wondered "What if" So helping out a friend was a good way to start.

Working as a waitress or in a record store. She was happy, but she was 28 years old, and she needed to do something with her life.

She and Hope spent the day in her apartment going over the want ads trying to find something she could do, but even without her collage degree, she knew she'd have to start at the bottom of the food chain.

Together they found 3 jobs for her to call on. And she went on interviews to all three of them..

“So, tell me about your day.”
Lexie sighed. “My feet hurt, I have a headache, and one of the partners tried to hit on me. I met the biggest bitch alive, and,” she said with an embarrassed grin,”I’m really hoping you saved those help wanted ads for exotic dancers, because I think that’s my best bet for getting a job now.”

Out of the 3 jobs, only the one at Hunter’s seemed even a little tempting. It was for a large advertising company, but the job was down in human resources, technically, a gofer for 15 people who want lunch in 10 different places, and that was her job to do every day. But she knew that starting out on the bottom was her way to work her way up. She just needed to get her toe in the door and hope that she’d get a chance.

By luck, her crappy boss had her working inventory of the office supplies, and needed it done ASAP – so she stayed late that Friday night. While she was taking a small break, she heard a noise in the copy room. She went to help out the poor defenseless machine that was being abused by a woman who clearly had no idea what she was doing.
When she offered to help. The lady, Mrs. Dee, thanked her profoundly. She was running late for meeting and needed copies. So as Lexi started on the copies, Mrs. Dee went back upstairs to finish laying out her presentation. That’s when Lexi noticed all the mistakes. She knew the lady was in a hurry, so she ran over to the computer and started fixing errors as she called her on the phone. Mrs. Dee was extremely greatful to her for catching those mistakes, as well as rearranging things to make it look better. Mrs. Dee was indebted to her as she ran off to her meeting.

The following Monday at work, her boss told her she was promoted and now had a job on the 23rd floor. She was shocked- but excited.

She found out that her new boss was out for the week, but she was his new assistant. He was a moody guy and had been through 5 assistants in as many months. He yelled, he tested and wasn’t very nice about it. Everyone was afraid to be around him, because no one wanted his attitude. Lexi thought if she could just get to know him before he showed up next week, she’d be able to handle him.
That is until she found out that her new boss was none other than Vincent Drake – The very Vincent Drake that she had a crush on in high school for 2 years. But she didn’t think he would even remember her. And that might actually be a good thing anyways.

She was hooked up with her new blackberry, laptop and other gizmos that she’d need in order to serve her new boss’s needs. He would be calling her all the time and asking for information. Starting that day. When she got his text asking in a smug way “what’s my middle name” without hesitation, she text him back the correct answer in her own smug way.
He congratulated her for learning how to Google :) Next he asked her for something a little harder…

She had found out that before he left on his trip, he searched his office high and low trying to find a file but with no luck. So he asked her to find it for him.. His office was a MESS! There was no finding anything in there.. after searching and searching, she finally found it and text him back.. That’s when she met Sean – one of the other employees, and also best friend to Vincent. But as much as he didn’t like Vincent’s attitude, he loved to goat him any chance he could.
Sean took an instant liking to lexi, because that’s just the type of person she is.

Over the next few days, Vincent texted her with a few more “tests” to see if she could locate things for him. She passed every test he threw at her, and in the process cleaned up his office and started looking through his files on what he’s currently working on, so she could help him faster.

On Friday, as she was approaching her desk, Vincent showed up. She wasn’t expecting him until Monday, but he didn’t care. When she saw Sean running down the hallway just as Vincent was approaching the door, she cringed. Sean wanted front row seats to how Vincent delt with his “new clean office” And it wasn’t pretty.

As Vincent yelled and threw his chair around the room she slowly started packing her things and started heading towards the elevators. Lieh stopped her at the elevators and told her that Vincent wanted to see her right away. So she turned around and headed back.

After she explained the way she organized and filed all his files, he told her to get back to her desk. Shocked that he was giving her another shot, she happily obligated.

Over the next week, she had learned what Vincent wanted and as long as she stayed one step ahead of him, he was happy. Everything was going so well, until Jade, Vincent’s girlfriend showed up. This high strung, selfish supermodel of a woman, and she hated Lexi from the first time she saw her. And the feeling was mutual.

Ok this was a great story. I loved the way these two connected. Vincent was a jerk, he didn’t get along with anyone – but Lexi saw a softer side to him that only came out when he was happy. People were always testing him and putting him down. But he was good at his job. His ideas for advertisements were over the top, and getting the work done was his number one priority.

Lots of fun things in his book – I took some advertising/graphic design classes in collage, and it was fun recognizing some of the facts about getting the advertisements done, kind of behind the scenes.
The people in this book were great! I loved Anna and her daughter Madison – Madison is the love of Vincent’s life. His niece is the cutest thing!

Everyone they meet along the way seems to have a big part in their story.
I really enjoyed reading this one :)

Lovin' Covers 4.14.12

I hope everyone's weekend is well. Happy Reading and enjoy the Cover Love below!!!!!

 

Endgame (Sirantha Jax #6) by Ann Aguirre
August 28th 2012 by Ace

Death's Rival (Jane Yellowrock #5) by Faith Hunter

October 2nd 2012 by Penguin Publishing

Outpost (Razorland #2) by Ann Aguirre

September 4th 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

Alchemystic (A Spellmason Chronicle) (Spellmason #1) by Anton Strout

September 25th 2012

The Moonstone and Miss Jones (Paranormal Investigator #2) by Jillian Stone

September 25th 2012 by Brava

Falling Away (Falling #2) by Devon Ashley

2013

Dust by Devon Ashley

2013

Sacrifice the Wicked by Karina Cooper

September 25th 2012 by Avon

Wake of the Bloody Angel (Eddie LaCrosse #4) by Alex Bledsoe

July 3rd 2012 by Tom Doherty Associats

The Bewitching Tale of Stormy Gale (Stormy Gale #2) by Christine Bell (aka Chloe Cole)
May 28th 2012 by Carina Press
House of Shadows by Rachel Neumeier
July 10th 2012 by Orbit



The Janus Affair (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #2) by Pip Ballantine, Tee Morris
May 29th 2012 by Harper Voyager


xoxo, Chas

Effortless by S.C.Stephens

Effortless by S.C. Stephens

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I didn't think a second book would be a good idea - I thought the first one ended in a good spot - i thought anything after that would have been an overkill - Boy was I wrong!!!

A continuation of the novel, Thoughtless... 

A lot can happen in a year. You grow, you change, you learn from your mistakes. And Kiera had made a lot of mistakes to learn from. But she had learned, and she was determined to never cause a man pain again, especially the amazing man who currently held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera’s love is put to the ultimate test, will it come out the other side unscathed? 

Love is easy…trust is hard

Jen's Review

If you haven't read Thoughtless - I don't recommend this one first - the books flow together and don't repeat a lot of the history, so if you don't know what happens in the first book, this one wouldn't make any sense at all. Sorry :) 

This book wasn't quiet as emotional as the other one - sure it had a lot of ups and downs, but Kellan, the sweetheart that he is, made their separation so much easier on her.

Here's what it's about -

Kellan and Kiera are finally together. They're taking things slow - REALLY Slow! after 3 dates, they finally kissed . They knew the spark was there. but they needed the emotional connection in order to make their relationship work. it wasn't until after 3 months of dating that they actually "got together" and she still refused to move in with him. She wanted to make sure she could be happy on her own without depending on him to make her happy..

Kiera had grown up a LOT since Denny left. She learned a lot from her mistakes. but her life was happy. She was happy..

Matt was working hard getting the band new gigs and getting them out there.. He actually scored them a spot at Bumbershoot! The very music festival that their "friendship" had started growing from the last book.

This was HUGE! The guys were so excited, and the girls, Jenny and Rachel, both Matt's and Even's now girlfriends were as thrilled at Kiera was!

And the Three of them were there to cheer them on.

And of course, after the show, the girls, the fans - it bugged Kiera, but she was dealing with it. She saw the look in Kellan's eyes when they locked with hers, and she knew those fans didn't stand a chance :)

She was happy. Life was good...

Then out of nowhere, Matt, Even, and Griffin walk in the bar and announce to Kellan that they were picked! Out of all the bands at Bumbershoot, they were picked to go on the band tour! They were so excited - well, everyone but Kellan. He told them no way.. he couldn't do it.. 6 months leaving Kiera, it wasn't going to happen... but when Kiera looked over at him from the bar, she could see he was struggling with something.

They went out into the parking lot. But her reaction wasn't what he thought it would be.. He remembered when Denny told her he was leaving for Arizona. He remembered holding her while she cried...
"I remember Kiera. I remember when Denny left you.. what it did to you. I remember how we got together."
He thought if he left, I'd cheat..

but now after telling her that they picked his band and they would be gone 6 months... She was ... Happy for him...

"Do you think I loved Denny more, because it bothered me so much when he first told me he was leaving?"
Shrugging, his smile turned sad. "Can you blame me for thinking that?"
"I love you more. I love you enough to let you go and live your dream... Don't you see??

So with that said, they had one month to be together before the band left. And they lived it up. The month went so fast, that she didn't even know where it went.

The Friday before he left, they woke up together... he even went to her classes with her and told off Candy for being a jerk to Kiera :) He cherished her and made it the perfect day for her.

Saturday night was the bands last show at Pete's. People congratulating the 4 guys, and buying them drinks left and right. Kiera was happy she finally got to drive Kellan's car :)

After she closed up, they went to Matt's house for their final farewell party. And what a party it was!! Jenny, Rachel and her sister Anna was there for all their guys, along with their friends and fans. The party went on. When Griffin offered a drink to Kiera, she shook her head. Wanting to enjoy the last night sober, since Kellan wasn't - but Kellan talked her into having a few drinks. He said he didn't want her to think about him leaving tomorrow, and crying as the hours passed by. She agreed. Somehow she got suckered into a drinking game and then things really took off :) (You'll love this party, I promise :)

The next morning, she was pretty humiliated by her behavior at the party, but Kellan couldn't have been happier. She had a good time, and it will be a night she'll never forget.

Taking the guys to the bus station where they would be leaving soon, the tearful goodbye for everyone

Just as the bus pulled out, Jenny, Rachel, Anna and Kiera waved at their men. After a few mins, they turned to Kiera and told her that they promised Kellan that they wouldn't let her mope around.

"He talked to all of you?? I can't believe my boyfriend assigned my friends to be my keepers... like I'd be popping Prozac and walking along bridge rails once he lft." Smiling she laughed a little "That jackass."
Then her cell phone rang and it was Kellan. He was happy to hear that his "troups" were keeping her occupied so she didn't mope.

Good, then part one of my plan has been successful." I blinked, tilting my head. "Part one? Wait... what plan? Chuckling a little, he murmured, "Just a little something to keep you occupied while I'm gone."

Let me tell you, his "Plan" was BRILLIANT! It was sweet, it was ... *sigh* Really a great thing for their relationship..

Not to say everything was peachy keen after that :) 6 months is a long time to be apart - it's a strain on any relationship, especially one where both people are keeping secrets???

Yeah - it happens - GREAT Story! I was told there will be another book to this series coming out someday - Like I thought with this one, I hope it doesn't over kill this couple - but after reading this one.. I just don't want to give up on these guys yet!! I can't wait to find out when it comes out :)



The author has a video for this book (The first one had one too, but it was a little too much "skin" showing for this blog :)
WARNING on this video, it's probably a strong PG - since this is a romance book, I'm sure you can figure out why :)

Lovin' Covers... 4.11.12

Life has been too busy... so I apologize for those who have been waiting upon an email repsonse.  Jen has been taking care of the 'Contact' email so that's the best one to reach us but as for now I;m down and out for the count.  However, I will make the time to check all of that and write up a review or two for you all.  Jen has been up on her game and has reviews up so be sure to scroll below and see what she has for you. 

Here is a small preview of the reviews Jen has posted:  

(Click on image to be linked directly...)

Now on to the covers......

Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes by Various Authors

October 16th 2012 by Month9Books

Redemption (Hearts of Stone) by Veronique Launier

September 2012 by Flux

The Curse (Belador #3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love

September 18th 2012 by Pocket Books

An Apple for the Creature by Charlaine Harris, Toni L.P. Kelner, Ilona Andrews, 

Mike Carey, Thomas E. Sniegoski

September 4th 2012 by Ace Hardcover

Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey, Rosemary Edghill

June 5th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA

Greta and the Goblin King (Mylena Chronicles #1) by Chloe Jacobs

November 13th 2012 by Entangled Publishing, LLC

A Witch Before Dying (A Wishcraft Mystery #2) by Heather Blake

August 7th 2012 by Signet

Blue Moon (Holloway Pack, #2) by J.A. Belfield

December 3rd 2012 by J.Taylor Publishing