Lovin' los libros

A book blog dedicated to young adult and new adult novels

LONG WAY HOME - Tour banner    

The highly anticipated third book in Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series is being released on January 31st! LONG WAY HOME is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance being published by Harlequin Teen! Pre-order your copy of the next book in this emotionally charged series, and don’t miss Violet and Chevy’s story! Check out all of the stops on this awesome tour and be sure to pre-order your copy for the amazing bonus scenes!

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LONG WAY HOME Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving.
 
It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.
But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.
Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all.

LONG WAY HOME Pre-Order Links:

Amazon | Kobo | BAM | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | IndieBound

   
"An intoxicating and unforgettable story that kept me glued to the page."
—Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Walk the Edge
 

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

 
Excerpt:
 
CHEVY
                “Chevy,” Cyrus calls near the entrance, “We need to talk.”
                Damned knot in the tug-of-war-rope and I’m starting to feel frayed. Mom doesn’t blink as she waits for me to say something. To tell Cyrus he can wait. To tell her what she wants to hear. But as much as I love her, I’m also drawn to the club. She’s right, I do want both.
                “I’ll be back to pick you up later,” I say.
                Mom throws the towel she had expertly throttled into the sink behind her, walks to the other side of the bar and the strobe light casts a red haze around her. If I didn’t know her better, I’d buy the flirty smile and the way she giggles in happiness as she leans on the bar to take a drink order. But that’s not her real smile and that’s not her real laugh. It’s part of her job, part of her act, because that’s what working her requires—performing.
                With a kick to a barstool, I head for the exit. Cyrus walks out into the night and I follow. Once outside, Cyrus turns to me and his warm breath creates a cloud in the cool night. “We’ve had some trouble tonight with the Riot.”
                The Riot would be a motorcycle club north of us in Louisville. They’re pissed at the Terror for myriad reasons, the main one being we’re a legit club and they deal in illegal. They’re also angry at one of our main members, Eli. They feel he stole their daughter and granddaughter from them. Eli didn’t steal a thing. Can’t call someone’s free will in walking away from crazy a crime.
                Life sucks for the Riot and I’m fine with that. “Everything okay?”
                “Yeah. Everyone’s safe, but we’ve had word that they’ve ridden past the boundary lines we set with them a few months back. It’s all rumor and no one on our side has confirmed it. Could be someone’s overactive imagination, but I’ll feel better knowing you’re off the road.”
                I’m under eighteen, still a kid to him. Cyrus used to act this way with my two best friends, Oz and Razor, but both are eighteen and full members of the club now. The babysitting twists my gut, but then again, I’m not ready for the decision eighteen will bring. “How about Violet?”
                “I’m on my way now to look for her. She’s also not answering her cell.”
                Yeah. A lot of that going around. “If she took Stone to the game, she would have headed straight home. I’ll check on her on my way to Mom’s if you want.”
                This gives me the excuse I need to see Violet. Because I won’t be able to sleep without knowing she’s okay. So I can thank her for what she did for me with the note. To gauge whether or not Violet is waving the white flag.
                Cyrus lays a hand on my shoulder. “I’d appreciate that. I need to head back to the clubhouse to take care of some business. I’m serious about what I said though. Me and a lot of guys would love to hear about the game.”
                I know they would and I’d enjoy being with them, but Mom’s already sore that I walked out on her to talk to Cyrus. “I’m beat. After I check on Violet, I’m crashing.”
                Cyrus gives me a fast pat and a hug. We both mount our bikes and start our engines with a growl. My grandfather takes the lead and I follow him as long as I can before taking the path that leads away from him and toward where Violet lives.
 
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Review:
 
I absolutely love the Thunder Road series by Katie McGarry. I have been hoping for Chevy and Violet's story ever since I first met them in Nowhere But Here. The two have so much history together and even through their anger and frustration, we could see that deeper feelings lingered there. I was so excited to jump in to their story and I loved seeing the two work to figure out how to overcome all that history and fear. There is a lot of fear surrounding Violet and I loved that Chevy was such a rock for her. Both are incredibly pragmatic when it comes to their relationship and the way it was handled just worked so well. I really liked how much of the book was spent of them being together and not fighting like in previous books. The two come together and are each other's support after a pretty traumatic events occurs and revelations are thrown at them from every angle. Everything they thought they knew about their families, the Terror, and themselves will be questioned in this book, so it was a breath of fresh air to see them tackle it together.
 
Overall, I could not be more pleased with how their story concluded—it was such a fitting end for them and this was one of those books I instantly wanted to reread after it was over.
 

Don’t Miss the First Two Titles in the Thunder Road Series! Grab your copies today!

NOWHERE BUT HERE

WALK THE EDGE

     

long-way-home-preorder-deal-graphic

Pre-order LONG WAY HOME by Katie McGarry, and fill out THIS FORM, to receive three previously unreleased bonus scenes featuring important “firsts” in the lives of your favorite characters from the world of Katie McGarry! Complete the form to register your pre-order at https://wyng.com/campaign/820152. Offer Ends 1/31/17 at 11:59pm EST.

     
Katie McGarry’s LONG WAY HOME – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
January 23rd
Aaly and The Books – Review & Excerpt
Angel Reads – Review
Books,Dreams,Life – Excerpt
Feed Your Fiction Addiction – Review & Excerpt
Girl Plus Books – Review & Excerpt
Letter Shelves Blog – Review & Excerpt
The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt
January 24th
Book Boyfriend Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Ficwishes – Review
Lovin' Los Libros – Review
Zach's YA Reviews – Review & Excerpt
January 25th
Always YA at Heart – Review & Excerpt
Bridget's Book Bungalow – Review & Excerpt
Mythical Books – Excerpt
Swoony Boys Podcast – Review & Excerpt
January 26th
A Bookish Escape – Review & Excerpt
Book Sojourner – Review & Excerpt
Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Dark Faerie Tales – Review & Excerpt
January 27th
Bookshelf Adventures – Review & Excerpt
Little Read Riding Hood – Review & Excerpt
Nerdy Soul – Review & Excerpt
Random Book Muses – Review & Excerpt
Writing My Own Fairy Tale – Review & Excerpt
January 28th
Zili in the Sky – Review & Excerpt
Greyland Reviews – Excerpt
Chasing Faerytales – Review
January 29th
Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt
BookWorm221 – Review & Excerpt
Confessions of 2 Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt
Milky Way of Books – Review & Excerpt
January 30th
Margie's Must Reads – Review & Excerpt
Oh My Growing TBR – Review & Excerpt
Readers Live A Thousand Lives – Review & Excerpt
So Bookalicious – Review & Excerpt
January 31st
Desert Divas Book Addiction – Review & Excerpt
Little Bookworm Reviews – Review & Excerpt
With Love for Books – Review & Excerpt
The Cover Contessa – Review & Excerpt
February 1st
A Leisure Moment – Review
Book Bite Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Never Judge a Book by its Cover – Review & Excerpt
Pages to Explore – Excerpt
Red Hot + Blue Reads – review & Excerpt
Stuck In Books – Review & Excerpt
February 2nd
Actin' Up with Books – Review & Excerpt
Contagious Reads – Review & Excerpt
Go Read A Book – Review
The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt
February 3rd
A Gingerly Review – Review & Excerpt
Bookish Hollow – Review & Excerpt
G & T's Indie Café – Excerpt
Lovely Reads Publishing – Review & Excerpt
Vera is Reading – Excerpt
I Heart YA Books – Review & Excerpt
   
LONG WAY HOME - teaser 3 Fotolia update
   
 
 
Katie McGarry - author pic    Katie McGarry Bio: Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, NOWHERE BUT HERE and WALK THE EDGE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine’s 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.  

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The Last Harvest
   by: Kim Liggett

Publication Date: Jan. 10, 2017
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Horror
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review
Page Count: 304 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N

“I plead the blood.”

Those were the last words seventeen-year-old golden boy quarterback Clay Tate heard rattling from his dad's throat when he discovered him dying on the barn floor of the Neely Cattle Ranch, clutching a crucifix to his chest.

Now, on the first anniversary of the Midland, Oklahoma slaughter, the whole town's looking at Clay like he might be next to go over the edge. Clay wants to forget the past, but the sons and daughters of the Preservation Society—a group of prominent farmers his dad accused of devil worship—won't leave him alone. Including Ali, his longtime crush, who suddenly wants to reignite their romance after a year of silence, and hated rival Tyler Neely, who’s behaving like they’re old friends.

Even as Clay tries to reassure himself, creepy glances turn to sinister stares and strange coincidences build to gruesome rituals—but when he can never prove that any of it happened, Clay worries he might be following his dad down the path to insanity...or that something far more terrifying lies in wait around the corner.

 
Kim's Top Five Creepiest Dolls in Horror
 
Poltergeist

Who could forget this terrifying clown? This is one of my all-time favorite movies. It’s scary, funny, surprising, and such a fun ride.

http://giphy.com/gifs/poltergeist-RJPgWH4AweWPK

 
 
The Conjuring

Oh, Annabelle, you creep me out so hard and I love you.

http://giphy.com/gifs/the-conjuring-gHRLlYjl1arny

 
 

Child’s Play

Chucky has made us laugh, made us cry, and possibly pee our pants a little

http://giphy.com/gifs/absurdnoise-absurdnoise-chucky-childs-play-2-Tn4JQLe2G1plK

 

The Twilight Zone- Living Doll

My name is Talky Tina and I’m going to KILL YOU

http://giphy.com/gifs/tina-talky-k5LZHbJnNLBVC

 

Magic

This film starring a young Anthony Hopkins is a doll cult classic. Fats, the ventriloquist dummy is as creepy as it gets.

http://giphy.com/gifs/anthony-hopkins-B0CXqiviDmT7O


About the Author:
 
At sixteen, Kim Liggett left her rural midwestern town for New York City, where she pursued a career in music and acting. While attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Kim sang backup for some of the biggest rock bands of the 80s. After settling down to have a family, she became an entrepreneur, creating a children's art education program and a travel company specializing in tours for musicians. She's married to jazz musician Ken Peplowski, and has two beautiful teenagers. www.kimliggett.com  @Kim_Liggett
 
My Review:
 
When I first heard Kim talking about this book at Books of Wonder last fall, I knew I had to get my hands on it. She pitched it as Friday Night Lights meets Rosemary's Baby, which is both awesome and creepy at the same time. I definitely saw the similarities to both, and how she tied the two together was pretty neat. I really enjoyed reading through this one and I loved that I didn't want to put it down—except sometimes I did, because I got creeped out and was a bit afraid a creepy doll would be in my face if I woke up in the middle of the night.
 
I really enjoyed Clay's character and my heart definitely felt for him. Having tragically lost his dad the previous year to extraneous conditions, he is the man of the house and has to take care of his two younger sisters and his disconnected mother. All the while, he has to take care of the farm and make sure the harvest is ready before the first frost comes. As if that isn't enough, Clay is getting some pressure from the weird founding fathers society the town has going on and they want him to take his rightful place along with 5 others—one of which is a girl he desperately loves. It's a lot for a guy! His voice felt realistic and I felt I was right there in Midland with him.
 
I think Liggett did a great job of piecing everything together and keeping us guessing. I can easily envision this as a horror movie, in fact, it reminded me a bit of that Demi Moore movie The Seventh Sign. Religious things creep me out the most, so I was definitely a bit freaked out during this one. To say I would scream in a theater is this were a movie, would be an understatement!
Paper and Fire (The Great Library #2)
   by: Rachel Caine

Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Publisher: NAL
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 357 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Ink and Bone introduced a world where knowledge is power, and power corrupts absolutely. Now, the story of those who dare to defy the Great Library—and rewrite history—continues. . . .

With an iron fist, The Great Library controls the knowledge of the world, ruthlessly stamping out all rebellion, forbidding the personal ownership of books in the name of the greater good.

Jess Brightwell has survived his introduction to the sinister, seductive world of the Library, but serving in its army is nothing like he envisioned. His life and the lives of those he cares for have been altered forever. His best friend is lost, and Morgan, the girl he loves, is locked away in the Iron Tower and doomed to a life apart.

Embarking on a mission to save one of their own, Jess and his band of allies make one wrong move and suddenly find themselves hunted by the Library’s deadly automata and forced to flee Alexandria, all the way to London.

But Jess’s home isn’t safe anymore. The Welsh army is coming, London is burning, and soon, Jess must choose between his friends, his family, or the Library willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in the search for ultimate control. . . .

 
 
This series! I can't get enough of it! I completely fell in love with the concept of this world, where the Library holds all the power and knowledge is censored and controlled. I also adore the characters Caine has created. Wolfe, Santi, Glain, Dario, Morgan, and Khalila... they all have roles to play and support Jess. After finding out some shocking information about their friend Thomas, the gang groups back up and I just loved seeing them work together. Things get quite crazy for them and they are caught up in a wild, dangerous ride to pursue the truth and do what's right. Just when they get out of one fix, they land in another. Alliances are formed, allegiances tested... major props to Jess for not freaking out and staying so level-headed.
 
Jess is one of my favorite heroes. He has so much thrown at him and is looked to as a leader amongst his peers. He has to make difficult decisions that ultimately hurt the people he loves. It's not an easy role to assume and he does it brilliantly. I love how he fights for Morgan, even when he knows she may never be able to forgive him. He refuses to let her fate lie in the Iron Tower and it just endeared him to me all the more.
 
This is definitely a great continuation to the Great Library series- full of action, adventure, betrayal, friendship, and love. I am so excited for the next book in the series, as Jess and the gang are transported to a completely new place.... with some new challenges to face.
 
Defending Taylor (Hundred Oaks #
   by: Miranda Kenneally

Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 304 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

There are no mistakes in love.

Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor's always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that's what is expected of a senator's daughter. But one impulsive decision-one lie to cover for her boyfriend-and Taylor's kicked out of private school. Everything she's worked so hard for is gone, and now she's starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor's escape from the pressures of school and family, but it's hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she's going through is her older brother's best friend, Ezra. Taylor's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it's hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?
  
 
 
Since I was in the mood for a quick, fun read, I decided to pick up Defending Taylor. Kenneally's books are always super fast and engaging, which is just what I was looking for. I found that I liked this book, but didn't quite love it. I felt the book read a bit choppy and simplistic and while that wasn't a HUGE factor, it did cause some slight issues for me. I also felt like Ezra and Taylor's relationship went from 0-100 in no time at all. I get they have history, but had I seen a bit more of that, I think I wouldn't have minded so much.
 
I did really love Taylor and Ezra together though. They are really adorable and I like how easy their relationship was. There was no angst and unnecessary drama. It was very much boy and girl like one another and begin a relationship.
 
What I liked most of all was the fact that Ezra and Taylor are consistently thinking about their individual futures. Taylor thought she had everything planned out, but after getting kicked out of her swanky private school, she starts to reevaluate her life and what she really wants. Ezra is also at a bit of a crossroads, so it was awesome to see Taylor support and encourage him, because he is capable really being successful- just in a different way than his family may have originally thought.
 
I also enjoyed seeing how Taylor handled the girls on her new soccer team. They are pretty resentful of her at first, having once been adversaries, as she played for her previous school's team. However, Taylor doesn't take the easy way out and just quit because they don't like her. It's a great lesson for teens to see and I was glad when some of them came around and befriended her.
 
Ezra really did make the book for me though. Loved that boy so much!
An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons #3)
   by: Julia Quinn

Publication Date: Oct. 13, 2009
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical Romance
Age Group: Adult
Source: Purchased
Page Count: 358 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Will she accept his offer before the clock strikes midnight?

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball—or that "Prince Charming" would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.

Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other—except, perhaps this alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid's garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love?



Sigh. I can't get enough of this series, you guys. Seriously. I LOVE ALL THINGS BRIDGERTON. And Julia Quinn! I don't know what the deal was on Overdrive, but I was on hold for this book for an eternity. Finally, I gave up and purchased a used copy at my bookstore.

I really liked Benedict's book! It was a Cinderella retelling and it was cute! I loved Sophie too. She was the perfect heroine for Benedict. Having grown up as a servant, one night at a ball changes everything for her as she meets Benedict. However, as the tale goes- she escapes him at midnight with nothing but the memory of a perfect night together. The two are reunited a few years later and it is killing Sophie not to disclose that she was the girl at ball. Benedict had been holding on to the idea of this perfect woman and has finally started to give up on her. He finds himself falling for Sophie herself, but knows society would never allow them to be together.

I am all for a case of forbidden love, so I loved seeing the two battle their attraction to one another.

I am looking forward to starting Colin's book next. Everyone says it's their favorite!





Burn (Scan #2)
   by: Walter Jury and Sarah Fine

Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Publisher: Putnam
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed from the Library
Page Count: 352 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars

At the cliffhanger ending of Scan, Tate loses the very thing he was fighting to protect, what his father had called the key to human survival. Tate doesn't have much time to worry about it because he needs to get away, to ensure he and Christina are safe. His father left him one last thing that can do just that—a safehouse, which turns out to be a clue to what's really threatening the planet. As Tate follows the clues his father left behind, he starts to uncover the truth, realizing he's up against an enemy he's only beginning to understand.

A riveting, fast-paced "we are not alone" adventure, Burn thrills to the very end.

 
I read Scan last year, I believe, and really enjoyed how fast-paced and action packed it was! It was also refreshing to have a male protagonist in the driver's seat! The synopsis tells it true- that cliffhanger was BRUTAL! I picked up Burn from the library and started it before I moved, but then never got to finish it. I wonder, if that was part of the problem I had with this one. I picked it back up a couple of weeks ago and really struggled through it. It wasn't keeping me engaged like it's predecessor did. I still loved being with Tate and Christina, but I felt it lacked the spark the first book did. Sadly, this one didn't wow me, but it was nice to get some resolution for our characters.




Wicked (A Wicked Saga #1)
   by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publication Date: December 8, 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age Group: New Adult
Source: Purchased for Kindle
Page Count: 300 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

 
So, I am always up for a JLA book and I'm kicking myself for not starting this one sooner! I loved the New Orleans setting and the fact that it was New Adult Urban Fantasy! I read so many contemporaries, that it was refreshing to jump into the world of the Order and their fight against the fae.
 
Ivy is our fiery, red-haired heroine and I really liked her. She was a lot of fun and I love how much of Jen's personality and loves were incorporated in this one. (Supernatural, Walking Dead, etc.) Ren was sexy as sin and I loved his cocky, honest attitude. He was great and is definitely a new favorite of Jen's heroes.
 
I have to mention my love for Tink because oh my goodness. I was trying so hard not to laugh at his craziness in front of my coworkers the other day. I have a feeling our little Brownie is going to be a major player in this series.
 
On to Torn!
 
 



Stealing Home
      by Nicole Williams

Publication Date: July 10, 2016
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC received via ArdentPR in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 211 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars

Being the only woman working for a professional baseball team isn’t easy. As the San Diego Shock’s newest athletic trainer, Allie knows all about long hours, endless travel, and warding off players’ advances. Given she’s already the subject of a handful of rumors about how “lucky” she was to have earned such a coveted position, she can’t so much as flutter an eyelash a player’s way if she wants to be taken seriously.

But number eleven is doing more than fluttering eyelashes Allie’s way. Far more. Luke Archer is at the top of his game and doesn’t let the fear of striking out keep him from swinging. This is a motto he applies both on and off the field, but Allie appears immune, seeming to view Luke as nothing more than caution tape on legs.

He’s a player, and in Allie’s experience, they’re all the same. She won’t risk her job or her heart to another one, no matter how different this one claims to be. But as Allie gets to know him, she discovers the number eleven the public thinks they know is very different from the real Luke Archer. He seems too good to be true.

And maybe he is.

Allie will have to confront the stories attached to a player of Luke Archer’s stature and decide who she’ll put her faith in—The man she’s falling for? Or the rumors?

 
 
I love Nicole's Lost and Found series, as well as her Three Brothers. I was super excited to see she was writing a sports romance, because let's be honest- who can get enough of those? Not this girl! And it's a BASEBALL book. *dreamy sigh*
 
I really did love all things Luke Archer. He was such a wonderful hero and sexy as sin! Allie was sweet too and I liked her dedication to her job and how she refused to let anyone tear her down or tell her she was only there because of her feminine parts. She's damn good at what she does and she won't let arrogant jerks keep her down.
 
My issue with this book was that it felt so clichéd. We have Allie and Luke, who aren't looking for anything serious, decide to pursue a sexual relationship, but end up falling for one another anyway. There is your usual miscommunication conflict that causes problems for our happy couple also. I also felt the story could have used more depth and background on our characters. I feel we just jumped right in to the attraction and sexy times, when I could have used a bit more tension and development.
 
I did still enjoy this one despite my issues though, but I don't know that it will be especially memorable.
Welcome to my stop on the The Shadow Hour tour hosted by Irish Banana Tours!
Today I am excited to share my review, as well as a giveaway with you all!



The Shadow Hour (The Girl at Midnight #2)
    by: Melissa Grey

Publication Date: July 12, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 432 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | iBooks | The Book Depository

Everything in Echo's life changed in a blinding flash when she learned the startling truth: she is the firebird, the creature of light that is said to bring peace.

The firebird has come into the world, but it has not come alone. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and Echo can feel a great and terrible darkness rising in the distance. Cosmic forces threaten to tear the world apart.

Echo has already lost her home, her family, and her boyfriend. Now, as the firebird, her path is filled with even greater dangers than the ones she's already overcome.

She knows the Dragon Prince will not fall without a fight.

Echo must decide: can she wield the power of her true nature--or will it prove too strong for her, and burn what's left of her world to the ground?

Welcome to the shadow hour.



After reading and loving The Girl at Midnight, I was super excited to get my hands on the next book in the series, The Shadow Hour! And now I am absolutely dying for book 3 (which won't be released until next year, SOB)! I am completely invested in this series- it's characters, their romances, and the storyline all come together to create a fantasy that I just devoured.

The book picks up right where The Girl at Midnight leaves off, and we are in for one rollercoaster ride after the explosive events that led up to the end of the last book. We are reunited with our favorites, get to know some of the more minor characters from the previous book, and meet some new faces. (Some I loved, and some that just needed to go away.) While this book felt a bit slower than it's predecessor, I still enjoyed every minute of it. I do wish there had been more developments concerning Echo and Caius and I'm still not sure how Grey is going to have that storyline play out. I wasn't crazy about the love triangle feel between them though. I thought things would be a bit more resolved and put in place, but they didn't feel that way. I know Echo is dealing with ALOT, but I just wish she had been a bit more open emotionally when it came to her feelings for the boys. It was hard to get a read on her and I felt pretty torn over it.

However, we do get some developments with other characters and my little shipper heart was jumping up and down for joy in regards to some others...  Not to mention, I absolutely LOVED Ivy in this one. I liked her in the first, but I admire her for being a part of the team and doing what needs to be done for the greater cause. She also gets a bit of a romantic interest in this one that I am looking forward to seeing play out in the next book!

Romance aside, I LOVE the friendships that Grey has cultivated. Dorian and Caius, while complicated, really would lay down their lives for the other and that brotherhood was so endearing to see. The same went for Ivy and Echo. They may not be blood sisters, but they are sisters of the heart, for sure. As for Tanith and Caius's relationship, my heart was so broken over those two. Caius loves his twin so much and he still believes there is good in her, despite everything she's done. I was a wreck by the end and I am fearful for how things are going to turn out.

It's quite difficult to review this one, as I want to be completely spoiler free, but I promise you- this is a series you definitely need to start. I've loved getting to know these characters and watch them put aside their differences and form alliances to obtain peace for their races. The book takes a dark turn in the end and it definitely leaves you worried about our friends' fates. I can't wait for the next book to come out!



Melissa Grey penned her first short story at the age of twelve and hasn't stopped writing since. As an undergrad at Yale, she learned how ride a horse and shoot a bow and arrow at the same time, but hasn't had much use for that skill since graduating in 2008. 

Her debut novel, THE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT (Delacorte/Random House), is out now. The second book in the trilogy, THE SHADOW HOUR, will be published July 2016. The third and final book of the series will come out summer 2017.

To learn more about Melissa, visit melissa-grey.com and follow her on Twitter @meligrey. Website | Twitter |Instagram


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Daughter of Winter (Fairy Queens #3)
   by: Amber Argyle

Publication Date: Apr. 21, 2016
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received via the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 194 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Bargains. Only the truly desperate make them. Only the truly desperate need them. And always, the desperate pay.

The silence and never-ending dark of winter are all Elice has ever known, for she is the daughter of the Winter Queen. Isolated in a northern queendom with only the seals for company, she dreams of color and music and life. So when a whaling ship crashes just offshore, she doesn't hesitate to rescue the lone survivor, Adar, who quickly becomes her friend. She must keep him hidden from her mother at all costs, for if the Winter Queen discovers him trespassing, she'll kill him.

When her mother reveals just how dark her soul has become, Elice realizes she is as much a prisoner as Adar. To ever know true freedom—to ever become the woman she was meant to be—she must flee with him. But in their flight, she begins to see hints of something more nefarious. The darkness that has taken hold of her mother is spreading, staining the world with its influence.

Unbeknownst to Elice, a bargain was made long ago. A bargain she was born to fulfill.
  
 
 
I have really enjoyed the first two books in this series, so I was excited to read this one, as it centers around Ilyenna's daughter, Elice. This book really hurt my heart because of some of the things that take place, especially since I loved Ilyenna in Winter Queen. I obviously don't want to spoil anything, but Ilyenna has changed quite a bit since we last saw her. She has really transformed into the queen of winter not just literally, but figuratively as well. She is harsh and unfeeling with her daughter and has almost completely lost what humanity she had left.
 
Elice is such a sweet girl. She is a caretaker and a healer like her mother once was and her compassion really endeared her to me. She leads a lonely life and I wanted nothing more than for her to find a companion to keep her company. I really enjoyed Adar, even though I didn't feel I really got to know him as a character. He is hiding something huge from Elice and while I can guess what it might be, I think that prevents us from getting too close because he himself holds himself at a bit of a distance.
 
I did think this one developed a bit slower than some of the other books. There wasn't as much action in this one, but it was more of a build up of what's to come in the next books. I am looking forward to seeing where Argyle takes this series and how things will develop with Elice, Adar, the Summer realm, and her destiny to become more than she ever dreamed she would be.   
The Long Game (The Fixer #2)
   by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Genre: Political Thriller
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Physical copy received via the publisher in exchange for  a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 368 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 5/5 stars

Tess Kendrick, teen fixer extraordinaire, returns in a pulse-pounding thriller about a deadly conspiracy at the heart of Washington.

 For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate's campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets.

Meanwhile, Tess's guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can--and cannot--be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in D.C., but she's about to discover first-hand that power always comes with a price.

Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Ally Carter, the second book in this thrilling series will leave readers breathless.

 
 
After reading and LOVING The Fixer, I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Long Game! I never would have thought I would enjoy political thrillers, but man, Jennifer Lynn Barnes has sold me! There are so many twists and turns that I did NOT see coming! I was seriously floored! I love books that take me by surprise like that!
 
I will keep my thoughts brief, as I do not want to include any spoilers from The Fixer, as there are plenty of twists and turns in that one as well! Tess has become known as a fixer at her school and while she doesn't really relish the job, she still ends up doing it. She doesn't like seeing her classmates treated unjustly and no matter how much she says she's not going to, she always finds her way into the middle of the fray! Her relationship with Ivy is definitely strained after things came to light in the previous book, but I really like the way Barnes developed that relationship. It's realistic and raw and I just love it. I also love Adam too and am still holding out for him and Ivy to get together!
 
The gang is all back in this one and there's a hint of a romance! I wasn't sure how I would feel about it, but I was totally on board! However, things get... complicated. That's a good word for it. :) And that's all you'll get from me.
 
Action, adventure, intrigue, secrets, betrayal... it's all here in this second book in the series! I am really hoping Barnes gets contracted for a third novel because oh my goodness I need closure and answers! I highly recommend these books- they are so much fun and they read so fast!

 

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