Feature & Follow Friday #8

Feature & Follow Friday is a fun event hosted by Alison Can Read & Parajunkee. The purpose is to gain more followers and make new friends throughout the book blogging community. Keep in mind, though, the point is to follow other blogs also. I follow you, you follow me. :)

Post Prompt: Ten Reasons You Read Your Favorite Genre

Answer: My favorite genre is definitely YA. Why do I like it so much? In no particular order:

1. It makes me feel less crappy about my life. Let's face it, times are tough for teenagers in the book world. The struggle is real.
2. I have friends who like the same genre, so it's nice to be able to share books with one another, get suggestions, and chat about them.
3. YA books deal with so many different issues like sexuality, gender issues, etc. so it's nice to be able to read something that encompasses real-world, practical issues.
4. I was a teenager once, so I can totally relate. The ability for a book to evoke some sort of nostalgia is an amazing thing. I miss my childhood.
5. They're easy reads. Of course I like challenging books, too, but it's nice to just breeze through a book and be able to move on to one of the other 500 books in my TBR pile.
6. My son and I can suggest books to one another. He reads mostly YA fantasy or mystery which isn't a huge fave of mine, but I like that we can both read a book and reach a common ground. It's something we can share together.
7. It's thought-provoking. I love a book where I'm left dumbfounded and spinning and wondering what the heck just happened. It's an amazing feeling!
8. It's a huge genre, so if I feel like reading Fantasy with a YA twist, or Dystopian but with characters who are close to my age, I can do that. It encompasses so many types of genres within a genre.
9. It makes me feel like I can overcome anything. For the most part, there's a happy ending that comes from a long struggle. Life is very much like that.
10. I genuinely enjoy reading them. They're fun and exciting and most of the time I can't put the book down to the point where my husband is yelling at me wondering if I'm ever coming to bed. 

So tell me - what's your favorite genre, and why do you read it?

HOW DOES THE #FF WORK?

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend,  to a fellow blogger friend, COME BACK AND VOTE for them on the linky list to show some appreciation. 
• The person with the most VOTES gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of Features).
•  It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the future. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard. 
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

SPECIFIC RULES

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts. 
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using Wordpress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) say in your posts how you would like to be followed.
• Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might now know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI".
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers. 

An InLinkz Link-up

What Are You Reading Wednesdays #2

What Are You Reading Wednesday is a weekly meme by It's A Reading Thing. Grab the book you are currently reading and answer the following questions:

1. What's the name of your current read?
2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your ebook and share one complete sentence.
3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?


My current read is:

1. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

2. "I stuck it in my mouth, and just like that, I was ten again, walking back from Quik-Zip with Peyton after spending my allowance on candy."

3. A world I'd like to live in? Seems like the world I do live in - a world where in one split second things can quickly go downhill and you're left spinning, wondering what happened and how you can bring some normalcy into your life again.

So...what are YOU reading? I need new book suggestions, so drop your reading list below!

Feature & Follow Friday #7

Feature & Follow Friday is a fun event hosted by Alison Can Read & Parajunkee. The purpose is to gain more followers and make new friends throughout the book blogging community. Keep in mind, though, the point is to follow other blogs also. I follow you, you follow me. :)

This week's question: Why did you start blogging?

The main reason I started blogging was to network with other people and to make new friends. I've always loved reading, so what could be better than merging my love of books with my love for writing? I love that it takes up my time but in a way that's enjoyable. I'm never like, "Ugh, I have to do a blog post today." (Okay, not yet at least.) 

So tell me...why did you start blogging?!

HOW DOES THE #FF WORK?

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend,  to a fellow blogger friend, COME BACK AND VOTE for them on the linky list to show some appreciation. 
• The person with the most VOTES gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of Features).
•  It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the future. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard. 
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

SPECIFIC RULES

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts. 
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using Wordpress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) say in your posts how you would like to be followed.
• Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might now know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI".
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Cover Reveal: Playing Defense (Corrigan Falls Raiders #2) by Cate Cameron by Entangled Teen Crush

 

Swoony hockey players? SCORE!

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Playing Defense (Corrigan Falls Raiders #2) by Cate Cameron

presented by Entanged Teen Crush!

Sounds like the perfect book to snuggle with on a cold, winter eve!

 

Sign up for the blog tour HERE!

 

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, swoon-worthy kisses, and sexy hockey players. It may cause you to watch a hockey game...or ten.

Sixteen-year-old Claudia Waring has never kissed a boy. Never been popular. Never been to a hockey game. All that’s about to change. Assigned to tutor Chris Winslow, a prank-loving, gorgeous hockey player, Claudia’s perfectly planned life immediately veers off course. And she kind of likes it. But as fun as Chris is, she knows she'll never fit in his world. After his latest prank lands him in hot water, Chris has to get serious about school or lose hockey. Not an easy thing for someone as carefree as the defenseman. The biggest problem, though, is how much he wants to help his cute, buttoned-up tutor loosen up a little. But while confidence has never been a problem for him, around Claudia, Chris is all nerves. Why would a girl as smart as her ever fall for a jock like him?

Playing Defense (Corrigan Falls Raiders #2) by Cate Cameron Publication Date: March 14, 2016 Publisher: Entangled Teen Crush

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

    OTHER BOOK(s) IN THE SERIES:

 

The hometown hockey hero won’t know what hit him…

Karen Webber is in small-town hell. After her mother’s death, she moved to Corrigan Falls to live with strangers—her dad and his perfect, shiny new family—and there doesn’t seem to be room for a city girl with a chip on her shoulder. The only person who makes her feel like a real human being is Tyler MacDonald.

But Karen isn’t interested in starting something with a player. And that’s all she keeps hearing about Tyler.

Corrigan Falls is a hockey town, and Tyler’s the star player. But the viselike pressure from his father and his agent are sending him dangerously close to the edge. All people see is hockey—except Karen. Now they’ve managed to find something in each other that they both desperately need. And for the first time, Tyler is playing for keeps…

Amazon |B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | Entangled Publishing

Cate Cameron grew up in the city but moved to the country in her mid-twenties and isn’t looking back. Most of her writing deals with people living and loving in small towns or right out in the sticks—when there aren’t entertainment options on every corner, other people get a lot more interesting!

She likes to write stories about real people struggling with real issues. YA, NA, or contemporary romance, her books are connected by their emphasis on subtle humor and characters who are trying to do the right thing, even when it would be a lot easier to do something wrong.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Sign up for the tour!

 

 

Cover Reveal: Conspiracy Boy (Angel Academy, #2) by Cecily White

 

Let us know what you think of the cover for Conspiracy Boy by Cecily White!

Conspiracy Boy releases on March 7, 2016

About Conspiracy Boy (Angel Academy, #2):

Wraithmaker Amalie is torn between protecting the vampire who saved her life and navigating rebellion, assassination, and political upheaval to save Guardian Jack, the man she loves. As long as Amelie is Luc's Immortal fledgling, she and Jack will never be free to love each other. And if the Guardian Elders discover their forbidden bond, Amelie and Jack might be separated again. Unfortunately, the Guardian war on demonkind, and rebellions threatening both the Peace Tenets and Luc's aristocratic family drive Jack and Amelie farther apart. Amelie struggles to learn how to use her newfound powers as a Wraithmaker. She feels they're the key to discern who her allies are, help Luc survive the Trial to become Sovereign, and prevent the war threatening to destroy her world. She also hopes her powers will help her figure out exactly which side her bondmate, Jack, is on. But she's missing a clue and seeks out Lisa, the sister who tried to kill her, for answers. Instead, Amelie learns her only chance of survival is to leave Luc and Jack behind, escape and defect.

Want to Read More? Pre-order Conspiracy Boy (Angel Academy, #2) Today!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | Goodreads

Did you miss the previous book in the Angel Academy Series? Catch up now...with this gorgeous, brand new cover

About Prophecy Girl (Angel Academy, #1):

Amelie Bennett: Ending the world, one prophecy at a time. I was born to slay Crossworld demons. Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom. Then he shows up. Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right? Wrong. Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult. Getting it done without falling in love? That might take a miracle.

Want to Read More? Buy Prophecy Girl (Angel Academy, #1) Today!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Goodreads

Blog Tour: Debt by Rachel Dunning

Hello all my lovely readers! It's been a while, but I'M BACK! It's my stop in this blog tour, so I'd like to introduce you all to the newest novel by authoress Rachel Dunning. Check it out!

Debt

By Rachel Dunning

526 Pages/Standalone NovelGenre: New Adult Romance/Sports Romance
Age category: New Adult

Release Date: March 30, 2016

Content Warning: Not intended for readers under the age of 17

Blurb:

The Debt Collector

I pay my debts, and I expect others to. 

I was raised in the slums of London, I knew nothing of privilege. My father was murdered when I was seventeen. Morty figured my father's passing meant I would automatically take on dad's debts. I refused. 

And I paid for that refusal. 

So did my sister. 

So now I fight. All I know how to do is fight. The best cash is in the states, so that's where I am now. A big fish called Vito came along offering me a "favor" when I arrived.

Another debt.

I paid for that one too. 

I knew Kyla Hensley would be trouble when I met her. But I wanted her. I could see through the falsehood of her wannabe-slutty clothes and her sexy legs. So I chased her. 

Besides, trouble is my middle name.

Kyla Hensley
I was brought up in privilege, but I lacked everything else. My father is a business tycoon who buys and sells and doesn't care who gets rolled over in the process. 

I never knew my mother, and all I have of her is a photo with a note scrawled on the back in French saying "I'm sorry." The only Female Figure I had growing up is my dad's wife who is a bleach blond with seven boob jobs. We never bonded.

I drink. I party. I meet guys.

But I wasn't always like that. 

I've had a string of lovers in the last few years, the worst and most recent of which was Vince Somerset. My best friend Vera was dating a guy called Rory Cansoom who is the opposite of Vince in so many ways, and yet so the same. 

She and I hit the road for the summer, getting away from the two college psychos and just trying to have some fun. 

But there's a funny thing about trouble, the more you run from it, the more it finds you. 

Which is when I met the Debt Collector. 

It was only supposed to be sex. He made that clear. I made that clear. 

That's all it was supposed to be.

I never expected to fall in love. I never expected to fall so deeply, madly, uncomfortably in love with a man who is wrong, so wrong for me. 

And yet...so unbelievably right.

About the Author:
Rachel Dunning hit the scene in August 2013 and is the author of the highly praised Naive Mistakes Series, Truthful Lies Trilogy, Johnny Series and the paranormal romance series, Mind Games.

A prolific writer, she sticks to stories where Alpha Males aren’t pricks and where women have guts.

She’s lived on two different continents, speaks three different languages, and met the love of her life on the internet. In other words, romance is in her blood.

Where Else To Find Rachel:
- Blog/Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- iTunes
- Goodreads

Get Rachel's Newsletter:
Sign up for Rachel's newsletter and never miss a release or special!
You can sign up by clicking here.

Reviews:
“He is magnetic and an Alpha to his core.”
Lunaland Books
☆☆☆☆☆ Review

“I was sucked into this book from page one! The Debt Collector is sexy as sin and the ultimate Alpha male!!”
Alpha Book Club
☆☆☆☆☆ Review

Keep reading to see some excerpts from her new book!

Excerpt 1

~Logan~

I have no desire to settle down. 

I have no desire to make Kyla be the last woman I’m ever with.

But, damn it, I’d like to be given a chance to do those things. Does she even feel anything for me?

I know I do.

I feel something. 

Not love. Something else. 

Like I need her.

Like I’d stop breathing without her. 

Like the sun would stop being so bright or the sounds of the world so sweet if she disappeared.

Excerpt 2

~Kyla~

He stops. Lifts his head up again, still smiling. “You’re afraid,” he says.

“Yes.”

“Of me.”

“Yes.”

“And yet, you’re here.”

I clear my throat. “Y—yes.”

“Why?”

Because I’m an idiot. And you turn me on. And I’m an idiot. And you turn me on.

So, are you as excited to read it as I am?! Go on...get it now!

You can find Debt on Goodreads 

You can buy Debt here:
- Barnes & Noble
- Amazon US
- Smashwords
- iTunes

Blog Tour: When Faults Collide by Claire Granger

This is my stop during the blog tour for When Faults Collide. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 1 till 14 July, you can view the complete tour schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

When Faults Collide (Faultlines #1)
By Claire Granger
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: July 1, 2015

Blurb:
Asha is a 23 year old graphic designer and blogger living in Richmond VA with a dark past. She grew up in India in a brothel where her mother was a prostitute and came to America to live with her father when she was 13. 10 years later and while she has survived, she lives her life under a strict set of rules and lives fairly sheltered in order to protect herself. Her most important rule: never get involved romantically.

Then she meets Blake, a 25 year old music venue owner with an equally dark past. From their first encounter, Asha finds it difficult to follow her own rules and can't deny the connection between the two of them.

Can Asha overcome her demons to go beyond surviving to thriving and will Blake be the perfect broken piece to the puzzle of her heart?


You can find When Faults Collide on Goodreads

You can buy When Faults Collide here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble

About the Author:
Claire grew up in Texas, but her family moved to Virginia in 2001. She now resides in Richmond with her husband, 4 children (2 sets of twins!), and their fur babies.

She blogs over at The Granger Bunch and has her first novel releasing this summer! "When Faults Collide" is a contemporary romance, the first of the "Faultlines" series! She is already working on book two of the series as well as a non fiction and a few other exciting projects!

She is passionate about racial identity and equality issues, foster care, adoption, and non-profits that work to help victims of sexual assault and trafficking.

She is shamelessly addicted to romance, erotica, dark/twisted/taboo, smutty, sexy, anti-hero, flawed hero, controlling, mind blowing books! Basically everything that would make her mother cry. ;)

She loves hearing from her readers- it keeps her going! Thank you so much for all of your continued support!

You can find and contact Claire here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Instagram


Here are some fabulous excerpts from her new book:

Excerpt 1:

As I walked back into my bedroom, I thought about Blake. Was he sleeping on the other side of my wall? Could he hear me in here?

I shook away my thoughts. I didn’t need to worry about what he was doing because he didn’t matter.

That’s when I heard the music.

“No way” I whispered.

The Lumineers “Stubborn Love” was playing softly through the wall.

It was one of my favorite songs, and obviously Blake had no idea why I loved the lyrics so much.

Talk about a crazy coincidence. I decided to tweet my favorite line.

AshaGirlRVA: It’s better to feel pain than nothing at all. #Lumineers #GoodnightMrGreenEyes

I plugged my phone into the spare charger on my nightstand and climbed into bed. I heard my phone ding a notification, which was nothing new, but decided to turn them off for the night.

I swiped my phone on, and then saw the comment left on twitter. I gasped.

Blake_RVA: @AshaGirlRVA Glad you like it. #GoodnightMsBlueEyes

“Well shit.” I said before turning my phone off and throwing my arm over my eyes.

Excerpt 2:

“So are you upset because he follows your tweets or because you tweeted about him to begin with?” Katherine asked me from across the table, sticking a piece of pastry in her mouth.

She was pretty nontraditional as far as therapists go. Sometimes we met in her office, but many times- like today, we met at a restaurant in the city and just chatted like friends. She was my fifth therapist and her model of talking to me like a person and a friend instead of like a client is the only reason she was able to get through to me.

Despite my disagreements with her, I valued her input on things in my life. She knew the whole story, the things that Lily, Tom, my dad, and Marcy would never hear about. She knew it all.

I breathed out in frustration. “I don’t know. I don’t want to censor what I write about. But I also don’t check every follower. I get new followers every day. I’m annoyed that he knows he got to me. That’s what I’m annoyed about. What if he reads my blog?”

She shrugged. “Why not? If you really never have any intention of talking to this guy romantically, then he’s just another reader. If you were thinking you may like to get to know him, your blog is a great way for him to learn about you and your story.”

I pursed my lips. “Well, I am not interested in ANYTHING with him. Nothing. I just don’t like it.”

She laughed. “Asha, you’ve been seeing me for almost 9 years. You’ve had a lot of guys show interest in you. You have never once been flustered at conversation with them, nor have you spent any length of time talking about them with me. So, obviously, you have some interest there.”

I nodded. “Right, but how can I un-interest myself?”

She chuckled again. “I don’t think it works that way, dear. It’s okay to be interested in a guy.”

I opened my mouth to protest but she continued.

“I get it. Your rules. But Asha, we’ve talked about your rules before. You cannot live your life in a bubble and refuse to let anyone in romantically.”

I nodded again. “Yes I can.”

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of When Faults Collide. These are the prizes you can win:
- a signed copy of When Faults Collide by Claire Granger
- a $25 Amazon gift card

For a chance to win enter the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway