Monday, August 26, 2019

#NewRelease #Reviews BROKEN KNIGHT by L.J. Shen @jennw23 @lj_shen


"Everyone needs to read this book. "
- Harloe Rae, USA Today bestselling author

Broken Knight, an all new standalone about first loves, betrayal and loss from USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen, is available now!


Not all love stories are written the same way. Ours had torn chapters, missing paragraphs, and a bittersweet ending.

Luna Rexroth is everyone’s favorite wallflower.

Sweet.

Caring.

Charitable.

Quiet.

Fake.

Underneath the meek, tomboy exterior everyone loves (yet pities) is a girl who knows exactly what, and who, she wants—namely, the boy from the treehouse who taught her how to curse in sign language.

Who taught her how to laugh.

To live.

To love.

Knight Cole is everyone’s favorite football hero.

Gorgeous.

Athletic.

Rugged.

Popular.

Liar.

This daredevil hell-raiser could knock you up with his gaze alone, but he only has eyes for the girl across the street: Luna.

But Luna is not who she used to be. She doesn’t need his protection anymore.

When life throws a curveball at All Saints’ golden boy, he’s forced to realize not all knights are heroes.

Sometimes, the greatest love stories flourish in tragedy.

____________________________



5 of 5 stars

If you want angst then this is the book for you! I absolutely loved this book and was so excited to get it into my hands! The hero and heroine grew up together and went through quite the journey of ups and downs as they got older and matured. Their connection was amazing from the start, though their relationship really went through the wringer as Knight went through a dark phase, forcing Luna to find her own way and come into herself independently. It's both heartbreaking and maddening in the best of ways!

reviewed by Sweet Spot Sisterhood

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This is not only Ms Shen's best book it's my standout book of the year. Days after I finished I still haven't recovered. Knight and Luna are soul mates, one only works when the other is near. The love, the friendship, the family the author gave it all to us. She held none of the pain back and didn't shy away from the heartbreak we knew was coming.

Leigh is an author ninja, this story won't creep up on you it's like a karate chop to the soul. At 2am she had my emotions in the palm of her hand and squeezed every last drop out of me until I had nothing left to give. I was her willing captive held hostage by her words.

Can the things we give up so readily for those we love really be called sacrifices when we willingly do so time and time again.

If you think you know Knight you don't.
If you wanted to know Luna you will.
There are so many individual moments that stand out in this story. This is a book every one needs to read.

Bravo Ms. Shen take a bow you deserve it.

#RideorDie

reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood

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KJC is a rockstar. A broken moody one but no less a fucking rockstar! I have cried. I have laughed. I have died a little on the inside...okay, a lot! I lived. I loved. I'm happy.

Broken Knight is beyond frustrating. I dont have the vocabulary needed or the emotional range to tell you exactly what this book is. Broken Knight has crippled the Hotholes line. I had a distinct line of awesomeness and was sure young Knight would fall in line but NO. Knight had to go and tear up the order. He threw his weight, his fists, and his words around. He tackled, stampeded, and demolished those standing before him. In the end, I'm not sure who is in the front anymore...Vicious or Knight. I don't think even Vicious has it in him to fight Knight after everything that happened. (Okay, so Vicious gave him a pass. It was bound to happen.)

Knight and Luna truly are a toxic tale. LJ Shen held nothing back in this twisted fairytale. She held nothing back but gave us everything she took tenfold!

I cannot tell you enough how heartbreakingly beautiful this imperfect pair truly are. I cannot express how much you will feel this book in your center, your heart, and your bones. Knight and Luna threw out the mold and good luck finding another book after this one! Book hangovers are real!

LJ Shen kicked butt and said "I don't need to take names" with this book. I honestly don't know whether yo fear the next installment or cling to it like a baby. Fear and longing had me waiting to read Broken Knight. I was afraid to finish it but linging to start it! I'm so agonized between having finished and getting my happily ever after. Don't fight it.

The sun will rise tomorrow.

Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood

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Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!



Pre-order the Audio edition now

(Available 8/25)

Amazon Audible: https://amzn.to/2HdgKQH

Amazon Audible WorldWide: http://mybook.to/BrokenKnightAudio

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2YbCrun


______________________



About LJ Shen

L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 Best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.


Connect with L.J. Shen





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Thursday, August 1, 2019

#Review FEAST OF SPARKS by Sierra Simone



FEAST OF SPARKS (Thornchapel #2) by Sierra Simone Release Date: August 1st Cover Designer: Hang Le Photographer: Regina Wamba







AVAILABLE NOW!! 




START THE SERIES TODAY WITH A LESSON IN THORNS (Thornchapel #1) 

Amazon INTL: mybook.to/ALIT 



Blurb: 

I’m an outcast and a loner, named for death itself. Fate wasn’t supposed to have plans for me.

But then she came back—the girl I once kissed in a thorn-covered chapel in the woods. She came back, and I could no more resist her than I could pry out my own heart. And by some trick of fate, she wants me as much as I want her. The only problem? She also wants the man who owns Thornchapel, Auden Guest.

And so do I.

Eight years ago, I did something to Auden, something terrible. He hurt me back the only way he knew how, and so here we are: our hatred seasoned with pain and my loneliness seasoned with longing. The only thing we can agree on is Proserpina Markham, and she wants us to find a way to be together—all three of us. 

If Auden wants to earn her as his submissive, then he has to earn me as well.

But with the discovery of bones behind the altar and the carnal revel of Beltane fast approaching, it’s becoming clear that Thornchapel’s secrets are much deeper and older than any of us could have ever guessed. And no matter how bright and merry a feast of sparks may be, it’s always followed by ashes. 

And darkness.




Well that was not entirely what I hoped for or expected. I'll be honest- I saw that "bomb drop" long before it hit. I also think its just a way to draw extra tension into the mix. I may not agree with it but I'm not the author.

Let me backtrack. Feast of Sparks starts where A Lesson in Thorns ends. You must read A Lesson to have any chance of understanding what's happening. However, that's not guaranteed either. LOL. Feast isn't as full of the flowery descriptions as A Lesson was but it isn't without them. What it has in spades though is raunchy, hedonistic sex even I was like "that's a bit much."

I think one of my biggest issues to overcome was the liking of pagan practices to the church. Using the rituals as proof that the church is just a copy of the pagan practices...While its not wrong historically, its also not in full context. Most people wont be squeamish about that but it bothered me. Trying to liken their clearly pagan rituals to worship of God made me twitchy.

My second issue was that we seemed to have completed downgraded into orgy mode. Yes it was obviously coming :) but it seemed to be the focus of this book instead of a high point -if you will. I've lost the plot. Is Thornchapel supposed to be about the mystery and history or solely about getting our rocks off?!

The third issue which to me isn't so much as an issue because I think it will be disproven at a later point would be the bomb drop. The bomb drop, as I like to call it, that everyone is freaking out about ( I may have read a few other reviews.) will clearly be discussed at some point in the next 2 books. The trouble is it felt like superfluous cliffhanger. With the other holidays needing to be celebrated, we knew there was going to be something to grab our interest. I just don't know why the author chose this. With Poe's mother's bones and the mystery of her death still unanswered, we had plenty of possibilities. The bomb drop almost felt like an easy out. A salacious way to try and bait the reader. The question is...

Did it work?

To be honest, not for me. Feast of Sparks was a huge let down. I actually considered asking friend for the cliffnotes version because I was having such a difficult time staying in the story. After the slow and at times excruciating build up in A Lesson in Thorns, I wary to read Feast. It took roughly 75% of Lesson before I was legit invested in the characters. I knew all the ground work had been laid in Lesson so I assumed it would be smooth sailing. I appreciated finally learning what broke Auden and Saint but was so angry over the reasoning for the rift. The only reason this book wasn't a DNF was because I needed to know why Saint and Auden were fighting. Now that I know, I think I'm going to pass on the rest of the series or maybe wait for some reviews before I consider it. I feel like I'm cheating by not completing the series but at this point in time I just can't scrounge up enough determination to fight for it.

This Sierra Simone fan is going to pretend that this didn't happen and patiently await her next series.

* * *




Excerpt: 

Shame, hot and prickling, needles everywhere at my face and chest and belly as I begin to bend down to the floor. The cool air that caresses my pussy is now everywhere as the position begins to expose my most secret flesh, and there’s no pretending away the reality of what I’m doing. I’m doing something I’ve never done before, I’m offering up the filthiest part of me for inspection, and despite everything the three of us have shared in the past twenty-four hours, I’m flooded with shame. It’s real shame now, not play-shame, and my safe word floats to the top of my mind, a buoy in the clear waters.

Convivificat.

I don’t want to safe out right now, I’m nowhere near the edge, but it’s nice to have it there all the same. Reassuring. There’s nothing they can do that I can’t stop.

And anyway, this is who I am—who I’ve been growing into ever since I found the words to define it.



About the Author:

Sierra Simone is a USA Today Bestselling former librarian (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk.) She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City.



Connect w/Sierra Simone: 
Goodreads : http://bit.ly/1oo9WEh 


Subscribe to Sierra's newsletter: sierrasim.one/getmyemails

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#NewRelease #Reviews COMING UP ROSES by Staci Hart @jennw23


Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.
Coming Up Roses, an all-new must read enemies to lovers romantic comedy from Staci Hart is available now! 




Everyone hates parts of their job.

Maybe it’s the paperwork. Maybe it’s the day-to-day grind. Maybe it’s that client who never knows what they want, or the guy who always cooks fish in the microwave.

But not me. I love every corner of the Longbourne Flower Shop, every flower, every petal, every stem. I love the greenhouse, and I love Mrs. Bennet, my boss. I love creating, and I love being a florist. I don’t hate anything at all.

Except for Luke Bennet.

The Bennet brothers have come home to help their mom save the flower shop, and Luke is at the helm. His smile tells a tale of lust, loose and easy. He moves with the grace of a predator, feral and wild. A thing unbridled, without rules or constraint. 

When he comes home to save Longbourne, I almost can’t be mad at him.

Almost.

He doesn’t remember that night I’ll never forget. That kiss, touched with whiskey and fire. It branded me like a red-hot iron. But it meant nothing to him.

Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.

Because if I don’t, I’ll fall in love with him.

_________________________




I'm a fan of Staci Hart's books however this one just didn't hit the spot for me. This was a light read with sporadic moments of angst. The other family members brought most of the fun and the banter between the siblings made me giggle. I just didn't like either of the main characters alot. I realise at the beginning were not meant to like Lucas but I just never reversed that opinion of him. Tess annoyed me so many times, I wanted her to stand up for herself. For me I just didn't feel them as a couple. Maybe it's me and I'm missing something. Sadly not a hit for me. 



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Coming Up Roses is a smile inducing, warm fuzzy feeling book. But you know what they say, to enjoy the highs you must also experience the lows. Coming Up Roses certainly doesn't gloss over that age old saying. There is definitely a balance in these pages. Just like Tess, you need to experience them for yourself. 

Coming Up Roses was definitely an interesting take on a familiar family. For strangers to the Bennets, allow me to introduce the loud and sometimes crazy family that owns Longbourne, THE flower shop of NYC, or it will be....again. 


reviewed by Sweet Spot Sisterhood

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Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 



Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2F2RTOF


Excerpt: 

I wanted to kiss Tess Monroe. I’d wanted to kiss her the second she walked into the shop a couple days ago, wearing overalls and a Cure T-shirt. I’d wanted to kiss her as I watched her scrub the wall with her little face wrinkled up in concentration. I’d wanted to kiss her when she fell off the ladder and into my arms. And all day today while we painted the shop, I only thought about one thing. I wanted to kiss her. And I was accustomed to getting what I wanted. “Did you hear me?” Kash asked impatiently. “Hmm?” He rolled his eyes, his long body stretched out on the bottom bunk in our old room. “Man, what’s with you?” “I’ve been scrubbing and painting the shop for two days. I’m tired.” “Right,” he said, “and the redhead in the overall shorts has nothing to do with it.” I leaned back in the wooden desk chair I’d taken up residence in, the hinge squeaking. “As if Tess Monroe would willingly give me the time of day.” He shrugged. “Seems to me like she’s given you the time every hour, on the hour, for two days. What’s with her? She was different today.” It was true. This morning, she’d walked into the shop, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to work with a smile on her face. She’d only insulted me seven times, and one of those was a backhanded compliment. My stats were down: the day before, it’d been twenty-three insults and a jab with a broom handle that I couldn’t be sure was accidental. Not that I was counting. “I dunno what’s gotten into her, but I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth. I’m just taking the boon and moving on.” “Man, she looked so cute with that bandana in her hair and paint on her nose. And her ass in those overalls…” He whistled up at my old bunk. I fought the urge to chuck my Batman paperweight at him. “So are you going after her or what?” Kash asked, smirking. “I just got her to quit treating me like a dog. Pretty sure anything more is off the table.” “Maybe I’ll go after her then. Think I’ve got a shot?” I snorted to cover my immediate fury at the thought. “She’s a girl with standards, Kash. If I don’t have a shot, you’ve got none in hell.” “Maybe she just needs somebody older. More mature.” “We were born in the same year, asshole.” “I’m just saying. Maybe she’s looking for stability. Everybody knows you’re about as stable as uranium.” “And you’re running your mouth like you want a foot in Uranus.” Kash laughed. “I’d love to see you try.” I eyed him. “You don’t actually like her, do you?” “Nah,” he said, smiling. “I just want you to admit you do.” A sigh of concession blew out of me, the pause filled with my thoughts. “We almost kissed yesterday,” I admitted. Kash sat up so fast, he thunked his head on the bottom bunk. “Goddammit—” He rubbed at his forehead “—Warn a guy before you go saying things like, I almost kissed Tess.” I laughed openly at his misfortune, hoping it left a mark. “She fell off a ladder in storage, and I caught her. Topless.” His eyes bulged, hand still pressed to his forehead. “Tess was topless in storage?” “No, I was.” He rolled his eyes, chucking a pillow at me. I caught it midair and chucked it right back at him. “I’m surprised she didn’t deck you,” he said, fluffing the pillow before leaning back again. “Me too, if I’m being honest. She hates me. Hated me. Maybe still hates me a little.” “What’d you do to her?” he asked. At this point, the question was rhetorical—neither of us knew, no matter how many times we’d asked. “Who knows? But I think the last couple of days have helped my case. All I had to do was show up and not fuck up.” “Don’t worry. There’s still time,” he reassured me. “Trust me, I’m aware. I’ve been working on the installation for her in the back, and I’m both convinced I’m going to disappoint her and that I’ll knock her socks off.” “Or her bra. Think you can knock that off?” “If she were anybody else, I’d guarantee it. But Tess?” I made a resigned noise.77 He watched me for a second in that way he had about him, the quiet assessment that ran under his outward charm. It was a mask— that much I knew for a fact—armor to protect his soft spots. Everyone thought he was nothing but a girl-crazy flirt, just like me. But that was just how we liked it. Let them think we were empty. There was comfort in being underestimated. We were constantly set to impress everyone. 

About Staci

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life -- a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. 

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.


Connect with Staci







Stay up to date with Staci by joining her mailing list: http://stacihartnovels.com/get-the-newsletter/

Join Her Reader Group Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stacihart/
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#NewRelease #Reviews CAN YOU HEAR IT by Casey Diam @GiveMeBooksPR




Title: Can You Hear It
Series: Alpen Springs #1
Author: Casey Diam
Genre: Mature YA/New Adult Romance
Release Date: August 1, 2019



Blurb

Secrets. 
Deceptions.
Tragedies.
Those were the root of all evil. One of those became the root of mine the day I lost the love of my life. My best friend. My lover.
Everyone disregarded it, saying, “Let’s face it, Averie, you have the rest of your life ahead of you.” They were wrong. James Lawrence was my ever after . . . until Ashton.
If only he didn’t come bearing his own brand of evil.
A secret.
The reason he wanted me to stay away.
I should have listened, and he should have tried harder, but both of us failed. And if we hadn’t, if he had told me when we first met, would it have altered the moment I realized that I was falling for him?
The slight variation in the air. The hitch in my breath. The lightness in my chest.
Impossible to know; I’d already fallen.
I was already ruined.


***A standalone sports romance that takes place in senior year high school. Due to explicit content, this book is suitable for 17+


ADD TO GOODREADS




Can You Hear It is a sweet with a little bit of sour read. Not that the book is sour, no my emotions soured. I got snippy and testy. I wanted to choke out a certain main character who did not do what I want them to! Yes, I'm feeling indignant but in the end the light was seen and they corrected their behavior! (Coughs "good job")

Lol. My scolding aside, Can You Hear It starts off rough and our dear young impressionable Averie makes some very bad decisions. She is the new "bad girl". Ash our knight in shining armor, or vehicle, is everything she never wanted, knew she needed, or thought she'd have again. 

The meaning of the title is a sigh inducing, swoony moment. Can You Hear It is only the beginning too! Casey Diam plans on spoiling us with stories about more of our favorite people from Alpen Springs.

reviewed by Sweet Spot Sisterhood

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Casey is a new author to me and even after just one book I'm a huge fan. 

I love when books intrigue me to the point that I can't put them down. Averie and Ashton were believable and relatable characters. The author wrote their stories with such depth and passion I defy you not to fall in love with them. 

Averie's pain is like a living breathing entity, it's in all her actions and every decision she makes. Ashton is the star quarterback who's keeping secrets. I really loved then together, the way he steps up to protect her mostly from herself. The slow build from friendship to lovers was beautiful. 

A coming of age story and one about overcoming heartbreak and loss. 


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Purchase Links

$2.99 for a limited time!!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Only available at the following
retailers for a limited time

B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

I peered into his caramel-colored eyes, my hands running up his jaw. “You’re going to do great today.”
A chill breeze passed around James and me, and I shivered. He tugged me closer, a charming smile pulling at his lips.
He caught my long hair in his hands, carrying it over my shoulders to curtain my face as he leaned against his car. “I love you.”
“Lawrence!” someone called, and his gaze shifted to the sound while I kept my eyes on him. He looked uncertain, exhausted almost.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” He kissed my forehead.
“Lawrence, come on! We got a game to win, dude.” Ben winked at me from across the high school’s parking lot, a lopsided grin on his face and his duffel bag slung over one shoulder. “You can snuggle with your sweetie later. Hey, Averie.”
Smiling, I lifted a hand and waved before giving James Lawrence, my number nineteen, one last hug.
He squeezed me. “See you in a bit. You’ll be getting a winning kiss tonight. I can feel it.” He grinned, and I chewed on the smile that stretched across my lips as I watched him go before turning around.
My best friends, Nicky and Sydney, would be here soon, but as I scanned the nearby vehicles and the people walking through the gates to the football field, I realized that they were nowhere in sight. Instead of waiting, I headed to the gates and showed my student ID to the teacher responsible for the ticketing tonight.
A few people were already were scattered across the metal seats on the bleachers, most of them being parents. Once I got there, I climbed up to sit on the far-left side and pulled James’s hoodie over my head.
The crowd would multiply soon and everyone would be shoulder to shoulder. Because in Alpen Springs, Colorado, a small mountain city with a population of about sixteen thousand, this was one of the main sources of entertainment.
What felt like minutes later, James ran out onto the field. Moments later, I began to tense.
Our football team wasn’t the best, but we weren’t the worst either. And as time flew by, the former was clear, because now, at almost an hour into this game, things weren’t looking too good for us.
I shifted on the bench, my feet tapping restlessly as I waited with bated breath for the second half of the game to kick off.
James was so competitive and hated losing, so I really wanted our team to win tonight.
We were still down by fourteen points at the end of the third quarter when it became so noisy I could barely hear what Sydney was saying to me.
“I . . . didn’t think . . . catch up . . . win!”
The gist of it was clear enough—we had a chance. We’d caught up, and everyone on the bleachers was just as anxious as the players. Night had fallen upon us so fast that everything outside of the field was dark, non-existent. Kind of like everything was beyond the finite views that surrounded us due to the mountain peaks and hills in every direction.
I loved it here.
Alpen Springs was fresh air and freedom.
I inhaled and caught a whiff of marijuana.
Damn it.
Regretting the disturbance of said fresh air, I covered my nose with the sleeves of my hoodie. The no-smoking rule became muddied at night, because with a crowd like this, it would be impossible to find the culprit.
As everyone grew quiet, I glanced at the scoreboard.
With one minute and forty seconds remaining in the game, we were only down by one point.
Come on.
I bit my lip as the line of scrimmage formed at the thirty-five-yard line in the Hollis territory, Alpen Springs North on the offense.
Our quarterback got the ball and shuffled to the side before hurling the football to James. He caught it and took off running as a chant broke out behind me, around me. “Lawrence, Lawrence, Lawrence!”
My eyes followed James as he ran, did a three-sixty-degree turn, escaping two of the defenses from the other team who stumbled trying to tackle him. Then he was a lone figure running down the field and straight into the end zone for a sixty-five-yard touchdown.
Jumping out of my seat, I screamed, “Yes! Oh my God!” Barely able to hear myself as the crowd went wild.
That was exactly how long the excitement lasted, because in the next second . . . my life would change forever.






Author Bio


Some years ago, Casey rediscovered her passion for writing and hasn’t stopped writing since. She writes sexy, funny, sweet, and emotional stories that are a bit more in depth, but so much fun to read.


Author Links




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