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AMAZON SALE – Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake is on sale for $2.99!

Chelsea has read both books in the series and had to say, “Adrenaline pumping, pulse pounding and a race to the finish ending, I was in my element.” & “An absolutely amazing and imaginative series, I was enthralled from page one.”

Purchase on Amazon

Synopsis:
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas’s life.

Reviews: (Chelsea’s Review)

Reading Order:
  

Anna Dressed In Blood (Anna #1): Purchase on Amazon (on sale) or iBooks

Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2): Purchase on Amazon or iBooks

 

LAUNCH DAY BLITZ – Elite by Rachel Van Dyken – Trailer+Giveaway

Elite-Launch-Day-Blitz

We are excited to bring you the Paperback Launch Day Blitz for Rachel Van Dyken’s Elite!

When I won the annual Eagle Elite College Scholarship lottery, I was thrilled. After all, my grandma had just died and I wanted to take care of my aging grandpa — he couldn’t be a farmer in Wyoming forever. And graduating from Eagle Elite meant opportunity.

But I wasn’t counting on meeting Nixon.

Nor was I counting on the rules of the Elect.

1. Do not touch The Elect.

2. Do not look at The Elect.

3. Do not speak to The Elect.

And worst of all? Don’t discover the secret they hide, because in the end, you may just realize… it’s about you.

*This is a New Adult Book, blood, violence, cursing, sexual references, and drug use. Not recommended for those under 17.*

Buy Links:
Amazon • iBooks • B&N • BAM! • IndieBound

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Elite-Graphic-#1


Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street
Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances.
When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and
plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.


She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir
Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing
journey at
www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

Links:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK REVIEW – Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

BOOK REVIEW – Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. JensenStolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1)
by Danielle L. Jensen
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

*Buddy read with my wonderful friend, Kat*


I was terrified. It was not like the terror of running from a wolf, always knowing you can turn and fight. It was not like the sense of drowning, where there is a chance to flee to the surface. From this darkness and this place, there was no escape. I could neither run nor hide, and no one can fight the dark. All there was left for me to do was die.

Okaaaaayyyy so…..a book about trolls? Really? I mean, come on. In what way could this possibly be appealing? And, even if it did appeal to my senses, how could a troll possibly be hotter than the sun our dear Cecile so desperately misses? I can’t answer these questions with coherent and well thought out answers, but I can assure you of one thing: Tristan. Was. Hot. This story? It was beyond addicting. Every single one of these characters had a way of getting under my skin that mirrored only my favorite stories, and that is very rarely an occurrence for me.

“They aren’t ugly.” I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. “More like beautiful things that have had the misfortune of being broken.” Tristan turned his face back to me. I saw the sorrow in his eyes and felt it in my heart. “Why are you always so unhappy?” I asked.
“I think it is our nature to believe evil always has an ugly face,” he said, ignoring my question. “Beauty is supposed to be good and kind, and to discover it otherwise is like a betrayal of trust. A violation of the nature of things.”
“Do you think trolls are evil?” I asked.
“Do you?” His eyes searched mine as though he might find the answer there.
“No,” I said. “I don’t.”
He exhaled softly, reaching up and stroking my cheek with one hand. “From your lips I can almost believe it’s true.”

It’s quite simple, really…Cecile is stolen from everything she has ever known, dragged ‘leagues’ downward to the passed over and only rarely mentioned city of Trollus where all the Trolls are trapped because of a curse some witch cast on them a long time ago. And how might they break this curse, you ask? Well, it is foretold that if a daughter of sun (who sings) and a son of night (prince) are brought together in marriage, that the curse will be lifted. Or so they think…

“I wish I was not what I am.” His voice was twisted with anguish. “I wish I was not who I am. I wish I had met you in different circumstances, in a place far away from here, where there is no magic, politics, and deception. Somewhere where things could be different between us. I wish I was someone else.”

Cecile doesn’t want to be a troll’s wife and she doesn’t want to sleep in the same bed as her newly (forced) betrothed. So she does what any good wife would do: She plots. She plots and researches and waits for her moment to escape. She waits to capitalize on the mistakes of the city around her and, most importantly, her husband. But this is probably the largest problem with her whole plan: He can feel her. Every emotion. Every flinch of pain. He can feel if she’s becoming deceptive or if she’s hiding something…but can he ever really know?

“That was only part of it.” I barely heard him speak his voice was so quiet. “I was afraid…I am afraid of loving you, knowing that someday you will go and leave me here.”

Trolls can’t lie, but humans can. Oh sure, they can deceive. They can mislead. They can lead someone off the edge of a cliff or push them off themselves, but they can’t directly lie. Thus making for one of the biggest problems for our romantic duo throughout the whole story. Even hate at first sight can lead to something when you see them for what they truly are. Forced together when neither of them wanted each other, they form a bond they never anticipated. They forged an understanding. They had a common thread that linked them and, ultimately, bonded them.

“Ha ha,” Tristan snorted. “How dreadfully clever. And speaking of clever, is this to be your bid for escape?” He contemplated my clothing. “In a dressing gown and bare feet? Now tell me, if I go put on nightclothes and slippers, might I join you, or is this a solo adventure?”

On the outside they loathe one another. They walk through the city’s streets and ignore one another until absolutely necessary and even then share minimal exchanges unless venom is spitting through their teeth. But they can’t hide what’s on the inside: The pain. The turmoil. The misery. The longing. The secret ‘you aren’t so bad’ thoughts. No, it’s all fun and games until you realize you are starting to befriend and care for the other person. And when you have enemies hidden in plain sight within the city, you can’t afford to show that you’re falling for her, not when your carefully planned ruse could so easily crumble-Or when she could so easily be used to bring you to your knees….we wouldn’t want that…would we?


 photo tumblr_lt0n3i8LgP1qabhns_zps4e88cbcd.gif

Tristan was by far my favorite character, that much was certain. But it’s not often I can say I loved the female lead almost as much-Cecile was strong-willed, stubborn and she made mistakes. Costly mistakes. But because of these mistakes, we got to know both her and Tristan on a deeper level. We got to see my favorite thing about any story-I’ve only said about one hundred times that I love seeing a desperate male lead saving the damsel in distress in the fashion that he could lose his life in exchange-and I haven’t gotten to see that in action for a long long time….not in such a dramatic fashion, anyway. In short-I loved how every perilous situation was handled in this book. The author didn’t shy from the nasty things or the bloody things and, no, there wasn’t necessarily an abundance of those either, but all in all I loved seeing it play out and the desperation and love that was brought forth in these situations. Seeing Tristan and Cecile fall for one another both warmed and broke my heart….because they can only be used as pawns against one another…did I mention I loved that?

Dying was an easy thing to accomplish, effortless in its agony. It was living that was hard, requiring endless toil and labor, and for all one’s efforts, it could be stolen in an instant.

Normally I would touch on what my complaints were for the story, but I really didn’t have any. Like…at all. I really enjoyed this and found it was very difficult to put down at any cost. This was everything I love in a story and then some. Very rarely do action and peril meet my standards alongside the romance within the same story. I never would have guessed that a book such as this would become an instant favorite of mine, but it has and I can’t seem to find the words to explain just how great this book was. It was addicting, heartbreaking, hopeful, fun, action-packed, and sweet. I fell in love with the world and what they were trying to do-the lies, the deception-all for the greater good. I am obsessed with these characters and can’t wait to see how their story continues. My only hope is that it isn’t too long of a wait before I can see what becomes of these wonderful characters with so much to lose.

“This all seems like a dream now, but like every dream, eventually you must wake.”

*Sorry-my review was more factual than fun, and I hate that-but I’m so tired…and it shows.*

Reading Order & Links:
Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
stolen songbird danielle jensen
Stolen Songbird #1
Reviews:

Jen
Chelsea
Anna
hidden huntress danielle jensen
Hidden Huntress #2
Reviews:
Jen
warrior witch danielle l jensen
Hidden Huntress #3
Reviews:
Jen

BOOK REVIEW – Awry (The Archers of Avalon #2) by Chelsea Fine

BOOK REVIEW – Awry (The Archers of Avalon #2) by Chelsea FineAwry (The Archers of Avalon #2)
by Chelsea Fine
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Scarlet has just died. Only, dying isn't unusual for a girl under a centuries old curse that left her semi-immortal. This time, though, she comes back to her current life instead of awaking in a new one, and she realizes her curse is changing. With the help of the immortal Archer brothers, Scarlet tries to piece together her life and break the curse before her impending death comes again.

Review:

**Spoilers if you haven’t read Anew**

The last two sentences in Awry have me ecstatic for the final book. I feel as though I should be jumping around my house, fist pumping the air. Seriously. No, seriously. I loved every single thing about this book. The dialogue is witty and hysterical. The characters quirks and strengths make them that much more lovable or loathable. And the element of having star-crossed lovers? Oh, this was done perfectly. Tristan and Scarlet broke me over and over again and yet somehow, I still have hope for their future. Please let there be hope for their future.

Stars filled the December night sky, peeking through the tall forest trees, and moonlight cast a soft glow against Scarlet’s cheek, making her look peaceful, healthy. The moonlight lied.

The beginning of this book is gut wrenching. Scarlet is dying in Tristan’s arms. It was supposed to be him, not her. But after Scarlet dies, something strange happens. Her body doesn’t disappear and they don’t have to wait years or decades for her to materialize again. She just comes back to life. While everyone is struggling with trying to figure out why the curse is changing, they make a decision to go into seeker mode. They are determined to hunt for the Fountain of Youth to break the curse and to keep Tristan from trying to kill himself again.

He placed a gentle finger below her chin and tilted her head up. “My care is not wasted. You are the best part of my day and what I look forward to when I’m gone.”
Scarlet looked into his eyes. “If you continue coming here, you are a fool.”
He smiled again. “Then call me a fool.”

There’s a different element in this book that didn’t exist in the first and oh wow, it made me fall even more in love with Tristan. We get to travel back in time and watch Scarlet, Tristan and Gabriel’s lives unfold. Sometimes flashbacks can be awkward and detach you from the story. But these were done seamlessly. I never knew if I wanted to stay in the past or come back to the present, because both stories were alluring. The only thing I did know was that I was desperate for a solution for Scarlet and Tristan’s current angst. Because nothing is right in the world until Hunter can be with his Scar again.

“First of all,” he said angrily, “I couldn’t stop loving you even if I tried. And I’ve tried.” He shook his head and laughed without humor, his hands balling into fists. “God, how I’ve tried. But I am completely lost to you. I am lost and empty and broken-“
“My heart is broken too-“
“My heart is not broken, Scar. My heart is dead!” His eyes were hopeless and wild. “It is a hollow black object that sits in my chest without purpose, haunting me with memories.”

Tristan was utter perfection in this book. We get to see the dark brooding Tristan and the Tristan that is thoughtful, caring and butterfly inducing. He is so selfless, honest, loyal, persistent, sweet, charming and breathtakingly beautiful. Now don’t get me wrong, I love dark brooding Tristan, but his other side made me weak in the knees. I now understand why Scarlet feels such a strong connection to him. And I couldn’t help but tumble even deeper into love with him as each piece of the puzzle came into play.

“I think,” she said quietly, now that their mouths were close to each other, “that easy and clean love is not true. It is simply convenient. Messy love, though…that is something to revel in.”

Scarlet was even better in Awry. Scarlett is so darn stubborn, but her stubbornness helped her persevere again and again. And while we get to learn about her past, we get a glimpse into a Scarlett that is truly remarkable. She is strong, brave and is a fighter through and through. She is definitely becoming one of my favorite heroines.

Scarlet was Gabriel’s one ray of light, one beam of hope. And Tristan had taken her away from him. He was always taking her from him.

Gabe is still righteous. How can one person be so obsessed with always knowing what is best for others? I understand it and maybe I’m being a little harsh, because in the flashbacks we get to see a beautiful side of Gabe. His actions were honorable and technically speaking it should have made me a fan of Gabe. But I’m stubborn, so maybe I’ll like him a little more in the 3rd book. Also, we get to see even more of Heather and Nate. They are both hysterical and I enjoyed every single moment they were in the book. You always knew that they were going to make you smile and laugh.

Heather plastered herself to Gabriel’s side, sinking her fingernails into his upper arm. “I’m not immortal. I’m totally killable.” She sucked in a breath as her pitch rose. “And I’m blond. Blonds always die first.”
“That’s true,” Nate said matter of factly.
Heather made a freaked-out squeaky noise. “I don’t want to die.”

I loved every single thing about Awry. I can’t wait to see how their journey proceeds and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Tristan and Scarlett happily ever after!

Reading Order & Links:
Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Anew The Archers of Avalon by Chelsea Fine
Anew #1
Reviews:

Jen
Chelsea
Awry The Archers of Avalon by Chelsea Fine
Awry #2
Reviews:

Jen
Chelsea
Avow by Chelsea Fine The Archers of Avalon
Avow #3
Reviews:

Jen
Chelsea

FRIDAY STARS–Freebies-Sales-Favs Just Read-What’s Next 10/10/14

Friday Stars

★✩★Just Finished & Loved ★✩★

Be with Me: A Novel (Wait for You #2) by J. Lynn – This book is sweet, sensual and has just enough angst to drive you the right kind of crazy.  Jase was toe curling and smile inducing.  Tess’ inner thoughts were absolutely hilarious.
(Jen’s review) (Harriet’s review)

 Anew (The Archers of Avalon #1) by Chelsea Fine – We fell madly in love with this series and Tristan too! Three curses. Two brothers. One love triangle.   Sometimes love is meant to be. But sometimes…love is the death of you.
(Jen’s Review) (Chelsea’s Review)
Awry (The Archers of Avalon #2) by Chelsea Fine – Our favorite thing about this story, aside from Tristan and Scarlet’s uber hot and forbidden relationship, was the flashback aspect.  Our hearts melted and broke all over again.
(Chelsea’s Review)

★✩★Reading Next★✩★

Avow (The Archers of Avalon #3) by Chelsea Fine – The third and final installment of the series.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that there will be a happy ending for all!

Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires #2) by Chloe Neill – The story of a young heiress’s initiation into the dark society of the Chicagoland Vampires continues…
 Stolen Songbird: (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen – A witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins.  But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free.

★✩★Freebies★✩★

The Boys of Summer (The Summer Series #1) by C.J. Duggan – Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.

 Finding Cinderella: A Novella by Colleen Hoover – A chance encounter in the dark leads eighteen-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But this love has conditions: they agree it will only last one hour and it will only be make-believe.
 Obsidian (A Lux Nove #1l) by Jennifer L. Armentrout – One of our favorite series!  Whether it’s the infuriating smug sexiness that is Daemon, or the strong-willed won’t take crap Katy, or the energetic loveable Dee or the annoying duo that is Ash and Andrew, we LOVED all of the characters in this book.
(Jen’s Review) (Chelsea’s Review)

★✩★Sales★✩★

$0.99

Love the One You’re With (Sex, Love & Stiletto #2) by Lauren Layne – Grace 1.0 may have been instantly smitten with the gorgeous correspondent, but Grace 2.0 has sworn off relationships for six months, and she’s not falling for his outstanding bod and trophy-winning kisses . . . or is she?(Chelsea’s Review)

Deeper We Fall (Fall and Rise, Book #1) by Chelsea M. Cameron – Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.

Ruin Series Boxed Set by Rachel Van Dyken – I’m not your typical girl. I’ve been running away from the memories that haunt me for so long that depression has become my only comfort. I was content in the darkness…until Wes Michels offered to be my light.  I didn’t know that time wasn’t my ally — that every second that ticked past was one step closer to the end of something that was beginning to mean the end of myself.

$1.99

 Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1) by Susan Ee – One of our favorite series!  It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with Raffe, an injured enemy angel.  (Harriet’s review) (Chelsea’s Review)

Beautifully Damaged (Beautifully Damaged #1) by L.A. Fiore – Still damaged from her last disastrous relationship and warned off the bad boy by friends, Ember fights the smoldering heat that Trace sparks in her when he begins shadowing her like a dark angel.

$2.99

Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1) by Laini Taylor – Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.  In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.  And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.  (Chelsea’s Review)

$4.79 (reg $7.79)

Slammed: A Novel by Colleen Hoover – Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she’s losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her.

 ★✩★Everything Else Exciting★✩★

Five new books were released in the last week.  Our to-read list keeps growing and growing!

        

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