[Book Review + HUGE Giveaway] Just Breathe by Rachel Brookes

Just Breathe
Rachel Brookes

For Savannah Rae, living life without her parents was unimaginable. But being blamed for her first love’s suicide? That destroyed every part of who she was. 

Gone were the days of innocence, happiness, and dreams. Now her days simply meant attempting to survive. In her mind, her only means for that was replacing her grief with men, booze and the fast life. And for five years, it worked.

When an opportunity to leave the nightmares of her past in Australia opens up, she takes it. Los Angeles beckons - with hopes of late nights, new beginnings, and the promise of a string of endless men to distract her, she can’t wait to dive in.

One thing she didn’t count on was meeting her match.

In the eyes of outsiders, Tate Connors has it all; the ultimate LA bachelor who is content with his lifestyle of wild nights, women and one night stands. He's Mr. Unpredictable with looks that could destroy any woman with one glance.

The craziness of Los Angeles throws them into the chaotic path of each other. Savannah becomes the perfect game, and Tate becomes the ultimate prey. Lines are crossed, emotions are smashed, and the idea of who they truly are begins to be tangled.

However, one thing will become clear.

They are more alike than either one could ever have imagined.

*Copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. See future reviews for Breathless Blog Tour coming up in December 2013.*

”Life is going to be tough, my beautiful girl. Life will throw you curveballs. Life may try and destroy you, but what matters most is that life will also be beautiful, astonishing, overwhelming, and adventurous. It’s yours to live.”

Savannah Rae… The person character with witty humor, don’t –give-a-fk attitude and super sexy body. After losing her parents at early age and getting blamed for her boyfriend’s suicide, she has been damaged. The only thing that could dull the pain would be non-stop partying, drinking, and having sex with random guys. 

Moving to Los Angeles was supposed to be the change that she needed where nobody knows her or her past. But when she meets Tate, she knows that she’s in trouble. In every prospect, he is exactly like her – attractive, flirty, and beautifully broken. 

…………………………………………………………………

This was definitely an awesome read! I loved Savannah and her Australian accent! I could tell from writing by the way she said “arsehole” instead of asshole and “thongs” instead of flip flops. She was fun, broken, and I loved her in every sense. Tate was also something else. They could not have been more perfect for each other. What really made me love this character is that Rachel Brookes captured him as having flaws in the way which made it almost embarrassing but adorable as hell. Alpha male scared of heights? Yes please! That is definitely new for me. 

Now.. the reason for my 4-star rating… I was almost going to mark this book as my All-Time-Favorites but the last 50 pages just really bugged me. They were beautifully written with interesting story ending but the way it made me feel is that the ending was just dragging on. Reading about them telling each other “I love you” over and over and talking about how perfect they are gets tiring. Overall I loved that book and personally think that it doesn’t deserve anything less than 4 stars. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of author’s works.

 Don't miss out on my review & giveaway of Breathless on December 5th! Also, don't forget to enter HUGE giveaway iincluding awesome swag packs, eBooks and gift cards! Click on the link below for more info!

[Book Blitz + HUGE Giveaway] Forty Days & Forty Nights by Stephanie Parent

Forty Days (Neima's Ark #1)

by Stephanie Parent

Release Date: 02/10/13

Summary from Goodreads:

The entire village knows Neima’s grandfather is a madman. For years the old man has prophesied that a great flood is coming, a flood disastrous enough to blot out the entire earth. He’s even built an enormous ark that he claims will allow his family to survive the deluge. But no one believes the ravings of a lunatic…

…until the rain starts. And doesn’t stop. Soon sixteen-year-old Neima finds her entire world transformed, her life and those of the people she loves in peril. Trapped on the ark with her grandfather Noah, the rest of her family, and a noisy, filthy, and hungry assortment of wild animals, will Neima find a way to survive?

With lions, tigers, and bears oh my, elephants and flamingos too, along with rivalries and betrayals, a mysterious stowaway, and perhaps even an unexpected romance, FORTY DAYS is not your grandfather’s Noah’s Ark story.

Get your copy free:

 

Forty Nights (Neima's Ark #2)

by Stephanie Parent

Release Date: September 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Neima, her family, and her grandfather Noah have found themselves trapped aboard an ark as a great flood destroys all life in the world. As their time aboard the ark lengthens, food begins to run out, wild animals grow restless, and family tensions become as much of a threat as the flood outside. In the second and final installment of Neima’s Ark, the stakes are higher, the conflicts are greater, and Neima finds herself facing a choice as impossible as the destruction all around her.

Forty Nights is a continuation of the story begun in Forty Days, and it’s recommended that you read Forty Days first for the best experience. Forty Nights does, however, contain a character guide to refresh readers’ memories. The Neima’s Ark series is a historical, feminist reimagining of the story of Noah’s Ark rather than a religiously oriented one, and the novels are best suited for readers who are comfortable with new interpretations of biblical stories.

Available from:

 

PRAISE FOR THE NEIMA’S ARK SERIES: 

“Stephanie Parent takes a story I would have immediately shrugged off and turned it into a story with a surprising amount of reality and despite being religious based is not at all religious. Stephanie somehow created a paradox… When I think of a word to describe this story I think, layers.  The tension is extremely layered. We get internal tension among the characters, tension relating to the animals, and tension from the storming raging outside. It’s not even supernatural elements, it’s all practical points like food and animal needs. The characters are also well defined and fleshed out.”

--Michelle, In Libris Veritas

The romance is slow and imperfect, but it's realistic and believable. I can honestly say that this love story is one of if not the best one I've read so far…a very thrilling read full of some great twists…[the ending] was everything I could have asked for and more, it was a perfect ending to an imperfectly perfect story.

--Zachary Flye, Zach’s YA Reviews

About the Author

Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block's WEETZIE BAT books, which might give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.

   

*GIVEAWAY*

1- ebook of Forty Nights & $10 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

2- ebook copies of Forty Nights (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz hosted by:

[Guest Post + Giveaway] Valkyrie Series by T. G. Ayer

Dead Radiance 

by T. G. Ayer

(Valkyrie #1)

Summary from Goodreads:

Bryn Halbrook had always seen the glow. But it is only when her best friend dies that she discovers the meaning of those beautiful golden auras — Death. Alone, lost in the foster system, she struggles to understand who she is and why she was cursed with the ability to see the soon-to-be-dead. 

The new foster kid, Aidan, isn’t helping any. Mr. Perfect seems to fit in no matter what, making her feel even more pathetic. But when his affections turn to her, Bryn finds him hard to resist. Impossible actually. A mystery himself, Aidan disappears, leaving behind a broken heart and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn might not be entirely human.

Bryn stands at the threshold of a journey of discovery. Will destiny help her find herself, find her purpose and her place in a world in which she’d never belonged?

"That day I knew for sure. I'd lost control of my tears then. They fell in huge, mocking drops. I stared at Joshua through those bitter tears, my heart missing beats as I tried to remember to breathe.

I finally knew what the glow meant.

I was a freak and Joshua was going to die."

Don't miss out on T. G.'s other books in this series:

  

Proper Care and Feeding of your Writer Friend 

Tips and Guidelines on ensuring your Writer friend receives a regular dose of social activity, not to mention the importance of food.

[Book Blitz] After the Fall by L.G. Castillo

After the Fall

by L. G. Castillo

Release Date: September 15th, 2013

Contemporary Romance 

Summary from Goodreads:

There’s a Spanish proverb that says, “From the thorn and the pain, a flower is born.” Naomi Duran never really understood what that meant until she became an archangel. 

Finally reunited with the love of her life, Naomi thought she had everlasting love and happiness in Heaven. Even with the rebellious Lash by her side, she learns that life as an archangel isn’t easy. 

When secrets of the past are finally revealed, tempers flare, brother is pitted against brother, and Naomi and Lash face the greatest threat to their relationship: choosing among love, family, or duty.

In the end, can this family of broken angels forgive past mistakes, or will they carry the thorn in their hearts forever, ripping their family apart?

Previous books in the series:

About the Author

L.G. (Linda) Castillo wrote her first story when she was ten and has been writing ever since. She took a break from writing fiction and poetry to focus on obtaining her Ph.D. in counseling psychology. She is now a licensed psychologist and currently works as a professor at a Texas university. Although she has published her psychological research in several professional journals and books, her dream has always been to publish a novel. Lash is her debut novel and was written during the 2012 National Novel Writing Month event.

Author Links:

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