REVIEW + GIVEAWAY: Six of Hearts by L.H. Cosway

Six of Hearts by L.H. Cosway

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Purchase: Amazon US / Amazon UK / B&N

Synopsis:

Step right up and meet Jay Fields: Illusionist. Mentalist. Trickster.

I think in triangles. You think in straight lines.

I show you a table and make you believe it’s a chair.

Smoke and mirrors, sleight of hand, misdirection. I trick and deceive.

But most of all, I put on a good show.

The world thinks I killed a man, but I didn’t. Bear with me. It’s all a part of the plan.

Revenge is what I want. I want it for me and I want it for her.
I want it for all six of us.

She doesn’t remember me, but she’s the reason for everything. She’ll be my prize at the end of all this – if I can hold onto my willpower, that is. Maybe I’ll slip up a little, have a taste, just a small one.

So go ahead and pick a card. Come inside and see the show. Look at my hands, look so closely that you can’t see what’s happening while you’re so focused on looking. I’ll be destroying your world from right here in the spotlight.

You’ll never see me coming until it’s too late.

I’ve only got one heart, and after I’ve pulled off my grand deception I’ll hand it right to her.
So, sit back, relax, and let my girl tell you our story. You’re in for one hell of a ride.

My Matilda and Jay:

* 5 STARS * Review:

"Why not live with the magic? Be a kid again and believe in the fantastical. Life is more fun with a little smoke and mirrors."

Wow. Talk about being creative and innovative. The stuff L.H. Cosway comes up with in her novels is downright brilliant. Her characters and their lives are always so unique and colorful that I can guarantee you that you haven’t read anything similar before. And Six of Hearts definitely proves that.

"Never try to out-trick a trickster."

This is a story about true magic of life and possibility of finding your very own epic love. This is a story about stolen childhood and getting your revenge. Six of Hearts is a book that will absorb you with its electric and all-consuming atmosphere. You need to know nothing more about this novel. Just read the blurb (which serves as great intro) and dive into the book so you can experience this amazing story yourself!

I absolutely adored the friendly-entertaining "voice" of narrator in this book. Matilda is an ordinary girl, with her fair share of insecurities, adventurous and curious spirit, plenty of romantic ideals and the most funniest and sarcastic inner dialogue ever. She is exactly a girl for my liking and a kind of girl I would love to have for a friend. L.H. Cosway is a master in creating the best and most lovable female characters.

"Better to disillusion the illusionist from the get-go."

L.H. Cosway also writes the most unique and swoonworthy male characters ever. Jay Fields is no exception. Charming but cheeky illusionist, mysterious and intimidating man, intriguing in his own special way. It took me a long time to truly figure him out and I absolutely love when author is able to keep me on my toes when it comes to characters.

I enjoyed this book immensely and I already cannot wait to see with what will L.H. Cosway come up next. Her contemporary romances always tend to surprise me and I am left completely mesmerized after finishing them. So do not hesitate to pick this book up as soon as possible!

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN SIGNED COPIES OF ALL 4

L.H. COSWAY CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES

ENTER RAFFLECOPTER HERE.

QUICK REVIEW: DRAGONFLY IN AMBER BY DIANA GABALDON

Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)

Written by Diana Gabaldon

Genre: Historical Romance

Purchase: Amazon / B&N

SYNOPSIS:

With her now-classic novel Outlander, Diana Gabaldon introduced two unforgettable characters — Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser—delighting readers with a story of adventure and love that spanned two centuries. Now Gabaldon returns to that extraordinary time and place in this vivid, powerful follow-up to Outlander....

For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland’s majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ... about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ... and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his....

Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire’s spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ... in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ... and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves....

* 5 STARS * REVIEW:

I love Jamie's playfulness, temper and selflessness.

I love Claire's wit and determination.

I love Mrs. Gabaldon's writing abilities and complex storytelling skills.

And I freaking adore this series!

Do not make any excuses, you have to read and experience this epic story yourself!

James Fraser in all his glory:

And just a little advice for my fellow readers:

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QUICK REVIEW: Scoring Wilder by R.S. Grey

Scoring Wilder by R.S. Grey

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Purchase: Amazon / B&N

Synopsis:

What started out as a joke— seduce Coach Wilder—soon became a goal she had to score.

With Olympic tryouts on the horizon, the last thing nineteen-year-old Kinsley Bryant needs to add to her plate is Liam Wilder. He's a professional soccer player, America's favorite bad-boy, and has all the qualities of a skilled panty-dropper.

• A face that makes girls weep – check.
• Abs that can shred Parmesan cheese (the expensive kind) – check.
• Enough confidence to shift the earth’s gravitational pull – double check.

Not to mention Liam is strictly off limits . Forbidden. Her coaches have made that perfectly clear. (i.e. “Score with Coach Wilder anywhere other than the field and you’ll be cut from the team faster than you can count his tattoos.”) But that just makes him all the more enticing…Besides, Kinsley's already counted the visible ones, and she is not one to leave a project unfinished.

Kinsley tries to play the game her way as they navigate through forbidden territory, but Liam is determined to teach her a whole new definition for the term “team bonding.”

A fun & sexy New Adult Romance (age 17+)

THIS BOOK IS RECOMMENDED FOR MATURE READERS AUDIENCES ONLY. HOWEVER, THIS REVIEW ITSELF DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL.

* 2 STARS * Review:

Don't hate me but this was really bad.

I admit that I picked this book up mainly because I'm huge fan of forbidden romance stories. Imagine my disappointment while reading this book. It has to be the least exciting story about forbidden love ever. Where was the real thrill? The situations that would make my heart speed up with adrenalin? This story made me feel nothing. It's not enough to tell me how characters are feeling if I cannot feel it myself while reading.

Do I sound harsh? I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt anyone. This book was just not for me at all. All the drama surrounding "romance" between main protagonists was annoying and boring to read about. I'm putting romance in quotations marks on purpose because there was no believable romantic connection in this novel. I just wasn't buying the fact that Liam and Kinsley would risk so much for sex or flirt since they basically knew nothing about each other but how they look...

And just a little reminder at the end. This is purely my subjective opinion. What didn't work for me, may be loved by others. Afterall, many of my friends did enjoy this book so I would recommend to check other reviews before deciding if you want to give Scoring Wilder a chance or not.

QUICK REVIEW: Puddle Jumping by Amber L. Johnson

Puddle Jumping by Amber L. Johnson

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Purchase: Amazon US / Amazon UK

 

Synopsis:

When it comes to love there’s no such thing as conventional. 

Everyone thinks Colton Neely is special. 

Lilly Evans just thinks he’s fascinating. 

Once friends when they were younger, their bond is cut short due to her accident prone nature and they go their separate ways. Years later, they meet again and Lilly learns that there is something special about the boy she once knew, but she has no idea what it all means. And she’s not sure if she’s ready to find out. 

When he walks through the corridor of her school the first day of her senior year, she knows that it’s time to get to know the real Colton Neely. The more she learns, the deeper she falls. 

Their friendship grows into love, even as Colton does not express it in words. But one decision threatens to break down the world that Lilly has tried so hard to integrate into and she must figure out if the relationship can survive if they are apart.

* 4 STARS * Review:

Love is complicated. Love is beautiful. And love is worth everything.

Puddle Jumping is short, sweet and special story about ordinary girl who fell in love with not so ordinary boy. Accompanied by very distinctive narrative and great writing, this novella is definitely the one you do not want to miss!

GUEST POST: Welcome Mary Elizabeth, author of Innocents

Innocents (Dusty #1) is my first published novel. I've participated in my fair

share of writing projects before I got serious about tale-telling as a career.
But there is a huge difference between writing for the hell of it and writing
something that a serious reader is going to purchase and hopefully review and
pass on to their family and friends.

There's a pressure I had no idea I would feel.

REVIEW: THE BOOK OF LIFE BY DEBORAH HARKNESS

The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy #3)

Written by: Deborah Harkness

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Kobo

Synopsis:

The highly anticipated finale to the #1 New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Discovery of Witches

After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

With more than one million copies sold in the United States and appearing in thirty-eight foreign editions, A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night have landed on all of the major bestseller lists and garnered rave reviews from countless publications. Eagerly awaited by Harkness’s legion of fans, The Book of Life brings this superbly written series to a deeply satisfying close. 

My Diana and Matthew:

* 5 STARS * REVIEW:

Similarly as its predecessors, The Book of Life is another thoughtful and thrilling page-turner. In this final instalment, author will take you on a thought-provoking journey woven into a beautiful paranormal tale that will awaken your imagination and appease even the most demanding readers.

All The de Clermonts (and Bishops) are back in present time, together with their never-ending web of secrets and intrigues. Now mated and on a verge of forming family, Matthew is desperate to keep his beloved Diana safe and happy. But when all Matthew's past deeds and mistakes come to haunt him, will their love prevail? Is their bond strong enough to covet danger greater than Covenant itself?

I absolutely love romantic aspect of this story. Matthew's and Diana's love for each other warmed my heart and brought a smile to my face through out the whole book. I'm definitely going to miss them (and all supporting characters) something fierce now when trilogy is over!

The Book of Life is a story about finding peace and absolution, about accepting who you are. The depths author went in to describe characters and their thinking is mind-blowing and truly exceptional. It made all characters come alive and it is probably the main reason which make this trilogy so special in my eyes.

Do not hesitate to pick these books up. With The Book of Life, All Souls trilogy secured first place among my all time favourites paranormal series!

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NEW RELEASE REVIEW: Innocents by The Elizabeths

Innocents (Dusty #1)

Release date: July 14th 2014

Written by: Mary Elizabeth and Sarah Elizabeth

Purchase: Amazon / Smashwords / Kobo 

Synopsis:

The girl with an innocent heart knows all about bad choices, but has yet to make them for herself. Searching for freedom, she finds it in the delinquent down the hall.

The troublemaker with summer-sky blue eyes knows he should stay away, but can’t resist the blissful wonder who makes his house a home.

She’s a hopeless romantic. He’s just hopeless.

She’s his reason, but he might not catch her when she falls.

She loves him. He loves her crazy.

This is what happens when a love made of secrets is kept with rules instead of promises.

My Bliss and Dusty:

* 5 STARS * Review: 

"I know he loves me. I never doubt his love. I doubt his intentions and respect. I distrust his motives and allegiance. Love? I smother in dictating love. He’s loves traitor." - Bliss

Innocents is a story that will give you butterflies and make you feel all kinds of emotions. It’s a story that will grab your hearts, lift them up and then crush them. It’s difficult read, heavy on angst and definitely not for a faint-hearted. But most importantly, Innocents is the story that readers will never forget!

"Love is a fighting a losing battle."

In this book, Bliss and Dusty went from friendship, through secret young love to obsessive teenage love. Innocents is about the strongest of loves, about hurt and heartbreak, about lies and broken promises, about being emotionally dependant on someone and being unable to let go...

This novel is full of interesting and thoughtfully crafted characters, but Dusty definitely stands out. He lies, deceives and keeps up the pretense. He is temperamental and he always looks for the easy way out. He is not the most lovable hero, yet he earned my sympathies. He is just a messed up boy with good heart, seeking true love but going about it the wrong way. I so cannot wait to see what exactly is in store for Dusty and Bliss in the sequel - Delinquents!

"Love turns blind eye. And it's unpredictable."

I have to admit, that this is the first book in which I didn’t root for main couple to stay together, yet I loved this book to the pieces. Why? Answer is truly simple. The writing. It was lyrical, poetical and beautiful. It was perfect and flawless, I cannot praise it enough. Kudos to authors for creating this epic story. If you are not against reading raw, depressive and realistic story, definitely go for this one, I recommend it from bottom of my heart!

"She’s the friend my sister needed, the daughter my mom wanted, a child my dad doesn’t feel guilty about, and the fucking reason my heart beats." - Dusty

Blog - Tour Giveaway:

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If you’d like to contact The Elizabeths, 
they can be located on Facebook!

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REVIEW: OUTLANDER BY DIANA GABALDON

In a month this time (August 9th), STARZ will start broadcasting TV series based on worldwide popular book series Outlander written by Diana Gabaldon. The curious creature that I am, I had to find out myself what all that hype was about. And I am glad I did.

Outlander (#1) by Diana Gabaldon

Genre: Historical Romance

Purchase: Amazon / B&N

SYNOPSIS:

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

* 5 HUGE STARS * REVIEW:

Outlander is a complex story with multilayered depiction of characters that will touch your heart, consume your thoughts and mesmerize you with the beauty of its settings. This is the kind of book that you will live through together with main characters and you will never be the same once you finish it.

Claire Randall - a witty and compassionate woman from 20th century thrown into dangers of 18th century Scottish Highlands. James Fraser - a selfless and passionate Scottish warrior finding his way in the game of intrigues between Scottish lords and English superiors. What happenes when fate brings these two people together?

First of all, let me tell you one important thing. Outlander is the most epic romance I have ever read. And when I say epic, I really mean epic - grand, impressive, outstanding, remarkable. Whenever I only think about Jamie & Claire, about their epic romance, my pulse speeds up. This book just simply has such a powerful effect on me.

Secondly, author proves her astonishing story-telling skills in this novel. The amount of reasearch author had to do prior to writing this novel, the way she captured historical period, it is phenomenal. I was sucked into the story from early chapters and even the large number of pages never bothered me.

I loved how authentic this story was, thanks to the use of old Scottish. I loved how adventurous and eventful this novel was. I loved how flawed and realistic characters were. I loved it all.

Outlander is not an easy read. Your heart will rejoice for the characters at one point, only to ache terribly for them seconds after. But reward for investing your time, mind and heart into reading this book is more than worth it. And this reward is Jamie Fraser. 

"A big man, with hair like fire, and eyes like the summer skies". He is the perfect example of how to write unforgettable character. Stubborn but kind. Temperamental but courageous. Proud but selfless. Believe me, it is impossible not to fall in love with him. So, are you ready to meet Jamie Fraser?

P.S. Even though story continues, there is no cliffy at the end.

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