Drops of Sunshine (Spellbound YA Anthology) by Tricia Copeland (4.5 stars)

About Drops of Sunshine
by Tricia Copeland
(a story within Spellbound)

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. -Buddha 

Working as lifeguard at a camp for the blind seems like the perfect escape for Nina. But a few perceptive kids can hear her thoughts. Can embracing her truth help her heal and reveal possibilities she never imagined? 

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Review

Although I'm just reviewing one novella, Drops of Sunshine, within the collection, Spellbound made up of five complete never-before-seen YA novellas.

If Drops of Sunshine is any indication, this should be a stellar YA Anthology read. I picked up my copy on pre-order and plan to read more, so keep an eye peeled for more reviews.

In Drops, Nina is working at a camp for the blind, wanting a little escape from her life and all the changes. Then, she starts to notice strange abilities amongst the campers. Innocent, sweet kids seem to have a lot of insight into her family life--very personal issues she hasn't shared with anyone.

At first, she's not sure what to do about these odd happenings. But she quickly gains insight into her own life through some very special children. 

Novellas are always tough to judge, because if it's good, I want more. So it says a lot about Drops that I really wanted more story. Pick up a copy and dive in... a sweet summer read!

Rating: 4.5 stars

About the Author

Tricia Copeland grew up in Georgia but now lives outside the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado with her husband, three kids, and multiple four legged and finned friends. An avid runner and paranormal fan, she also enjoys hiking, trivia, and Scrabble. 

You can connect with Tricia and other readers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and on her website, www.triciacopeland.com.

Note: I was the Editor on this novella through Indie Books Gone Wild. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

Bound by Cathy Jackson Pre-Order Event

An exciting new pre-order is available today.

About Bound: A Broken Novella 
(Bloom Book 4)

I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life that I wish I could take back. There’s been so much pain and hurt, all of which I have caused. I can only pray that God helps me to be a better man. A long time ago I knew who He was, but things happened and I walked away from Him. Now I am coming home, and I am not going to do it alone. I love Evelyn Miller, a woman of God who follows His ways. My prayer is that she would be mine, but first I have to be the man she deserves. I will go back to church, get a job, and procure a home to put down roots. My brothers will see the change in me, and I will earn their trust once again. I will be the man of God again. There will be a homecoming. If it is God’s Will, Evelyn will be mine.

To find out more:

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Promise Me This (4.5 stars) and Promise Me Forever (5 stars) by Sarah Ashley Jones

About Promise Me This

Welcome to the South—where the tea is sweet and the accents are sweeter. This Southern way of life is all Charlie has ever known. It’s not until she loses the only person who pushed her to break free of the Southern Belle mold that she starts living the life she needs and not the life her parents forced on her.

Jhett has lived on the edge for as long as he could remember - constantly teetering back and forth between being a rock star and living a normal life. His rebellious and sometimes arrogant attitude is known to get him into trouble, especially with the girls who hang on his every move.

Charlie never thought that a trip to pack up her brother’s apartment would leave her feeling even more unsettled about the grainy details of her brother’s death. Her quest for information leads her straight to his old hangout and into arms of Jhett, who suspiciously knows more about her situation than he ever should.

Only a few questions remain: Can you trust someone based on their word alone? And if you make a promise, how far will you go to keep it?

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Review

On the surface, Charlie and Jhett have nothing in common. She's the good girl to his experienced bad boy. But they share an intense bond--the loss of someone very important in both their lives. Cameron was Jhett's best friend and Charlie's brother. 

Charlie has come to Southern California to clean out her brother's apartment and try to find some closure before returning to Tennessee and her parent's wishes. Jhett is drawn to her at first glance. Sparks fly. But can what they find mend two broken hearts?

Trying to sum up what you love about a book in a way so as to encourage others to read it is quite difficult. But here goes nothing...

First, I loved the characters. Charlie is lost, but not just because of the devastation over losing her brother. It's because she hasn't had the opportunity to realize her own dreams. She needs to find her strength, even though she's full of spitfire. Jhett is strong, but still damaged. Their romance is the perfect blend of sweet and sexy--a trait I adore and one I've found a bit hard to find in NA contemporary romance.

What I loved most was the depth of emotion. Both of these characters are in pain. They don't wallow in it, but they are honest and hurting. Both have family, but they are reeling from their own pain. Finding each other is what they both needed. Although their journey to love is bumpy, it is real and it's worth rooting for.

If you are looking for a New Adult romance with tingling romance and a poignant storyline, please take a chance on Promise Me This. It's a real winner. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

About Promise Me Forever
Promise Me Forever, #1.5 (a novella)

Charlie Jennings and Jhett Hudson knew that a single moment could change everything.

It took them one song to find each other, one question to give them a chance, one kiss to fall in love, and one night to almost lose it all. But they had one thing other couples lack—pure, unconditional love—and that takes more than a moment to walk away from.

Falling in love is only the beginning. Forever is what happens next.

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Review

What a treat to get to read these two books back to back. When Promise Me This ended with "to be continued", I almost cried. I desperately wanted to know how Charlie and Jhett's love story turned out. Book one ended with hope, but I wanted more than that.

I have an intense sweet tooth. No matter how great a meal is, I often feel cheated without an equally great--if not better--dessert. That's what Promise Me Forever is... the perfect dessert.

Every word spoke to the heart of these characters, without prolonging drama or conjuring up some out-there conflict to throw one last wrench into potential happiness. It was everything I hoped it would be. Sorry to be vague, but I want readers to experience this gem for themselves.

Bravo to Sarah Ashley Jones for a pair of excellent reads.

Rating: 5 stars

About the Author

Sarah Ashley Jones was raised in San Diego, California, but currently wrangles her husband and three dogs in Clarksville, Tennessee. When she’s not writing she works in a pottery studio and comes home covered in paint on a daily basis. She has a slightly unhealthy obsession with cupcakes and chapstick. She is an eternal optimist and can often be found dancing and singing to music at any given time. It’s rare to see her not smiling or laughing, but if you do, just bring her a cupcake and it will cheer her up. Her huge imagination was always in overdrive as a child and now she is beyond excited to put it to good use as an adult. She plans to write as long as she has stories that need to be told.

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Thanks to Grapevine Book Tours for including me on this tour. Please visit other stops on the Promise Me This blog tour page.

Cup of Life by Juliana Haygert (4.5 stars): Book Blitz & Giveaway

About Cup of Life (Everlast #2.5)

Publication date: January 20th 2014

Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

His existence would mean nothing without her.

**New Adult Fantasy Novella**
**Novella between book #2 and #3, told on Micah’s POV**

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Review

Micah has lived life both as a god and a human. Being human has taught him a new appreciation for life and love. Now he has a soul indebted to him--the soul of the girl he loves. Unfortunately her heart is broken after a traumatic loss. Her desperate request has left Micah torn. To do as she wishes means losing her forever. The cup of life is his only hope. Will he succeed? Is Nadine, his love, lost to him?

Since book one, I have been Team Micah, so I was thrilled to discover that there would be a novella from his point of view. And I wasn't disappointed. Thanks to this first person story, the reader sees more of Micah's internal conflict and feelings. What touched me the most... his human side, especially his love for his family. Readers don't always get the chance to get into a favorite character's head, so this is a real treat.

But there's also some juicy story going on as Micah faces an intense test in order to procure the cup of life. A test which provides the reader with a lot of insight into who he really is. He's multi-dimensional--the perfect mix of strength and heart. There's a lot at stake, and both sides are trying to use him to their advantage. I'm intrigued to find out what choices he will make in the future.

I can't wait for the next book!

To fully enjoy and appreciate this novella, please read the first two books in the series: Destiny Gift and Soul Oath. My reviews for both can be found here. To entice you further...

Rating: 4.5 stars

Excerpt

Thirty or forty years ago, I wouldn’t have stared at the girl in front of me for more than five seconds before charming her into going to bed with me.

But this girl ... this girl was different.

“I think that’s everything,” Nadine said, stepping out of the cottage as Rok flew from the roof.

It was early January. The lights around the cottage reflected on the three feet of snow, and illuminated Nadine’s long brown hair, tinting some strands bronze. Her hair, her dark green eyes, and her red lips contrasted with her fair skin, and the only thought on my mind was that I had never seen a more beautiful girl in my entire life. And I had been alive for quite some time.

Nadine approached me, and as it was every time she looked at me, I fought the urge to reach to her, to pull her against me, to kiss her, to—

“It is everything, isn’t it?” She glanced at the bag slung across my shoulder and the box in my arms. She held her sister’s stuffed bunny in one hand, and a duffel bag in another.

We had been moving to our new location all day, making several trips to and from, and now we were the last ones here.

“I think so,” I replied, quickly glancing to Rok hovering above our heads. “Ready?”

She walked down the porch steps, into the snow, and turned to the cottage. Her eyes scanned it, as if she wanted to take every little detail with her.

She slung the duffel bag on her shoulder and turned the collar of her jacket up. “It’s odd. I feel like I should feel bad for leaving this place after fleeing so many others, after losing so many people.” She sighed. “But I don’t, and I totally should, especially after seeing the new place Ceris got us.”

I nodded, knowing too well that the new place brought her depressing memories.

No matter. It was a new place, a new path on our journey, a new beginning. We were on the right track.

I offered my arm to her. “Let’s go, darling.”

With a half-smile that made my heart skip a beat, Nadine sauntered to me and hooked her arm with mine.

I scooted closer to her, more than necessary, because I could, because I wanted, and transported us out of there.

Giveaway

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About Juliana Haygert

New Adult author and contributor at NA Alley blog.

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

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Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

Cover Reveal for Amber's Faerie-Tale by Devyn Dawson

I am thrilled to host Devyn Dawson today for her cover reveal.

And what a gorgeous cover it is.

You asked for it, you've got it...Amber's story!  If you haven't read Enlightened, it is recommended to read that book before reading this novella.  As a matter of fact, if you haven't read it...don't read the synopsis of this book....or pay attention to the title.  By continuing to read, you're taking it into your own hands that you're reading a spoiler.  Don't write me and say you had no idea and now you're scarred for life.  Nope, you can't say those things.

You're reading at your own risk.  I'm warning you to turn your eyes and run and read the first two books before going any further.

Amber, the sassy sidekick to Jessie Lucente has met her match the day she meets bad boy Thorne.  They've gone on a few dates, but Thorne is Jessie's guardian and he has a mission to protect her at all cost.  He's able to handle Amber's sarcasm and dishes it back, to her dismay.  They are just learning how to juggle dating and Thorne's guardian schedule when Amber is abducted during a school dance.
'
Amber knows her abductors have a schedule, and if she isn't rescued before time is up, she'll die.  She doesn't fear death, she fears the pain it will cause her friends and Thorne.  When Amber's brother died she thought of nothing else but taking her own life, but knew how much it would hurt her family.  The only problem now is she has something and someone to live for; but she refuses to fear the end.

This isn't a love story full of sweet kisses and adoring teens, so if you're looking for that kind of faerie-tale, read about Jessie and Caleb.

Amber's Faerie-Tale is Available December 17, 2013 - Add to your TBR List