Secret - A Review of SWEET NOTHING by Mia Henry

(Goodreads Blurb)

Elliot Halloran is running away. Away from her privileged Manhattan upbringing and a promising future at business school. Away from her family, which plummeted from A-list to disgraced after her criminal father’s atrocities were exposed. Despite the guilt Elliot feels for abandoning her family, she has no choice. She is too recognizable to live life as the person she has always been. So when an old family friend offers her a position as an economics instructor at Miami’s elite Allford Academy, Elliot jumps at the chance to distance herself from her past. She cuts her hair, changes her name, and vows never to speak of her old life again.

Keeping her identity hidden is harder than Elliot expected, especially with a roommate who seems to be on the verge of uncovering her true identity. As she fumbles through the opening chapters of her new life, Elliot encounters an entirely unforeseen obstacle: photography instructor Luke Poulos. Luke is sensitive and spontaneous. An art lover. Smart. Everything Elliot has ever wanted. Luke and Elliot’s connection deepens when she learns that he lost his parents in a car accident when he was a teenager. Like Elliot, Luke understands that life can shatter in an instant.

Elliot knows that a relationship with Luke is impossible; that he would never love her if he knew the details of her past. But as she struggles with whether to open herself to love or keep her true self locked away, Elliot learns that she’s not the only one with dark secrets.

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for a fair and honest review.

I was very excited to help with this blog tour.  The cover is both sexy and sweet and the summary really catches my attention.  I know this will be a book that many will love, but it just didn't connect with me.

Elliot (Elle) has just moved to Miami to work as an Economics teacher at the exclusive Allford Academy.  She is far away from her mother and sister, and while she worries about them, she knows that it's best for her to hide out where she is and stay away from them.

Before her first day at the school, Elle meets Luke Poulos at a school dinner.  She is instantly attracted to him, but knows that she has to guard herself and her secrets.  The next day she discovers that Luke also teaches at Allford.  He is the photography and art teacher and he seems to have a few secrets of his own.

The characters in Sweet Nothing are well developed and all very easy to like.  Luke is quite swoony with all of his artistic quirks.  Elliot is vulnerable and lost, but still strong and capable.  Elle's friends Gwen and Waverly are a great addition to this cast.

The reason this story lost me is that the I don't need complete descriptions of what people are wearing in order to picture a scene.  Sometimes I like an author to leave some things to my imagination.  I feel like I was being told what to see and what to think.  It really turned me off to being able to enjoy the rest of the story.

All throughout the book, Elle talks about how she cannot allow Luke to discover the secret about her past.  She makes such a HUGE deal about something that in my opinion was not that bad, even though it caused some problems for her family.

Like I said, the plot and the characters are both good.  I know this story will appeal to lovers of New Adult books.

3 out of 5 Stars.

Mia Henry  Bio:

Mia Henry adores all things romance, from steamy stories to ugly cry-inducing movies. She lives in Florida, where she dreams up storylines during beach walks with her muse, a ferocious 8-pound pup named Lulu.

Links:

Sweet Nothing on Amazon
Sweet Nothing on Barnes & Noble
Sweet Nothing on Goodreads
Mia Henry on Facebook
Mia Henry on Twitter
Mia Henry on Goodreads
Mia Henry's BLOG   

Tour Schedule:

Check out the Blog Tour Schedule to see excerpts, playlist, interviews, other reviews on Sweet Nothing.

Dec 13

Stolen Heartstrings - Excerpt

Anatea's Bookshelf - Review

deal sharing aunt - Review

Dec 14

Write On, J.B. - Review

Mia's Point Of View - Excerpt

My Favorite Things - Review

Dec 15

Fabulously Girly Book Blog - Review

Chapter Break - Guest Post

Just Booked - Review                

 Dec 16

Made for you book reviews - Excerpt

Roxy's Reviews  - Review Only

Dec 17

My Daily Romance - Review

Lovin' Los Libros - Review Only

Dec 18

Ficwishes - Review

The Chronic Romantic - Interview

Dec 19

Stormy Day Reading Books - Review

Read-Love-Blog  - Excerpt

Oops! I Read A Book Again - Guest Post

Dec 20

mustreadbooksordie - Excerpt

Between fantasy and reality - Review

Becca the Bibliophile - Review

Dec 21

Kassie's Book Thoughts - Excerpt

read that - Review

Stories and Swag - Review

Dec 22

whirlwindbooks - Interview

Her Juicy Reads - Review

The Bo0ki3 - Review Only

Dec 23

The Boyfriend Bookmark - Review Only

Kate's Tales of Books and Bands - Playlist

Not Everyone's Mama - Review

Dec 24

Rumpled Sheets Blog - Review

Cocktails and Books - Interview

Dec 26

Badass Book Babe - Review Only

Reader Girls - Excerpt

All Booked Out - Dreamcast

Crazy book chicks Naughty&Nice - Review Only

Dec 27

Madison Says - Excerpt

Nerd Alert Book Love - Review

Emily-Jane's Book Corner - Review Only

Reading Between the Wines - Guest Post

Dec 28

The Book Hookup - Review

Garside's Book Bets - Dreamcast

Our Fictional Boyfriends - Review

Giveaway

Be sure to take a look at the giveaway.  I know I could ALWAYS use an Amazon gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveawa

Secret by Maroon 5

"I know I don't know you 
But I want you so bad.
Everyone has a secret
But can they keep it?
Oh no, the can't"

y

Blog Tour - FORGED BY FATE by Reese Monroe Plus Playlist

Forged By Fate Synopsis:

He’s waited more than 900 years to love her…

Being the Gatekeeper to Hades is no small feat, and waiting almost a millennia to meet your mate is damn near impossible. But Theo Bradford’s mark has finally surfaced on his intended. Now all he has to do is find her and convince her to embrace her supernatural heritage.

Young genius, Sadie Nowland, has got life figured out. Graduating college at the age of eighteen and accepting a six-figure job is just what she needs to prove she’s made something of herself. But when a strange tattoo mysteriously appears on her shoulder and Theo starts talking about Mates, it catapults her neatly laid out life into chaos.

Somehow a vicious demon banished to Hades defies Theo’s vanquish and returns, setting his target on Sadie, and she is thrust into the volatile world of Shomrei warriors and a connection to Theo her brain can’t comprehend and her body can’t deny. That primal bond proves more imperative to their survival than either could have ever imagined—and just may be the key to the world’s survival.

Reese Monroe Bio:

Originally from Minnesota, Reese Monroe currently enjoys living in the sunny Arizona desert with her husband of seventeen years and her loveable Shetland Sheep dog, Maddux. Monroe holds a degree in psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master's degree from the University of Iowa. When she’s not busy writing her next trilogy, she can be found pounding the pavement, training to run her first marathon.

Reese Monroe is a contributing blogger at the widely popular site New Adult Alley (NAAlley.com) and has been part of the New Adult revolution for years having penned over thirty novels in the exciting new category. Look for her Bound by Hades trilogy coming soon from Entangled Publishing.

Connect with Reese on Twitter (@ReeseMonroe1), through Facebook (Facebook.com/ReeseMonroeWrites) or her website ReeseMonroe.net

Links:

Twitter:  http://www.Twitter.com/ReeseMonroe1

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/ReeseMonroeWrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/reesemonroe

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/reesemonroe1/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7334536.Reese_Monroe

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/IBT9H

Playlist:

Music is a huge part of my writing. Now, from the play list below you might think, “Hey, that’s not very many songs.”

You’re totally right.

One of my quirks is that I find three to five songs that represent my characters or the “vibe” of my story, and I put them on repeat. 

I kid you not. 

For 85,000 words and through all the edits and clean up I had these songs playing. I think my sweet hubby wanted to scratch his ears off by the time this book was finished!

Here’s a little bit about the “why” behind the songs I picked. 

Paralyzer by Finger Eleven. I liked this song for its beat, and part of it reminds me of when Theo first meets Sadie. He totally chokes. Can’t talk or anything. All he has to do is touch her to get his Avahah Mark, but he totally freezes. 



Not Gonna Die by Skillet. Okay, anything skillet, I’m good. There’s at least one or two songs by them on every one of my novel playlists. I love their edge. And the words they sing really resonate with me and my characters. In Forged by Fate, there’s a lot of tension, life and death, and I love the power of this song by Skillet. These words here: When life pushes me, I push harder! That’s so Sadie. You’ll see when you read her part of the story. Young genius raised in the system…she’s been knocked around, but she kicks ass right back!


Rise by Skillet. This one is more about hope. Lots of crap going on around us (and the characters in my book) and sometimes it’s hard to see through the circumstances. A few lyrics stood out to me that had me putting this song on my play list: Yesterday is gone faster than the blast of a car bomb. And when the scars heal, the pain passes, the smoke burns we rise from the ashes.  



Skin to Bone by Linkin Park. I love the rough voice and unique sound of this song. The words Ash to ashes, dust to dust and Skin to bone and steel to rust. Just fits the whole demon aspect of the story. I liked this song during action scenes. Really got me in the mood!  



Collide by Skillet. See. I told you I loved Skillet. You have to check out this video.  I love how it shows heroes and heroines in dark places and how they had to dig so deep to overcome their obstacles. That their strength from deep down inside is how they succeed. My stories have the underlying theme of faith, hope and love—love being the greatest. If you have love, anything is possible. Even in the darkest moments. This song, Collide, really illustrates that concept!



~~~~~~

Thanks for letting me share a little bit about the music that inspires my writing and my characters. I’m curious, what songs are rocking your world these days? Any classics you go back to when you need a lift or need to get inspired?

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Whatever It Takes - A Review of SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES by Brighton Walsh

(Goodreads Blurb)

When a storm strands Claire Hanlin in Chicago on Christmas Eve, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is Logan Dawes, the man she almost married two years ago. The chemistry between them is dangerously potent, but with nowhere else to go, Claire accepts Logan's offer to stay with him for the night.

Back in the home they shared, surrounded by reminders of Logan and his young daughter, Claire begins to realize how much she misses the family she almost had. After a few cups of Christmas cheer, she falls right back into her ex's arms-even though she knows it means setting herself up for heartbreak all over again.

The magic of the season has thrown him together with the woman he's never stopped loving, and Logan's not about to pass up this gift. He's not the workaholic he was two years ago-his family comes first. Now all he has to do is prove it to Claire, before the snow stops and she flies out of his life for good.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC for a fair and honest review.

The Story...

Claire is stranded at an airport in Chicago on her birthday, which also happens to be Christmas Eve.  Because of the storm and the holiday, finding a hotel room has become Mission Impossible. Enter Logan Dawes, the ex-fiance, who  shattered Claire's heart with his broken promises, when he let his job take priority over her in her time of need.

Logan was headed to a work site in New Mexico when the storm cancelled all flights.  When he stumbles upon Claire attempting to make hotel arrangements, he offers a room at his place, against his better judgement.  Having no where else to turn, Claire finally agrees.

Knowing that the demise of the their prior relationship was his fault, Logan makes a heartfelt apology.  Claire accepts and promises herself that she will not lose her heart.

Being together in what was once their home proves to be too much for both Claire and Logan.  They give in to the passion that is between them.  The sex is good, but that had never been their problem.  What will happen when the storm is over and reality finds it way back in?  Will Logan be able to keep the promises he's made or will his job once again come between him and the woman who is his everything?

What Worked...

This is the second novella that I have read and loved by Brighton Walsh.  (You can see my review of Plus One HERE.)  She has mastered the art of telling a complete story in very few words.  At no point did I feel like I was getting an partial story.

The chemistry between Logan and Claire was real.  The apologies were heartfelt.  I was up late reading and crying and begging Claire to forgive Logan almost as desperately as he was.

Claire was very determined that she would get what she wanted.  I loved that she wasn't afraid to put what she knew she needed ahead of her feelings for Logan.

What Didn't...

I felt that Claire let Logan off easy.  I know there was some time constraints due to the length of the story, but I really felt that Logan could've done more to prove that he would keep his promises to her.

4 out of 5 Stars

Links...

Author's Website
Author on Twitter
Season of Second Chances on Amazon

Stacking the Shelves 12/7/2013

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades.

Some great books this week. I entered an author held contest and won these two beautiful books.

Just click on the image below to see the books on Amazon

From Netgalley




From author for review

What great reads did you get this week?

EXCERPT #2 - ON CHRISTMAS HILL by Nichole Chase

I hope you enjoyed the first excerpt from On Christmas Hill by Nichole Chase.  Here is another excerpt to whet your appetite for this short story.

EXCERPT

Once I was inside, I hung up my helmet on the board where Nate had gotten it from earlier. I turned to go back outside, but ran into a brick wall instead.

Looking up, I realized Nate had followed me. “I really need to stop running into you.”

“I don’t know, I’m getting used to it.” His hand rested on my hip. When his eyes darted down to my mouth, I couldn’t fight the impulse to lick my lips. We stayed frozen for a minute, pressed against each other far longer than was necessary. Maybe it was because I had to look up to see his face, but I was the first to notice the mistletoe. The old lantern hook above my head sprouted green leaves that quickly morphed into a very familiar plant. A red bow attached the plant to the hook and a wave of awe washed through my mind. There was a tinkling sound as it shimmered there above our heads, drawing Nate’s attention.

“Thank you, Christmas Hill.” His words were quiet, almost reverent. Without saying anything else, he pressed his mouth to mine.

Tinks A Lot - Nikki's Review of TRANCE by Tabitha Levin

(Goodreads Blurb)

I'm supposed to believe in magic. As a magicians assistant, it sort of comes with the job. But hot and sexy hypnotist, Jason Green, changed all of that.

I didn't plan on meeting him, and I, for sure, didn't plan on the way my pulse races when he looks into my eyes. Those deep blue eyes that can see through the walls I've built up over the years.

But I can't think about him. I just can't. Not when my life and career are crashing down around me, and all I can do to keep my head above water is close myself off from everyone, especially him.










I have to start by saying, "OMG!  Don't you just love the cover?"  And I have to thank the author for sharing a copy of Trance in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Trance is a fun little read. A good ‘pick it up on Saturday afternoon and finish it late’ kinda book. It’s a cute love story about a girl that learns to trust her instincts and her ability to love again. Really, it’s about finding the magic in your life.

Thomas Tinks is that funny, sweet Grandpa everyone wishes they had. Scarlett Tinks is his redheaded Granddaughter and stage assistant. She is a bit of an upstart, but with her cloudy past, you really can’t blame her. I just loved Lacey, Scarlett’s feisty best friend. And then there’s Jason; he is a sexy hypnotist with a popular show. He is mysterious and sweet; and so easy to fall for. The characters are great, each dynamic in their own way. Their love and devotion to Scarlett is really endearing too.

The pace of the story is good and it’s easy to breeze through. I felt like the love story could have developed a little more. There wasn’t a lot of bonding to really solidify such a whirlwind romance for me. Scarlett hints at a big, bad secret from her past throughout the book and when you finally hear it, it’s kinda crazy. The sexy bits struck me as abrupt and I didn’t find them very appealing personally. I think Trance would be better suited as a YA book, not New Adult. I would’ve been just as happy with the outcome minus the sex. The ending gave me serious ‘Lifetime movie of the week’ vibes. The emo drama queen in me loved it, though it felt a bit unrealistic and cheesy. But hey, different strokes for different blokes. I finished the book happy, despite my minor gripes.

All in all, this was a good read. I enjoyed peering into the world of magic, hypnotism and stage shows. I felt like I was attending the shows Ooohing, Aaahing and laughing along with the audience. I felt quite dazzled at times. I really liked Scarlett and her spirit too. I would recommend this book to fans of quirky new adult romances.

3.5 Stars!

More Favorite Quotes:

"The world made sure I always said something stupid or nutty when a hot guy stood in front of me"

"Can I see you again?" "Every time you lose your eyes, since you said I'm now etched in your memory"

"...By the way, these shoes you made me wear suck." "Of course they don't, they just helped you meet someone you actually might consider dating, didn't they? That alone means they are the best shoes I own."

"There is no man in the world that is truly perfect. I'd rather live with a fantasy, than be disappointed in reality."

About Tabitha Levin:

Romance author Tabitha Levin lives in sunny Australia with her husband and two crazy kids. 

She started her writing career in television media, before becoming a freelance journalist for various woman's magazines.

When she's not putting on sunscreen and lazing on the beach you can find her tapping away at the keyboard writing fun and sexy stories.

She is currently working on her fourth novel, due out early 2014.

Links:

Website: http://tabithalevin.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTabithaLevin

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5112983.Tabitha_Levin

Buy on Amazon: Trance

Nail Art

I created a Gel look for myself inspired by Trance (bonus that it works for the Holidays!) I used a sparkly red to represent Scarlett, with her fiery hair and spirit. I did one feature nail on each hand with a shimmery gold base and bits of silver nail art foil to create a magical look. I decided to call the look ‘Tinks A Lot!’

You will need:

• Sparkly Red polish (I like Essie Leading Lady)
• Gold polish (I like OPI Goldeneye)
• Top and base coats
• Silver nail foils or a Glittery polish of your choice (Young Nails makes my favorite)

You don’t need to be a nail pro to play with foil leaf. Just Google it! It’s available in plenty of online shops for cheap.

Create ‘Tinks A Lot!’ at home:

1.       Treat and trim cuticles.

2.       Apply a base coat and allow to dry about 10 minutes.

3.       Brush on two coats of sparkly red to four of your fingers. Allow it to dry about 10 minutes between coats. (I love Essie Leading Lady)

4.       Apply two coats of gold to your feature finger of choice. Allow it to dry about 10 minutes between coats. (I love OPI Goldeneye)

5.       Want to use glitter?  Apply a fun glitter on top of your dry gold nail.

Want to try the foil? After the gold has dried, apply a thin layer of top coat to the gold nail only. Or, only apply top coat where you want silver foil, either way will work just fine.

6.       Wait 2-3 minutes, use tweezers to grab a bit of foil leaf. Drop it on a desired spot on your nail, allow it to stick and rip away excess. Use your tweezers to move the foil around, bunch it up and tamp it down. Repeat until you have a pattern and look that you like.

7.       Apply a layer of top coat to all nails.

Abracadabra, you’re all set!

                   

 

Did you love Nikki's review?  Leave her a comment below to tell her how awesome her nail art is.

Cover Reveal - SALT by Danielle Ellison

Today Danielle Ellison and Entangled Teen are revealing the cover for SALT, releasing in early 2014! Check out the gorgeous cover, exclusive excerpt, and enter to win an eARC!

On to the reveal!

About the Book

SALT

Author: Danielle Ellison

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iTunes

Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks. But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents—and stole her magic. Since then, she’s been pretending to be something she’s not, using her sister’s magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.

When she’s finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change. With her sister’s help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find "her" demon. To take back what was stolen.

Then she meets Carter. He’s cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too. He knows her secret—but he also has one of his own.

Suddenly, Penelope’s impossible quest becomes far more complicated. Because Carter’s not telling her everything, and it’s starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda…and they’re far too interested in her.

Exclusive Excerpt!

 “Jealousy is cute on you, Pen.”

“Don't call me that,” I snap, pushing my coffee away from me. “And I'm not jealous.”

He leans back on the chair. "Sure. And I don’t think you’re adorable." I jerk my eyes up. He’s smiling. Screw this—this is so frustrating. I tap my foot under the table.

"We're stating the facts, right?" he says.

“Right,” I say.

I don’t have time for this. And what is wrong with this coffee? I feel like I swallowed a fire and it’s all just burning at my stomach.

“You look sick again,” he says.

The poorly—or perfectly—timed waitress comes back with Carter's coffee and a whole tray of drinks. Carter, obviously, flirts again. I don’t know if he’s doing it to get a reaction out of me, but I’m not going to give him one. I watch him and say nothing, but the whole time it feels darker inside my head and my stomach whirs. It’s more empty, and more full, and unsettled at once. The waitress turns to leave a when it happens.

The waitress coughs, as if she suddenly can’t breathe, and trips. She flies across the air. The tray spills all over a table of four. I gasp, horrified. Another waitress grabs her by the waist, trying to give her the Heimlich. The waitress coughs out the gum. She’s crying hysterically, apologizing to the customers dripping with water.

The weirdest part? As soon it happens, all the fury that was building up inside of me disappears. It’s calm again, normal. The change is so sudden that my fingernails dig into the table. All I can hear is the waitress’s cry. 

"I don't know what happened," she sobs over and over again. I close my eyes. Everything inside me is completely still. No storm, no clawing, no emptiness or fullness. In fact, I’m suddenly starving.

Carter's looking at me when I open my eyes. There's something unsettling in his gaze, something suspicious.

“I gotta go,” I say. He starts to say something. I don't stay long enough to find out what it is.

Somehow I just did magic.

About Danielle:

Danielle Ellison is from a small town in West Virginia. She spent her childhood pretending to fly and talking to imaginary friends. When she grew up, she finally flew away (in an airplane) and started traveling the world. She hasn’t stopped yet, but someday she may decide to settle in one place. Her real life friends would definitely like that; they would probably also like if she stopped talking to her characters out loud.

SALT comes out in January 2014, and then it's sequel. In October 2014, FOLLOW ME THROUGH DARKNESS (book one of the BOUNDLESS Trilogy) comes out. She's got a busy few years! 

Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads


Giveaway Details:

1 eARC of SALT International

a Rafflecopter giveaway