Blog Tour (Review, Giveaway and Q&A): Snared (Elemental Assassin #16) by Jennifer Estep

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Elemental Assassin, Gin Blanco, Jennifer Estep, Snared

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Snared tour! I have been very lucky to be apart of many tours for the Elemental Assassin series and I’m glad that I continue to be a host as it is so much fun to read about Gin’s adventures and be apart of the release. Keep reading for my review, a tour wide giveaway and a quick Q&A with the author, Jennifer Estep.

 

Snared – Jennifer Estep

Release Date: April 25th 2017

Pocket Books: Urban Fantasy

400 pages (Kindle Edition)

You can read this review and others on my Goodreads here. (Don’t be shy to send a friend request as well!

If you don’t know Gin “the Spider” Blanco, you don’t know dangerous female heroines.

Irony 101—The Spider herself snared in someone else’s web…

Another week, another few clues trickling in about the Circle, the mysterious group that supposedly runs the city’s underworld. Gathering intel on my hidden enemies is a painstaking process, but a more immediate mystery has popped up on my radar: a missing girl.

My search for the girl begins on the mean streets of Ashland, but with all the killers and crooks in this city, I’m not holding out much hope that she’s still alive.

A series of clues leads me down an increasingly dark, dangerous path, and I realize that the missing girl is really just the first thread in this web of evil. As an assassin, I’m used to facing down the worst of the worst, but nothing prepares me for this new, terrifying enemy—one who strikes from the shadows and is determined to make me the next victim.

I do this every time but guys, this is the 16th book in the Elemental Assassin series and I don’t know about y’all but I do not get tired of reading about Gin and her adventures. I continue to be surprised and genuinely enjoy every book!

You have all seen the movie Shrek, I assume? Remember that part where Shrek is telling Donkey how there are deeper parts of him – layers, like an onion, or so Shrek makes the analogy. Donkey later has a remark that cake also has layers and that’s how I see this series. With every book I read, there is another layer that Estep has laid down for us and while some may not enjoy it, I am ecstatic. There is more to the story arc and more information is poured through the pages about who Gin is, her origins and the people who get in her way are not always necessarily the only people she may need to fight in order to find her answers and I love it.

In Snared, Gin is still trying to find the origins of the group The Circle, who seem to know more about her as the boss of the criminal underworld of Ashland, much more than she would like and some secrets on who exactly her mother was before her unfortunate death when she was younger. But it is all side stepped as another mystery has come to surface and needs Gin’s attention if no more bodies are to be found. Of course as Gin is looking further into the case, the circle is keeping a close and watchful eye on her every move, something that leads Gin to thinking that maybe The Circle and the mysterious crimes are more connected than she thinks.

I love the direction the series is taking, the mystery aspect and more background information that really makes you think. The other characters are always a hoot to see again – Finn, Bria, Sofia and Jo-Jo and of course Owen! The feeling of family and friends is never lost in the books and it really brings the story together and also it makes me happy knowing the gang always has Gin’s back no matter the trials.

And then there’s the blood. Ahhh the blood. Gin is always getting blood on herself, stains and rips in her clothes from showing everyone just how strong she is and that she will always be on the top in the end despite what anyone else thinks. In this book, Gin does take the beatings every now and then but her magic and fighting abilities that involve her silverstone knives show everyone why she is the best assassin in Ashland and that Gin wins each and every time.

As I said earlier, I enjoyed the mystery tone to the book and I am hoping for more as Gin is more than her fighting and stabbing. She is smart and very intuitive, I hope to see more of that side of her.

Overall I gave the book stars and of course am waiting impatiently for the next installment and I’m sure Estep is working very hard on it as I speak.  Thank you readers for reading and I will have another blog post up soon.

Over and out.

Purchase links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Snared-Elemental-Assassin-Jennifer-Estep/dp/1501142275

Barnes & Noble: https://www.amazon.com/Snared-Elemental-Assassin-Jennifer-Estep/dp/1501142275

Books-A-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Snared/Jennifer-Estep/Q302088072

IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781501142277

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/snared-5

iBook: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/snared/id1128640257

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jennifer_Estep_Snared

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Snared-Audiobook/B06XS67VRY

Q&A with Jennifer Estep:

1. Top 5 movies you are excited for this year? 

JE: I’m excited for Wonder Woman, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, and the Beauty and the Beast remake.

2. Do you like vegetables? If so what is your favorite? If not, cheeseburgers are the way to go.

JE: I actually really like vegetables. Tomatoes are my favorite, and I love making salads with them, carrots, cucumbers, red onions, and more, especially during the hot summer months.

And most of those things go great on a cheeseburger too. LOL.

3. If Gin could have been named something else other than Gin, what would her name be?

JE: Tough question. I don’t really know. She’s been Gin to me for so long now that I just can’t imagine her with any other name.

4. Let’s say Finn did something exceptionally bad that would make Gin want to kill him, how would that happen? Or would she just let someone else take care of him for her?

JE: I don’t know that Finn could ever do anything bad enough that Gin would really want to kill him. He is her brother, for better or worse.

5. I have read all you’re books, even your YA series, and loved them all but which series was the best to write or the easiest?

JE: Thanks! I appreciate that. Glad you are enjoying my books.

I probably have the most fun writing my Elemental Assassin books. I just love writing all the action and fight scenes in those books, along with all the food scenes. I would say the runner-up would be my Bigtime superhero series, since those books are just zany, goofy fun.

6. Thank you so much for being on my blog, I love your books and can’t wait to see what else you bring to us and wish you all the best!

JE: Thanks for hosting me. Happy reading, everyone!

Tour wide giveaway!

There’s a tour-wide giveaway for copies of SNARED and a $20 Amazon gift card! Open to US residents only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Jennifer Estep:

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. Snared, book #16, will be released on April 25.

Jennifer also writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series. She is also the author of the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series and the Bigtime paranormal romance series.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit www.jenniferestep.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Blog Tour (Review, Excerpt & Giveaway): Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

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Elemental Assassin, Jennifer Estep, Unraveled

This is not new. You know, everyone knows, I am a big fan of Jennifer Estep so whenever a new release comes to date I jump at any chance to be on the blog tour because I get to persuade people to read her books. I have been quite lucky to be one the past two or three tours from her last releases and I am still going! With joining the tour I was able to receive an early e-ARC to read and then post my review which you can see below as well as post a quick excerpt and a tour wide giveaway which anyone can enter. Without further ado, lets get on with the tour shall we?

Unraveled – Jennifer Estep

Release Date: August 30th 2016

Pocket Books: Urban Fantasy

400 pages (Kindle edition)

You can read this review and others on my Goodreads here. (Don’t be shy to send a friend request as well!

What could go wrong when you’re trying to unravel a decades-old conspiracy?

 

As the current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco, would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as cold as the coming winter.

 

So when Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than any of us expected.

 

Good thing this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight…

This is the 15th book. And I am still in love with the characters, the world and the story! The Elemental Assassin series continues to amaze me and Gin continues to weave more and more of story to us that we just gobble up. Also she continues to just kills it every time (haha pun intended)!

In Unraveled, Gin continues to be the badass assassin she has grown to be. Unraveled also follows the events, quite closely, in Bitter Bite – Gin keeping an eye on her foster brother Finn as he navigates life after being betrayed by his own kin and ears our for all info on the Circle for which she learned both her mother and Finn’s were apart of. In the midst of everything, Finn inherits a the Old West theme park and resort from his mother. Of course Gin sees this as a trick and she and Finn, along with their significant others, Owen and Bria, go on a vacation to see if this theme park is just a vacation for them or a trap.

Upon arrival everything is going smooth and Gin lets her guard down a smidge but she notices Circle assassins are lying in wait for them and Gin knows its her job to saddle up and show these goons who the real sheriff in town is.

Unraveled was a little different from the usual Ashland setting as there are way more cowboy hats and gun as opposed to Gin’s usual Silverstone knives but I won’t complain as reading about Gin in a ruffled, cowgirl getup costume that had me giggling for quite a few minutes. You see when Gin goes in to save someone she loves, she goes all in and a certain scene involved her showing a little more cleavage, wearing a dress and taking pictures with random people where I am sure she would have rather been slicing someone up instead. It had the perfect amount of cheesiness that I laughed out loud at some scenes but the whole Wild West theme couldn’t take away from the showdowns Gin threw at us. She may have indeed brought knives to a gun fight but damn can that girl use them.

What I love about this series is though it can get bloody, the focus on family and friends is never lost. Gin, no matter the situation she is in, almost always has the back up she needs. She doesn’t need to ask, they are just there. It is always a pleasure to read about her assistant, Silvio, and his gadgets that keep track on her whether she likes it or not. Finn and her sister Bria are one of my favorite book couples and even though Finn isn’t quite himself yet, he can always say something that makes Bria blush like crazy and it makes me happy to see him happy. Owen, Gin’s boyfriend, is a great side character, behind Gin in every decision she makes. He never wavers when she is in a bind because he just knows she will always come out on top. Also he’s a rugged hottie, what’s not to like?

But I also really like that this series can get bloody. Estep doesn’t shy away from the killings and how Gin gets the job done. She isn’t scared to write about the red stains Gin gets on her clothes all the time and how gruesome a death can be. Gin can be a messy assassin but that is what makes her the Queen of Ashland. Gin has to do what needs to be done and what others can’t get done. I love her fighting to get what is rightfully hers and getting revenge where she deserves.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars and I am eagerly waiting for the sequel because of the many questions I have – What is Gin’s mother, Eira, doing in the Circle? Any more people in the Circle we need to know about? Is Finn going to be Finn completely? (Pretty please, I miss him) When will Owen propose or is Gin not that type of person? See? Questions! Thank you readers for reading and I will have another blog post up soon.

Over and out.

EXCERPT:

“Anything would have been better—warmer—than this.” He popped up the collar of his trench coat so that it would cover more of his neck, then slouched down even farther in his seat.

 

 “Aw, poor baby. Stuck out here in the cold and dark with me tonight.” I clucked my tongue. “And to think that I was just about to offer you some hot chocolate.”

 

His blue eyes narrowed with interest. “You have hot chocolate? Homemade hot chocolate?”

 

I reached down and pulled a large metal thermos out of the black duffel bag sitting between our seats on the van floor. “Of course I have homemade hot chocolate. You can’t have a stakeout on a cold winter’s night without it.”

 

I grabbed a couple of plastic cups out of the duffel bag and handed them over to Phillip, who held them steady while I poured. The rich, heady aroma of the hot chocolate filled the van, cutting through the icy chill that had crept inside the vehicle. I breathed in the fumes as I capped the thermos and put it away. Phillip passed over my cup, and I drew in a couple more steamy breaths before taking a sip. The dark chocolate coated my tongue with its bittersweet flavor, softened by the vanilla extract and raspberry puree that I’d added to the mixture.

 

Phillip cradled his hot chocolate like a bum huddled over a trashcan fire. He took a long slurp and sighed again, this time with happiness. “Now that’s more like it.”

UNRAVELED (Elemental Assassin #15) | Jennifer Estep | Pocket Books | $7.99 | 400 pages | August 30, 2016 | ISBN: 978-1501142215 | Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27406805-unraveled

Purchase links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bgEKUw

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2b4SmBx

Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2b4SDVd

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2aVbvW4

iTunes: http://apple.co/2b9MZhC

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2b838X4

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY:

Jennifer is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, and the publisher has offered up 5 print copies of UNRAVELED AND one FULL SET of the Elemental Assassin series! Open to US and Canada residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Jennifer Estep:

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

 

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. Unwanted, e-novella #14.5 in the series, is available now. Unraveled, book #15, will be released on Aug. 30.

 

Jennifer also writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series. She is also the author of the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series and the Bigtime paranormal romance series.

 

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit www.jenniferestep.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Book Review: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

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Colleen Hoover, It Ends With Us

It Ends With Us – Colleen Hoover

Release Date: August 2nd 2016

Atria: New Adult

367 pages (paperback ARC) 

You can read this review and others on my Goodreads here. (Don’t be shy to send a friend request as well!

Colleen Hoover is a genius.

A literary genius.

If I had to desribe this book in one word or a lot of one words it would be: Intense. Draining. Moving. Real. Feels. Life. Me. You. Empowering.

As of now, if she wrote anything and I mean anything, I would read it. A shopping list, a love note, a death note or even just my name. That’s how good she is.

It Ends With Us is like nothing she has written to date. I know a lot of bloggers may have already said this but it’s true. With Colleen you expect a certain theme and I was expecting this theme, I was expecting for this to be like her other books, but with every book even though they are alike in some ways, they blow me away. This one blew me away but for a completely different reason.

It blew me away because it was me or a part of it was me. A part of it could be anyone or speak to them as it did to me.

I admit I was a little upset when I noticed where the book was going and I literally threw my beloved ARC across my bed at at my sisters feet. I told her, “Take it away from me. I can’t read it. I don’t want to read it.”

You see, the book made me feel. It made me feel emotions I didn’t want to feel again and I didn’t want to experience it as the character, Lily, did because I knew it. I knew what was gonna happen and I didn’t want it. We all expect for books to make us feel, we have the expression, “This book gave me the feels,” though the feels I felt hurt me. It hurt me in a good way if that makes sense. It hurt me because it was real and I could relate, I could relate so damn hard. It was the emotion that only Life throws at you and you guys know Life can be a bitch.

Though, Colleen had a reason to write Lily’s story the way she did. To have outcomes handled the way Lily did. To have a love interest (or two) like the one Lily has. It made sense the closer to end I started to get after my sister gave me back my book and said, “Quit playing. It’s Colleen Hoover, you have to finish it.”

And I did. I finished it in two hours. I devoured that book. I read. Every. Single. Word. And they all stuck with me. When I was done I threw the book at my sister again and sobbed out the words, “I’m done. I’m so done. I can’t. Don’t give it back, I’m serious, don’t do it.” She gave me a funny look and gave it back. I immediately flipped to the first page and re read the book.

Yes you read that right, I re read that damn book. Again.

I’ve had this review sitting in my drafts for awhile because what am I to say without spoiling this beautiful story? Do I hype this book up even more? How to I even express what this made me feel, because boy did I feel.

One thing I can say is go in blind. Don’t read any spoilers. Lily’s story is one not to know anything about. Have tissues because Colleen likes to make us cry and then sacrifice our tears to the books gods to produce another tear jerker book we will all fall over ourselves to get ARCs of in the next year. And find a cozy spot, after the first page, hell even the sentence, you won’t want to stop.

I gave this book 5 f-ing stars. I don’t usually cuss but Colleen brings out my potty mouth – in a good way. What else am I supposed to say other than buy the book, like yesterday, even though it releases today. Please do not spoil the book for anyone and I hope you guys will share your thoughts with me! Thank you readers for reading and I will have another blog post up soon.

Over and out.

Book Review and Q&A – Unwanted (Elemental Assassin #14.5) by Jennifer Estep

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Elemental Assassin, Finnegan Lane, Jennifer Estep, Unwanted

Hey guys! I had the absolute pleasure on reviewing Unwanted by Jennifer Estep for you today and also talking with the author for a few quick questions. As you know I am a huge fan of Jennifer Estep and have read all her books so I was thrilled to be on this blog tour. Also, Unwanted, an e-novella to her adult series, Elemental Assassin, releases today so after reading this review you can go and buy yourselves a copy! If you have read the Elemental Assassin books, I hope you have enjoyed them immensely and continue on with Finn’s story in Unwanted. Here is a quick synopsis for you guys who aren’t quite caught up:

Unwanted – Jennifer Estep

Release Date: July 18th 2016

Pocket Books: Urban Fantasy

100 pages (Kindle edition)

You can read this review and others on my Goodreads here. (Don’t be shy to send a friend request as well!

The New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin series continues with a new e-novella–from the point of view of Finnegan Lane, the foster brother of Gin Blanco, and a fan favorite of readers of the series.

The fallout from his disastrous “family reunion” in Bitter Bite has left Finn feeling hurt, angry, and depressed. He can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror, much less eat any of the delicious barbecue from Gin’s famed Pork Pit restaurant.

But when the funeral for a slain security guard at his bank turns into a showdown with some nasty underworld giants, Finn knows that he must act in order to protect an innocent family.

The New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin series continues with a new e-novella–from the point of view of Finnegan Lane, the foster brother of Gin Blanco, and a fan favorite of readers of the series.

The fallout from his disastrous “family reunion” in Bitter Bite has left Finn feeling hurt, angry, and depressed. He can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror, much less eat any of the delicious barbecue from Gin’s famed Pork Pit restaurant.

But when the funeral for a slain security guard at his bank turns into a showdown with some nasty underworld giants, Finn knows that he must act in order to protect an innocent family.

Finnegan Lane might be the most unwanted man in Ashland these days, but he’s determined to try to make amends for his past mistakes…

My review: 

It’s no secret that I love this series. Been reading for about 5ish years and I still love it. Finn, dear Finn, had me reeling in the last book and I couldn’t help but feel for him. He is indeed a fan favorite and I knew that he needed his own novella or book to sort out the disaster that happened in Bitter Bite.

I dove into Unwanted head on and didn’t look up from my Kindle until I was finished. Finn may not be a badass assassin like his foster sister Gin, the main heroine in the books, but he is pretty badass with guns. The fighting scenes in this novella were just as action packed as if Gin were fighting and it was refreshing to see Finn hold his own without Gin being there to back him up. He needed to do this job himself and I only began to love him more for that.

I had so much fun being in Finn’s head even though he was being a Debby Downer with himself, though his charming self still shines through the cracks and I could only smile when I knew my Finnegan Lane would be just fine. . .

Overall I give this book 4 stars and am on the edge of my seat for the next installment as I always am. Thank you readers for reading and I will have another blog post up soon,

Over and out.
Quick Q&A with Jennifer Estep:

Q1) What do you do when you are not writing?

JE: I enjoy reading, watching movies/TV, doing yoga, and hanging out with my friends and family.

Q2) How often are you spent writing?

JE: I don’t necessarily write every day, but I do work every day. I’m usually on the computer by 9 a.m. checking my emails and social media sites. Once that’s done, I work on whatever I need to do that day, whether it’s writing, reading through page proofs, blogging, etc. I take a break for lunch, then go back to work.

I take another break in the afternoon, then go back to work in the evening. Sometimes, I’ll work as late as 10 p.m. if I have a deadline or something that needs to get done.

Q3) Do you have a playlist for writing?

JE: Nope, I don’t listen to music while I’m writing. I find that I end up tuning out the music since I’m so focused on my writing. So writing in complete silence just works best for me.

I will sometimes listen to music while I’m blogging, updating social media, or things like that. Some of my favorite musicians include The Killers, Kelly Clarkson, and Jimmy Buffett, among many others.

Q4) What’s your favorite recipe for something quick?

JE: Since it’s summer, I’ll share this. It’s not really a recipe, but my mom and grandma do this every summer. Enjoy!

Sweet Summer Strawberries

1 gallon fresh strawberries

Sugar, to taste

Wash and cap strawberries. Let strawberries dry, then cut them into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Starting with about a cup of sugar, add sugar to strawberries until desired sweetness is reached. (The more sugar you add, the sweeter they will be.) Stir the sugar until it is dissolved and has formed a syrup over the strawberries. Serve immediately, or ladle strawberries and syrup into airtight containers and freeze until ready to use.

Note: These strawberries are great on toast, as part of a PB&J, or over vanilla ice cream. Also, this recipe works with all kinds of summer berries, as well as other summer fruits, like peaches.

Q5) Are you the cook in the house or someone else?

JE: I like to cook when I have time. Dessert is my favorite thing to make.
Thank you Jennifer for answering my questions and hope your release day for Unwanted goes well! Readers, don’t forget to snag your own copy and if you haven’t met Finn or the rest of the gang, I highly encourage you to pick up the first book in its series, Spider Bite, you won’t be able to put it down!

JENNIFER ESTEP

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. Unwanted, e-novella #14.5 in the series, will be released on July 18. Unraveled, book #15, will be released on Aug. 30.

Jennifer also writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series. She is also the author of the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series and the Bigtime paranormal romance series.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit http://www.jenniferestep.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Giveaway! Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Tags

Cassandra Clare, Lady Midnight, The Dark Artifices

 

Hey guys this is a quick giveaway post since I have an extra copy of Lady Midnight. I have already posted the giveaway on my Instagram and Twitter if you would like to enter there too! Rules are on each social media site but here on the blog you must be a follower and comment what you’re excited about with this new Shadowhunter series!
Follow me and the rules on IG and Twitter if you want better odds at winning. I am @BookFanatic757 on both so go forth and enter!

Thank you guys for following and don’t forget to comment on this post so I know you’ve entered! I will pick a winner next Friday, so you have a week to get your entries in. Good luck!
Over and out.

Book Review: Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin #14) by Jennifer Estep

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Bitter Bite, Elemental Assassin, Gin Blanco, Jennifer Estep

Bitter Bite – Jennifer Estep

Release Date: February 23rd 2016

Pocket Books: Urban Fantasy

400 pages (Kindle edition)

You can read this review and others on my Goodreads here. (Don’t be shy to send a friend request as well!)

Because the longer rope I gave her, the sooner she would hang herself with it. And when she did, the Spider would be waiting to cut down the rope – and put Deidre Shaw in the ground for good this time. – Gin Blanco

Bitter Bite is the 14th installment in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series. Take a moment because this is the 14th book in its series, 14th! So be aware there will be spoilers in this review because duh its the 14th book, of course there is going to be spoilers.

I have been on this journey with Gin since I first read the first book, Spider’s Bite, and have not been disappointed with each book that came after and there was no difference with this one. Well maybe a little difference being that this book topped all previous 13.

Bitter Bite started in a very Gin-like fashion where our favorite protagonist is in a graveyard digging up a grave because what else would Gin be doing? Because she is the Spider, the most notorious assassin in Ashland, she runs into some trouble but you know Gin, she can kick ass with her eyes close while getting a manicure done that was probably forced by her foster brother Finn. Speaking of Finn, this book happens to follow around him and his thought-to-be-dead-but-is-now-alive mother. Finn doesn’t see anything wrong with his mom suddenly reappearing in his life after 30+ years but Gin knows there is something fishy about Deidre Shaw from a cryptic message that Fletcher had left behind for her to find.

Throughout the series I adored Finn – such a sweet and good natured charmer that Finn. But I never wanted to throttle him so bad until reading this. Though I mean throttle him in a good sense. I wanted to throttle Deidre Shaw in a bad sense as did the rest of the characters – Sophia, Bria, Owen, JoJo, Silvio and Gin.

The blood induced fighting scenes were as fantastic as ever – I love it when people underestimate Gin and she comes out on top like she always does. While Finn does choose to not believe Gin about his mother, their sibling bond only continues to grow as Gin fights to save Finn’s life and hers. We also get to see a flashback of the two when they were younger and how their bond really began to grow as they had each other’s back. I absolutely loved seeing them work together in the end and show just how far they would go for one another.

Like always the side characters are a great part of Estep’s writing, they may only seem like side characters to other readers but to me they make the book in something so much more and bring out the greatness that is Gin. I loved the banter between Gin and her assistant Silvio – it felt more relaxed in this book and I couldn’t help laughing every time Gin threatened to take away Silvio’s electronics for tracking her whereabouts. You know you love him Gin. Bria was a hoot, her jealous and dark side coming out in Bitter Bite making Gin amused as well as me too. But her love for Finn made her try to be a better person though that didn’t keep her from clenching her teeth and saying, “The things we do for love.”

My favorite aspect of the book was how funny it was despite the situation, the lines Estep gave to her characters came out at the right times and always got a laugh out of me. The best part of the funny parts was how Estep incorporated some form of killing or someone dying. It was in the perfect Gin-like fashion and made the book lighter. My favorite scene was when Gin talked about a time when Finn made a bet that she couldn’t mock kill him, which she did of course, and she calmly talked about all the places she scouted out to kill Finn and how easy she made it to be. It was a great way to take a depressing scene and make it hopeful that Gin would save the day.

Most may not say it but I did not see that ending coming, every time I thought I knew who the bad guy was I was wrong and the mystery kept on turning, shocking Gin and the readers. I love that Estep always has me guessing and that I gasp out loud when the antagonist is revealed.

I need to stop gushing and just tell you guys to read the book, so read the damn book – It was amazing and I cannot wait for the next one ( the 15th book!). Overall I gave the book 5 well deserved stars and if I could have given more, I so would have. Thank you readers for reading and I will have another blog post up soon.

Over and out.

 

Release Day Blitz: Letting Go by B.A. Wolfe!

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B.A. Wolfe, Letting Go

  
Title: Letting Go (Keaton #1.5)
Author: B.A. Wolfe
Genre: New Adult
Release Date: September 28th, 2015

Cover Design: Perfect Pear Creative Cover

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25667678-letting-go?ac=1

Synopsis:
Jason Bradley is a simple, country guy thrust into a life most wouldn’t consider normal. He’s dealt with his share of heartbreak and pain, and now he keeps his secrets close to his heart to avoid getting hurt again. Living the only way he knows how.

Until Cassandra Pierce crashes into his world. After a life-changing moment he never anticipated, he realizes that loving her is only the beginning.

A whirlwind of days…

Beautiful moments…

Then it all comes tumbling down, and Jason learns that the hardest part of living…of loving…is letting go.
This is Jason’s story.
**Letting Go is a Full Length Companion Novel to the Keaton Series and is told in Jason’s (Jase) POV **

  
Playlist- http://spoti.fi/1JttHT3

** Please note- Letting Go will be releasing at a special price of only .99 Cents for two days only!! We have included a graphic and would love for you to share this low release day price with your followers!!

  
Purchase Links: 

Amazon- http://amzn.to/1Ft9nAi

Amazon UK- http://amzn.to/1iUKW4Q

Amazon CA- http://amzn.to/1MScuEA

B&N- Coming Soon

iBooks- Coming Soon

Kobo- Coming Soon

About The Author-

B.A. Wolfe is a girl with a passion for reading and writing, and lives in the good old state of Colorado with her husband (her biggest cheerleader), and her two crazy min pin fur babies. These days, her life is anything but calm, and there isn’t one thing she’d want to change. B.A. spends all her free time either furiously typing stories on her laptop or happily reading through her endless TBR on her Kindle. Her list of favorites would be long enough to fill a book, but most would likely fall under the romance category. She is a sucker for a good love story that makes her cry, and an amazing book boyfriend who will melt her heart.

Author Links-
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbawolfe/
Website: http://www.authorbawolfe.com/
B.A.’s Wolfe Pack: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222618881245078/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BAWolfe3
Instagram: https://instagram.com/author.bawolfe/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7133885.B_A_Wolfe

The Keaton Series

Away (Book #1)- FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1g7vBeR
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1hBy3ZM
iBooks- http://apple.co/1WbQbuU
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1PZhFQl
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1LhND70
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UEzbuT

Stay (Book #2)-
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1XGXcpi
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1y8Qla3
iBooks-
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Fw8Qbd
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1NZoxQe
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UEzbuT

Giveaway:
$25.00 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Direct Link: http://bit.ly/1V8vca7

Cover Reveal: Letting Go (Keaton #1.5) by BA Wolfe & Giveaway!

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BA Wolfe, Keaton series, Letting Go

Genre: New Adult

Release Date: September 28th, 2015

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25667678-letting-go?ac=1

Synopsis:

Jason Bradley is a simple, country guy thrust into a life most wouldn’t consider normal. He’s dealt with his share of heartbreak and pain, and now he keeps his secrets close to his heart to avoid getting hurt again. Living the only way he knows how.  Until Cassandra Pierce crashes into his world. After a life-changing moment he never anticipated, he realizes that loving her is only the beginning. A whirlwind of days… Beautiful moments… Then it all comes tumbling down, and Jason learns that the hardest part of living…of loving…is letting go.  This is Jason’s story.

**Letting Go is a Full Length Companion Novel to the Keaton Series and is told in Jason’s (Jase) POV **

Excerpt:

I sat in my favorite spot on the grass in front of the abandoned library, and folded Dan’s latest letter into fourths before shoving it into my pocket. According to his scribbles, he’d be down this weekend, but about ten minutes ago that changed. He called and told me that he had to work. I should’ve known better. His visits to Keaton were few and far between. But there was no use in trying to fix things, because Dan would never let me.

Releasing a breath, I pulled out a pen from my back pocket and started the letter I owed him. In my best chicken scratch, I wrote the D, the A, and the N. The three letters were all I got out when a loud bang followed by a whoosh and constant flapping sound caused me to look up.

A car was headed straight for the tree on the other side of the street and I couldn’t move fast enough, not that trying to help was really an option. There wasn’t any time. The car crashed into the trunk and the screeching of metal pierced my eardrums. My heart pounded, my lungs pumped relentlessly, but the rest of me sat rooted to the grass. I glanced down at the letter, clutched in my shaking fist.  

“Shit,” I muttered as I looked up at the steam flowing out of the engine.

I snapped out of my daze and darted from my spot, running directly over to the car. It was in bad shape, but there was no time to investigate it. I sprinted to the driver’s side and tapped on the window, not sure what to expect.

It was a girl.

Her eyes dragged from the steaming heap in front of her and met mine, slamming my heart into my chest. It was hard to focus on anything but the hazel irises staring back at me or the glimmer of water forming in the corners. Her golden hair fell over her heart-shaped face, swaying back and forth as her breathing sped up.

Beautiful.

She was breathtaking.

 A streak of crimson appeared, dripping from the wound in her forehead. The frantic expression swarming her features sobered me up quickly. 

“Hold still. I’m calling for help right now. You were just in an accident. Your airbag didn’t deploy, and you hit your head pretty hard. I need you to stay put,” I told her, pretending to be calm even though my heart was racing. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the accident or because this gorgeous girl was staring at me like I was her saving grace.

With a shaky hand, I fished my cell phone out and dialed 9-1-1. I told the operator what happened and our location and shoved the phone back into my pocket, returning my focus back to the girl, her hands trembling. The tears covering her face were killing me and I ached to comfort her.

“I know you’re scared, sweetheart, but help is on the way.” I wasn’t sure my words would keep her calm. I just didn’t know what else to tell her. I glanced at the banged up tree and it wasn’t two seconds later, another loud noise drew my attention away.

I twisted my neck and saw the girl furiously pounding against the window, using all of her energy to fight her way out of the car.

Damn it! She might hurt herself more if she kept that up.

“I need you to calm down. You’re going to be okay. The cops are going to help get you out.” Where in the hell were they? The town wasn’t that big. They should have been here already.

“NO! I need out of here. I need out now!” she yelled, like it wasn’t up for negotiation.

This chick was determined and between her sobbing pleas and the blood on her forehead, I was about to lose it if she didn’t get out soon, too. I pulled on the door handle, but there was no luck. It was locked. I ran to the other side, trying to hustle before she kicked her way out. But it was locked too.

Of course.

I looked down and motioned with my finger for her to unlock the door. Two beats later, the door was free and opened.

Thank God.

I exhaled a breath of relief and knelt down, crouching into the car. “Hi there,” I said in the calmest voice I could manage.

I was too stunned to say anything else. Traces of something floral wafted from the car, curling around me. The absence of glass between us magnified her beauty and took my breath away—mesmerizing hazel eyes that hadn’t left mine, blonde hair swept across her shoulders, and finally a cherry-red, heart-shaped

mouth. I didn’t even have to try to smile at her, my lips curved up on their own. I couldn’t help but take the rest of her in. 

She had to be a city girl. There was no way she was from around here, because I’d for sure remember a face like hers.

About The Author-

B.A. Wolfe is a girl with a passion for reading and writing, and lives in the good old state of Colorado with her husband (her biggest cheerleader), and her two crazy min pin fur babies. These days, her life is anything but calm, and there isn’t one thing she’d want to change. B.A. spends all her free time either furiously typing stories on her laptop or happily reading through her endless TBR on her Kindle. Her list of favorites would be long enough to fill a book, but most would likely fall under the romance category. She is a sucker for a good love story that makes her cry, and an amazing book boyfriend who will melt her heart.

Author Links-

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbawolfe/ Website: http://www.authorbawolfe.com/ B.A.’s Wolfe Pack: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222618881245078/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BAWolfe3 Instagram: https://instagram.com/author.bawolfe/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7133885.B_A_Wolfe

The Keaton Series

Away (Book #1)- Amazon: http://amzn.to/1g7vBeR Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1hBy3ZM Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1PZhFQl Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1LhND70 Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UEzbuT

Stay (Book #2)- Amazon: http://amzn.to/1XGXcpi Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1y8Qla3 Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Fw8Qbd Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1NZoxQe Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UEzbuT

Giveaway:

Direct Link: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/83caabcd1/

Cover Reveal: Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills

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Dirty English, Ilsa Madden-Mills

Meet Declan and Elizabeth in Ilsa Madden-Mills new fighter romance!

Add to your TBR at: http://bit.ly/1L1URA5

Release Date: October 12th, 2015

A scarred fighter.

A girl with rules.

One night of unbridled passion.

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay, the new neighbor at her apartment complex.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more.

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.

She’s addicted to all things fantasy, including unicorns and sword-wielding heroes in books. Other fascinations include frothy coffee beverages, dark chocolate, Instagram, Ian Somerhalder (seriously hot), astronomy (she’s a Gemini), Sephora make-up, and tattoos.

She has a degree in English and a Master’s in Education.

When she’s not pecking away on her computer, she shops for cool magnets, paints old furniture, and eats her weight in sushi.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

You can stalk her on her website as well as get signed books: http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorilsamaddenmills?pnref=lhc

IG: https://instagram.com/ilsamaddenmills/

Twitter: @ilsamaddenmills

Ilsa Madden-Mills’ other books:

VERY BAD THINGS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1RH9CJY

iBooks: http://apple.co/1gl5Yaj

BN: http://bit.ly/1bOyH2g

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1D0BVw5

VERY WICKED BEGINNINGS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1K5NvX8

VERY WICKED THINGS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NvRIr5

iBooks: http://apple.co/1mVS3Wo

BN: http://bit.ly/1mT1cDB

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1C9EZt3

VERY TWISTED THINGS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1cvvkkh

iBooks: http://apple.co/1eN7Clh

BN: http://bit.ly/1KK0ljh

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1BHcK4R

Blog Tour: Reason and Romance by Jenn Young and GIVEAWAY!

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Jenn Young, Reason and Romance

*NOTE*

First I would like to apologize for not having my blog post up on my assigned date (which was the 19th) because of a huge family emergency that took up a week of my time. Nevertheless here I am and with my post for the book tour!

When I finally got my review copy of the book it was at least a month before I needed to have my blog post up so I thought I would hold off reading the book because I am a fast reader. So I went through two books before seeing this on my Kindle and thought I might as well read it because I was in a slump and thought this sounded like a good book to bring me out of the slump.

And oh my gosh it did.

It so did.

I could not put this book down for nothing. I went without a shower, without lunch, dinner and breakdfast the next day. I barely had sleep because I knew that I had to finish the book and when I finally did I could not believe the ending. It just ended. Nothing of a resolution. Nada. I was all for the ending – yeah revenege, lets go kick some boy ass and whatnot and then it was ‘to be continued’.

Before I go into the whole story I should give you the premise:

***

Reason and Romance by Jenn Young

Release Date: 12/09/14

Book Summary:

Being stuck in the godforsaken desert is Adrian Blake’s worst nightmare come true. Senior year is all about making fun memories. It’s not about starting over at a new school and navigating a new Brady Bunch family. It’s really not about living with a sexy, arrogant would-be stepbrother who knows how to push her buttons.

Alex Montgomery is the very definition of a player. The only thing he commits to is a one night stand. He’s exactly the kind of guy she hates. When she sleeps with him, it’s the biggest mistake of her life. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Not at school. Not at home.

Sometimes the best mistakes are the ones that you make over and over again…

Add to Goodreads
Buy Links: Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

My Thoughts:

Throughout the book I was surprised by how much I began to enjoy it, beginning wth the very first page. Right off the bat we are introduced Adrian’s witty, sarcastic attitude that suits her well and she knows it. I adored Adrian in this book and could not get enough of her sense of humor and smart ass comebacks that had me giggling and begging for more. I was also happy that this MC was NOT a virging and was perfectly fine with that. This book is also one I commend on for the side characters, I don’t think I loved the side characters as much as I loved Quentin, Travis, Justin, Bri, Vaughn, Alex’s brothers, Adrian’s sisters, the random girls Alex is sleeping with and the guys that fawn over Adrian, ahhh it was so good.

There were so many cold hearted girls in this book, asshat boys and drama being thrown in the crowd left and right that I wished I went to high school with the rest of the gang! I loved the excitement of gossip in the story and how one little thing led to the most outrageous piece of crap that had everyone believing it was real.

Of course I have to talk about this ‘thing’ going on with Adrian and Alex …

I was rooting for them! I wanted them together but they were on the brink of that horror everyone else was thinking as well as me: incest?

They weren’t technically related by blood by they were going to be related by marriage and that whatever was going on between them could not happen. But I really wanted it to. However when they did cross that line, more questions appear: Is this mutual attraction something more? What happens next? What will other people think?

All I could think was, “FINALLY!” But then feelings come into place and mess everything up. Ugh.

Oh but this is where emotions are on the line and they get hurt, backstabbed and betrayed and the player Revenege makes an appearance. The climax was at its peak and I was so excited! And like I said it just ended when the game was going good! I was scrolling through the pages to see if I missed some by accident but no. That was it.

If you are a huge fan of high school drama, secrets, revenege and fast paced stories, Reason and Romance is just for you. I highly recommend it giving it 5 gossip filled stars and cannot wait for the sequel which is to come out next year, I don’t know the exact date for sure but hopefully soon! Even though I missed my date for this blog post the giveaway is still open for a little under 2 weeks so go get entered!

About the Author

Jenn Young writes primarily Young Adult and New Adult. She used to write contemporary teen drama and romance under the pen name Myrika at Fictionpress. She also used to write under the pen name Moreta. Jenn is an unabashed lover of romance, soap operas, and paranormal/supernatural stories. When Jenn’s not working at her day job, she drinks too much coffee and buys too many books. She loves to hear from readers. Contact her via her website, jennyoung.com, or follow her on Twitter at myrikami. She can be found on Facebook too.

Author Links: Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook
GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour Organized by: YA Bound Book Tours