HOLD ME TIGHT Release Day!!! Excerpt & Giveaway!

I just shared my review with you all, and since it's Hold Me Tight's release day, too, I've also got an excerpt and giveaway for you!!!

 

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Title: Hold Me Tight
Author: Faith Sullivan
Release date: April 30, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Ebook available at: Kindle | Nook | Smashwords 



HOLD ME TIGHT Synopsis:

He loves me. He loves me not.

Ivy's heart shatters upon hearing Eric's crushing ultimatum. Despite how much she cares for him, she won't give in to his demands. She has no choice but to leave, even if it's the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

She loves me. She loves me not.

When Ivy walks out, Eric can't help feeling betrayed. Unwilling to put her at risk, he values her safety above all else. By refusing to compromise, he's blindsided when she moves in with a man who's already stolen so much from him.

I love you. You love me not.

Lauren sees Eric and Ivy's split as an opportunity to end their relationship once and for all. When Ivy places herself at the mercy of Eric's rival, Lauren plots to destroy the fragile tie binding them together, even if she endangers Ivy's life in the process.


Excerpt:

But there’s something I have to do before this goes any further.

Slowly, I draw my head away from her embrace, finding the courage to finally meet her eyes. Her hair hasn’t been combed and her face is all tear-stained, but she has never looked more beautiful.

She stands, bracing herself against me. Her breath hitches when I gently start unbuttoning her shirt, but her eyes never leave my face. I stop partway up, raising the bottom half of her cami up and over her baby bump. Dropping down, I run my hands across her stomach, feeling her shiver against my fingertips. Looking up at her, I place my lips on her bellybutton, kissing the child that’s growing within her, the miracle we created.

“I will never ask you to choose again,” I say solemnly, my voice nothing but a whisper.

Ivy starts to cry in earnest, placing her hands atop mine.

“You are my heart now. Whatever happens to you happens to me.” I kiss each one of her knuckles as she sighs deeply, like she’s been longing with all her soul to hear me say these words. “I know I’m not as brave as you are, but I promise to try harder.”

“Eric, stop. You’re the bravest man I know,” she proclaims with a tender fierceness, tears shining in her eyes.

“I’m just so afraid of losing you,” I mutter, breaking down.

“Oh, Eric,” she whimpers, sobbing right along with me. “I know, baby... I know.”

I lean back against the wall, guiding her onto my lap. We don’t say anything more. We just sit there and hold each other, savoring the moment.

What readers are saying about HOLD ME TIGHT:

"I'm so excited! Eric's balls grew back! He's going to fight for her. I envisioned the whole scene in my mind. True romance at its finest." 

- Rhonda Hofmiller

"You are such a tease! What a way to leave me hanging there, after that scene at the kitchen table. DAMN. Hose me down with cold water please!" 

-Natalie Smith

"Hallelujah and praise the Lord, Eric is FINALLY going after what's his! *sigh* What a lovely welcome home present indeed!"

- Ashley Bodette

Books in this New Adult Contemporary Romance trilogy:

About the Author:

Faith Sullivan is an author of New Adult contemporary romances including the HEARTBEAT trilogy, the TAKE ME NOW series and the 9/11 novel, UNEXPECTED. She writes love stories with a little dash of crazy.

Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads

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GOOD LUCK!!! :D

Review: Hold Me Tight (Take Me Now #3) by Faith Sullivan

Source: Received an ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: Already Released!
Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N


Description from Goodreads:

He loves me. He loves me not.

Ivy's heart shatters upon hearing Eric's crushing ultimatum. Despite how much she cares for him, she won't give in to his demands. She has no choice but to leave, even if it's the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

She loves me. She loves me not.

When Ivy walks out, Eric can't help feeling betrayed. Unwilling to put her at risk, he values her safety above all else. By refusing to compromise, he's blindsided when she moves in with a man who's already stolen so much from him.

I love you. You love me not.

Lauren sees Eric and Ivy's split as an opportunity to end their relationship once and for all. When Ivy places herself at the mercy of Eric's rival, Lauren plots to destroy the fragile tie binding them together, even if she endangers Ivy's life in the process.

Ever since I finished Meant for Me, I've been eagerly waiting for Hold Me Tight to be released...and it's finally here! :D I couldn't wait to read it, and it definitely didn't disappoint! While there was quite a bit of drama for my taste, I did really enjoy it. :) Hold Me Tight was most certainly worth the wait, and I am extremely happy with how everything turned out! The ending was seriously so satisfying...so know that going into it as a trilogy! ;)

I have to admit that at the beginning of the book I was not a happy camper, and the characters were completely frustrating me. I wanted to shake them, and snap both Eric and Ivy into action. I may have been frustrated, but I was definitely involved...and my emotions had me completely wrapped up in the story. So, even when I wasn't a happy camper...I was still riveted to the story! Thankfully, while the beginning of Hold Me Tight started off a bit rocky, everything eventually came together and I was able to love the story in a way that didn't make me want to shake the characters. :P

I've always loved Eric and Ivy together, and in Hold Me Tight, this was no exception! I love their chemistry (it's definitely steamy ;D), their banter, and how they both really do make each other better. When they've been apart, they've made some pretty silly decisions, but in Hold Me Tight, it was great to see them finally starting to make "better" choices, and to think before acting...which for Eric, who has a bit of a quick-firing temper, was huge progress, and awesome to see. Most of all, I loved seeing their relationship grow stronger throughout this book, and seeing both of them mature as they did. Hold Me Tight was definitely fantastic for character progression, for Ivy, Eric, and a few of the other characters, too!

Overall, I really enjoyed Hold Me Tight, and have thoroughly loved getting to read Eric and Ivy's story in the Take Me Now Trilogy! I've loved seeing their relationship grow and all of the characters in these books progress...it's been a fantastic reading experience, and I'll definitely have to return to these books and characters again! I would recommend Hold Me Tight, and the Take Me Now Trilogy, to fans who like romances that aren't always perfect, and to fans who love super steamy chemistry that comes with a story packed with quite a bit of drama. :)

What do you think?
Does Hold Me Tight and the Take Me Now Trilogy sound like a story you'd like to read?
And has anyone else read these books? If so, what did you think?

Waiting on Wednesday (10): Isla and the Happily Ever After!!

 

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It gives us the chance to fangirl over all of the books that we can't wait to read!

ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins

Hitting the shelves on August 14, 2014 from Dutton

Book Description: 

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

MY THOUGHTS

It has been a long wait for Isla and the Happily Ever After...but it's almost here! Only a few more months, and we'll have Isla in our hands!!! I absolutely loved both Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door, and I've definitely been one of those readers waiting eagerly for Isla! Now that it's almost here, it might just be the time to reread Anna and Lola's books!!! :D

WHO ELSE CAN'T WAIT FOR ISLA?????
(And, yes! I did need to put that question in CAPS!)
What books are you waiting eagerly for?

Tea Tuesdays! (8): Today's Tea is...BIRTHDAY CAKE!

I'm totally obsessed with tea, so every Tuesday, I'm sharing one of my favourites...and maybe sometimes something just totally awesome and tea-related.

Recently my biggest tea obsession has been loose tea! If you're new to loose tea, check out my first Tea Tuesday post and see how easy it is to brew! You can also click my "Tea Tuesdays!" button above to see my previous tea posts! :D

This upcoming Saturday, May 3rd, is my birthday, so the perfect tea to share this week is BIRTHDAY CAKE from DAVIDsTEA!! :D

One thing I really love about this tea is that it's colourful...and it's also super sweet! I have to admit that I definitely have a sweet tooth, so I love to indulge my sugary side with a nice warm cup of Birthday Cake! :D

Take a peek at what Birthday Cake looks like:

YES! Those are sprinkles!!! The tin I have is also really cute!! :D

Here's what DAVIDsTEA has to say about BIRTHDAY CAKE:

PARTY LIKE IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY

What’s the best thing about birthdays? It could be the presents, or spending time with loved ones, but let’s be honest. It’s all about the cake. With vanilla icing, and lots of sprinkles. And this sweet and festive rooibos blend brings the taste of birthday cake to your cup any day of the year – sprinkles and all. Best of all, not only is it low in calories, it also has all the goodness of rooibos. Talk about having your cake and eating it too.

INGREDIENTS
Red and green rooibos, honeybush, sprinkles, ice cream bits, natural and artificial flavoring. (Contains milk, eggs and soy.)

This is what it looks like once it's brewed:

I really like Birthday Cake, but it is definitely more of a dessert tea because it's super duper sweet all on it's own. I love my sugar and probably consume way more than is necessary, so I do try to limit the really sweet teas (like this one!) because it makes them a bit more special. I love it though, and it's definitely the perfect drink for me as my birthday approaches. ;)

Any other fan of sugary treats and teas out there?
What tea are you a fan of right now?

Cover Catch-Up (8): Just Found!!!

In "Cover Catch-Up" I share some covers that have either been recently revealed, or that I've just found and really wanted to share. 

This week, I've got two covers that I just found this week to share!

The first cover is for Blue Lily, Lily Blue, the third book in Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle!

 

I absolutely love this cover! It matches the previous two extremely well, but it's also so different, and it's making me extreme curious and eager for the book to come out! :D This one's out in October...and I can't wait to read it!!!

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The second cover that I have to share this week is for A is for Abstinence by Kelly Oram! It's the followup to her book, V is for Virgin!

I absolutely loved V is for Virgin, so I was extremely excited for more of Val and Kyle...especially since this one is in Kyle's POV!!! :D And I love this cover! It's similar to V is for Virgin's cover, but also makes it obvious that this one is centred around Kyle because he's on the cover, and it has his "A" bracelet! :)

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Have you found any great covers recently?
What do you think of these two?
And who else is excited to read these?

Mani Monday (7): Blue & Orange!

It's Monday again, so it's time for another Mani Monday! Today, my manicure is all about the glitter and the pop power!

The polishes I used for today's mani are Julep's "Holly" and "Sabrina"!

For anyone interested in becoming a Julep maven, I'm just going to start posting a disclaimer and referral link in any of the posts where I mention Julep. :P So, you can use my referral link: Become a Julep Maven! And you can get your first Maven box free! Just make sure to put FREEBOX (all one word) in the promo code box. Note: the link I've used is a referral link of my own, so I do get rewarded "Jules" per referral, but if you're really interested in signing up as a maven, I'd really appreciate you using my link. Even if you don't though, make sure you remember the code or your first box won't be free. :)

Ever since I did my nails with the black crackle from Julep for the first time, I've been totally crackle-obsessed! I actually bought Julep's orange crackle, "Sabrina", at the time that I bought their black one, "Ursula", so I decided to use the orange this time. I'm a huge fan of using contrasting colours together, and two of the colours that contrast superbly are blue and orange, so that's what I used for this mani!

I ended up using Julep's "Holly", which is a turquoise-y blue, and their orange crackle, "Sabrina".

Here's how it turned out: 

So, as I said, I'm a bit crackle-obsessed right now! I just think that it looks fantastic! :D
I'm also just really loving Julep's crackle polishes. The first crackle polishes I used didn't work nearly as well as theirs, but I love these ones! :D

What do you think?

Do you like to use contrasting colours when you paint your nails?

And are you obsessed with anything with your nails, like I am with crackle polish right now?

Waiting on Wednesday (9) Visions!!

 

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It gives us the chance to fangirl over all of the books that we can't wait to read!

VISIONS (Cainsville #2) by Kelley Armstrong

Hitting the shelves on August 19, 2014 from Random House Canada

Book Description:

n the second book in bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's exciting new Cainsville series, Olivia's newly discovered power to read omens leads to the discovery of a gruesome crime with troubling connections to her hometown.

     Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong's Cainsville series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.

     Their success, however, is short lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel's past mistakes come to light, creating a rift between them just when she needs his help the most.

     Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia's certain it's another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman with a connection to Cainsville went missing just days earlier--the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has Olivia's new home played in this disturbing murder?

     Olivia's effort to uncover the truth places her in the crosshairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don't want revealed.

MY THOUGHTS

Just a few more months until Visions comes out!!! I quickly devoured Omens, and am so excited to read Visions! I loved Olivia, and can't wait to see what she gets herself into next...hopefully, it'll involve Gabriel because I totally love him. :P I also just absolutely loved getting to read a new world of Kelley Armstrong's! I loved her Women of the Otherworld series and her Darkness Rising and Darkest Powers Trilogies, which all kind of connect together, so it's nice to see her writing a series that seems to be completely on its own, too. :)

Who else can't wait for Visions?
What other books are you waiting for?

Unnatural Blog Tour: J.A. Belfield's Top 10 Forbidden Romances!!! #Giveaway #TopTen

Title: Unnatural

Series: Holloway Pack #4

Author: J.A. Belfield

Release Date: April 7, 2014

 

Description: 

Unnatural. One word to sum up werewolf Kyle Larsen—his mood swings, abnormal body, and choice of female.
 
The first two, he blames on the vampire venom.

The third, though? No, feline shifter Brook Nicholls was all his doing—a female of whom the pack will never approve.
 
As part of the Coalition, an organisation with even stricter rules than the pack and a rigidly warped sense of responsibility, Brook comes with a whole lot of opposition of her own.

No wonder the two of them keep their relationship secret for as long as they can.

Now, distanced from his family by his own indiscretions, Kyle’s left to fight battles he’s unsure how to win—some of them even against his own pack.

Is one woman really so important that he’s willing to defy his Alpha for her?

If his heart has any say in the matter, the answer will be yes.

Best known for her Holloway Pack Stories, J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, two cats and a dog. She writes paranormal romance, with a second love for urban fantasy.

Website | Blog | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

J.A. Belfield's Top 10 Forbidden Romances:

To me, a forbidden romance isn’t just about sneaking off behind everyone’s backs and fighting the forces for moments together, though I do consider these, too. It’s more about romance that has roadblocks—or lines—that shouldn’t be crossed, but must be for the duo to be together. With that in mind, I’m going to list my favourites—in no particular order.

Roarke and Eve Dallas (In Death series by J.D. Robb)
Read this series? Think back to the very first, Naked in Death, when Eve should have steered clear of Roarke, who just happened to be a suspect on the case she was investigating. Dude, that was some physical attraction in there, which went on and evolved into a powerful romance. Love this couple.  

Alex and Aiden (Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout)
Pures and Halfs can’t be together. It’s the rules. Alex, though, ain’t a follower of rules and watching the slow development of this forbidden romance unfold was something pretty awesome.

Zsadist and Beth (Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward)
Okay, yes, I know they weren’t actually forbidden, but … they did have a lot of opposition, because not only did Z think he wasn’t good enough for Beth, but there seemed to be some serious concerns in that department from other corners, too. Most of the lines crossed in this one were ones drawn by Zsadist himself—and those can sometimes be the best kind.  

Isaiah and Rachel (Crash Into You by Katie McGarry)
Differing social backgrounds can make for a great barrier to a relationship, and only circumstance of Rachel’s hobby brings this great duo crashing together. This book is my favourite in the Pushing the Limits series so far.  

Sascha and Lucas (Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh)
An unlikely coupling. One loves stimulus; one shies from it—could these two be any more opposite? Yet, somehow, it worked.

Katy and Daemon (Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout)
Sure, the Luxen can fool around with a human, but have a relationship, fall in love with one? Nuh-uh. Not allowed. Try telling rule-breaker Daemon Black that. He won’t listen, though—dude wouldn’t even listen to himself.

Cas Lowood and Anna (Anna Dressed in Blood)
This is an unusual one, and one I pondered over including, but in the end, the romantic in me won out. Whilst the story isn’t exactly a romance, I found Cas’s perceptions and feelings about Anna to be definitely romanticised, and yeah … Anna’s non-living status is a pretty big barrier for anything like that truly happening.  

Faith & Jace (Shifters by Rachel Vincent)
Okay, don’t pound on me and yell that the romance was actually between Faith and Marc, because I know. However, that didn’t stop me falling in love with Jace, and having a really tough time trying to decide on Faith’s behalf which of them she should be with. This is possibly my favourite love triangle I have read to date. My heart still aches for him whenever I think about sweet Jace. *sigh*  

Nick Merrick and Adam (Breathless/Secret by Brigid Kemmerer)
This one isn’t forbidden in actuality, but Nick’s concerns over how his relationship and sexual orientation will be received by his family are just as debilitating. Watching this teen struggle with his feelings, his fears, and how his family reacts to this piece of news he has managed to keep secret for so long is as uplifting as it heartbreaking. If this series isn’t on your to-read shelf, then you should be asking yourself why not?

And, of course, Romeo and Juliet Now, I feel I should come clean and admit that I’ve never actually read this iconic tale of forbidden love, though, regardless, who doesn’t know the story of Romeo and Juliet? This is the biggest tragic love story of all time, and a great inspiration to romance writers everywhere. Proven by the fact folks are still reading and discussing it this amazing number of years later.

So, there’s my list. What are your favourite forbidden romances in literature?

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What do you think about J.A. Belfield's list of forbidden romances??
And do you think her characters, Kyle and Brooke, make the list? ;)

Waiting on Wednesday (8): Sweet Filthy Boy!

 

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It gives us the chance to fangirl over all of the books that we can't wait to read!

SWEET FILTHY BOY (Wild Seasons #1) by Christina Lauren

Hitting the shelves on May 27, 2014 from Gallery Books

Book Description:

One-night stands are supposed to be with someone convenient, or wickedly persuasive, or regrettable. They aren’t supposed to be with someone like him.

But after a crazy Vegas weekend celebrating her college graduation—and terrified of the future path she knows is a cop-out—Mia Holland makes the wildest decision of her life: follow Ansel Guillaume—her sweet, filthy fling—to France for the summer and just…play.

When feelings begin to develop behind the provocative roles they take on, and their temporary masquerade adventures begin to feel real, Mia will have to decide if she belongs in the life she left because it was all wrong, or in the strange new one that seems worlds away.

MY THOUGHTS

I'm a huge fan of Lauren Billings and Christina Hobbs, the two authors who co-write under the pen name of Christina Lauren, so I absolutely cannot wait to read Sweet Filthy Boy! It sounds like it's going to be just as sexy, and hilarious as their Beautiful Bastard series! I also just think that the story sounds fantastic, and I'm sure that Sweet Filthy Boy is going to be yet another one of their books that I can't put down! :D

Have you read anything by Christina Lauren yet?

Is Sweet Filthy Boy on your to-read list?

And what are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Don't Look Back Release Day!! #Excerpt

Today's the release day for Jennifer L. Armentrout's DON'T LOOK BACK!! DON’T LOOK BACK is a young adult suspense being published by Disney Hyperion! I've got an awesome excerpt to share with you today, too, so keep reading! :)

ABOUT DON’T LOOK BACK:

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all—popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her—even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory—someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

“This engrossing thriller packs a heady atmospheric punch with plenty of theatrical scares,” Kirkus Reviews

“Armentrout has written another winner. From the first page to the last, she builds both terror and confusion to the point where readers will be hooked and on the edge of their seat. This standalone contains all of Armentrout’s usual trademarks– a strong and determined heroine, witty comments and hot guys–but she adds in an extra layer by ratcheting up the suspense to the highest degree and follows it up with an ending no one will see coming.” RT BOOK REVIEWS 4 1/2 Stars TOP PICK

BUY LINKS: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes

EXCERPT

I didn’t recognize the name on the street sign. Nothing about the rural road looked familiar or

friendly. Tall, imposing trees and overgrown weeds choked the front of the dilapidated home.

Windows were boarded up. There was a gaping hole where the front door had been. I shivered,

wanting to be far away from here…wherever here was.

Walking felt harder than it should be, and I stumbled off the chilly asphalt, wincing as

sharp gravel dug into my feet.

My bare feet?

I stopped and looked down. Chipped pink nail polish peeked through the dirt…and blood.

Mud caked the legs of my pants, leaving the hems stiff. It made sense, seeing as how I wasn’t

wearing any shoes, but the blood…I didn’t understand why there was blood staining the knees of

my jeans.

My vision clouded and dulled, as if a gray film had been dropped over my eyes. As I

stared at the weathered asphalt under my feet, large and smooth rocks replaced the tiny stones.

Something dark and oily seeped over the rocks, slipping through the cracks.

Sucking in a sharp gasp, I blinked and the image was gone.

Hands trembling, I raised them. They were also covered with dirt and scratches. My nails

were broken, bloodied. A silver ring wrapped, encased in soil, around my thumb. Air froze in my

chest as my gaze crawled over my arms. The sleeves of my sweater were torn, revealing pale

flesh covered in bruises and gashes. My legs started to shake as I swayed forward. I tried to

remember how this had happened, but my head was empty—a black void where nothing existed.

A car drove by, coasting to a stop a few feet in front of me. Somewhere in the trenches of

my subconscious, I recognized the flashing red and blue lights as a source of safety. Elegantly

scrawled along the black-and-gray side of the cruiser were the words ADAMS COUNTY SHERIFF’S

DEPARTMENT.

Adams County? A flash of familiarity came and went.

The driver’s door opened, and a deputy stepped out. He said something into the radio on

his shoulder before he looked at me.

“Miss?” He started around the cruiser, taking tentative steps. He looked young for a

deputy. Barely out of high school and able to carry a gun seemed wrong somehow. Was I in high

school? I didn’t know. “We’ve received some calls into dispatch concerning you,” he said

gently. “Are you okay?”

I tried to respond, but only a hoarse squeak came out. Clearing my throat, I winced as the

motion scratched and pulled. “I…I don’t know.”

“Okay.” The deputy held up his hands as he approached me, as if I were a skittish deer

about to bolt. “My name is Deputy Rhode. I’m here to help you. Do you know what you’re doing

out here?”

“No.” Knots formed in my belly. I didn’t even know where here was.

His smile strained. “What’s your name?”

My name? Everyone knew their name, but as I stared at the deputy, I couldn’t answer his

question. The knots started twisting more. “I don’t…I don’t know what my name is.”

He blinked, and the smile was completely gone. “You don’t remember anything?”

I tried again, concentrating on the empty space between my ears. That was how it felt.

And I knew that wasn’t good. My eyes started to tear up.

“Miss, it’s okay. We’ll get you taken care of.” He reached out, lightly taking hold of my

arm. “We’ll get this sorted.”

Deputy Rhode led me around the back of his cruiser. I didn’t want to sit behind the

Plexiglas, because I knew that wasn’t good. Only bad people sat behind the glass in police

cruisers. I wanted to object, but before I could say anything, he settled me into the seat and

wrapped a coarse blanket around my shoulders.

Before he locked me in the bad part of the car, he knelt and smiled reassuringly.

“Everything’s going to be okay.”

But I knew he was lying, trying to make me feel better. It didn’t work. How could

everything be okay when I didn’t know my own name?

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook |
Jennifer L. Armentrout Goodreads | DON’T LOOK BACK Goodreads

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 I can't wait to read Don't Look Back! :D

It sounds amazing, and that cover is fantastic! It's creepy and beautiful all at the same time! :)

What do you think?

Did you enjoy the excerpt?

And are you planning to read Don't Look Back?

Tea Tuesdays! (7): Today's Tea is...a combination of Cold 911 & Redberry Tonic!

I'm totally obsessed with tea, so every Tuesday, I'm sharing one of my favourites...and maybe sometimes something just totally awesome and tea-related.

Recently my biggest tea obsession has been loose tea! If you're new to loose tea, check out my first Tea Tuesday post and see how easy it is to brew! You can also click my "Tea Tuesdays!" button above to see my previous tea posts! :D

So, instead of having one tea as my tea of the day today, I've got a combination of two! Pretty much all of last week, I was a coughing, sneezing, sniffly mess, so I combined two of DAVIDsTEA's teas, and they really helped me feel better! :D 

Today's tea is then a combination of them both! It's a combination of DAVIDsTEA's COLD 911 and REDBERRY TONIC (which was also the first tea I shared :P).

Here's what both teas look like! :D

And here's what DAVIDsTEA has to say about them both: 

COLD 911

EMERGENCY RELIEF

Bad colds require great interventions. Take this tea, for example. It’s a deliciously soothing mix of peppermint, juniper berries and orange peel. Pretty great, right? If that’s not extreme enough for you, you could try eating raw garlic, or gargling salt water, or inhaling lots of steam. Yeah...we didn’t think so. Probably better just to stick to the tea. With its soothing citrus and mint aroma we can’t guarantee miracle results, but at least we can guarantee it tastes great. (MK Kosher)

INGREDIENTS
Organic: Peppermint, juniper berries, orange peel. With natural eucalyptus and orange flavouring

REDBERRY TONIC

MAGIC ELIXIR

Ladies and gentlemen, step right up and get a taste of our revitalizing, tantalizing, exhilarating, invigorating tonic. Put some zip in your sip with tart and tangy hibiscus, rosehips, lemongrass and immortality-boosting goji berries. But that’s not all! We’ve harnessed the power of the legendary sea buckthorn wonder-berry, prized for centuries in Chinese, Indian and Tibetan medicine. You’ve got to see it to believe it folks, so get your hands on a cup today.

INGREDIENTS

Apple, rosehip, hibiscus, lemongrass, sea buckthorn, goji berries, natural sea buckthorn flavouring

When I make this combination, I put about half of the amount it says to add of each into my perfect tea mug, and then I steep according to the instructions. The instructions for both of these ones were pretty much the same, so it made it nice and easy to combine them. :)

Here's what the tea looks like once it's steeped:

Cold 911 is pretty strong, and tastes slightly medicinal, so I found that the Redberry Tonic toned that down a little bit and the two actually complimented each other pretty well. I wasn't a huge fan of the combination at first, but I have to admit that I actually really love it now! haha 

Have you ever tried combining teas before?

Cover Catch-Up (7): Bright, Blue, and Beautiful!! :D

In "Cover Catch-Up" I share some covers that have either been recently revealed, or that I've just found and really wanted to share.

Today, I've got three fantastic covers to share, and they're all gorgeous!!! :D

The first cover I have to share is for FOUR, the collection of short stories from Four's POV, by Veronica Roth!

 

I absolutely LOVE this cover! It's gorgeous! And I love that it still contains elements from the trilogy, too...the ferris wheel, and the flaming circle, which reminds me of Dauntless....I just love it! :D

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The second cover I have today is for The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson!

Eeek! This one is gorgeous, too! I also just can't wait to have all of these short novellas in one place!!! :D I also can't wait to see this cover in person...it's gonna be one of those ones that's just stunning to look at, I can tell! :)

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The third and final cover that I have to share for today is for Betrothed by Wanda Wiltshire!

I stumbled across this cover a while back, and thought it was absolutely breathtaking!! :D I've seen two variations, and this is the more vibrant one...in either variation, it's stunning! :) The story also sounds amazing!!! :D

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What do you think?
Do you find these covers as beautiful as I do?

Mani Monday (6): Purple & Crackled!

It's Monday again, so it's time for another Mani Monday! I'm just getting over a cold, so I haven't been blogging as much lately as I was before, but I have a pretty awesome mani to share, so I had to make sure to post today! :D
  

Today's "Mani Monday" features some crackled polish! :) The polishes I used for today's mani are Julep's "Ursula", "Morgan" and "Alice"!

For anyone interested in becoming a Julep maven, I'm just going to start posting a disclaimer and referral link in any of the posts where I mention Julep. :P So, you can use my referral link: Become a Julep Maven! And you can get your first Maven box free! Just make sure to put FREEBOX (all one word) in the promo code box. Note: the link I've used is a referral link of my own, so I do get rewarded "Jules" per referral, but if you're really interested in signing up as a maven, I'd really appreciate you using my link. Even if you don't though, make sure you remember the code or your first box won't be free. :)

Here are the polishes I used! "Ursula" is the black crackle polish, and I used two different purples, "Alice" and "Morgan" as the base colours! You can get a peek of  how the mani turned out in the last picture of my collage. :)

And here's a nice closeup of my purple, crackled mani! :)

I really loved how this manicure turned out, and I've already been planning new colour combinations with the black crackle polish, too! :D 

What do you think?

Are you a fan of crackled polish?