Five Years (A Fire in Redbridge) by LM Langley

I must say, I was contacted by this author and offered a copy of her debut novel in exchange for my honest review. Romance novels are my thing, those are the books that always catch my attention and the ones that I am usually pulled towards. In rare occasions do I read other novels that do not include romance into the plot. But I went on Amazon and I read the synopsis, and I must admit that it caught my attention! I decided why not, lets give this book a chance. This is in NO WAY a romance novel, its a mystery type of novel.

As I started of reading this book I will say I was a bit confused as to what was going on, I felt a little lost as to what was happening. The story would go back and forth during different parts of the main characters life. But I rarely ever stop a book after I start reading it, I always try and continue giving the book a chance and this was no exception. I'm glad that I kept on reading, I became intrigued as to what was going to happen with Casey and Alex, the books main characters. There are secrets uncovered, secrets that change everything that they believe to be true. It's a relatively quick read, and one that truly catches your attention.

I will say, you can somewhat tell that this was the author's first novel as there is room for improvement with the way that the story itself flowed and the way that things would switch from one point in time to another without telling the reader. But once I got accustomed to these switches I was able to piece together the mystery and follow along as Casey and Alex tried to move past everything that occurred after their friend Nate's death. I will say, this is not a book for everyone, I know that there will be people who will start it and decide it is not for them. I was one that was about to say that, but give the book a chance and keep on reading it! You will truly enjoy this story! I cannot wait to read more from this author and see what else she will be coming out with!

COVER REVEAL: Black Box by Cassia Leo

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: March 2014

Cover reveal organized by: Shh Moms Reading

SYNOPSIS A standalone novel about a girl, a boy, and fate. From New York Times best selling author Cassia Leo, comes an epic love story about rewriting destiny. Over the course of five years, Mikki and Crush cross paths on two separate occasions. Their first encounter changes Mikki’s life forever, but their second meeting leaves them both buried beneath the emotional wreckage of a violent attack. Mikki is left with more questions and grief than she can handle, while Crush is forced to forget the girl who saved his life. Now nineteen years old, Mikki Gladstone has decided she’s tired of the mind-numbing meds. She books a flight to Los Angeles to end her life far away from her loving, though often distant, family. Twenty-one-year-old Crush has always channeled his blackest thoughts into his music, but he’s never had great aspirations. He decides to fly to Los Angeles to record a demo of the only song he’s never performed in public; a song he wrote for a girl he doesn’t even know: Black Box. He has no expectations of fame and he’s never felt like his life had any purpose… until he meets Mikki in Terminal B. When Mikki and Crush cross paths for the third time in Terminal B, neither has any idea who the other person is; until they slowly piece together their history and realize that fate has more in store for them than just another love story.

EXCERPT

The moment you realize you’re going to die is nothing like I imagined it would be. I imagined a deep internal struggle coupled with a visceral physical response—fight or flight. But there’s no fighting this. I’m going to die. It’s possible that everyone on this plane is going to die. I wonder if they feel this overwhelming sense of peace, or if the squeal of the plane engine has drowned out all their thoughts. He grabs the oxygen mask as it drops from the compartment and he’s yelling something as he puts the elastic band over my head. He pulls his own mask over his head then he grabs my hand and looks me in the eye. There’s no panic in his eyes. Maybe he feels this same calm I’m feeling. Or maybe he just wants me to know that he loves me. Or, more importantly, that he trusts that whatever happens to us in the next few seconds was meant to be. Fate. I used to think fate was for religious nuts and people who were too afraid to take their fate into their own hands. Now I know the truth.

Please don’t look for me. You probably won’t find me. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, and please don’t blame yourselves. I’m just tired. Trying to cope.... trying to forget.... It’s not enough anymore. I just want to close my eyes and know that it will all be over soon. There’s nothing anyone could have done. You’ve all done more than enough. I hope you all find peace knowing I am no longer suffering. I love you guys. Tell Meaghan I leave her my black box. Mikki I tuck the note inside a plastic baggie and seal it tightly, then I lift my bedroom window an inch and lay the bagged note on the window sill. I shut the window tight to trap the note there. Taking one last look around the bedroom, I smile as I think of how much I won’t miss this house. The pink tulip-shaped knit cap my best friend Rina bought for me in Holland sits on top of my dresser. I’ve only worn it once, the day she brought it back for me from her family vacation last summer. I was in High Point Treatment Center at the time, in the dual diagnosis unit because I’m one of the special cases that needed both treatment for attempted suicide and drug detox. “You look awfully cheerful for someone who’s traveling alone.” Meaghan’s green eyes follow my suitcase as I drag it down the stairs, then her gaze shifts to my face. My sister is seventeen, but she’s not stupid. She knows the signs, which is why I’m trying my hardest not to exhibit the typical suicidal behavior. I didn’t give away all my belongings. I’m not traveling light. I have tried not to appear too chipper over the last couple of days. Yes, it feels amazing to have a plan. It feels like a ten-ton slab of cement has been lifted off my chest. I can breathe. I can think about the future without the crippling anxiety and depression that comes with not knowing if the pain will ever end. But I can’t let Meaghan or my parents see how ridiculously relieved I’m feeling. They’ve seen that behavior too many times. The last time I made plans to die, three months ago, my mom saw the signs and followed me to the hotel room where I was going to hang myself. The time before that, I swallowed a bottle of pills in my uncle’s bathroom. It was my cousin Gertie who noticed I was acting too happy. She told my Uncle Cort, “Mikki is smiling again.” Uncle Cort broke the door down and that’s when I ended up in High Point. That’s also when I swore I wouldn’t commit suicide anywhere that someone could find me. “Cheerful?” I repeat Meaghan’s adjective as I pull up the telescoping handle on the suitcase and roll it across the tiled foyer toward the front door. “More like nervous as fuck. I’ve never flown without Mom.” Meaghan yanks her green parka out of the coat closet and pulls it on over her hoodie. “I’ll take that,” she says as she pulls the hood of the parka over her long, brown hair and grabs my carryon bag. I open the door and we both suck in a sharp breath when we’re blasted with a flurry of freezing winter air. The snow sticks to my face and I quickly close the front door so it doesn’t get in the house. “Jesus fucking Christ. It’s colder than a witch’s tit out here. They’re going to cancel the flights if this shit keeps up,” Meaghan says as we carefully descend the front steps. My dad covered the steps in his special mixture of salt and sand, but it’s not foolproof. “If they cancel the flights, I’ll come back, but they’ll have to reschedule the flight. I can’t just not show up. I saved up three months paychecks for this fucking ticket.” Meaghan opens the wooden front gate and the cabbie scurries out of the car to help us with the bags. As he stuffs the bags in the trunk, I turn to Meaghan and she’s crying. Something tells me she knows, but she would stop me if she knew—wouldn’t she? “Why are you crying? It’s just a job interview. I’m coming back in four days.” “I know,” she whispers before she wraps her arms around my waist. “But I’ll miss you. Bring me back a hot actor.” “I will.” We hug like this for far longer than normal. It takes every bit of self-control in me not to tell her that everything will finally be okay when I’m gone. She finally pulls away and punches my arm. “Get the hell out of here.” “I love you, too,” I say as I slide into the backseat of the cab and my heart stutters as I look at the house I grew up in for the last time. The driver slams my door shut and gets into the driver’s seat. “Logan?” he asks as he turns up the heater. “Yeah, Terminal B,” I reply as I watch Meaghan scurry into the house to escape the cold. I reach into my handbag and pull out my gloves, then I see the bottle of pills. I lay the black gloves on my lap and reach into my purse for the bottle. On the outside, this is just a normal bottle of anti-psychotic meds. On the inside, this is my self-prescribed emergency meth stash. Each capsule is carefully filled with one dose. I quit meth last week. Something about booking a plane ticket to Los Angeles to end my life gave me the fortitude to face the world without drugs. Besides, I was never really addicted. I just didn’t want to quit because it made me feel as if I was in control. But, even though I’m technically no longer a meth-head, I brought my emergency stash in case I lose my nerve. I’m going to Los Angeles, specifically to the Pacific Ocean, to swim out into the open ocean until I can’t swim anymore. The water is so cold this time of year, my body will be numb and exhausted by the time I reach the point of no return. I won’t be able to fight it when the water enters my lungs. Plus, I’ll be so far out in the ocean, the odds of my body being found will be slim. My parents won’t have to identify me. The cabbie turns the volume up on the radio and Take You Higher is playing on the radio. The dance beat buoys my mood and I allow myself to smile for the first time in days. I set the bottle of pills back inside my purse and pull my gloves on as I sit back. Fifty minutes later, the cab pulls up in front of Terminal B and one of the two guys working at curbside check-in rushes over to help me with my suitcase once the cab driver places it on the curb. I pay the driver and he mutters a quick thank you before he hurries back inside the warm cab. “Holy shit,” I whisper as I pull my faux fur-lined hood over my head. “I ain’t seen it like this in years. I bet they already canceling flights,” the guy says as he takes my carryon bag and we race toward the automatic sliding doors. He leaves me and my bags just inside the doors then he jogs back to his station outside in the freezing cold. What a terrible day to have that job. I push my hood back and the line at the check-in counter snakes across the floor as everyone watches the TV monitors above the counter. “Cancelled,” a voice says behind me. I whip my head around and find a guy with dark eyes and messy brown hair sticking out the bottom of his knit cap. He’s sitting on a gray suitcase with his phone in his hand and a guitar case propped up against the wall behind him. Something about him looks familiar, though I’m pretty certain he’s the kind of guy I would not forget if we’d met before. “You can probably still catch a cab if you leave now,” he continues as he types on his phone. “Then why aren’t you running outside to catch a cab?” “I’m in no hurry to go back.” I stare at the curb outside just as another cab pulls up to drop off some unknowing passenger. I told Meaghan I’d go home if they cancelled the flight, but that’s the last place I want to go right now. “Yeah, me either.” The guy looks up from his phone and smiles. “Yeah, you also have to check in to get your flight rescheduled.” “Yeah, that too.” I try not to blush. Something about his smile makes me feel naked.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she's not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends and Sex and the City. When she's not watching reruns, she's usually enjoying the California sunshine or reading--sometimes both.

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Surrender to Fate by Jacelyn Rye

"Me Ware Mo"

I will start off by saying that I was contacted by the author if I would be interested in reading her book and writing an honest review about it. And I have got to say, this is one of the most heart-breaking but beautiful stories that I have read.


I was not sure what to expect from the book. I thought it was going to be a simple love story, but nope this was so much more than that. It was filled with so much emotion, from loving moments to those heart-breaking ones. I cannot wait to read more of this series, because I am not happy with the cliffhanger and desperately need to know what happens with this couple!

The two main characters are Will and Sarah. The way that their love, and relationship develops from such a young age is so adorable. Even as small children the connection was there, and it just developed even more as they grew up. Will is the perfect gentleman, he is hardworking and tries his best to help his family but also be loyal to all those that love him. Sarah is a sweet girl, she is loving and caring, but has had to struggle with many things, the biggest one is being separated from Will. That heartbreaking moment when they had to say goodbye, it had me in tears! It was terrible to see how much they struggled with being apart from one another.

No good book would be complete without the villain, in this case being Margaret. OH MY GOD! I could NOT stand her!!! She was such a spoiled brat! Add to that being manipulative and just plain mean. As I continued to read the book I just got to hate her more and more. We got to see her true personality as we continued into the story. Then there is Adley, I am not sure if I hate him or love him. He goes back and forth a bit, but you have got to admit, his feelings for Sarah are loyal and he puts himself out there. Maybe he will be better in the next book.
There isn't much to say about the actual story without giving it all away. Just that it is beautifully written, and totally not what I was expecting it to be. Page after page, you will find yourself reaching for a tissue, especially towards the end of the book. But be warned, THIS BOOK ENDS IN A MAJOR CLIFFHANGER!!! That does not mean that I do not recommend it, because I do, just know that you have been warned! The way this book was written is so different than the other ones that I have read. It's very realistic in a way, the way that it conveys emotions is amazing, making me feel what the characters felt, as I was laughing with them, shocked with them and at times crying along with them. I cannot wait to read more from this author!!

The Fighter's Block by Hadley Quinn

This was once of those books that I one-clicked because it was a freebie that day. One day I was looking through my kindle for my next book to read. I decided to give this one a try, and after the first few pages I was hooked! WOW! This was a great read, one that got me hooked instantly. This book gets right into those hot, steamy scenes right at the beginning. and WOW.. they are hot and steamy!!

The book's plot itself was an emotional roller coaster!! It was full of drama, angst and so many plot twists! Every new twist had me freaking out and trying to figure out what was going to happen. There was also so much romance and passion from the beginning. Donovan, "Van" and "Dani" had an instant connection, a love at first sight kind of situation. I will admit, I was a little skeptical as to how these two characters fell for each other, but as I continued to read I fell for both of them even more.

Can I add that Van is a HOT MMA fighter??!  That was a major plus!! haha. But this book is full of more than hot men and steamy scenes, somehow this romance novel turns into a mystery book. I so did not see the book playing out that way. This is a page-turner, and one you will want to focus on all of the details. By the end of this book you will be saying "WHAT?". Seriously go and check this book out, I am SOOO glad that I picked this up when I did, and that I gave it a chance. Go and check it out and fall into Van's MMA world and live the big mystery that develop when Van and Dani get together. I will not add much as to the plot of the book itself because I feel it will somewhat ruin the book, so you will just have to go and read it yourself ;)

Take A Chance (Running Into Love) by Annalisa Nicole

I was contacted by the author if I would be interested in reviewing her debut novel "Take A Chance". Reading the synopsis I was interested in reading it. This book was one of those fun, entertaining reads. Once in a while we need a book like this in between those emotional roller coaster type of books that I for one am hooked on. This book had no emotional angst, but I did fall in love with the characters and their story.

We meet Willow, she is in the middle of her chemotherapy when she literally runs into Asher, and their first encounter is very unfortunate and a little bit shocking. I love how outspoken Willow is, finding it funny how she says everything that is on her mind. Willow has had a tough life, living in a new city all alone and having to battle through her cancer treatments all on her own. Asher is a young widower, having closed his heart up to finding a new love. This unfortunate encounter turns out to be what they both needed. This was a fate encounter, one that changes both their lives. The feelings that develop between these two are so strong, and wonderful. But that little thought in the back of their minds, Asher with the feeling that he was somehow cheating on his late wife's memory and Willow, feeling that Asher was too good to be true. Will their doubts keep them in the way of their love? Will Asher be able to move past those feelings of betrayal and truly open up to Willow?

While yes, this couple struggles with their feelings for each other, its not super emotional. There is no major, unneeded drama here just realistic personal problems. Being that this is not a debut novel I was expecting a book that would have a lot of errors, or that would not flow well. I was surprise to not find a book like that, this book flowed very naturally, hearing from both main characters. I honestly cannot wait to see what else this new author comes out with and I suggest you go and check it out, it is a quick and fun read!

COVER REVEAL: Chasing Olivia by Micalea Smeltzer

 I am so excited to bring to you guys this beautiful cover designed by Regina Wamba of Mae I Design. This is the sequel to "Finding Olivia" by Micalea Smeltzer. Below is the synopsis, links to the book, rafflecopter link and links to the first book which are on sale ONLY THIS WEEKEND!!

Synopsis:

How far would you go to reignite the spark you once had?

Two years later, Trace and Olivia are as much in love as they’ve always been. But the spark they once had for life is waning and Trace is determined that they find it again. His solution? A road trip. But he doesn’t tell Olivia the real reason they’re heading north.

Olivia is happy to go on a road trip and have more adventures with Trace. Besides, she needs a distraction from the soap opera her life has become. With college over, this is the perfect opportunity to chase down the carefree girl she once was.

But life isn’t a fairytale and you can only escape reality for so long.

Love, laughs, and a hidden agenda.

That’s the name of the game when you’re Chasing Olivia.

Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18484048-chasing-olivia

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/MicaleaSmeltzerfanpage?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/msmeltzer9793

Website: http://micaleasmeltzer.com/

Finding Olivia is on sale for .99 cents Saturday & Sunday only:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Olivia-Trace-Micalea-Smeltzer-ebook/dp/B00EUC80RE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383859813&sr=8-1&keywords=micalea+smeltzer

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EUC80RE/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d7_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=0GR9A0RJRZWSRMG630FB&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=430257247&pf_rd_i=468294

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-olivia-micalea-smeltzer/1116788632?ean=2940148466529

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COVER REVEAL: BECK by Harper Sloan

Synopsis:

DEE

I’ve always been good at wearing masks. Not letting anyone see the real me. I’m content being the happy-go-lucky best friend. The strong willed boss. The independent woman who doesn’t need a man.

But the truth is I’m just as broken as the rest of you. I’m terrified that all it will take is one person to make all my carefully constructed walls crumble into fine dust. So I guard my heart with everything I have. Determined to never let anyone get close enough to hurt me again.

All is perfect until HE walks into my life. No… he doesn’t just walk. He struts his good-looking, sex-oozing self right into my space and demands that I see HIM. Making me want what I know I can’t have.

So I did the only thing I know how to do.

I run.

But he just won’t let me go.

BECK

The second I see her, I know she will be mine. I see past the gorgeous smiles and heart-stopping laughter. I see  HER. She doesn’t want me to know her secrets or the past that haunts her, but I make it my mission to find out.

To make her mine.

She can run all she wants, but it will never be far enough to stop me from coming after her.

She's it for me and she knows it.

She’s just too scared to admit it.

RELEASE DATE IS 12/30/13

BECK BY HARPER SLOAN

Cover Design by Melissa @ MGbookcovers & Designs

Photography by Toski Covey Photography

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18069234-beck?ac=1