The Boundless Booklist: giveaway

Showing posts with label giveaway. Show all posts

Friday, April 14, 2017

Excerpt and Book Trailer of Dating the It Guy by Krysten Lindsay Hager (with Giveaway!)

Title: Dating the It Guy

Author: Krysten Lindsay Hager

Release Date: March 21, 2017

Genre: YA, Contemp Romance

Emme is a sophomore in high school who starts dating, Brenden Agretti, the popular senior who happens to be a senator's son and well-known for his good looks. Emme feels out of her comfort zone in Brendon's world and it doesn't help that his picture perfect ex, Lauren, seems determined to get back into his life, along with every other girl who wants to be the future Mrs. Agretti. Emme is already conflicted due to the fact her last boyfriend cheated on her and her whole world is off kilter with her family issues. Life suddenly seems easier keeping Brendon away and relying on her crystals and horoscopes to guide her. Emme soon starts to realize she needs to focus less on the stars and more on her senses. Can Emme get over her insecurities and make her relationship work? Life sure is complicated when you're dating the it guy.

Excerpt:(Scrollbox)

"By the way, did you hear Lauren got into Senator Agretti's old school?"

"Seriously? I wonder if she applied there because Brendon did," I said.

Margaux snorted. "Duh, of course. Seriously, she might as well just pee on him to mark her territory."

"Margaux, shut up," Kylie said.

Whatever. Anyway, the important thing is if Brendon knew she was applying there, " Margaux said. "Em, do you think he knew?"

I hoped Lauren was just trying to follow Brendon, but what if they had planned this whole thing while they were dating? What if he convinced her to apply there so they could go to college together, wear matching American flag sweaters with big scarves while drinking hot chocolate, and jump into leaf piles just like a preppy clothing catalog. At least now I didn't have to worry about them reciting poetry to one another in South Bend, but still, what if they had made plans to go to school together?

"Don't worry about it," Kylie said. "She was probably trying to follow him--like she always does. She's so pathetic."

Kylie was trying to make me feel better, but Lauren was far from pathetic. After all, she was pretty much the "Most Likely to Succeed" poster girl. While she was out overachieving and saving the world without messing up her perfect, bouncy hair, I was trying to get through each day. I tried to push away the image of Lauren and Brendon holding hands and drinking hot chocolate under a stadium blanket.

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About the Author:

Besides mining her teen years and humiliating moments for her novels, Krysten is also a book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn't like. Krysten writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, and Competing with the Star (The Star Series: Book 2). Her debut novel, True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book. Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times and on Living Dayton.

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Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Interview with Kelly Oram, author of Happily Ever After (Cinder & Ella #2) - plus Giveaway!

Title: Happily Ever After
Series: Cinder & Ella, #2

Author: Kelly Oram
Publisher: Bluefields Publishing

Release Date: April 11, 2017
Genres: YA, Contemp, Romance

The end of one story is often the beginning of another. Hollywood heartthrob Brian Oliver and his Cinderella princess Ellamara Rodriguez have finally found love outside the digital world. But leaving their anonymity behind creates a whole new set of obstacles for the nation's new favorite sweethearts. With the stress of Brian's fame and the pressures of a new relationship weighing down on them, the It Couple quickly begins to wonder if they can hold on to their newfound joy, or if maybe happily ever after is only a fairy tale after all.

| Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon |

Hi Kelly! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us! Let’s start with a little bit about yourself.

I love to read and I'm a ginger. I wrote my first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about my favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which my family and friends still tease me. I’m obsessed with reading, talk way too much, and like to eat frosting by the spoonful. I live outside of Phoenix, Arizona with my husband, four children, and my cat, Mr. Darcy. And we named his litter box Pemberly because it’s where he makes ten thousand (poops) a year!

The Fun Stuff:

- I love to sing and went to college as a voice performance major.

- I once competed in the Miss Michigan Teen USA pageant. (I did not win LOL.)

- I’m a baseball fanatic. (Go D-backs!)

- I broke my head as a kid and had to wear a hockey helmet to school as my cast.

- I own my own 10-sided dice for role-playing that no one but me is allowed to role.

- I’m left handed.

- I am credited as associate producer for the independent film Amber Alert.

- I live for road trips. Best vacation I ever took was a three-week coast-to-coast-and-back drive with my father.

- The Backstreet Boys were my 1D in high school, and I was a total fangirl. I still have a whole collection of fan paraphernalia.

- I took both golf and bowling classes in college to fulfill my PE credits. (I still suck at both.)

Where did you grow up? Tell us a little of your childhood. I grew up with two amazing, loving parents and a bunch of siblings that I only realized were amazing after I grew up and moved away from them. We moved around quite a bit, but I spent the majority of my life in Colorado, Michigan, and California. My childhood was crazy and chaotic at times but fun and full of love. I have no complaints.

What was it like living in Los Angeles right out of college? LA is crazy, and the film industry is rough. It was overwhelming for my husband and I to go there when we were so young, had never been there, and had no family within hundreds of miles. But it was an adventure. We learned a lot, grew up a lot, and have a lot of great memories of our time there.

Share with us one thing most people do not know about you? Umm… like I mentioned about in the fun facts, I modeled a little bit as a teenager and once competed in the Miss Michigan Teen USA pageant. Neither modeling, nor the pageant circuit was really my thing and I quit both pretty quickly. But it was an experience I’m glad I had. I got to do something that not many get the chance to do. I also learned that I belong behind the spotlight, not in it. LOL.

If you could pick one, which one of your books would you make a movie based on? Hmm. I think it would be a toss up between Serial Hottie and Cinder & Ella. Serial Hottie is just fun and I can totally picture it being done similarly to The Burbs, or Suburbia. A fun quirky murder mystery romance. I’d love it. But I’m also a HUGE sucker for anything Cinderella, and it’s always done so well in the movies. Seeing Brian and Ella on the big screen would be so awesome.

Do your family and friends read your books? Some of them. The ones who enjoy reading do. I never expect people I know to read my work, and I only encourage them if I think they will genuinely enjoy my stories. As a writer, I know not everyone is going to love my work, but my friends and family don’t always believe me when I say it’s okay if they don’t like my books. I’ve had friends read my books because they were curious but who don’t normally read the YA romance genre and then they felt really bad when they didn’t like it. It’s really okay. But it’s also fun when someone I know comes up to me and says, “OMG I finally read one of your books and I loved it!”

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be? Uh… are there other options? Kidding. Well before this I was a stay home mom and it worked well for me. I’d also love to give musical theater a shot. Broadway would be fun!

What inspired you to write Happily Ever After?

Um…. Actually, that would be a who, not a what. Who inspired me to write this book was my personal assistant Karie. Lol. No really. I get so many requests for a sequel or an epilogue to Cinder & Ella. I never planned to write one, but then Karie somehow talked me into it. She reminded me how much I love Brian and Ella, and got me all pumped up to write them again. You all owe this book to her because I wouldn’t have written it if not for her.

What scene was your favorite to write?

Hmm, Well, without giving away any spoilers, my favorite scenes were all the ones where Ella and Brian got some time to themselves. The two of them have a bit of a chaotic life in the book, and those moments where it slowed down and was just the two of them are my favorite. I think that’s why you really get to see Cinder & Ella shine. When nobody’s watching them, it’s easy to see why they’re so perfect for each other and remember why we love them so much.

Who is your favorite—Brian or Ella? Pshhh. That totally depends on which one of them I’m dealing with and how they are treating me at the time. Kind of like my kids, it’s hard to play favorites, but well-behaved characters are usually higher on my list than the difficult ones.

What’s coming next? What are you working on now?

Well, those are two different answers. Right now, I’m not working on anything. I got very sick back in December, spent a lot of January in the hospital, and I’m still in recovery. That’s why Happily Ever After got delayed from its original Valentine’s Day release date. It’s been a hard few months on me and my family, and I’m not better yet. It’s going to be a long time before I feel like my old self again. Unfortunately, because of that, I’ve decided that I’ll be taking this entire year off from writing, if not more. There’s going to be a Kelly Oram shortage for a while.

HOWEVER, I do have some good news. I did have one other manuscript that was finished before I got sick and it’ll be releasing this summer. It’s called The Ghost of You and Me, and it’s a young adult drama romance. In grand Kelly Oram fashion, it’ll make you laugh, cry, and swoon. (Mostly cry this time.) It’s about a girl whose boyfriend died, and he comes back as a ghost a year later to take care of some unfinished business because he can’t find rest in the after life. Only his “unfinished business” seems to be setter his girlfriend up with his old best friend. This one’s a story about overcoming grief, finding redemption for past mistakes, and the healing power of friendship and love. The official release date is June 20, 2017 and it’s up for pre-order already.

Once again, thank you for sitting down with us & good luck with your next novel!

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About the Author:

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen—a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.

Don't miss the latest news from Kelly Oram! Sign up for her newsletter to receive e-mail notifications for all of her new releases, events, sales, & giveaways. This is a monthly newsletter often with exclusive giveaways and freebies from some of her favorite authors.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Cover Reveal of Broken Chords by Jessica Bayliss (plus Giveaway!)

Title: Broken Chords

Author: Jessica Bayliss

Release Date: October 2, 2017
Genre: YA Horror (novella)
Publisher: Leap Books

They rip, they tear, they FEED, and you never come back again.

Here's how last year's Gypsy Cob Music Festival should have gone. Lenora "Lenny" Ragno was supposed to rock her duet with her long-time crush, Jeb, during the open-mic competition. Then, swept up in the glow of success, he'd finally kiss her. Instead, Lenny choked on stage and spent the whole year dodging him online. And avoiding playing her fiddle in public. She thought her worst nightmare was behind her, but she was way wrong.

Now, she's back at Gypsy Cob where avoiding a public performance is about as impossible as hiding from Jeb. She thinks facing him will be the scariest part of the festival, but when one of their friends talks everyone into trying astral projection, Lenny catches the eye of a demonic entity that marks her as its own.

Now, whenever it wants, the demon can pluck Lenny from her reality and transport her to a hellish between-world, haunted by its countless, gruesome victims. If she doesn't want to become one of them, she must discover the nature of the demon's hold on her and remove it. But how can she defeat a literal demon when she can't even get over her personal ones?

| Goodreads |

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About the Author:

Jessica Bayliss is a fiction author who loves all things reading and writing. Her genre-bending fiction holds a little something for everyone. A lover of ghost tales and horror since her days scanning VHS rental shelves--admittedly with eyes half-averted from the gory covers--a touch of the mysterious always finds a home in Jessica's work. Romance with a dash of supernatural. Horror with a bit of humor. You get the gist. Jessica also writes across age groups and is a firm believer in the motto, theres is a new reader born every day, whether young or not-so-young. Because one cannot live on writing alone, Jessica also spends a great deal of time with friends and family. She is a lover of all animals especially one very special Hayanese and one extremely ornery cockatiel. She also loves to eat, cook, and exercise--in that order--and is a firm believer that coffee makes the world a better place.

Jessica also has stories in several of Leap Books anthologies: Beware the Little White Rabbit and Fright Before Christmas.

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Friday, April 7, 2017

Summer of Irreverence - The Rock Star by Catherine Goldstein Book Sale Blitz (with Giveaway!)

Title: Summer of Irreverence - The Rock Star
Author: Catherine Goldstein

Release Date: July 6, 2016
Genre: Adult Romance

Straight-laced, veterinary surgeon, Summer Wynters is ready to break the rules. And who better to break them with than the most irreverent of all men, mega rock star Malcolm Angel? With one last summer free from work obligations, Summer moves to New York City, and at the coaxing of her friend, pretends to be a model so she can spend one wild night with Malcolm.

Rock star, Malcolm Angel, tortured by a dark past, may be the poet laureate of romance, but he, like science-minded Summer, has never believed in romantic love. How could he? With his history, he doesn't deserve to be loved.

When Summer's honesty, kindness, and exuberance for life changes his perspective, the two discover they are in deeper than either dreamed possible. But when Malcolm discovers Summer's been perpetuating a lie, will he forgive her? Even if forgiveness is possible, can a man immune to love teach someone else to believe in it?

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About the Author:

I am a bestselling author, and a NYC girl at heart. I write "gritty romance," in the genres of YA, NA; women's fiction; romance. I'm also the author of The Letting and The Coupling, books 1 and 2 of the Letting series. I began my career as an award-winning playwright, and I am a proud member of RWA, PAN. I have my BA in English and my MA in Theatre.

I am a fan of Luna Bars, decaf coffee, yoga, Hemingway, and Bukowski--and the lvoes of my life are my husband and my two young girl.

To find out more about me; Summer of Irreverence, the first book in The New York Artists series--standalone novels about strong, artistic men, and the smart, unexpected women they fall for; The Letting series; and what's coming soon, please visit: www.cathrinegoldstein.com.

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Monday, April 18, 2016

Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman Book Playlist (Plus Giveaway!)

Title: Adorkable

Author: Cookie O'Gorman

Release Date: March 31, 2016

Adorkable (ah-dor-kuh-bul): Descriptive term meaning to be equal parts dorky and adorable. For reference, see Sally Spitz.

Seventeen-year-old Sally Spitz is done with dating. Or at least, she's done with the horrible blind dates/hookups/sneak attacks her matchmaking bestie, Hooker, sets her up on. There's only so much one geek girl and Gryffindor supporter can take.

Her solution: she needs a fake boyfriend. And fast.

Enter Becks, soccer phenom, all-around-hottie, and Sally's best friend practically since birth. When Sally asks Becks to be her F.B.F. (fake boyfriend), Becks is only too happy to be used. He'd do anything for Sal--even if that means giving her PDA lessons in his bedroom, saying she's "more than pretty," and expertly kissing her at parties.

The problem: Sally's been in love with Becks all her life--and he's completely clueless.

This book features two best friends, one special edition Yoda snuggie, countless beneath-the-ear kisses and begs the question:

Who wants a real boyfriend when faking it is so much more fun?

| Amazon | Goodreads |

ADORKABLE Book Playlist

1. "Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap

2. "Can You Tell" by Ra Ra Riot

3. "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson

4. "July Flame" by Laura Veirs

5. "So Insane" by Discovery

6. "The Trial of the Century" by French Kicks

7. "Hysteric" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

8. "Powerful Stuff" by Sean Hayes

9. "Call It Off" by Tegan and Sara

10. "Your Song" by Kate Walsh

11. "Nicest Thing" by Kate Nash

12. "Hyperballad" by Whitley

13. "Syrup & Honey" by Duffy

14. "Oh Boy" by Duffy

15. "She's Got You High" by Mumm-Ra

16. "Heart Skipped a Beat" by The XX

17. "Tessellate" by Tokyo Police Club

18. "I'm With You" by The Stills

19. "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews Band (Live at Folsom Field, Boulder Colorado)

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About the Author:

Cookie O'Gorman writes YA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her debut novel ADORKABLE will be released in 2016.

GIVEAWAY - The ADORKABLE Challenge

I wanted to do something special and fun to celebrate the release of my debut novel ADORKABLE. Since the book is all about the dorky, the awkward, and embracing your inner-nerd, I came up with the ADORKABLE Challenge!

Here's how it works:

1) Take a picture of yourself being adorkable.

2) Post that picture on social media (facebook, twitter, instagram etc.) with the hashtag #AdorkableChallenge.

3) Enter the link to your picture in the Rafflecopter and earn as many extra entries as you can.

4) Sit back and relax while 4 adorably dorky winners are randomly chosen :).

3 winning runners up will each receive: $10 Amazon gift card.

The ADORKABLE Challenge Champion will receive: $50 Amazon gift card.

And that's it! If you're adorkable and you know it, this is your time to shine. I can't wait to check out all of your pictures. Now, show me your ADORKABLE!

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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Excerpt and Giveaway of Under My Skin by Laura Diamond

Title: Under My Skin

Author: Laura Diamond

Release Date: April 12, 2016

Genre: YA, Contemp Romance

Bookish Brit Adam Gibson is one wonky heartbeat away from a fatal arrhythmia. But staying alive requires Adam to become keenly focused on both his pulse and the many different daily medications he must take in exactly the right dosages. Adam’s torn between wanting to live and knowing that someone else must die in order for him to do so. He needs a new heart.

The pressure is getting to him. Adam stops talking to his friends back home, refuses to meet kids at his new school, and shuts his parents out entirely. His days are spent wondering if can cope with having a dead man’s heart beating inside his chest, or if he should surrender to the thoughts of suicide swirling around in his head.

And then a donor is found…

Outspoken artist Darby Fox rarely lets anything stand in her way of achieving her goals . Whether it’s painting, ignoring her homework (dyslexia makes a mess out of words anyway), kissing a hot boy she doesn’t even know, or taking the head cheerleader down a peg , no one has ever accused Darby of being a shy. She also happens to be the twin sister to a perfect brother with good looks, good grades, manners, and the approval of their parents – something Darby has never had.

Darby’s always had bad timing . She picks the worst time to argue with her brother Daniel. In a car with bald tires, on an icy road in the freezing cold, the unthinkable happens. In a split-second, everything changes forever.

Excerpt:(Scrollbox)

ADAM:

Right now, I’m nothing more than a sixteen-year-old in a physical rehabilitation room with ancient relics who could probably beat me at arm wrestling. Hell, they could probably beat me in a competition of mall walking.

A layer of sweat creeps across my upper lip. Damn mask. I tug it under my chin and take a deep breath of real air. Relief floods me, though my heart continues to pump faster and faster. My pulse rushes in my ears.

I close my eyes, but nothing can dull the competing scents of stale body odor, cleaning fluid, and overused equipment.

This place sucks.

I keep pumping my legs. What would it be like to ride a real bicycle in a park on a summer day? How serene it would be to glide past pastures of green grass, to skim under shade trees, and a pause at a pond to catch the sunset. I almost feel the wind dragging through my hair. All of a sudden I feel lighter, freer. I’m normal. Healthy.

Whole.

“I’ve never seen someone so happy to be excercising.” A girl’s voice tears through my fantasy.

My eyes fly open. I’m face to face with a petite girl wearing a plastic collar around her neck. Her baggy black t-shirt and gray sweatpants are covered in paint stains. Her crystal blue eyes study me with curiosity, a striking compliment to the cobalt streaks in her black hair.

I stop pedaling, struck by the clarity of those inquisitive eyes. I open my mouth, but have no idea what to say so I close it again. Lamest of the lame.

The right side of her mouth ticks up. “The silent type. I like it.”

I blink.

She slides her fingers along the machine’s center console then rubs them together, testing for dust.

“Okay, Mister Tall, Dark, and Quiet. You got a real name?”

“I, um…” I clear my throat.

“Um is not a name.”

We’re face to face with me sitting and her standing, yet it’s like she’s peering down at me from a tower. “A-Adam. My name is Adam.”

“Adam. Like Adam and Eve?”

“No, I mean, I guess.”

“Is that a yes or no?” She laughs. It’s one of those wow-this-bloke-has-no-idea-how-to-talk-to-girls laughs.

Heat builds in my cheeks. A bead of sweat slides from my temple down my cheek. My hold slips on the bike’s handles. “What’s your name?”

She shifts her weight. “I’m Darby.”

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About the Author:

Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist currently specializing in emergency psychiatry. She is also an author of all things young adult—both contemporary and paranormal. An avid fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and anything magical, she thrives on quirk, her lucid dreams, and coffee. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found sniffing books and drinking a latte at the bookstore or at home pondering renovations on her 225 year old fixer upper, all while obeying her feline overlords, of course.

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Monday, April 11, 2016

Dark & Twisted Games by Heidi Acosta Blitz (Plus KINDLE FIRE Giveaway!)

Title: Dark & Twisted Games

Author: Heidi Acosta

Release Date: April 1, 2016

Genre: YA Dark Fantasy

Nothing ever happens in the small town of Copake Falls, and no one knows that better than sixteen-year-old Eden Day. Her life is a mundane carousal, rotating between caring for her alien obsessed aunt and dealing with her freak status at school. Until two brothers move into town and turn her life completely upside down.

Golden boy, Cardelian Foster is the talk of the town, and it seems his sights set on Eden. However, she finds herself drawn to the dark and elusive Jaxson instead. Caught between her fear of what he might be and her attraction to him, Eden makes it her mission to find out exactly who or what Jaxson Foster is.

Eden begins to dig for the truth, but the deeper she looks, the more her life seems to be in danger. Everyone around her thinks she’s going crazy, and Eden begins to agree until she finds herself pulled into Faeylon—a world that nightmares are made of. Caught in the center of a dark game, Eden realizes there can only be one winner, and she is the prize.

| Amazon | Goodreads |

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About the Author:

Heidi Acosta was born on Long Island, New York. Moving around a lot when she was younger, she has lived in New York, Arizona, New York (again), Washington, Georgia, and Florida, in that order. Each place offered her something special, but she will always consider New York her home.
Heidi started writing as soon as she could spell. When she was three, Heidi’s mother gave her a copy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods; thus beginning her lifelong love affair with literature.

Writing soon also became a form of therapy for Heidi, when she realized that no matter what was happening in her life, she could find emotional escape while writing. Some of her earliest stories featured her as a princess who explored new worlds with her horse Buttercup. If it sounds romantic, it wasn’t, there was no prince charming in those fairy lands (boys where yucky).

Heidi now resides in Florida with her husband, very active daughter, one hyper Chihuahua, two sweet cats, and one very fat moody cat.

Barbie Girl is the first Novel of Heidi’s new, four-book, Baby Doll Series: Barbie Girl, Barbie World, Doll Face, and Southern Sugar.

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Thursday, April 7, 2016

Exceprt of When We Were Us by Tawdra Kandle (Plus $50 Gift Card Giveaway!)

Title: When We Were Us

Author: Tawdra Kandle

Release Date: April 7, 2016

Genre: NA, Contemp Romance

The Trio. That’s who we’ve been since birth: Nate, Leo . . . and me, Quinn, the token girl. Our mothers met in a prenatal class and became best friends, which meant that the three of us hit every milestone together, from the first day of school to the very first kiss. And beyond.

I’ve always been caught in the middle between the two boys. I’ve been in love with Leo since I was eight, even though he doesn’t see me as anything but his pal. And I know that Nate’s hung up on me. I see the look in his eyes. I wish I could say I felt the same, but I don’t. It’s getting harder and harder to keep him in the friend zone, though.

Things between the three of us aren’t easy anymore. Leo’s popular, the football team’s star receiver, and the object of every girl’s fantasy. I know he doesn’t mean to leave us behind, but now Nate and I are just people he used to know.

What used to be so simple is suddenly messy and complicated. Leo is all I’ve ever wanted, but even if I had the chance to be with him, how would Nate would handle it?

When that chance does come along . . . in the most unexpected way . . . I’m helpless to resist Leo. What was always meant to be is finally happening . . . but will it come at the risk of losing both my friends?

***This is Book #1 of a trilogy, and it does include an unresolved ending. ***

Excerpt:(Scrollbox)

Leo dropped his arm to the ground on the side of the chair away from me and brought it back up holding a bottle. He lifted it to his lips and took a long swig. I thought it was beer. I hoped it was beer, and not something stronger.

He caught me watching him, and one side of his mouth quirked up. “Want some, Mia? You know I

don’t have cooties.”

I was glad the dark hid my flushed face. “No, thanks.”

“Ah, yeah. That’s right. I forgot you’re too good to drink with us, huh?” He tipped the bottle back again and then held it out to Sarah, who took a pull without hesitation. “So why’d you bother coming tonight if you’re not really going to enjoy yourself?”

“I . . . I thought it would be fun. And Jake wanted to come.” I shifted in my seat. “I can have a good time without getting drunk. Or high. Or . . .” I looked up at the deck, where the grope-fest continued. “Um, without doing . . . things.”

Leo smirked. “Cool. Good for you. But if you’re going to sit around and judge everyone who does want to do . . . things, maybe you should just go the fuck home.”

“Hey.” Jake’s tone wasn’t aggressive, just chiding. “Chill, Taylor.”

A tic jumped in Leo’s cheek, and his eyes narrowed. “What’s the matter, Donavan? You want to be her big bodyguard? Her boyfriend? Believe me, dude. I’m the last guy you need to protect her from.” His gaze slid back to me. “Or am I?” He took another drink, and it occurred to me that he’d probably had quite a few.

My stomach clenched at Leo’s random aggression. This was the first time we’d been together or spoken since I’d left him in the alley outside the diner. Clearly neither of us had forgotten that. The tension in the air fairly crackled, and I wasn’t sure who was going to break the awkward silence.

“Why do you call her Mia?” It was Sarah who spoke. She only sounded curious, not at all defensive or suspicious. I was pathetically grateful to her for shifting the focus as I held my breath, waiting to see if Leo would answer. “Is it Spanish?”

I saw his throat bob as he swallowed before he spoke. “No. Her name—her real name—is Amelia Quinn. After her great-grandmother. When we were little, sometimes her mom would call her that—Amelia Quinn. I wanted to say it, too, but I couldn’t pronounce Amelia. So I called her Mia. Mia Quinn.”

His voice was husky and sent a thrill down my spine. When I glanced up, his eyes were on my face again, boring into me until I couldn’t breathe. I shivered and then without thinking about it, I licked my lips.

Instantly Leo’s stare was fastened on my mouth. His own lips parted, and his chest seemed to rise and fall a little faster. I was dizzy with wanting him, and at the same time, I felt like an idiot. Here I was with another guy—while he was sitting with another girl. And yet the pull between us was undeniable. I was dying to crawl over to him, slither up his body, press my boobs into his chest and kiss him until we forgot our own names. I’d never known want that way—real, tangible need—and I fought back tears, because Leo had made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want me the same way.

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About the Author:

Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books run from YA paranormal romance (THE KING SERIES), through NA paranormal and contemporary romance (THE SERENDIPITY DUET, PERFECT DISH DUO, THE ONE TRILOGY) to adult contemporary and paramystery romance (CRYSTAL COVE BOOKS and RECIPE FOR DEATH SERIES). She lives in central Florida with a husband, kids, sweet pup and too many cats. And yeah, she rocks purple hair.

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Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Excerpt and Giveaway of The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

Title: The Glittering Court

Author: Richelle Mead

Release Date: April 5, 2016

Publisher: Razorbill

Format: Hardcover, eBook, & audiobook

The Selection meets Reign in this dazzling trilogy of interwoven novels about three girls on a quest for freedom and true love from #1 internationally bestselling author Richelle Mead.

"Brilliant and original, Mead’s new series starts off with a bang and will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very end."

—School Library Journal

For a select group of girls, the Glittering Court offers a shot at a life they’ve only ever dreamed of, one of luxury, glamour, and leisure. To high-born Adelaide, whose wealthy family is forcing her into a loveless marriage, the Glittering Court represents something else: the chance to chart her own destiny, and adventure in an unspoiled, prosperous new land across the sea.

After a chance meeting with the dazzling Cedric Thorn, Adelaide poses as a servant to join the crop of impoverished girls he promises to transform into proper ladies. But her familiarity with upper class life comes with a price: she must hide her identity from her new friends, mysterious refugee Mira and fiery former laundress Tamsin, and most importantly, from Cedric himself—even though she’s falling in love with him.

Everything begins to crumble when Cedric discovers Adelaide’s ruse, and she catches the eye of a powerful young governor, who wants her for a wife. She didn’t leave the gilded cage of her old life behind just to become someone else's property. But nothing is as daunting—or as wonderful—as the potent, forbidden attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. One that, if acted on, would make them both outcasts in a wild, dangerous, uncharted world, and possibly lead them to their deaths.

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Exclusive Excerpt:

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About the Author:

Richelle Mead has written over twenty-five novels for teens and adults. She is the author of the international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series and its spinoff series, Bloodlines. Her recent standalone novel, Soundless, draws upon Chinese mythology and history, and her forthcoming series, The Glittering Court, follows the adventures of girls destined for arranged marriages in a fantasy world inspired by colonial America. A lifelong reader, Richelle has always had a particular fascination with mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses to wear on tour. She is a self-professed coffee addict, works in her pajamas, and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a hardcover of THE GLITTERING COURT & a $25 Sephora Gift Card. US Only. Ends on April 15th at Midnight EST!

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