Review+Excerpt+Giveaway: Girls Are Players

Follow the blog tour here!

If you're interested in the first book, THE GUYS ARE PROPS CLUB, it's free! And Ingrid is holding a fantastic giveaway here to celebrate the release of GIRLS ARE PLAYERS: http://fictionbound.com/2013/10/29/girls-are-players-release-giveaway/

Title: Girls Are Players (G.A.P. #2)

Author: Ingrid Seymour

Date of Publication: December 4, 2013

Genre: contemporary new adult romance

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Jessica Norton is a villain in the body of a gorgeous, rich, college girl. She cheats, lies, plays with people’s feelings, and purposely breaks unsuspecting hearts to avenge a personal loss. She’s the kind of girl people love to hate—even if it’s just because she has it all. Except . . . she doesn’t have it all. What she wants most is the love of her high school sweetheart, Taylor Drennon, the guy who got away, the one who left without telling her why and caused all her bitterness.

Not surprisingly, Jessica’s evil has made her a pariah. Alone, without friends or Taylor’s love, her college life is a nightmare. She’s haunted by her own mistakes and drowning in lack of direction. Something needs to change. So when the first opportunity to turn her life around presents itself, she takes it. Home for Christmas break, Jessica runs into Taylor. His unexpected friendliness seems like an invitation to rekindle their love. Inspired by a drastic idea that will both distance her from her heinous reputation and pull her closer to Taylor, she decides to transfer to OSU where he attends under a football scholarship.

Confident she can regain his heart, Jessica reenters Taylor’s life with a splash. Failing to naturally lure him closer, she is then forced to rely on her old games and underhanded scheming. Though Jessica’s heart is in the right place, it is hidden from Taylor by her blunders. More than once their powerful chemistry takes control, leading Jessica to believe she’s winning. But, it’s a hot and cold affair, and she’s not the only one to blame for their stormy love. If Jessica can only coax Taylor into explaining why he doesn’t want her, maybe she could finally walk away from him for good, maybe she could finally be happy.

Review

This book was terrific! The story and the writing completely blew me off, what with the well-expressed thoughts and emotions of the characters, especially Jessica. My addiction to reading this actually got to the point where I pulled an all nighter just to find out what happened to Jessica and her ex-boyfriend Taylor, and I don’t even regret having done that. Although Jessica could be described as bitchy, I appreciated her touching backstory, which made her so much more relatable for me. She may have started off on the wrong foot, but throughout the book, she was allowed to grow into a more mature and sensible person. It made me realize that there is no one solution to a problem, and what we choose to do in dealing with difficult situations are entirely up to us. This may seem like just another cliché story about finding answers or finding love, but in truth, it is so much more than that. I finished this book without disappointments, and I fully recommend that you give it a shot!

My Rating

Excerpt

I heaved a sigh as my chest tightened with a barrage of unexpected emotions. I should’ve known talking to Taylor would do this to me. All my life he’d been there, my best friend. There was too much between us, too few emotions we hadn’t already explored in the past. I couldn’t hide from him.

A hand fell on my shoulder, startling me. A wave of heat and chills ran across my back. Taylor was touching me. I felt like a beggar who gets handed a small piece of bread. His long fingers warmed my skin even through my cardigan. The same fingers that had once tangled in my hair as his hips rocked against mine. Heated flames lapped away what little courage I had. I looked at his hand hoping he would remove it. He didn’t.

Taylor pulled, a gentle tug that turned me in his direction, a lamb ready to face the wolf. The blood drained from my face, leaving my cheeks cold and clammy. What was the matter with me?

“Is everything okay? Are you . . . ?” he didn’t finish the question but let his words hang and stretch between us, his warm breath almost brushing my lips.

I’ve been told my eyes are beautiful, clear blue with a burst of yellow around the pupils. But blue is nothing special compared to the molten silver in Taylor’s irises. As I fell into his intense gaze, I realized, like so many times before, that he had power over me. That he could hold me in place even without touching me, that the ice storm that raged inside his silver eyes could trap me in its core, making whatever happened outside its vortex blur and fade away.

About the Author

Ingrid Seymour loves, loves, loves to write. Her favorite genres are Young Adult and New Adult fiction.  Her debut novel “The Guys Are Props Club” is an NA contemporary romance which she immensely enjoyed writing.  Her favorite outings involve a trip to the library or bookstore where she immediately gravitates toward the YA section. She’s an avid reader and fangirl of many amazing books. She’s sure that one day she’ll see one of her books made into a movie. She likes to dream big ;)

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Blitz+Excerpt+Giveaway: Grounded By You

Grounded By You by Ivy Sinclair

Publication date: November 20th 2013

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

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Synopsis:

Lights, camera, and passions flare as a small town boy gets the break of his career. As the lines of life and art blur together, can he also find a way to win the love of the girl who got away?

Carter Samuel Groveson.

His name is on the lips of every woman in the country who has a pulse. An actor pulled from obscurity to star in the most anticipated movie of the century, he’s an enigma to all. Everyone wants a piece of him.

Except her.

Amelia St. John isn’t about to follow the life plan that her father set out for her. She refuses to be tied down or commit to anyone. A year ago, she ran as far and as fast from Sam Groveson as she could. But when he reappears in her life and asks her to be the friend he needs to keep him tethered to reality in the midst of the chaos, she can’t say no.

Unfortunately for Sam, his big break comes with expectations that threaten his career if he doesn’t toe the line. In this high stakes game of love, everyone is watching.

Excerpt

Sam held up his beer bottle. “Here’s to the wild and wacky world of finally being a grown-up.”

Millie giggled and clinked his bottle. She took a long pull and then startled him when she reached over without warning and grabbed his bicep. “I notice that somebody’s been hitting the gym. Impressive.”

His muscle twitched reflexively under her fingers, and her eyes widened. Sam wondered if she was looking at him in that moment like a friend, or something more, but then the expression on her face was gone. “It’s kind of a requirement for the acting thing,” he said. He downed the beer and put the bottle down, feeling anxious again.

“Have you snagged any decent parts? Will I get to see you on Broadway someday?” Millie giggled again.

It was the perfect opportunity to tell her. “I actually got a call today about a role I’m pretty excited about,” he said carefully.

Millie sat up straighter and then scooted closer to him. “Really? Tell me all about it!”

“Well, it was a complete fluke that I decided to audition for it at all,” Sam said slowly. “I’ve got so little film experience that I didn’t think there’d be anyway they’d consider me.”

“So it’s a movie? Anything I would have heard of?” Millie started to bounce on the sofa cushion. Sam loved her like that, so attentive and open. She had always made him feel like he could do anything.

“Funny you should say that.” Sam cleared his throat wondering how to say it just right. “I’m sure Kate told you that she got a call a few months ago from that executive producer in Hollywood who wanted to rent out the Willoughby for a few weeks.”

Millie squealed and clapped her hands over her mouth. “You got a role in Where My Heart Breaks? I couldn’t believe it when I heard that they finally cut through the red tape with Walter Moolen’s estate and got the green light for the film adaptation. It’s going to be HUGE! That is so exciting!”

“Yeah, I know,” Sam said. “It’s generated a lot of interest already.”

“So what’s the part?”

Sam took a deep breath. “Jackson Monroe.”

Millie’s eyes widened, and she looked shocked. “Are you serious? You got the lead?”

Hearing it said out loud made Sam’s mouth run dry. “I know. It’s crazy, right? That they picked a complete unknown for the part? I’m having a hard time believing it myself.”

Millie stood up and disappeared into the kitchen. She came back out with a magazine that he knew covered Hollywood gossip and news. She flipped open the cover and then shoved an article under his nose. “They’ve been speculating for weeks about who would be cast as Jackson. Like, everybody in the entire country is waiting to hear the news with bated breath. Sam, this will be massively huge when everyone finds out.”

His stomach muscles tightened. He knew that any expectation he had of what was about to happen was probably woefully inadequate. “They told me that the press release goes out tomorrow morning.”

About the Author

Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm beli

ever in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy's guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy's stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.

http://www.ivysinclair.com/

https://twitter.com/Author_Ivy

https://www.facebook.com/authorivy

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6923882.Ivy_Sinclair

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Waiting on Wednesday

Meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Promise of Amazing

Author: Robin Constantine

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publishing Date: December 31, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

Review+Excerpt+Giveaway: Mutilate My Heart

Title: Mutilate My Heart (Mutilate #1)

Author: Emily Godwin

Date of Publication: July 9, 2013

Genre: contemporary YA romance with paranormal elements

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Synopsis:

Punk rock band Mutilated Arteries has been seventeen-year-old Becca's world (aka obsession) for the last year. When the band schedules a concert in her hometown, she and her best friend Carli are the first ones in line to buy tickets. The night is everything she expects it to be and more, especially after making friends with the new super-cute bassist, Sketch.

Becca's mom warns her not to fall for a rock star because rock stars are always on the road - or they die in a plane crash, like her mom's favorite band did twenty-something years ago. But after the band's tour bus breaks down and they're stuck hanging out in Roizen Hills for a week, it's hard for Becca not to fall for Sketch and his caricature drawings and toxic green eyes.

Becca knows Sketch is leaving as soon as the bus is fixed, and she can't be his fan-turned-girlfriend anyway because of the lead singer's "No Girlfriends" rule. Plus, there's something strange about the guys that Becca can't quite decipher... like how they won't reveal their real names, their always-changing odd appearances, and the guitarist's obsession with blood and zombies. Still, Becca wants nothing more than for Sketch to mutilate her heart...but it just might not be in a way she expects.

My Review

I think that from the beginning, I was already drawn to this book because of its association with music. What I didn’t expect, though, was that it had paranormal elements in it as well. I never got that from reading its summary, so I was really shocked when I got to that part of the story. Although it was a bit weird, I think it was cleverly incorporated into the plot. It served as quite an effective turning point considering I had no idea that anything like it would happen. 

Becca and Carli were both really cool. I admired how they were always there for each other through everything. I found the romantic aspect quite sweet, too (Sketch is like Milo from American Girl on Saturn!). It’s every teenage girl’s dream to be able to hang out with a great guy from a great band! Sketch’s bandmates were also pretty awesome; they certainly lived up to their (kind of creepy) names. It was nice to see Spaceships Around Saturn mentioned in the story, forming a slight connection between it and AGoS.

I can definitely say that I loved the contemporary feel of the novel. It was a fun, light read, and I recommend it for anyone who finds interest in music, the paranormal, or both!

My Rating

Excerpt from the Book

I run out the door and climb into the passenger seat of Carli’s car. “Undead Masquerade” bleeds through the speakers, and the bass thumps against my flip flops. I really hope she turns their CD off before Sketch and Corpse get into her car with us. 

She doesn’t say anything as she backs out of my driveway. She has a completely calm persona on her face. We remain silent through the rest of the song, and then she turns the volume down.

“Are you freaking out? I’m freaking out,” she says in one breath.

If she’s freaking out, I have to stay calm. It’s our code. One of us has to act normal to try to hide the other’s complete spazzing moments.

“I’m good. Nervous. But good,” I reply. 

She nods her head. “Okay, good. We’ve got this.”

She pushes the eject button on the CD player and shoves the disc back into its case. Thank God. After the ringtone incident yesterday, I do not need anything else that will make me look like a fangirl. 

It only takes one drive around the mall for us to find the guys’ dead tour bus. Sketch and Corpse spot us, look once behind them, and run toward our car. Carli slams on the brakes, and my seatbelt catches me from landing face first against the dashboard. 

Sketch yanks my door open.

“Let us in!” he shouts. “Hurry!”

I jump out, and he yanks the seat down and dives into the backseat. Corpse jumps in right after him, and the two collapse half on top of the seat and half in the floorboard.

“Get in!” they scream in unison.

I get in quickly and slam the door shut behind me.

“Drive!” Corpse yells, slamming his hands against the back of Carli’s seat. 

About the Author

Emily Godwin is a Young Adult author. She enjoys writing, painting, and sewing her own line of non-evil voodoo dolls. She's a Slytherin, trying to disguise herself as a Hufflepuff, and wishes she could read herself into books.

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Waiting on Wednesday: At Any Price

Meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: At Any Price

Author: Brenna Aubrey

Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Publisher: Silver Griffon Associates

Publication Date: December 9, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Achievement Unlocked: Geek Virgin

When Mia Strong, proud geek-girl and popular gaming blogger, auctions off her virginity online, she knows she'll make waves. But what she will not be making is a love connection. Her rules are set in stone: One night. No further contact.

It's a desperate step, but it's the only way she can go to medical school and pay her mother's mounting hospital bills.

Difficulty Level: Millionaire CEO 

Adam Drake, the enigmatic auction winner, is a software prodigy who made his first million at seventeen. Now, in his mid-twenties, he's sexy, driven and--as CEO of his own gaming company--he's used to making the rules. Before Mia knows what's happening, he's found the loophole in the rules of her auction. Every stipulation she's made to protect her heart gets tossed by the wayside.

She can't tell if he's playing her...or if he's playing for keeps.

This New Adult book is intended for readers over the age of 18 due to adult language, sexual content and adult situations.