TODAY’S LIST OF NEW RELEASES AND BARGAIN BOOKS FOR MAY 21

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This list started as a bargain book list and ended up with those books plus new releases and some of my all time favorites that are on sale right now. The new releases have (**) before the title. I hope that there is a little something for everyone on this list. Enjoy!

  • Unbeautifully (Undeniable: Book Two) by Madeline Sheehan – I am writing my review as we speak, but let me say “A-FREAKIN-MAZING”! Madeline Sheehan is a genius in my opinion. If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Undeniable, you must read it first. A good bit of the plot continues in UB. Both books are 5 Hookers books!

  • Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino – Another 5 Hooker book that is on my list of top reads this year!

  • Trying Not To Love You (Love Series)by Megan Smith – Just reviewed this one for the blog tour, and I absolutely loved it!! I will warn you, there is a cliffhanger, but it was so worth it!

  • **Tangled (The Tangled Series) by Emma Chase – I am reading this one right now, and the blog tour stops at TBH next week. Good and hot so far.

  • Lost in Distraction – I just read this one this weekend. It’s on sale for .99 right now, and I really liked it. The second book in the series will be out soon!

  • The Sea of Tranquility: A Novel by Katja Millay – This is one of my favorite books EVER! It’s on sale for 3.99…believe me, I would’ve paid much more for this one!

  • For You by Mimi Strong – I just got this one, it’s only .99 and 250 pgs, with good reviews!

  • Blackbird by Nicole Salmond – I just found this one, and I grabbed it. It’s on sale and it’s been on my wish list for a while. Today it’s 2.99.

  • **Stealing Harper by Molly McAdams – Chase’s POV from Taking Chances. 100 pgs, 1.99 and you better have tissues!

  • **Then, Again by Karen Stivall – New release that sounds sweet and romantic!

  • **The Do Over by A.L. Zaun – Another new release that you need to check out!

  • **Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren – The new release that alot of you have been waiting on..the book after the smoking hot first one, Beautiful Bastard!

 

Happy Reading!
<3 Tray

Sunday Reader’s Poll

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Best Biker Book Survey
Vote for your favorite hot, badass "Biker" book!

Meet The Real Characters From Trying Not To Love You

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 Meet the real life characters from Trying Not to Love You. These are the people that Megan pictured when she wrote this sexy, angst filled novel.

Hunter and KenzieMason and HaileyJaylinn and CooperChloe Alex JacksonMr Cahill Mrs Cahill Ms McCormickDominic and Brittany

*If you haven’t gotten your copy yet, here’s your chance. Just think…now you’ve got the real faces as you read their story.

 

My Interview with Megan Smith, Author of Trying Not to Love You

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TNTLY blog banner

Here’s my interview with author Megan Smith about her new book Trying Not to Love You. Here’s what she had to say about the book, the characters and of course, a few personal questions I threw in…

1. How did you come up with the idea for TNTLY?

It started out as a bad dream and it wouldn’t leave me alone so I starting playing around with it and everything just started falling into place.

2. Do you have a favorite brother and if so, why is he?

I love them all in there own ways but if I had to pick one it would Mason. Mason is exactly how I would want my brother to act if I had one. He may be intense but that’s why I love him.

3. Do you already have a set number of books in mind for this series, or are you taking one book at a time?

I have 4 that I want to do. Book Two is Hunter and MacKenzie’s POV, Book Three is Mason and Hailey and Book Four is Cooper and Jaylinn. I may do one with Jackson and Chloe but I’m not sure just yet.

4. I know how nervous you have been about the release and reception of TNTLY. You know how I feel about it, but here’s my question…Will you read all of the reviews on GR and Amazon? I ask because I have very thin skin, and if someone had negative things to say about something I worked so hard on, I would be pissed and upset. Have any authors given you advice on how to handle this sort of thing, and what was that advice?

They have, stay off GR lol. I’m prepared for the worst and hoping for the best. I know people don’t like cliffhangers but it was something I had to do. There story isn’t over yet and had I not stopped my first novel would have been over 600 pages. That’s not a good thing for a first timer.

5. I was so frustrated with Kenzie during a portion of the book. Without giving anything away, why was she so trusting of Dominic? Was it a case of denial or was it something else?

Dominic and Kenzie had a great relationship before college started for them. He was super sweet to her and always put her before anything else. She felt safe with him and he was the perfect distraction for Hunter.

6. When is your favorite time to write?

I have to write at night. I work full time, I have a husband and a CRAZY little monkey at home so the only time I get is at night.

7. How long did it take you to write TNTLY?

I started in January and was finished by the middle of April. I would have finished sooner but I hated it at one point and took a break from it.

 

8. Do you have any brothers/sisters? I ask because the dynamics between Kenzie and her brothers was so believable and was so real.

I have 2 younger sisters

9. Do you listen to music when you write? Is there a certain genre or artist you prefer?

Yes I have to have my headphone in and it has to be blasting. I like all kinds of music. As you will see from TNTLY’s playlist of Spotify.

10. How did you come up with the cover for TNTLY?

TNTLY actually had two covers. The first one I liked but it wasn’t THE ONE. One of my Beta’s is a photographer. When I found out I asked her to send me some picture of who she thought could pass off as Hunter and Kenzie. Turns out it was her brother and his wife. She sent me a bunch of there pictures and when I saw the one I have now I knew it was THE ONE

 

Okay, here are the fun ones…kind of like Truth or Dare without the Dare :

1. What is your favorite curse word?

I have a lot of favorites. Asshole and shit I say a lot.

 

2. What’s your favorite drink, both with alcohol and without?

Alcohol would be vodka and without is coffee

 

3. If you were on death row, what would be your last meal?

Pizza, I love pizza.

4. If you were on a deserted island, what book boyfriend would you want with you? (other than your books)

That’s a hard one but I’m going to say Dylan from Waiting for You. He’s a lot like my hubby.

5. If you could do any profession other than your own, what would it be?

I’d like to be a Neonatal Nurse.

6. What is a sound you love? a sound you hate?

Love the sound of the ocean. I hate when someone smacks there lips when they eat.

7. What is your favorite book? (again, besides your own) It can be any genre from any time in your life.

I have a lot, who doesn’t right? The one that affected me the most was Taking Chances so I’m going with that.

8. What job would you not want to have?

My husbands! He works for Waste Management and he doesn’t smell so nice when he comes home sometimes LOL.

 

My Review of Trying Not to Love You by Megan Smith

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Trying not to love you GR cover

Trying Not To Love You (Love Series) is the debut novel from Megan Smith. It’s the story of what happens when you fall in love with the boy next door (or across the street). In Mackenzie Cahill’s life, nothing happens. Because that boy is Hunter McCormick, her twin brothers’ best friend.

Kenzie fell for Hunter the first time she saw him. She was ten and came home from school to find a strange boy sitting at the kitchen table with her brothers, Cooper and Mason. The new boy was Hunter, and his family had just moved in across the street. And Kenzie thought he was the most beautiful boy she had ever seen.

Kenzie was the baby in the family, the only girl with three older brothers. Jackson was the oldest and the twins, Cooper and Mason, were three years older than Mackenzie. Their dad always stressed to the boys that it was their job to keep their baby sister safe, and the boys took their job seriously.

Hunter and Kenzie’s families were close. They took vacations together every summer. They spent every holiday together. Even worse, Hunter and the twins were inseparable, so he practically lived at the Cahill house. Kenzie had watched Hunter date his way through high school, silently wishing it was her on his arm. But that would never happen, because her brothers would kill him. Not that he thought of her that way. To Hunter, she would always be CC, his nickname for her. The little sister of his best friends.

Hunter McCormick had a problem. A big one. He wanted his best friends’ little sister. Hunter had watched Kenzie grow from a little girl to beautiful woman with a rocking body. Attending college hours away from her was probably the only thing saving him from her brothers’ fists.Out of sight, out of mind. The only problem was, Mackenzie and her best friend, Hailey, were now freshmen at the same college Hunter attended. Mason and Cooper trusted Hunter to watch out for her and keep her safe. Little did they know, he was the last person they should have entrusted her with.

I really, really liked this book. I liked how Megan started with the characters as children and progressed to young adulthood. I felt like I really knew them and their history. I also liked that I could feel the sexual tension between Hunter and Kenzie build the older they got. The more they tried to deny it, the stronger the urge became.

I also liked that it wasn’t one of those books where the two just decided to admit their feelings and everything was rainbows and sunshine. TNTLY is definitely not a story with smooth sailing. Hunter and Kenzie face all kinds of problems besides the attack dogs called her brothers. Kenzie’s longtime boyfriend Dominic is one of those problems. Be prepared to mentally want to slap sense into her where Dominic is concerned. I know I certainly wanted to!

Then there’s Mason. He is the brother most protective of Mackenzie. No one is good enough, especially not Hunter. I also mentally punched him in the throat a few times. You’ll understand when you realize the huge double standard Mason has. Actually, both Mason and his twin Cooper have the old “do as I say, not as I do” mentality when it comes to their baby sister.Frustrated is not a strong enough word for how I felt every time Kenzie folded to their demands without argument.

I thought that once all of the roadblocks were out of the way, Hunter and Mackenzie would just sail off to their HEA. That didn’t happen. The last part of TNtLY takes a turn that I never expected, and neither will you. In fact, I think my message to Megan was “Noooo…I sort of, kinda want to choke you right now!” An edge of your seat ending that will leave you needing the next book right then!

I thought Trying Not to Love You was a really good first book for Megan Smith and I can’t wait for the next one! You will love all of the supporting characters, including Hailey, Kenzie’s best friend, Kenzie’s parents, and Kenzie’s soon to be sister in law, Chloe. How the whole family and their friends interact with each other is so real and almost always hilarious. Oh and it’s definitely got some steam for you, too!

Trying Not To Love You (Love Series)was a 4 Hooker read, in my opinion :D

Trying Not To Love You by Megan Smith – Cover and Synopsis

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Trying not to love you GR cover

Trying Not to Love You by Megan Smith was just released today. The blog tour stops here tomorrow, but here’s the cover and synopsis until then. Megan is also a blogger, so I was really excited when I heard she had written a book. I’ll say more in my review, but let me just say how proud I am of her. You are gonna love Trying Not to Love You! Meet you back here in the morning…

<3 Tray

 

Trying Not to Love You Synopsis

MacKenzie Cahill has dealt with overbearing and overprotective brothers her entire life, making it near impossible to enjoy her teenage years. Having a boyfriend was practically impossible until she met a guy that wasn’t afraid to stand up to them – Dominic. He was sweet, thoughtful, and everything MacKenzie ever wanted in a man.

But when they go away to college at Old Dominion University, MacKenzie sees a whole new side of Dominic and begins to wonder if he really is different from every other guy.

Her world is turned upside down after a party, and her brothers’ best friend Hunter is the one there to offer her a shoulder to cry on. The chemistry between them is electric, and feelings for each other that have been hidden for years are finally voiced.

Is Hunter willing to be disloyal to his best friends in order to be with the one girl he’s always secretly wanted?

KA Linde Cover Reveal and Excerpt

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Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00071]

Here’s an excerpt from Following Me by K.A. Linde:

Sweat beaded on Devon’s temple, and she wiped it off her forehead and out of her eyes.  The party had been going all night, and it was nice to loosen up and get lost in the music and dancing.  She hadn’t partied in so long, and she couldn’t resist when Amy had actually invited her out.  Either she was getting over her hatred for the new girl, or Devon had just been there long enough that she wasn’t considered the new girl any longer.

People were packed into the club shoulder to shoulder, many even closer than that.  The music was ear-splittingly loud.  Crazy lights traversed the warehouse-sized room, and they alternated to strobes slowing everything down to slow motion.  She hadn’t had much to drink, but she was dizzy with dehydration and the energy in the room.  Her tank top was sticking to her back, and she had long since pulled her hair up off of her neck into a ponytail.

God, I need another drink, she thought.

Her eyes moved around the room taking in as much as she could from her vantage point.  It really only ended up being the two feet encircling her.  Amy had to be somewhere inside the building.  How had she lost track of her?

Well, she knew how.  There were too many damn people in the place.  It was easy to lose track of one person, especially when that person was as short as Amy.  Still, she should have done better. She didn’t like being alone in dark places.  Whether she was surrounded by people or in a back alleyway at night, she was still alone.

She craned her head to look for her, but was having no luck.  It felt like more and more people were being crushed into the space.  How was this in line with fire code?  Surely the place would be shut down soon.

Walking in the direction of the bar, Devon tried to find Amy in the crowd.  Seriously it was getting harder and harder to maneuver through.  She was literally having to elbow people out of the way. This wasn’t okay, and it wasn’t fun.  They shouldn’t let any more people in.  Things could get out of control.

Devon looked up over the heads of people in front of her and sighed.  It felt like she was never going to reach the bar, and there was a huge line anyway.  She thought maybe the bathroom would be a better alternative…at least there she would have some privacy.

She turned to walk the other direction and slammed right into a meaty guy in front of her, who glared at her as she lost her balance and tumbled to the floor.  Someone stepped on her hand as she tried to get up.  Devon swore and hissed pulling her hand away from the ground where someone else could do the same thing.  She stood as best she could, cradling her aching hand.  It wasn’t easy pushing through people with one hand pressed between her breasts to keep from someone else smashing into it.  All it did was cause people to unknowingly smash into other parts of her.  She hadn’t made it more than a few feet toward the bathroom, and she had already been elbowed in the arm, gotten her foot stepped on, and been drunkenly body slammed knocking the breath out of her.  The club was getting dangerous.

A space opened in the crowd, and she took advantage, rushing forward through the throng of people. It took her closer to the bathroom but not close enough.  Then she felt it.  Eyes on the back of her head.  She didn’t even know how it was possible.  There were hundreds of people in the place.  No one could be focusing that intently on her, but she could swear that someone was watching her.

*****

Blurb:

“I knew you were running the first time I saw you…”

Devon didn’t have a game plan when she decided to leave St. Louis on a Chicago-bound train for the summer. Just a reason. One she couldn’t share with anyone.

Not Hadley, her best friend from college, who lets her stay in the guest bedroom; no questions asked. Or Brennan, the bartender at the local restaurant they frequent, who she actively tries to avoid. Or Garrett, Hadley’s boyfriend, who befriends her when she has no one else to turn to.

“I just didn’t know what you were running from….”

Desperate to hide at all costs, Devon plunges into her new life in the city. Everyone around her starts to reveal sides of themselves Devon never expected. And just when she starts to get comfortable, her world flips upside down…

“…but I think all along you were running toward me.”

4 lives.
All connected.
All with secrets that just keep following them.

Lost For You Cover Reveal and Excerpt by BJ Harvey

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Lost For You cover

           Lost For You (Lost #2) 
  Expected release: July 23rd 2013

What would you do if you were told that everything you had ever believed in and everything you had ever known, was a lie?

Elle’s life is altered forever after an unexpected phone call and an unwelcome visitor. Trying to put her life back together, Brax’s last words continue to echo through her mind. Why she is being followed and why is she suddenly in danger? The fact that Brax knew about it all and still left her alone, breaks her fragile heart all over again.

Brax will never forgive himself for leaving Elle at a time when she needed him the most, even if he believed it was the only way to protect her. As he makes his way back to her life, he is determined to win her back, regain her trust and help rebuild her for the second time. His return proves he is the same man, yet Elle sees in his eyes a haunted look she knows all too well.

When a confession leaves Elle reeling, her entire life unravels around her. She begins to understand that the people she trusts the most have put her in grave danger and the people who have been protecting her actually want to cause her harm.

Elle soon discovers that the old adage is true, you have to become lost before you can be found.

 

 Author Profile:

Having always loved reading, and having been befriended and inspired by some awesome self published authors and book lovers alike, I decided to start writing my first novel, Lost in Distraction in December 2012. It was a conscious decision that started with a song, then the prologue and then catapulted from there. I love music too, like REALLY love music, if there isn’t music playing, something is wrong. Out and Proud Vampire Diaries fan as well.

I’m also a wife, mother, full-time university student and I do contract work for myself from home.

 

Author Links:

 *If you haven’t started this series by BJ Harvey yet, you are in luck! The first book, Lost in Distraction is on sale May 16-21. That’s today, so grab it Hookers! I can’t wait for book 2! To get the first book for ONLY .82, click on the cover below…

 

Kirsten’s Review of Eyes Wide Open by Raine Miller

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Eyes Wide Open

Wow! What a ride that was. Ethan James Blackstone, I adore you. That dirty-mouthed, dominant, alpha male personality, those beautiful blue eyes and the way you love Brynne, all make me SWOON! I will admit I had high, okay huge, hopes for this one, and Raine Miller did not disappoint!

Eyes Wide Open: The Blackstone Affair, Book 3 picks right up where All In left off. Brynne and Ethan are off to his sister Hannah’s country home to enjoy a weekend of R&R. We are gently reminded of the prior evening’s events and know that someone is out to get Brynne. Brynne has, of course, become Ethan’s world, and there is nothing he wouldn’t do to protect her or to find out who is behind all of this. Ethan is sure that the only way he can fully protect Brynne from the evil that is chasing her is to marry her.

“Brynne was my heaven. I’d seek out my heaven endlessly”

If you are reading this review, I am sure you have read the other books in this series so I don’t need to tell you: Brynne—she’s not going for it. She’s “All In” after all, but they really have only been dating for a matter of weeks, and their relationship has not been the smoothest. Brynne is dealing with insecurities and depression, and I was really shocked that she didn’t run right out of the room when Ethan talks to her about his plans. Brynne has grown a lot by the end of this story and I was so pleased to watch her evolve.

“He brought me out from the dark and into the light. Ethan had given me back my life.”

We come to find out so much more about Mr. Blackstone in this book. While visiting with Hannah we discover a bit more about his childhood. Hannah shares with Brynne how their mother died, Ethan’s reaction to her death, and finally that she is the only girlfriend Ethan has ever introduced her to. We also get a glimpse of Ethan with his niece, and those scenes made me fall deeper in love with him. We know Ethan is suffering from PTSD and we are given a closer look as to what happened to him while he was over fighting the war.

Of course Raine Miller can write an incredible sex scene and there are many of them in here and they are all quite STEAMY. Ethan seems to instinctively know what Brynne needs, and wants nothing more than to give it to her.

“My baby loves me, and I know how to give her what she needs.”

While he is certainly dominant, he also is so sweet and tender with Brynne. Some of their scenes just made me melt. Ethan is totally and hopelessly in love with her. The writing is so eloquent that I can “feel” everything myself.

“It always amazed me at how easy it was to carry her. I knew why. It was because she carried my heart with her wherever she went. My heart was in her hands, and carrying her was some form of self-preservation, maybe. Holding her, holding me up. I couldn’t explain it, but I understood it. Made perfect sense to me.”

There are moments in this story that are heartbreaking, tragic and painful, but watching these two face those moments together and have them growing stronger from it, is just heartwarming. This book seemed more suspenseful than its predecessors and I really enjoyed the dual POV. Getting a chance to look at life through both Brynne’s and Ethan’s eyes was fantastic. Ms. Miller’s writing is fabulous. Her character development continues to be awesome, and I can’t wait for Book 4.

*I have yet to read this series (don’t ask me why), so I was thrilled when Kirsten asked if I needed her to send me hers. I purposely did not read her review, however, because I didn’t want to know anything about the story. You’ll be happy to know, Kirsten, that I am starting Naked: The Blackstone Affair, Book 1tonight :D

<3 Tray

New Releases and Bargain Books for the Week of May 13

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The Undeniable Series

Here’s what I’ve found for us so far this week. I am sure you are wondering why I put the Undeniable Series picture across the top of this post. There are two reasons. The first is that Unbeautifully, Danny and Ripper’s book, was just released yesterday. The second reason is that I just finished reading it, and I am in love and obsessed with this series! I mean, even the covers are freaking sexy works of art! Anyway, I hope you find something great to read from the ones below :D

 NEW RELEASES

Bargain Priced Books

<3 Tray