**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Now or Never ~ Jamie Canosa**

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Jamie Canosa's Now or Never. My stop includes all the pertinent details for the book, an excerpt, and a giveaway.

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Now or Never by Jamie Canosa

#2 Fight or Flight

Release Date: October 21, 2013

To move on,
Leave the past behind,
And build a new life with Jay.

That’s all Em wanted. After everything they’d been through together, they were both overdue their ‘happily ever after’. Too bad the world doesn’t work that way. Memories last longer than dreams and Em’s fears continue to plague her both day and night, interfering with that new life she so desperately craves.

To start over,
Secure a future,
And give Em the life she deserves.

That was Jay’s plan, but the past isn’t done with them, yet. While Em still struggles to overcome the ghosts of her past, Jay is forced to come face to face with his. When the skeletons in his closet step back into the light, Jay must decide what he will do—and what he will sacrifice—to protect Em from them. 

Against all odds, Em and Jay are on the verge of having everything they’ve ever wanted. They’ve fought for it before, but is their love strong enough to endure any more heartache? The time has come for each of them to choose for themselves whether or not they will allow the past to continue to corrupt their future. And, together, they must decide, will it be . . . NOW OR NEVER?

"Jay trailed Ashlyn to her table where he helped to deliver the beverages before retrieving his dull gray bin and making for the vacated table in the corner. Reaching across it for an empty fry basket, he felt something brush against his ass, and glanced over his shoulder in time to watch Sahara saunter away.

She was swaying so hard you’d think she was at sea. Jay had never struck a girl on purpose in his life, nor would he ever, but she was seriously starting to test the limits of his restraint. If the girl didn’t lay off, he was bound to let his foul mood get the best of him and say something they’d both regret.

On its return path, Jay’s gaze breezed past Mason standing behind the ticket counter. Someone else who wasn’t far behind on his ‘shit list’, though the bruise still shadowing his jaw was a pretty damn good excuse for the glares he kept shooting in Jay’s direction. Somewhere along the way, Jay was forced to admit to himself that maybe he’d overreacted just a little. Didn’t mean he was sorry he hit him, though.

“You may want to stop looking at him like that.”

“Who?”

Ashlyn’s eyes rolled dramatically. “Mason. You’re antagonizing him.”

“I am not.”

“Sure.” She snatched up a ketchup bottle, shaking it in Jay’s face. “You may have beat his ass last time, but you sort of sucker punched him. Keep it up and you may be looking at a real fight.” Her gaze shifted from him, to Mason, and back again. “And I’m not sure who would win that, actually.”

If it came down to it, Jay would win. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind, but, “I’m not antagonizing him, and no one’s going to start a fight.”

“That’s what you say.” Ash headed for the counter with her bottle. “But you’re not the one that got sucker punched.”

Okay, he’d give her that much. He’d been on the receiving end of more than a few of those, and they could really piss a guy off. Covertly sneaking a peek in Mason’s direction, he wondered if she wasn’t too far off the mark. If he wanted a fight, let him bring it. He might even let the guy get a few free shots in as payback. But he’d still kick his ass."

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Jamie Canosa is a full time author of YA literature, which she absolutely loves. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she can usually be found with her nose in a book. She currently resides in Ravena, NY with her wonderful husband and three crazy kids . . . plus the dog, the bird and the rabbit.

**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Lucifer ~ Annabell Cadiz**

Hey y'all! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Annabell Cadiz' Lucifer. My stop includes everything you need to know about the book, my review and a giveaway.

This tour was organized by Oops! I Read Again Tours.

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Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1) by Annabell Cadiz
Release Date: January 31, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal

Synopsis
Have you ever wondered what could be hiding in the shadows?

Well, for eighteen-year-old Zahara Faraday, she doesn’t have to wonder. You see she comes from a lineage of Light Witches, those who have chosen to help protect and serve between the supernatural world and the human world. The only problem is Zahara, like her father Solomon, is as human as a human being can be whereas her mother, Mia, and her Aunt Catalina, were born as Light Witches. As a family they hunt down rogue supernaturals—creatures who harm humans or who have committed an act against their kingdom. 

Zahara’s hunting skills are usually kept dormant since her parents would prefer she live life as a normal human girl without knowledge of the supernatural world. She plans on doing just that—except when she finds a couple being attacked by fairies, she has no choice but to step in. Before she can return to pretending to be blissfully ignorant, Zahara encounters a problem she isn’t the least equip to handle: Bryan Hamilton, the good looking new co-worker she has to help train. In a heartbeat, her best friend, Becca King, has set her up on a double date with herself and her new crush, Rekesh Saint-Louis, who happens to be the most powerful leader of the biggest Imago Coven in South Florida –supernatural creatures with the ability to control water . . . and suck out human souls. 

Zahara has no time to focus on how she’s going to explain her double date with her best friend and the enemy they have a tentative truce with to her parents because soon one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven is found murdered with a strange tattoo of a snake with wings carved into his arm.

Zahara is then thrown into a whirlwind battle with an angel determined to have revenge against God, an Imago coven she doesn’t think they should trust, and slew of dream-eating fairies and powerful Nephilims, hybrid children of angels and humans, more than happy to rip her to shreds.


Normal just got a deadlier definition.

Annabell Cadiz has woven an entertaining yarn in Lucifer, the first in her Sons of Old trilogy. It weaves together religious mythology with other supernatural elements to create a pretty good story.

Lucifer takes on the biblical story of Lucifer and puts a new spin on it. In this tale, Lucifer was wronged by a Light Witch, a powerful member of her coven, and has been seeking revenge against her and her family. The search has taken quite some time, but at long last he's found her. The one he'll use to exact his revenge - both against her family and God himself.

Zahara is quite familiar with the supernatural world. She's the daughter of a powerful Light Witch and her parents serve The Watchers, who police the supernaturals. Although she has no powers, her parents have taught her well about the supernatural world and how to protect herself in it. Zahara's best friend, Becca, has also been made aware of all things supernatural and she's trained in defending herself as well. But it takes a lot more than self-defense to protect yourself against Lucifer.

I like Zahara, for the most part. She's a strong young woman with a soft heart. She'll do whatever she is capable of to keep her loved ones safe and happy. Unfortunately, this means making some questionable decisions, that put her in danger. But she is only 18.

There is a large cast of supporting characters. Becca felt one-dimensional as a character, to me. I hope she's more developed in the future because she's a feisty young woman and I'd like to see more of that. Zahara's parents, Solomon and Mia, were better fleshed out. I liked their protectiveness of their daughter. Bryan and Rekesh, an angel and an Imago, are really getting interesting - I'm anxious to see what roles they end up playing.

The blending of the religious mythology with other supernatural mythologies is what I most enjoyed about Lucifer. Learning about the different beings that inhabit this world was interesting. There are witches, angels, fallen angels, nephilim, werewolves and fairies, all present in Lucifer. And the way Ms. Cadiz used the story of Lucifer was unique. Ms. Cadiz also did a nice job of creating mystery and and a decent amount suspense. I will admit to figuring out one main element in the story, but I'm still curious about whether or not it means what I think it means. Lucifer became more exciting as Zahara learned more about her family history and as she and her family and friends determined Lucifer's plan and tried to figure out ways to prevent him being successful.

My only complaints are that the dialog sometimes seemed less sophisticated than the prose, there were instances of the wrong word being used, and some of the details given were superfluous to the story, in my opinion. I love details but I found myself skipping over these parts because I didn't feel they had any bearing on the story. However, I think Lucifer is a compelling paranormal read and a great debut. I'm eagerly anticipating the next part of this story.

**I received an ecopy of the book, from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

A growl escaped the Imago’s lips as he threw a punch down toward Solomon’s face with such speed Zahara was surprised her father somehow managed to move his head aside just in time. She pulled the dagger out of her back pocket and jumped back up, running toward her father. Solomon had also returned to his feet and had his arm wrapped around the Imago’s neck. Zahara threw the knife, aiming at the Imago’s heart and let out a scream as the Imago tossed Solomon over his shoulder at the same time. 

Zahara cried out, but the knife missed Solomon by a mere inch. Solomon kept hold of the Imago’s arm and twisted as hard he could, his hand finding the dagger on the ground and driving it into the Imago’s side. The Imago shrieked, fumbling back for a moment, but Solomon refused to let him go, using the Imago’s arm to turn him around and, as he moved to kick his legs from under him, the Imago grabbed onto Solomon’s arm and threw him into the air. 

Zahara didn’t wait to see where her father landed; she knew he was going to need more than human, brute strength to beat a supernatural. She ran to the truck, Becca following behind, throwing the driver’s side door open and almost being slammed by the door bouncing back since she was too impatient to wait for it to fully open before jumping into the truck. 

“What are you doing?!” Becca asked as she climbed into the passenger seat.

“Key, key, key, where is that blasted key?” Zahara murmured to herself as she looked in 

the middle consul but only found another dagger. Becca opened the compartment in the dashboard and she barely held it out to Zahara before she was bringing the truck to life. Becca jumped into the passenger seat.

Zahara pushed her foot into the gas pedal and steered the truck toward the Imago, who had thrown Solomon against the side of the porch. As he sped toward Solomon, Zahara pressed harder on the gas pedal. The Imago noticed the truck just in time to vanish into the wind and suddenly appear in the back of the truck, arm shattering the glass of the back window. Becca screamed. Zahara pushed her foot against the brake pedal this time, and the Imago fell back. She jumped out of the truck, dagger from the consul in hand, and growled at the Imago, who was now staring down at her, growling in return.

The Imago jumped down from the truck and stood in front of her in the blink of an eye. Zahara reacted just as fast, swiping the dagger across his chest. The Imago hissed and grabbed Zahara’s wrist, snapping her bones the same way someone’s foot would snap a twig. Zahara’s scream was cut short when the Imago lifted her up, his hand a vice grip around her neck. Instantly, Zahara’s vision blackened, as she was on the brink of losing consciousness. The skin of her neck began to drip with blood as his nails dug hungrily into it. Zahara could swear she heard the bones begin to crack, but she couldn’t tell over the grinding of her own teeth. 

She tried to kick out her leg, but she could only find the strength to connect with his thigh. The Imago seemed unfazed by her weak efforts to remain alive. A strangled cry escaped through Zahara’s clenched teeth. The Imago’s features contorted from that bit of triumph to shocked agony. Zahara’s brow creased in confusion and then she was falling to the ground, her lungs choking from the instant intake of air. 

Zahara looked up at the Imago. He was standing frozen, arm still outstretched and fingers now grasping nothing more than air.

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Annabell Cadiz was born in the sweltering heat of South Florida. She was raised surrounded by Puerto Rican chefs and band of siblings that weren’t all related to her. A self-proclaimed nerd and book-a-holic (her room does hold much evidence to prove her claims are justifiable), she created TeamNerd Reviews to showcase her EXTREME love for novels where, along with her
best friend, Bridget Strahin, she hosts book reviews, interviews, giveaways and much more. She also had the pleasure of being published in three separate issue of Suspense Magazine. She is currently attending Trinity International University to attain her B.A. in Psychology. She also adores Cinnamon Teddy Grahams, has an addiction to Minute Maid Orange juice, and is a proud Jesus Freak. Her debut novel, LUCIFER (SONS OF OLD TRILOGY, #1) was published January 2013 and the second book, MICHAEL, will be out Fall/Winter 2013 and the third book, NEPHILIM, will be out Spring 2014.

Where to Stalk the Author:

Website/Goodreads/Amazon Author Page/

Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest/TeamNerd Reviews

**Cover Reveal & Giveaway ~ Jaded Stone ~ Kelly Walker**

I was supposed to reveal this cover yesterday ~ I'm sure some of you saw it elsewhere. As y'all know, I was out of town and I received the reveal information while I was gone. After I got home in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, I had to deal with having contracted a stomach bug. *fun* So it is with my sincerest apologies to Kelly Walker that I now post the reveal for Jaded Stone, one day late.

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Today is the cover reveal for Jaded Stone (Souls of the Stones) by Kelly Walker!

Join Kelly Walker's Mailing List to stay up to date about Jaded Stone's release!

Add Jaded Stone to your Want To Read list on Goodreads

In Cornerstone, Valencia Roth died to protect her daughter. In Jaded Stone, she'll live for her.

Twenty years before the events of Cornerstone, Valencia Roth is the Crown Princess of Sheas, as lonely as she is privileged. She wants for nothing, except a clear path toward peace for her land. She’s always known personal happiness might not be in The Three’s plan for her. As the future ruler of Sheas, and a Cornerstone, her life belongs to her people.

But when Valencia meets the charming Reid Hendel, she dares to believe love could be within her reach. That is, if they can both survive long enough for it to blossom. A new threat prowls the land, and she’s their primary target. Armed with stubborn pride and all the resources of Sheas, she fears nothing—until her brother leads her intended directly into the fray and at least one of them doesn’t return.

Burdened with grief, Valencia must carve her own path forward. From the forge of chaos, a new era will be born.

Check out the new covers for the rest of the Souls of the Stones series

 Giveaway

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About Kelly Walker

Kelly Walker is a YA and NA author of several romantic titles, including the Souls of the Stones series. She has an unhealthy appreciation for chocolate, and a soft spot for rescued animals. Her best lessons on writing came from a lifetime of reading. She loves the fantastical, and the magical, and believes a captivating romance can be the most realistic magic of all. Kelly, her husband and her two children share their Virginia home with three dogs who walk her, and two cats who permit her to occasionally share their couch.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ The Devil's Tattoo ~ Nicole R. Taylor**

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Nicole R. Taylor's The Devil's Tattoo. My stop includes all the details for the book, my review, and an awesome giveaway!

This tour is presented by Xpresso Book Tours. To follow all the stops along the tour, click here.

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The Devil’s Tattoo by Nicole R. Taylor

Publication date:  September 1st 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+

Synopsis:

Zoe Granger picked up her first guitar the day her heart was smashed into a billion pieces. It was a way to keep her mind off her inevitable downward spiral, but music soon became her escape. She's been burned too many times to tell and is just happy to coast through life, never putting herself out there. That's until her best friend Dee suggests they start a band and suddenly she finds herself not just a part of it, but fronting the whole outfit.

They call themselves The Devil's Tattoo and when they release their debut EP, it rockets to the top of the charts and it's like an overnight fairytale. Contracts, photo shoots, royalties and interviews are heaped onto the shy Zoe and it's like she's finally found her place. Then comes the phone call that changes everything. They've been asked to co-headline a tour with one of the hottest bands of the moment, The Stabs and Zoe will never be the same again.

Will Strickland is one fourth of the hottest indie rock band to ever grace the airwaves. He's the bass player in The Stabs, hot as hell and could have his pick of any girl that flings herself at him. But he's only got eyes for Zoe and she has no idea why he'd bother. She's got one hell of a trust issue and an attitude to boot and Will seems to be the one who wants to tame her, but is he game enough?

The Devil's Tattoo and The Stabs go on the road and it's either going to be a highway to hell or a stairway to heaven. Only time will tell who will come out on top and Zoe's determined to do it without getting her heart broken… again.

**Book Trailer**

The Devil's Tattoo is the first in a new series of twenty-something rock stars. It introduces a cast I hope to get to know much better. And focuses on Zoe Granger and Will Strickland.

Zoe and Will are both damaged. They each have suffered trauma in previous relationships and have focused on music to heal. Will is the bassist for the popular indie band, The Stabs. And Zoe, having spent the last few years learning to play guitar, finds herself fronting the rising band, The Devil's Tattoo. Will sees The Devil's Tattoo perform and recognizing their brilliance, and also due to the crush he's rapidly developing on Zoe, makes sure the bands tour together.

Zoe and Will have both shied away relationships for obvious reasons. Heck, Zoe has pretty much shied away from being social in any capacity. They both have an immediate attraction but while Will wants to act on it, Zoe steers clear. They're both keeping silent about their secrets - their past hurts. What they do connect over is music. Music is their passion and it helps bridge the awkwardness between them.

I enjoyed the bonding between Zoe and Will done through the music. However, I wish they'd both been more open with one another about their pasts earlier on. I do understand their trust issues though. I would have liked to have delved deeper into their histories. I think it would have augmented their character growth. And it would have made witnessing their budding feelings as well as Zoe's transformation richer.

The supporting cast was great - particularly Dee. While we get to know Dee better than other side characters, I did enjoy them all and look forward to becoming better acquainted further into the series.

One thing to note - Ms. Taylor is Australian and the book's setting is Australia. Don't be thrown off by the colloquial language and phrases.

Also, I know this is an ARC so hopefully this is fixed but the verb tense shifts in some places, which distracted me. The Devil's Tattoo is nicely paced and flowed well. It's written as a dual POV between Zoe and Will and I generally like this format. However, I don't know that it added that much to this story. I liked watching Zoe blossom from recluse-like to rock goddess because it showed her strength and fortitude. But again, it would have been more satisfying if I'd had a deeper look into her background - what had made her the Zoe we first met. Will doesn't grow quite as much. He has the reputation of being a player but it's never really explained nor does he truly fill that role in the book. I liked Will though, and I was pleased with his emotional growth - even if it was limited.

Overall, I liked The Devil's Tattoo. I became invested in Zoe and Will and cared about their outcome. And I will be picking up the next in the series for more Dee!

**I received an ecopy of the book, as part of the tour, in exchange for an honest review.

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Nicole R. Taylor is an Australian born paranormal, fantasy and contemporary fiction author. She is a graduate of the University of Ballarat Professional Writing and Editing programme and is a former music memorabilia sales person and grocery merchandiser.
She currently lives in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia with a two year old rescue cat named, Burger. She enjoys reading, writing (of course!), traveling and a little too much chocolate. One day she hopes to sky dive, but has to work up the courage first.

The first in her new paranormal fantasy series, The Witch Hunter Saga is available in e-edition and print from March 20th 2013

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Spitfire ~ Kate Mathias**

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Spitfire, by Kate Mathias. This is the third book in Kate's The Silver Oaks Series. I read and reviewed the first two books (my review of Worlds Apart and Hiding in Plain Sight) and while I didn't have time to read Spitfire in time for the tour, I do intend to read it as soon as I can. :) My stop today includes all the important details for Spitfire, a teaser, and a giveaway.

This tour is hosted by Love Between the Sheets and Lookin for a Bookin.

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Spitfire (The Silver Oaks #3) by Kate Mathias

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 28, 2013

Synopsis
Arie Reynolds is a strong willed, independent woman. Her life as a
stuntwoman in movies is enough to keep her fulfilled. After nearly
losing her life in an accident, she finds that she has a new “ability” – one that allows her to cross into a parallel reality. When she’s once again faced with her mortality, she must decide how she’ll use her ability — will it save her life or will she end up losing the one thing that matters most? 

Cole Mercer is a charming firefighter who’s used to getting what he
wants out of life, until he fell for Arie. Through the difficulties of her career and a seemingly impossible choice, can Arie make the right choice? Can Cole tame this spitfire’s heart or will he be the one that ends up getting burned?

“Nah, I don’t scare easily. Everyone has baggage, Arie. There are things that have happened in my past that have shaped who I am today. You either decide to let those things define you and who you are or you learn to control them.”

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Kate lives in Arizona with her husband and three children. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.

Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

**Out of Office ;) **

Hey y'all. I wanted to let you know that I'll be 'out of the office' starting today. I should be back online Tuesday. I'm traveling to the Colorado State Marching Band Competition to watch my daughters perform. Therefore, I'll be either in a car or outside fixing hair, uniforms, instruments, and generally caring for the band kids, and watching band performances. So I won't be around to reply to comments here or to visit your blogs to comment. (I know I've been behind some lately - these last 2 weeks have been crazy busy with preparations) But I'll catch up, I promise! :)

Until then, Happy Reading!

**Sidekick Showcase ~ #17 ~ Scary**

Sidekick Showcase (previously known as Sidekick Saturday) is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture (if possible) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment

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In honor of Halloween, for the entire month of October, Jaclyn has chosen Creatures of the Night as the theme. This includes witches, werewolves, vampires, ghouls, ghosts, zombies, and any other monster. :)

Okay, I'm feeling chatty, so y'all are going to get my thought process as I went about choosing my Sidekick for this week. ;) 

I'd decided last week that my pick would come from Robyn Jones' A Touched Girl series. (If y'all missed my reviews of the first two books in this series, Soul Walker and Soul Bender, you can click the titles to do so.) Anyway, I had picked Peter Davis because he's just... lovely. He's absolutely swoon-worthy! As I was going through my highlights/bookmarks looking for quotes, I found myself drawn into Anna's story once again. And I realized a couple of things. One, I am going to sit down with these books as soon as I can and re-read them...savor them all over again. Two, the reason these books resonated so much with me, other than they tell an amazingly unique story, is that while I reading them I thought "Wow, Robyn just 'gets' me. She understands how I think! She's describing how my brain works and it's so cool!" And finally, I realized I wanted to change my Sidekick pick! ;) I struggled with choosing between Jared and Eric. Yeah, too many tempting vamps to pick from! 

My pick for this week is:
Eric
from Robyn Jones' A Touched Girl series

So I decided to go with Eric because, although he actually grew on me and I decided I kinda liked him, he's still kinda creepy-scary!

Eric is not a nice vampire. He seeks Touched girls - to destroy them before his sister can find them. Whether he does this for their magic or simply to spite this sister is a question still to be answered. He gets into Anna's head and taunts her, trying to find her, but instead of wanting to destroy her, he seems to be courting her. Interesting, huh? 

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"I'm not as bad as you think," he playfully said. 

-Eric, Soul Walker

"...I'm curious who will  hurt more after I take you from them." 

"Eric, leave me alone," I said with my thoughts.

"Oh, that will be impossible. Try again."

"Leave everyone else out of this." I detected hints of Peter's temper in my voice, not to mention Peter himself, but his presence existed a world away."

"Are you looking to make a deal of some sort? How very brave. Are you that selfless? Well, it doesn't matter, I'm already here."

-Anna & Eric, Soul Walker

"Hush little baby, don't you cry," Eric sweetly sang. "Look at you sleeping precariously close to the front door. Won't you come out to play?"

"They won't let me leave, Eric." 

...

"You're the only one I want. Come out, and I will leave everyone else alone, including your loving Peter."

-Anna & Eric, Soul Walker

"See, Anna, I am not a monster. He didn't live long enough to feel any pain."

-Eric, Soul Walker

"Why so sad, Anna?" He was actually wearing a shirt.

"Going somewhere fancy, Eric?" He laughed.

"Nice to see heartache hasn't killed your sense of humor."

"What are you doing here? Come back to kill me? Because I'm not in the mood."

-Anna & Eric, Soul Bender

"What do you want, Eric?"

"I want you. I want you to ask me to sire you. I want us to rule together." His hungry green eyes shimmered as much as his silky black hair flowed.

"You and your sister are obsessed. Why do you want me so much?"

"That, I will keep to myself."

-Anna & Eric, Soul Bender

"I am going to enjoy draining him. I might even share him with Peter and Jared. I don't know. I'm feeling magnanimous at the moment."

-Eric, Soul Bender

**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Panic ~ J.A. Huss**

Happy Friday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for J.A. Huss' Panic. Yep, I know y'all know what that means...major fangirling ahead! :) My stop includes all the goods for the trilogy, my review and TWO giveaways! 

There is a tour-wide giveaway for a Kindle Fire HD (US), $100 Paypal $$ (INT), and some signed new swag. To enter, obey the rafflecopter.

Thanks to Ms. Huss, I am able to offer one lucky commenter an ecopy of either Tragic or Manic. This giveaway is open internationally and ends on November 1. To enter, simply leave a comment about this post.

This tour is presented by Xpresso Book Tours. If you want to check out all the amazing reviews from the tour, you can click here.

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Panic by J.A. Huss

#3 Rook & Ronin

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Release Date: October 16, 2013

Rook is chasing her dream—film school and a chance at a life beyond the one she ran from six months ago. But before she can become the girl she wants to be, she must deal with the girl she left behind.

Ronin is also chasing his dream—a family of his own and a life away from erotic modeling. And he too, has a past he’s trying to forget. A past that makes Rook question everything about their life together.

Lies, secrets, and shocking truths will rock the foundation Rook and Ronin have built. Can they put the past behind them and move forward together? Or is this just another too good to be true relationship that will crash and burn in the end?

**Trailer for Panic**

If you haven't read Tragic and Manic, WTH?!? Go get them now!! ;) But seriously, my review may not make sense in some places if you haven't read the first two books...it may even be a bit spoiler-y. So read on at your own risk. :)

I swear my highlighter/bookmark function smokes from overuse when I'm reading one of Ms. Huss' books. There are always so many poignant and meaningful moments and quotes that I have to record! One of my favorite things about Ms. Huss' writing is her character and plot development. She always has a surprise or two for me and although I think I may have it figured out, I'm almost always wrong! LOL This is a good thing, in my opinion.

"...a door, still closed and leading to every opportunity imaginable and requiring a leap of faith that the risk is worth it. You are my doorway to endless possibilities and I'm ready to take that risk." -Rook, Loc 1001, eARC

I think this quote is the theme of the entire book.

Panic was intense. I could not put it down. So much happens and it's a thrill ride - I was anxious to know what was going to happen - where it was all going. I was clueless...I never saw it coming. I tried to pace myself...I DID! But I devoured this book. And when I finished, I wanted to start it all over again.

I enjoyed the culmination of Rook's journey towards forgiveness, love, and wholeness. Because even though they're an 'us', this story is more Rook's story than Ronin's. Ronin is the catalyst for Rook's growth and therefore an integral part of Rook's story, but it's Rook's. And as the events of Rook's past are revealed, I admired her all the more.

"Rook," Spencer blows out a long breath of air and then opens his eyes and stares straight at me. "You are the bravest f#cking chick I've ever met." Spencer, Loc 3168-3169, eARC

While Rook's behavior did irritate me on occasion in the first two books and I always cut her slack because of her age, I now know I was so right in my allowances for her actions. What Rook experienced and survived prove her mettle. She's grown up  - she's finally ready to let go of her past and move forward.

Ronin...ahh, Ronin - he just proved over and over again that he meant what he said,

"...I am so far beyond in love with you, I can barely function. I want to marry you. Like yesterday. But I know that's not gonna happen just yet, so I just want you to know, I can wait." Ronin, Loc 454, eARC

Ronin has moved past his player days - he's a goner for Rook. He even mans up and puts Clare in her place. We get an in-depth view of Ronin and his past - his mad skills. But Ronin isn't as prominent in Panic. He's present, of course, but doesn't feel as present. And it shocked me that I loved Panic so much because I love Ronin and he seemed to have a smaller role. The reason I loved Panic?!? That would be FORD!

Now Ford, well, I just love Ford. I have to admit to falling for him in Manic. I adored getting a deeper glimpse into his dark psyche. Ford's deep and I think Ms. Huss is barely scratching the surface here in exposing Ford. (that's okay - Ford is getting his own book in January 2014.) Ford shows many parts of himself to Rook in an attempt to push her away, I think. It boggles his mind that Rook just accepts it all and loves him anyway.

"And we're a team, he said. It doesn't have to be me against the world. Because I'm part of the team." Rook, Loc 210, eARC

Ronin challenges Rook to want a future - one with him. He challenges her to believe in herself, to believe in love and to believe she deserves it. Ford challenges Rook to stretch herself, to push past her boundaries, to reach and fulfill her potential. And Spencer, he provides Rook with the comfort and security of a big brother. They all, even Antoine and Elise, ask Rook to give them her trust. And that's the most difficult for Rook, in my opinion.

There's a lot of action and many revelations in Panic. Ms. Huss didn't take the story in the direction I was expecting. Seriously, I thought I had it mapped out and I so didn't. But I was thrilled with the direction she took. The events in Panic tied up some loose ends and allowed Rook the closure she needed.

And that epilogue...WOW! *Oh, Ford* I won't say anything more about it other than it was shocking! And I can't wait til January...and more Ford. ;)

**I did receive an ecopy of this book, as part of the tour, in exchange for an honest review. But y'all know me...I one-clicked my own copy on release day, as well! :)

**Panic Playlist ~ Courtesy of @MissAliGirl**

Books in the Rook & Ronin Trilogy

Tragic

My Review of Tragic

Synopsis:

Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far – just sucks.  Some girls get parents.  Rook got the foster care system.  Some girls get Prince Charming.  Rook got an abusive frog.  Some girls get lucky…

Rook got a second chance.

And she took it.  Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look.  The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.

Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy!  He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s portfolio.

Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modeling world.  It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.

Tragic is a new adult contemporary romance.

**Trailer for Tragic**

Manic

My Review of Manic

Synopsis:

TRAGIC is over and Rook is ready for the future—Spencer Shrike and the STURGIS contract!

It’s three months of body art modeling! That means three months of Spencer Shrike’s paintbrush all over her body, three months in front of Antoine’s camera, and three months of twenty-four hour filming for Spencer’s Biker Channel reality show.

Wait a minute…what reality show? Maybe she should’ve read that STURGIS contract a little closer? ;)

Sure, Rook’s bank account is almost overflowing, but Ronin is angry, Clare is trying to escape rehab, Antoine is a worried mess, and Elise is just trying to hold everyone together. Her new family is about to fall apart before she even gets the chance to enjoy them.

Add in a mysterious man from her past, a road trip to the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and a final show in front of the entire world where all her good are on display, and you’ve Manic—a new adult contemporary romance that will definitely make your summer sizzle!

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

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