New Release Review & Giveaway ~ Tiny Glitches ~ Rebecca Chastain

Tiny Glitches by Rebecca Chastain
Release Date: January 12, 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Challenges: #COYER B2B, Blogger Shame, New Release
Goodreads ~ Amazon

Synopsis
Life isn't exactly normal for Eva Parker: the stronger Eva's emotions, the faster nearby electrical devices die. Eva can't have a cell phone, use a computer, or be in a car for more than a few minutes without killing it. Dealing with her electricity-killing curse makes living in modern-day Los Angeles complicated enough for Eva--and that was before she was blackmailed into hiding a stolen baby elephant and partnered with Hudson, a sexy electrical engineer Eva just met.

Dodging repeated attempts on her life made by ruthless corporations hunting the elephant is easier for Eva than quelling her growing affection for Hudson, and while protecting an elephant is hard, controlling her curse is a lot harder. However, Eva must do both, because if she lets her emotions free and falls in love with Hudson, neither of them will survive.

Enchanting and quirky, Tiny Glitches fuses electrifying romance and high-voltage suspense in a rollicking adventure.

Tiny Glitches is a unique story with a lite paranormal element, lots of action, humor, romance, and a delightful cast of characters. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this but I can say I'm thrilled to have taken the chance on it.

Eva is an interesting young woman. She's a feng shui consultant, is very close to her aunt, and she has this amazing gift/curse. The only drawback is that it drains electricity. This prevents her from riding in cars for long, owning a cell phone, using a computer...essentially it keeps her from living a normal life. Good thing since her uncommon life is about to be turned upside down.

Tiny Glitches has a complex plot with many threads woven in. It has mystery and suspense as Eva and Hudson try to figure out why Eva was targeted to take care of this baby elephant. There's romance as Eva and Hudson begin exploring the attraction between then while working at solving the puzzle they've been given, and work at giving each other trust, which is clearly difficult for them. And every step of the way they are surrounded by family and friends who love them and offer every kind of support they can.

Tiny Glitches is also about acceptance - accepting yourself as much as others. It's about the power of friendship and family. And it also has a social message about the evils of certain human quests using science. Ms. Chastain managed all the many threads deftly and injected so much humor. I literally laughed out loud several times. I feel for and/or felt for each of the characters as Ms. Chastain gave them distinct personalities.

There's so much going on in this story. Sometimes it was a little over-the-top but Ms. Chastain created such an entertaining story - it is a read where your emotions change as many times as Eva drains cell phone batteries. It is a compelling read and I'll definitely be reading more from Ms. Chastain.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rebecca Chastain is the international bestselling fantasy author of A Fistful of Evil, A Fistful of Fire, and Magic of the Gargoyles. She has found seven four-leaf clovers to date, won a purebred Arabian horse in a drawing, and once tamed a blackbird for a day. Dreaming up the absurd and writing stories designed to amuse and entertain has been her passion since she was eleven years old. She lives in northern California with her wonderful husband and two bossy cats. Tiny Glitches is her latest novel.

Website ~ Newsletter ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review ~ Ex on the Beach ~ Kim Law ~ #ShelfLove #COYER

Ex on the Beach by Kim Law
Turtle Island #1
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Kindle Freebie
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #ShelfLove 2015, #COYER 2015
Goodreads

Synopsis
She vowed to protect her heart....

Andie Shayne believes in forever...for everyone else. She has an up-and-coming wedding planning business, and her own failed engagement, to prove it. Now all Andie wants is to save the date for Seaglass Celebrations becoming a premier destination wedding resort. And making sure the wedding of the summer goes off without a hitch will get her there--despite the arrival of one unexpected guest.

The sexy-as-sin best man...who's also the ex who broke Andie's heart.

Mark Kavanaugh wants to make amends with Andie. He knows breaking off their engagement--at the altar!--was unforgivable. But he's a wiser man now, vowing to make peace with his past. But with desire reigniting on Turtle Island, Mark realizes he never stopped loving Andie. He wants her; and this time, he's determined to do it right.

You know how sometimes there's a book that just really resonates with you? Ex on the Beach was that book for me. I'm a firm believer in fate - that things happen for a reason and in a way that's meant to be. Ex on the Beach revolves around this premise. I loved that! But this is also a story about two people figuring out what they want out of life - their place in the world. That's journey I'm always happy to be a part of. It's more than that though. It's also about how decisions, both those we make ourselves and those made by others, affect the people we become. And it all falls into place as it's meant to be...fate!

Andie and Mark were engaged but Mark left her at the alter. Four years later, he's back - on her beach - to get closure. Only it seems neither has moved on. Although this story is told in dual POV, it's primarily in Andie's voice. I relished how Law took us along for the ride as Andie and Mark had revelation after revelation about themselves, their families, and what they wanted out of life.

Law created quite a colorful supporting cast as well and I'd happily spend more time with any and all of them. I am particularly fond of Andie's aunt and Mark's best friend, as well as his mom. This was my first read from Law but it certainly won't be the last.

Blogger Chick Chat w/Talk Supe ~ Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts ~ Fighting for Devlin ~ Jessica Lemmon

Fighting for Devlin by Jessica Lemmon
Lost Boys #1
Release Date: November 24, 2015
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased on Nook
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
Devlin Calvary makes his own luck. Orphaned as a young child, he was taken in by a crew of bookies and gamblers--and they became his family. They're the reason Dev's running a trendy bistro, living in a high rise, and enjoying the good life with a string of women who never ask for too much. Until, one night, he finds out how much it hurts to trust the wrong people.

Rena Lewis sticks to the straight and narrow, determined not to slip up again...like the terrible night of partying four years ago that ended in tragedy. A waitress at Oak & Sage, she knows that sleeping with her boss is not a smart move. But when Dev shows up on her doorstep, beat up and clearly shaken, Rena's not about to turn him down...or kick him out of bed.

Dev reawakens something primal within her--a need to go wild. And Rena soon finds out that the heart she'd sealed away years ago still has the power to fight for love.

***

I've read several great reviews of Jessica Lemmon's work (Braine, Kimberly, I'm looking at y'all). Fighting for Devlin seemed like a great one to jump into and when Braine @Talk Supe asked if I wanted to buddy read, it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up! Here's what we had to say...

Hey Braine! You read it fast! I hope you enjoyed it. You're not missing any hair, right?? ;)

LOL! I'm so happy it wasn't angsty! I read New Adult and I start hiding sharp objects. They have a certain "effect on me". And yes, I did enjoy it, thank you very much!

LOL I'm glad no sharp objects were required for Devlin. I'm glad you enjoyed it because I did as well and I wouldn't have known to read Lemmon if it weren't for you. 

I'm happy to do so!

I admit that Lemmon immediately drew me into this story. I had to know Rena's and Devlin's full stories. How did this compare to other stories you've read from Lemmon? Does she always pull you in directly?

If I were to compare it to colors, Lemmon's Bad Boy series are like primary colors, red, blue, and yellow. FIGHTING FOR DEVLIN is like a spread of monochromatic gray and black. It's like a quickening of sorts you know? I felt the passion of that first true love. In that sense, it's similar to her Bad Boy series in that it's earnest and doesn't toy with your emotions.

I like the color comparison. I liked how Lemmon made that first love passion so palpable. And that this story didn't toy with my emotions. And I'm even more eager to read more from Lemmon now.

I liked the chemistry - which was so electric it was palpable. And I enjoyed seeing how they brought out each others' strengths. 

It must be so awkward to be so sexually attracted to a coworker. I bet that freezer's temp rose up several degrees!

LOL Yeah, hopefully nothing was ruined or got freezer burn! ;)

I thought Lemmon did well with the gambling plotline. I felt like Devlin was a strong person to have lived with that sort of temptation for so long and to have abstained. What did you think?

The gambling was a good backdrop, it lent the story a sense of danger. I felt it skimmed the surface though because Devlin was in deep with Sonny in their "honorable illegal gambling" gig. I found that clause funny btw, the irony! As for not participating, I'm surprised he didn't use his skills for gain, at the same time I also get why he abstained. It brought too much tragedy already. 

Did you feel like there's a missed opportunity though? Like with a backdrop like that, she could've taken it a step further and made it more romantic suspense?

Irony, indeed! I thought that was funny as well. I was glad that Devlin abstained from using his particular skills for his own gain. He had seen so much tragedy already. And, of course, if he had used his skills, that'd make him a completely different sort of character. 

It definitely could have been taken a step further with the gambling backdrop. Lemmon had the 'bones' for it but I guess that wasn't the story she wanted to tell. Since I've not read her before, I don't know if she could have delivered. But still, I liked the story as it was. 

Lemmon also did a great job with introducing supporting characters that I'm eager to spend more time with. This is something I really appreciate in a story, as you know. Is this typical of her? And what did you think of the supporting cast? 

Oh yes! She has a habit of introducing the next couple to avoid insta-love scenarios. What do you think of Cade and Tasha? I know Cade's book will be rife with issues, the boy's got a lot of shit to deal with.

Ooh, I'm going to like how she introduces the next couple then. :D I like Cade and Tasha and I'm eager to see exactly what they're back story, together, is. Yeah, it's definitely going to be a story rife with issues. I can't imagine wading through all Cade's going to be wading through...

Cade scares me. He's so angry! Not that I can blame him, but there's a lot of things he needs to sort out. I'm scared for Tasha, it's not going to be a smooth road for sure.

What about Sonny in particular? I wasn't too sure of him at first. But I liked the direction Lemmon went with him. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but she redeemed him in my eyes.

Oh yes, Sonny was a surprise! He might be a betting lord or something like that, but he is honorable. Different, but I appreciate Lemmon not making his character into a stereotype.

I was so happy he ended up being honorable. I, too, liked that she made him her own, so to speak, rather than putting him into a certain mold.

Lemmon really brought the feels and the heat with Rena and Devlin. I didn't feel like there was any unnecessary angst or that anything was contrived even with some of those things Devlin did towards the end. I felt like it was a very satisfying story. What did you think of it overall?

I appreciate the realistic level of angst. Their conflict was believable, natural and expected even. Devlin just pulled a lot of jerk moves, you know? Sure it was "necessary", but his little ditty with Melinda was too callous and the usual push back towards the end was also not surprising considering men are dense and are usually emotionally handicapped when faced with their HEA.

I also appreciated that it wasn't too angsty - I felt their decisions were realistic. Devlin did pull some really jerk moves though. I didn't like it at all, honestly. And the push back at the end was a bit predictable. In fact, those two things probably got to me the most because they were sort of typical and created drama that wasn't all that necessary. But Devlin *did* come to his senses...with some help. ;)

I'm happy Rena gave him a hard time, I just felt like she took the gambling part too well. Sure she might be a "bad girl" underneath, but she's trying to "change" or something. I'm just surprised that she didn't freak out enough. Sure it didn't happen, but what if it got super messy and unraveled and she found herself in the middle of it? Maybe I'm just being such a hard ass, I just felt it unconsistent with where Rena's character is going.

I was also happy she gave him hell. That felt realistic. Maybe she did handle the gambling a bit too gracefully but I guess I felt maybe she thought she *knew* Devlin on some deeper level that helped in her being understanding. But you're right - things could have gone south and she could have been wrapped up in it tight. Sure she was trying to be 'good' but wanted the bad boy and all, but it really could have backfired in her face. You're absolutely right in that she was trying to distance herself from how she felt she was when she was with her previous boyfriend, so accepting a life with a guy involved in crime, no matter how limited, was inconsistent.

What did you think of this story seeing as NA is not one of your favorite genres? 

I can read NA, I just pick authors I can trust won't shred me to pieces. LOL It helped that I've read Lemmon's contemporary romance so that familiarized me with her style. I just wished the MC's doesn't have these messed up backgrounds. But heck, it's NA, I shouldn't expect any different.

How about you? Is this your first Lemmon? Did you find it sweet or tangy?

LOL True, messed up backgrounds are standard issue in NA, it seems. This was my first time with Lemmon but it won't be my last for sure. I guess I'd say it was a little sweet and a little spicy. :D

You should definitely pick up her Bad Boy series. If you think this is good, that one's even better!

Thanks for buddy reading with me, Braine. I hope we can do it again SOON!

Mom's kitchen smelled like pie, which might be a good thing if she could bake something other than scones. To date, she'd failed at every attempt at pie over the course of my lifetime. It didn't stop her from trying, which, I guess, was kinda of admirable.
"Apple?" I guessed as I hung my coat in the hall closet.
"Rhubarb!" she called, bent over the oven.
I cringed. I had no idea what rhubarb was or why she'd attempted to put it into pastry. "Oh."
She stood, sliding the pie onto the stovetop. She wore the apron I bought her for Christmas, the one with a cartoon bottle of win that read: I POUR BETTER THAN I COOK.
We both frowned at the sunken layer of dough. "It's raw in the middle," she announced with a quirk of her lips.
Yet the edges were black. Amazing. Maybe instead of being a horrible baker, she was an incredible baker, because I had no idea how she could mess up pie one hundred of the time.

Review ~ Untouched ~ Melody Grace

Untouched by Melody Grace
Beachwood Bay #0.5
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Amazon freebie
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #ShelfLove 2015, #COYER
Goodreads

Synopsis
Emerson Ray is trouble. Juliet knows it the minute she lays eyes on Beachwood Bay's resident bad boy. Forced to spend her summer before college in the sleepy beach town, she never expected to crash into the most devastating guy she's ever met--or for Emerson's blue eyes to strip through her dark secrets, and make her feel a desire she's never known. Their connection is undeniable, but Juliet is torn. She knows, once she gives him everything, there'll be no turning back.

Juliet McKenzie is dangerous. Emerson can tell from the way she blows through all his defences, laying bare demons he's carried along all his life. He's left a trail of broken hearts and empty beds in his wake, but Juliet is different. Her innocence is intoxicating--and the passion she keeps hidden, just below the surface. He wants to be the only one to set it free, but with every kiss, he's closer to losing control and doing the one thing he swore he never would: fall in love.

One summer. Two damaged hearts. Their story is only just beginning...

Untouched is a prequel novella to the USA Today Bestselling Unbroken. It also can be read as a stand-alone story.

This was my introduction to Ms. Grace and although I had a few issues with the story, I'm eager to continue along the path with Juliet and Emerson.

Juliet is spending her last summer before college in Cedar Cove with her family. She has issues with her parents and is looking forward to starting fresh. Until she meets Emerson. He's the local bad boy an dhas family issues of his own. But these two have this magnetic pull on one another that can't be ignored.

I liked that both Juliet and Emerson had familial issues in common - something they could both relate to. They're both strong and mature for their age - they've had to be - because of the things they've dealt with. They handle things differently - cope in different ways - though. Juliet has plans for college while Emerson seems to think he should simply fulfill what the town says about him.

The story is told in dual POV - a format I've come to love. While I thought Juliet's inner monologue had a bent toward the melodramatic, as I talked it over with my older daughter, I remembered that Juliet is only 18 and teenagers do have a flair for the dramatic. In any case, what Juliet and Emerson felt for one another was felt intensely and Grace definitely conveyed that intensity. I do wish there'd been a little more backstory on Juliet's family issue because I think that would have better illustrated how what she'd been through helped her understand what Emerson was dealing with. Knowing everything Emerson was feeling and experiencing, both at home and with Juliet, gave the story more depth. Although, there were a few inconsistencies where his family was concerned.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. I found Juliet and Emerson's personal stories compelling and their relationship was as well. I am anxious to know what comes of their summer romance.

Beyond the Books ~ My Planner, a Funny Story

Welcome to Beyond the Books. This post was inspired by Lexxie @Unconventional Bookviews' Up Close and (Un)conventional, who was inspired by Cuddlebuggery. It's meant to be a way for y'all to get to know me better on a personal level ~ Beyond the Books. ;)

*************

Sometime back in 2015, Michelle @Because Reading did a post (Task It Tuesday, I believe) on getting organized and planners. She was lamenting the fact that finding a planner that meets all a mom's/blogger's needs is pretty darn difficult. So she'd taken matters into her own hands and created her own. She shared a prototype and it looked like something that would work for me as well. I decided to make my own. Problem? Michelle is a graphic designer by trade. Me? Not so much. But I do have some papercrafting skills so I set out to craft my own planner.

My original plan was was to create ONE page and then have it copied and bound. Easy, right?

I sat down and decided how I wanted my page to look, what colors I'd use, what design elements, etc. Then, on a weekend where my crafting girlfriends were getting together, I set about implementing my plan. Once I completed my masterpiece, one of my friends *cough*Denise*cough* said, "Wouldn't it be cool if you did a different design for every month?" I had to agree and went back to the drawing board again, so to speak. Here is a sample of my different months I crafted:

A few weeks later, we all got together again and I once again set about creating my 12 pages (one per month). I'd gotten to May when Denise asked an ominous question. See, I'd left a margin on my pages to allow for binding. Denise asked if I was printing front and back, which I was planning on because who wants a planner that's 365 pages thick? We flipped the pages trying to figure out the layout and realized my margin wouldn't work on the backside of a page. SO, I had to go back and do the backsides of all my calendar pages - in reverse - sort of.

This project had now taken about 3 days of my time - and some of Denise's. I've cut ribbon and paper, hand-drawn lines, chosen and written the headings for the different sections. But once I got my pages all finished, I was so happy with the results. I couldn't wait to take it to the print shop. While James was off for the Christmas break, we went to our local print shop to have my planner printed. We roll up into the parking lot and I was floating I was so excited. Then I completely deflated when they tell me it'll cost $182 to print and bind my planner. Aaaaahhhh!!!!

In the end, James had the print shop scan my pages and then he bought extra ink for our inkjet and a heavier weight paper and he printed, front and back, 183 pages (actually a few more than that with the printer hiccups). He also wrote in all the dates and circled the days of the week for those dates. He said there were times when he was thinking maybe the $182 would have been worth it, but he said it was a Christmas gift from him to me. And I love it! 

Here is the final product:

I'm really enjoying it so far. There are some things I'd like to tweak but I don't know how difficult that would be so we'll see if they're things I can live with. It may have been a very pricey experiment. But I'm hoping to use it for years to come since I write in the date and circle the day of the week. Only time will tell, I guess. Eh, it was fun doing the crafting anyway.

#ShelfLove Review ~ Angelfall ~ Susan Ee

Angelfall by Susan Ee
Penryn and The End of Days #1
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: Purchased paperback
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation b a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Seriously. I'm kicking myself for hoarding this one. I've had Angelfall since it was first published - in paperback because it wasn't available electronically and it sounded so good I couldn't pass it up. So what the?!? Yeah, kicking myself...

Ee does an incredible job at depicting a post-apocalyptic world - the destruction, the fear of the survivors, the courage of those survivors. She conveyed the determination that human beings would have to take back their world and punish those who would dare try to take it. She painted scenes to provoke consideration of humans' perceptions of angelic beings, examining the politics within angelic ranks. And she beautifully portrayed the bravery of a young woman doing whatever she had to do to save not only her family but someone who she should consider her enemy.

Penryn  has overcome so much in her short life and she's more than proved her mettle. Raffe is a little more enigmatic but I hope to learn more about him. The only reason this isn't a 5 Bookworm read is that there was a point in the story that dragged a bit, for me. Otherwise, the pacing was perfect.

I'm anxious to know more about what the angels are doing, what the resistance has planned next, and how Penryn and Raffe will fit in the new world order.

Sunday Post #2 ~ New Year, New Winners

As y'all probably all know, the Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba @Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share my news from the week whether it be book, blog, or just life news. Since I read so many of your Sunday Posts and I wanted to add something new in 2016, I've decided to join in the fun!

***

It's been an interesting week as everyone went back to work and school and I worked at getting back to a 'normal' schedule. I did some catching up in the blogosphere and I also got to exercise every day with the exception of Thursday, when the kids and I played hooky because they had well-checks with their pediatrician. We've had more snow and y'all, I don't think we'll see the ground until late spring. I still have 18 inches of snow on my roof!

It was a slow reading week for me. I only finished one book. I've now started a re-read of Rock Chick and I'm loving it all over again. I'd forgotten so much!

I hope y'all had a great week! And I hope you'll enjoy the upcoming one as well! :)

***

Last week, I offered up boxsets from two of my favorite authors in a giveaway. Here are the winners:

Melanie Simmons - I Am Just Junco Boxset

Brandi Kosiner - Tempest Raging Boxset

Melanie and Brandi, please let me know what format (kindle or nook) and email to send your prizes to. :D

The boxsets are still on sale for only 99 pennies! So if you still have some Christmas loot, you could use $2 of it for 7 full novels. I've pre-read them for you and they're fantastic! :)

Challenge Updates

So far, I've read 5 books out of 40 for COYER B2B, 4 books for #ShelfLove, 3 books for Blogger Shame, and 2 books for my New Release. It's slow going, but that's okay.

How are y'all doing with your challenges?

My TBR List ~ January ~ And the Winner is...

My To-Be Read List is a meme hosted by Michelle @Because Reading. I think it's a fabulous idea because it gets y'all in the game and it helps me knock off some of the many, many books on my TBR list. You're more than welcome to join in the fun! I've included the basic rules below but you can click on the graphic above to hop over to Michelle's site where you can find all the details. 

Here's how it works:
On the first Saturday of each month, I will make a post with three books from my TBR List (these books can be already on your ereader or bookshelf OR books you might want to purchase) and add your link on the linky that will be provided on Michelle's post. Y'ALL will help me choose which book I will read next. The following Saturday, I will announce which book won. Then the last Saturday of the month, I'll post my review.

Fun, right?!?

***

Thanks to everyone who voted! It was a tight race - tied between Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night and Wrong Number, Right Guy. It was a late decision but... 



The winner is:

Wrong Number, Right Guy
The Bourbon Street Boys #1

Synopsis
When a mysterious text message summons May Wexler to a biker bar in downtown New Orleans, she knows something is very wrong. Her sister has sent out an SOS, but when May gets there, she's nowhere to be found and May is the one in trouble--she's wearing pink espadrilles, she's got a Chihuahua in her purse, and she's in the middle of a shootout.

After tall, muscular Ozzie comes to her rescue, May has no choice to but follow him to safety. At the headquarters of his private security firm, the Bourbon Street Boys, she finds a refuge for the night--and the offer of a job. But it's not long before a gun-toting stalker isn't the only complication in May's life: the more time she spends with Ozzie, the less she can deny that they've got some serious chemistry. A wrong number got her into this mess...Will it also get her the right guy?


Check back on January 30th for my review! :D