Excerpt & Recipe from How To Bake A Chocolate Soufflé by Carly Ellen Kramer

6 March, 2015 2:37 am , 4 Comments ,

23269278How To Bake A Chocolate Soufflé
(Cherry Harbor, #1)
By: Carly Ellen Kramer
Publisher: Self-Published
Published: Sept. 23, 2014
Genre: Fiction

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Forget what your English professor told you – life stories are not written in college.

Madeleine LaBlange, Annie Anderson, and Audrey Navarro shared formative years as roommates at Chicago’s Catholic haven for women, the historic Abbott College. If only they could have predicted the collisions between their carefully crafted life plans and the realities they discover beyond campus…

Madeleine harbors dreams of becoming a concert pianist while Dr. Reynold Fenwick, her mercurial graduate school mentor, harbors fantasies of Madeleine. Will pursuing her dreams be worth the cost? Will an evening in Budapest change her life forever?

Annie plans to build a perfect family with her perfect husband in the cutthroat news media industry, until an abrupt tragedy shakes the foundations of her marriage. What happens when she feels pulled between the two men she loves most, her husband and her father?

Audrey leaves her religious, restrictive parents behind and aims for Chicago’s downtown skyline, dating recklessly and staring down each grueling workday one Chicago Dog at a time. Will an island respite lure her away from her corporate future? When she finds herself in the arms of an unexpected lover, will she have the courage to stand up for her own evolving sense of self?

Follow the journeys of these remarkable women, and cheer them on as they navigate life, love, and chocolate soufflé.

Includes over a dozen decadent new recipes from Crowded Earth Kitchen!

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Posted in: Excerpt, fiction , Tagged:

I was interviewed by NetGalley!

5 March, 2015 10:31 am , 7 Comments ,

ramblings12

 

If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Tsu you may have seen a post last week about me being interviewed by NetGalley. Well, yesterday the post went up on their blog and I am so excited about it. I have no idea how they found out about little ol’ me but I’m not questioning it. I’m so honored that Tarah from NetGalley tracked me down and asked me if I’d be interested in being interviewed for their site. This was such an honor and I’m not going to lie, it was extremely cool seeing my name and blog in their newsletter when the interview went live. Okay, okay. I’m well aware that I’m rambling now. So without further ado, here is the link to the interview.

Interview link: http://blog.netgalley.com/blogger-spotlight-teens-ya/

kRISTIN

Posted in: Ramblings

Excerpt: Biggie by Derek E. Sullivan

4 March, 2015 2:43 am , 3 Comments ,

biggiebanner

biggieBiggie
By: Derek E. Sullivan
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Published: March 1, 2015
Genre: Contemporary YA

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Henry “Biggie” Abbott is the son of one of Finch, Iowa ‘s most famous athletes. His father was a baseball legend and his step-dad is a close second. At an obese 300+ pounds though, Biggie himself prefers classroom success to sports. As a perfectionist, he doesn’t understand why someone would be happy getting two hits in five trips to the plate. “Forty percent, that’s an F in any class,” he would say. As Biggie’s junior year begins, the girl of his dreams, Annabelle Rivers, starts to flirt with him. Hundreds of people have told him to follow in his dad’s footsteps and play ball, but Annabelle might be the one to actually convince him to try. What happens when a boy who has spent his life since fourth grade trying to remain invisible is suddenly thrust into the harsh glare of the high school spotlight?

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Posted in: Excerpt, YA Contemporary , Tagged: ,

Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

3 March, 2015 3:08 am , 10 Comments ,

7600924Forbidden
By: Tabitha Suzuma
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: May 27, 2010
Genre: YA
Rating:
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Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives–and the way they understand each other so completely–has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

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Posted in: YA Contemporary , Tagged: ,

Review: Beyond the Darkness by Katie Reus

1 March, 2015 10:32 am , Leave a Comment ,

24674130Beyond the Darkness
(Darkness, #3)
By: Katie Reus
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: March 3, 2015
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating:
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Now that she has her freedom, she’s not giving it up.

Dragon shifter Keelin Petronilla spent centuries in forced hibernation dreaming of one thing: freedom. Now she’s living life on her terms—she’s ditched her clan for an unruly wolf pack, she tends bar for a half-demon, and she’s loving it…until a powerful supernatural being targets her. She intends to handle the mysterious attacks on her own…without the help of dragon Alpha Bran Devlin. Sure, he’s sexy in that hot, scowling possessive way, but Keelin wants to live her own life in her own way.

Now that he’s found his mate, he’s not letting her go.

Former black ops agent Bran Devlin is a born dragon Alpha and leader of a fierce clan. Getting mated was never part of his plan—until a feisty dragon princess gets under his skin in a big way. The hell of it is, she doesn’t want a mate; she just wants to have a good time. He plays along, but when a dark and powerful being marks her for death, he’s determined to stay by her side in spite of her protests. Now that he’s found his mate, he means to keep her safe no matter what the cost…even if he has to risk it all.

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Posted in: Paranormal Romance , Tagged:

Review: Fair Game by Patricia Briggs

27 February, 2015 3:23 pm , 3 Comments ,

11480917Fair Game
(Alpha and Omega, #3)
By: Patricia Briggs
Publisher: Ace
Published: March 6, 2012
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating:
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They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can’t afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father’s dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack’s help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer’s sights…

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Posted in: Urban Fantasy , Tagged: ,

Review: Wait For Me by Elisabeth Naughton

25 February, 2015 8:06 am , 2 Comments ,

13282015Wait For Me
(Against All Odds, #1)
By: Elisabeth Naughton
Publisher: Self-Published
Published: Dec. 22, 2011
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating:
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A woman without a past…

After a tragic accident left her with no memory, Kate Alexander struggled to fit in with a husband and world that didn’t feel right. She’s had no reason to question what friends and family have told her, not until her husband is suddenly killed and she finds a photo of a young girl in his office. A girl who can’t be anyone but a daughter Kate didn’t know she had.

A man desperate for a reason to live…

Ryan Harrison lost his wife in a plane crash five years ago. To cope with the pain of her loss, he dedicated himself to his job and to raising their daughter. Now a successful pharmaceutical executive, Ryan has everything a man could want—money, fame and power—but he’d give it all up in a heartbeat for just one more day with the woman he still loves.

Two lives about to converge.

As Kate begins to dig into a past she doesn’t remember, evidence leads her to San Francisco and puts her on the path toward Ryan, a man who sees in her the woman he loved and lost. Kate feels a draw to Ryan, one she can’t explain, but is that feeling enough to convince her this is where she’s supposed to be? As Ryan and Kate search for answers, they uncover lies long buried, a passion hotter than either expected and a danger that threatens…even now…when the second chance they’ve both been searching for is finally within reach.

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Posted in: romantic suspense , Tagged:

Review: More Than Comics by Elizabeth Briggs

23 February, 2015 3:36 am , 4 Comments ,

22434327More Than Comics
(Chasing the Dream, #2)
By: Elizabeth Briggs
Publisher: Self-Published
Published: Feb. 23, 2015
Genre: New Adult Romance
Rating:
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They’re friends online – but can they be more in real life?

Writer Tara McFadden has been friends with artist and drummer Hector Fernandez for years, long before his band became famous on reality TV – yet they’ve never met in person. They finally have a chance to connect offline when they’re both sent to Comic-Con to promote the graphic novel they collaborated on.

Hector’s secretly been in love with Tara for as long as he can remember, and once they meet, she sees him in a new light. All the years of longing lead to an incredible night of passion after one of his concerts, but neither is sure if their online relationship can translate into a real life romance – or if this will ruin their friendship forever.

Over four crazy days at Comic-Con, Hector and Tara must decide if they want a future together. But when their story seems to be over, it’s up to Hector’s entire band to make sure he and Tara get their happy ending.

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Posted in: NA Romance, New Adult , Tagged:

Excerpt & Guest Post: Death Wish by Megan Tayte

20 February, 2015 8:49 am , Leave a Comment ,

DWDeath Wish
(Ceruleans, #1)
By: Megan Tayte
Publisher: Heaven Afire
Published: Feb. 7, 2015
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

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IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE.

The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense.

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to the isolated cove of Twycombe, Devon, with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need.

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power.

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death.

To believe the impossible.

 
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Posted in: Excerpt, guest post, Paranormal Romance, YA Fantasy, Young Adult

Review: Collide by Melissa West

18 February, 2015 3:08 am , Leave a Comment ,

CollideCollide
(The Taking, #3)
By: Melissa West
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: Dec. 2, 2014
Genre: Sci-Fi Young Adult
Rating:
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Military legacy Ari Alexander has survived alien spies, WWIV, and a changing world order. But when the new leader of Earth uses Jackson—the only boy she’s ever let herself care about—to get to her, Ari has no choice but to surrender.

To free Jackson, she agrees to travel to the national bases to train others to fight. What she discovers is a land riddled with dying people. Ari has the power to heal by turning the fighters into aliens—half-breeds like her. If she succeeds, together, they have a chance at overthrowing the alien leader, Zeus. But if she fails, everyone she holds dear will be wiped away forever.

Once again, everything Ari’s come to believe is thrown into question. In a world of uncertainty, loyalties are tested, lies are uncovered, and no one can be trusted. If Ari and Jackson have any hope at survival and at preserving a life for the future, they must fight the final war with their eyes wide open.

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Posted in: YA Fantasy, Young Adult