Come Undone by Madelynne Ellis

We all know I love a good rocker book and this was one that did not disappoint!

Here is where I will add a disclosure -
This is not for anyone who can not be open minded.
You will be opened to a wide variety of scenarios that some are not keen on, and if that's the case for you, then so be it, but this is sooooo not the book for you!

If you can...then climb on aboard and enjoy the ride, baby!
For me, it was one that was thoroughly enjoyed!!

So what's Come Undone about?

Xane, super rock star extraordinaire and lead singer of the mega rock group, Black Halo, is legitimately dumped before going on stage for a performance.

Oh, no.  Don't turn your head...
This is not some 'tear in my beer' sob story between a rocker and his girl.
This break up involves a love tryst where 2 people betray the lead singer and run off to Vegas to get married without even telling him!  O.M.G - Who does that?!

Anywho...Xane gets on stage after finding out about the wedded event and tries to perform...but he can't.
Every song is a reminder of the love affair they shared and he chokes.
Not really chokes, but yea...

So he leaves.  Walks off stage completely.

That's where Dani comes in.
She's a sweet & innocent, who accompanies her friend Ginny to the concert.
Ginny is her best friend and is every possible meaning of the word "groupie".
The two of them end up with a backstage pass and ultimately Dani decides she would rather see the show than sit in the Black Halo's dressing room, but Ginny...well she's determined to make it with a rocker (Or 2. Or 3.) and stays put, which leaves Dani on her own to head back to the show.

This is where is gets interesting!

Xane's leaving the show completely and he runs (literally) into Dani.
Seeing she's got a backstage pass around her neck, he knows he's in for it.  She's a "groupie" and he wants nothing to do with her in that way, although, he needs something from her. A ride!

And this is where it all begins...

The most interesting, twisted, dare I say "love" story you may ever read.
It not only focuses on Xane and Dani and their blossoming relationship, but also focuses on the group, Black Halo, Xane's 2 ex's and even some of his family members.

And the end...Oh the end...
It's like you think you know that's what has happened, but when it's confirmed, you're just stuck processing the information!

I truly enjoyed this book and how it took me out of my "norm"...

There were definitely a few times that things that were revealed, that I didn't see coming...and I soooo love that in a book!

Personally, I'm looking forward to reading more books by Madelynne Ellis!
Before Come Undone, she was an author I had never heard of before, and I totally dug her writing style!

I have recently added more of her books to be TBR list b/c I enjoyed this one so much.

Can.not.wait for Book 2 to come out!!

5 stars for me!

Knock Love Out by Pella Grace

More affairs.
More age gaps.
More fluffy, feel good, makes you want to love hard kinda book.

I felt such a connection with this book!
With the characters.
There's no way you can't feel for them on some level.

Lilla is struggling through a very common situation.
Wife loves husband.
Husband works too much.
Wife is feeling lonely.

Then there's Cash...
Cash is just the most unique free spirited, well rounded guy, I think I have ever read about.

I loved his honesty, his love, their love.

This one is a must read!

So what's Knock Love Out about?

Lilla is a mature woman, in her late 30's and is desperate to find happiness.
She hates/loathes/wants to kill her husband.
Maybe not physically, but she has thought about it.
She's miserable and unfortunately her husband doesn't notice her.
At all.
They're just two ships sailing in different directions.

After great thought - Lilla is on a mission...
To have an affair.

She wants to love.
To be loved.

So she goes out...
Runs to the grocery store with her "whore" perfume & looks that could kill in tow.

That's where she meets Warren "Cash" Valentine.
(I chuckled once I figured out how Warren dubbed himself as "Cash".  There's a cute little joke behind it!)

He works in a grocery store as cashier.
He's an artist.
He's a free spirit.
He is also 15 years her minor.

Cash scopes her out in the store.
He immediately notices her.
Watches her.

Then after a highly educational lesson on how to chose a cucumber, Cash is awed by Lilla and on a whim decides he's going to "kidnap" her.

She goes willingly and has the best time she's had in years.
They're gone for 2 days.
2 days!

I loved this part of the story, but it was only just the beginning for them.

You know love is in the works, but your just not quite sure how things are going to play out.

After all...he's so young, and she's married!

I felt this book.
It made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I loved the stories they shared.
How he's able to dig her out of her shell.
How he holds her when she needs held.
How he listens...

I laughed.  Especially when it came to Mariah Carey and a cute MJ moment.  I will never look at Mariah in the same way again. That is all I will say!

I enjoyed the young, light humor between Cash and Lilla. Even if they weren't always following each other 100%, they made it up as they went along because of the love they share.

The nicknames they came up for each other.  {Heart} So cute!
It kinda of reminded me of young high school love, but that's just how they are.
Cute.  In love.

Cash was really something else.
When he spoke to Lilla, *I* felt loved.

I couldn't get enough of the little love chant he would recite with her and my heart just kept growing bigger and bigger for him the harder he loved her.

Pella Grace NAILED the connection of these characters and I truly enjoyed all of them.
Even Georgia, who was weird at times to say the least!

This one is a must read!

4.5 Stars for me!

Exposure (East Park #1) by Iris Blaire

 

Let's just get it out of the way...This book is HOT!

I appreciated the different approach and new scenarios the author took with this book!

And it was fun living through the double life of Rylan vs. Evan.
Both a girl.
Both the same person!

Rylan is the smokin' hot, every man's dream, cover girl for the erotic EPE magazine by day
and
Evan is the nerdy, frumpy, no make up on, straight "A", soon to be college grad.

She lives a double life.
She is a college student and a model, who's risque modeling pays for that education.

She's desperate to keep the lives of Rylan and Evan completely separate since the magazine she models for is mostly geared towards men (in the beginning)...and well...ya know...it's not exactly easy to keep things "private" when your goods are spilled out all over the centerfold page...just sayin'.

After Rylan's successful cover shoot, she quickly becomes the main focus of the magazine, and shortly thereafter, her best friend and founder of the 'zine, Britain, (I love all these character names!!) tells her she wants to gear the magazine towards women as well.

That means they'll be bringin' in the muscle!!!

Shortly after the perfect male candidates are chosen, Rylan finds out that she'll shooting with Dallas.
Kicker is...she ends up knowing him!
She wants him.
BUT, he already has a girl.
Oh my!

Their photo shoots are...
Provocative.
Sinful.
Makes a girl wanna blush, kinda good.

Especially their last shoot together.
You'll be thinking "OH girl...No, you di'int!"
MmmHmm...

Exposure  was steamy!
Definitely different story line than anything else I've ever read.
Would recommend!

4.25 fiery stars for me! 

Unteachable - Leah Raeder

*Swishes mouth back and forth*
Hrmph...??

I'm not even sure how to start this one.
This is my 1st student/teacher book and I was skeptical going in.
I know I shouldn't say that, but I just wasn't sure how I would like it to be honest.
Yet, I was intrigued.
I've heard my friends rave on and on for this book and they really connected.  Really.

So this is what *I* think...

I knew Maise was trouble from the get go.
She's no angel. Not even close.

However, I found her to be more in tune with herself than I initially imagined her to be.
Being so young, I was expecting supreme immaturity...Which, let's get real...she's a high school student, so there were times when that shined through, but for the most part, she was more of an adult than some grown up's I know!

She's been dealt a rough hand at life and she's dealing.
Slowly, but she is.
Then more crap is piled upon more crap, just making a bigger heaping pile of crap.
The chic just can't catch a break.

I felt compassion towards her.
Sympathy, even.

I just wanted to give her a big ol' hug, because there were times when it felt like all she really needed was to know that she could be loved.

The raw, grittiness to this book, should not go un-noticed.
I was impressed with the author's direction.

I hate relating things to others, but (to me) it almost had that American Beauty feel to it.  Not the story line (but actually, kinda!) , just the rawness.  It was out there, shining the business like nobody's business kinda thing, but yet it's dark. Mysterious.

Just so many horrible things are going on in their lives.
Then you add the hiding.
The secrets.
The affair.

But there was lust.  Oooh...and it's the fireworks kind and I liked that. A lot.
It made me feel that even though the age difference was so great, it helped me understand that love really should have no age limit (if its legal!), and that helped me embrace this book.

But then something irritating would happen and then I had a hard time shifting myself to feel that connection again with these characters.  It was like I was stuck in the middle between right and wrong.

So, for me, it just kinda fell short, but I still liked the story, because it was so different.
So raw.
So new.

I'm sounding like a total head case trying to review this, because quite honestly I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.

In any case...I think this is just going to have to be one you'll have to read to find out on your own.
Like I said, some people L.O.V.E this book, yet for me, I wanted more.  *Shrugs*

This is a stand alone novel, but I highly encourage Leah Raeder to release a follow up.
It's like I still need to know more.
I need it.

I just feel kind of lost without the more.

So what's it about?

The synopsis -

"I met him at a carnival, of all corny places.  The summer I turned eighteen, in that chaos of neon lights and cheap thrills, I met a man so sweet, so beautiful, he seemed to come from another world.  We had one night: intense, scary, real.  Then I ran, like I always do.  Because I didn't want to be abandoned again.

But I couldn’t run far enough.

I knew him as Evan that night. When I walked into his classroom, he became Mr. Wilke.

My teacher.

I don’t know if what we’re doing is wrong. The rules say one thing; my heart says screw the rules. I can’t let him lose his job. And I can’t lose him.

In the movies, this would have a happy ending. I grow up. I love, I lose, I learn. And I move on. But this is life, and there’s no script. You make it up as you go along.

And you don’t pray for a happy ending. You pray for it to never end."

See what I mean?  It's intriguing!
So have a go at it...Let me know how you guys feel.  
I'm so curious!

 

3.75-4 Stars 

I'm not even sure if I should rate this until my head is fully wrapped around this baby, but I'm still thinking about it, and that should speak volumes!

Locked, LockOut, Unlocked, "The Alpha Series", by Maya Cross

This is a newer Alpha male trilogy release, known as the "The Alpha Series".
I can live with a name like that!

The reading order is as follows:
Locked (The Alpha Group Trilogy #1)
LockOut (The Alpha Group Trilogy #2)
Unlocked (The Alpha Group Trilogy #3)

This was a fun read.
It didn't start out anything like what I was expecting it to and that was a nice surprise!
I was literally hooked by page one.  Which rarely happens (if ever) for me.

I smiled during the people watching scenes between Sophia and her friends.
In a slight way, they seemed like a group of my friends, so it was an easy for me to relate to.

The story started off a bit of a mystery...well... maybe not so much of a "mystery" per-say, but just the certain unknowns, of a certain somewhere, a certain someone, was not supposed to go.

It reeled me in and you better believe I took the bait!

I don't want to reveal too much, but I liked the slight twists and turns we got moving book to book.
I felt like between each book, I was knowing each of the characters more, which was great since all the books were available, but if I would of had to have waited in between each one, I would have gone either gone crazy or lost interest.  I'm not sure which, but there was just too much left out in the open!

So what's it about?

Overworked attorney, Sophia, is out for a girls night, celebrating one of her best friends engagements. They're having a blast participating in a pub crawl, where they eventually end up at a this shanty hole in the wall bar.

From the outside, Sophia is very aware that this is a place that she would have never gone on her own, but it's her best friends night, so they go in and get settled at a table.

Before long, the girls notice that the people who keep coming in clearly don't belong in the bar either.
They're bewildered, because not only are the civilians mostly men, but the people who arrive are all dressed in their finest tuxes and cocktail dress attire.  *Think Titanic!*

Even more, they travel straight through the bar, over to a wall where a security guard is standing. That's when they realize that this is not just any wall, but a secret door, and only those "on the list" can get it.

Sophia's curiosity gets the best of her, so she puts on a scene to ask the guard what it's all about.

He plays it off and she's ultimately told it's just some company convention, but she's not buying that!

After some smooth trickery on her part, she ends up making it past the door on a dare from her friends and is shocked with what she comes to find!

That's when she meets Sebastian.

It all starts off with a drink and plenty of playful flirting, but the tyrannous Sebastian, starts to grow suspicious as to who she's there with, as none of the women who entered in before her came without a male companion.

That's when she knows she needs to make a beeline for the door!

She is in fact not "on the list", but she really isn't quite ready to leave yet either, so she takes a detour to the restroom. Eek!
Somehow on the way there, she ends up getting turned around and is trying to make her way back out, but on the way she suddenly STOPS.
She hears voices and knows her time has ran out!

She freaks and starts glancing all around her surroundings to figure out where she's going to go, and quietly bolts behind the 1st door she comes to.

Of course, of all places she runs, it's Sebastian's office!
She ends up hiding just in the knick-of-time and we soon find out that our enchantingly, handsome, Sebastian, has a pretty big secret of his own...

Whew...

I'll tell you one thing...this book played in so many directions. It was nice to be kept on my toes!

Another thing...you need ALL 3 books!
Locked and LockOut BOTH have cliffhangers.
LockOut is definitely the worst one...

My only question - How could you leave us hangin' like that?!? Oh... the misery and horror of it all.

I'm so glad Unlocked was available by the time I finished!
Like I always say...cliffhangers will one day be the death of me.

Oh...and here's some super good news for us book junkies...
Locked (Book 1), is now available for $.99!
I'll cheers to that!

4 Stars - I was excited about this book.  I was hooked by page 1.

4 Stars - I felt on edge and sometimes a little fluffy during this book.

3.5 stars  - Okay...so after my review, you're wondering why the 3.5 stars?
I felt like the 1st 2 books flew by for me, but by the 3rd, it kind of seemed to drag in places.
I felt like all the information I was DYING to know in the 1st two books was sudden spewed all over the place in book 3, which I loved, but at the same time, I was missing that special connection.

Don't get me wrong, it had my heart fluttering in places and the ending is something to behold, but I don't see this being a re-read for me.

Flirt's Back to School New Adult Blog Hop - Psstp - There's a giveaway!

I'm super stoked to be able to share this awesome Blog Hop and giveaway with you today! 

Now; Come here.  I've got a secret...

I'm crushin' on this tote {Heart}, and after reading the blurb, I can't wait for October to get my hands on a copy of ISN'T SHE LOVELY by Lauren Layne! 

So read along my beautiful bloglies, and see how YOU can be one of the lucky winners on of these awesome prizes...  

FLIRT'S "BACK TO SCHOOL" NEW ADULT BLOG HOP GIVEAWAY

Welcome to Flirt University's Back to School celebration! It's time for the Three R's, Flirt style—Reading, (W)Riting, and Romancing! In the spirit of getting to know one another on the first day of school, Flirt, Random House's New Adult imprint, has set up a New Adult blog hop so you can discover other blogs that love the hottest new romance genre.

As part of the hop, Flirt is giving away its signature "I <3 New Adult" tote (for carrying books, ereaders, and other fun things), and its signature "I <3 New Adult" mug (perfect for that morning coffee pick-me-up)! 

A bonus?

They're offering one NetGalley review copy of ISN'T SHE LOVELY by Lauren Layne! (On sale - October 28, 2013)

Readers just need to comment on below on why they love or are excited about New Adult or the book. Make sure to leave your email address, so we know how to contact you!

Just check out the Rafflecopter below, and stop by each blog for more chances to win, and to meet other awesome New Adult fans and reviewers - Just like us! 

Also, you'll want to head over to Romance at Random on Sept 3rd, to find out if you won (we'll email winners, too!), and don't miss your first Flirt University "lecture" from one of Flirt's esteemed New Adult Author Professors! They'll be sharing their thoughts on everything New Adult!

http://romanceatrandom.com/flirts-back-to-school-new-adult-blog-hop-and-giveaway

Enter to win here ---->  A Rafflecopter Giveaway

For more chances to win - Check out these other awesome blogs.
Now Go...
Hop Away!
{Pounce, Pounce}

1. Cocktails and Books
2. Evie Knight
3. Bookhounds
4. Manga Maniac Café
5. What I'm Reading
6. The Book Tart
7. Acting Balanced
8. The Jeep Diva
9. Reading Under the Willow Tree
10. Stuck in Books
11. Books of Love
12. Book Lovin Mamas
13. From the TBR Pile
14. Book Flame Reviews
15. Romance Crush Junkies
16. My Book and My Coffee
17. Bout a Book Blog
18. Mackable Book Babes
19. Tonya's Bookshelf
20. Book Mom's Reviews
21. The Revolving Bookcase
22. Victoria's Gossip
23. Dr. Pepper Diva
24. Mad Book Reader
25. Rose's Book Blog
26. Renee Entress's Blog
27. Book Addicts Not-So-Anonymous
28. Go and Read Now
29. Whirlwind Books
30. Live. Laugh. Romance
31. Brenda's Book Beat
32. Crafty Momma
33. Stories and Swag
34. Book-A-Holic Anon
35. Foxylutely Book Reviews
36. Fictionators
37. Zakirrah's Books Blog
38. Feeling Fictional

Psstp...for those of you who haven't read the blurb, here's what Isn't She Lovely is all about - 

Isn't She Lovely, Flirt New Adult Romance, Written by Lauren Layne

"The rules are clear—until they’re broken. Lauren Layne puts a New Adult spin on Pygmalion, also the inspiration for Pretty Woman, and gives the classic love story its edgiest twist yet.
 
“Who knew that pretending you’re not falling for someone would be so much more difficult than pretending that you are?” 
 
Stephanie Kendrick gave up her whole summer to ace her NYU film school screenwriting course, so she’s pissed to be stuck with a preppy, spoiled frat boy as her writing partner. Then again, with her piercings, black-rimmed eyes, and Goth wardrobe, Stephanie isn’t exactly Ethan Price’s type, either. He’s probably got his eye on some leggy blonde with a trust fund . . . or does he?
 
As the summer scene kicks off in the Hamptons, Ethan is desperate to make his snobbish mother forget the pedigreed girl who broke his heart. While Stephanie’s a stretch as a decoy, the right makeover and a pastel cardigan just might do the trick. She may not love the idea of playing Ethan’s brainless Barbie girlfriend, but the free rent and luxurious digs make a tempting offer. So does the promise of a ready-made screenplay idea inspired by their charade.
 
But when Stephanie steps into Ethan’s privileged world, the “acting” begins to feel all too real. The kissing and touching that were intended to fool the Hamptons crowd wind up manipulating them. And Stephanie faces a question she’s too afraid to ask: Is Ethan falling for the real her or for the dolled-up princess he wants to see?

About Lauren Layne

Lauren Layne graduated from Santa Clara University with a B.S. in political science that she has yet to put to good use. After dabbling in an e-commerce career in Seattle and Southern California, Layne moved to New York City, where she now writes full-time. She lives with her husband and their plus-size pomeranian in a tiny Manhattan studio."

Connect with Lauren: Facebook | Twitter | Website

Time to enter to win!

Good luck!!

Thoughtless, Effortless, Reckless - S.C. Stephens

This series has been my guilty pleasure for the last 3-4 days.

I have stayed up late reading every night until 3am, in some some cases later (earlier...however you want to look at it) - Eep!

I tried to steal every moment possible with these books.  I HAD to know and figure out what was going to happen next.  I just HAD too.

Some of you may even laugh, because as the page numbers started to grow closer and closer to the finish line, I found myself trying to take a step away from my e-reader, but I couldn't.  I just couldn't.

Why, you ask?
I was not (and am not) ready to these characters go!
I grew to love them.
All of them!
Even the ones I wasn't sure I could totally love, I ended up falling in love with.

2 day later, I still cannot stop thinking about these books.

It's safe to say that this series has made it to my Top 10 favorite book list of all time!

2 Words.  Kellan. Kyle.

Ah...the man is swoon worthy!

I adore Kellan.  Even in the beginning when things were so sketchy as to what was going to happen next. He was so attentive, and there (if you know what I mean)....and who doesn't love a hot, sensual, piece-of-man, who sings silky as sin and can flash a devil-ish lopsided smile that makes us melt.  *Swoon*

*Deep breaths!*

By Book 2 (Effortless), I loved Kellan.

By Book 3 (Reckless), he had taken over my train of thought completely.

Kiera.  Hmm...what can I say about her?
Okay...that sounded bad. I like her. I really do, but hear me out...

In Thoughtless, I found myself being able to relate to her.  Girl next door, sweet, loving, easy going, college student.

Then when *it* happens, I found myself thinking she was selfish, downright cold, and I found myself wanting to smack the *ya know* out of her, but yet I was still kinda on her side, because I could somewhat understand her emotions and immaturity, but I soooo wanted to rip her hair out at the same time. Ha!

So what's Thoughtless about?

Kiera, a young college student, and her long-time boyfriend, Denny, move to Washington for a job he's taken in Seattle.  They leave basically everything and everyone behind as they travel across the country to go and room with Denny's bestfriend, Kellan.

After Denny, the Australian natives, internship puts him on an out of state assignment (shortly after they've settled into Seattle!), Denny has to rush to Arizona. Kiera is left behind.  Alone.  With Kellan.

Kiera and Denny's separation was grueling. She is so lost without him.  She's left everything and everyone she's ever know behind, and Denny...well he makes every effort to call every night.
In the beginning.
Then those every night calls turn into every other night calls, to every 3 nights, and so on.

All the while, Kiera and Kellan start to grow closer.

Kellan is hanging around the house more (remember they're roomies).
They're having more social time (one on one and in group settings) together.

Basically - He looks after her, during the time her and her boyfriend have been separated.
During those 2 months though, the chemistry between Kiera and Kellan is undeniable.

Kellan makes the effort to get Kiera out of the house to cheer her up and at one point even takes her to an outdoor concert. That's when things really start to heat up.

So the question is...Do you enjoy a love triangle story?
I love to indulge in these if they're well written, and Thoughtless definitely is!

Yes; morally the premise is wrong, but I loved it all!
Especially one of the beginning scenes, when you can feel that initial spark.
Then there was another time, (you'll so know what I'm talking about when you read it) I found myself looking away from the pages and looking around as if *I* was the one who was going to get caught!

Aaagghh...who am I kidding...I had at least 3 of these moments, and that's just in Book 1!

In fact, re-thinking the scenes that I love most, are just making me want to re-read this series again, because there are so many, and I really loved this series that much!

100%, without a doubt, 5 Stars!

I won't be forgetting any of these books anytime soon.  Now that's a promise!

Coffee anyone? Tee-he

5 stars.  Thoughtless will have you on the edge of your seat!
The whole book is like this, up until the very end.
I felt happy, sad, conflicted, excited.
Immediately flew into the pages of Effortless.

5 stars.  Effortless has several eye opening surprises in store for us!
You'll be thinking "What the...." one minute and when the BIG surprises pop up, your mouth may literally fall open and it could potentially even put you in a panicky state.  You just don't know what is going to happen!

5 stars.  Reckless had several twists and turns I wasn't expecting, and I laughed.  A lot.
Remember me saying I grew to love some characters I wasn't sure I could?
This books gives that to us!
You suddenly have a nice warm comfy spot for him in your heart.
Throughout the rest of the book, you'll find yourself having that "O" moment - grinning ear to ear and then next thing you know, you're trying not to gush like a baby.
I just did not want this story to end.

Where's my e-reader? 

I have some books to re-read!