Review and Giveaway ~ THE VINCENT BROTHERS (The Vincent Boys #2) by Abbi Glines

He may have given her up without a fight, but Sawyer Vincent is far from over losing the girl he’s loved all of his life. Instead of giving up his best friend and the girl he thought he’d spend forever with, he gave Ashton and his brother Beau his blessing. However, adjusting to seeing Ashton wrapped up in Beau’s arms isn’t easy. Complicating everything even more, Ashton’s cousin Lana is in town for the summer. Sweet, kind, soft-spoken Lana, who gets under his skin. Just being near her makes him forget all about Ashton and his broken heart. Lana is everything he wanted Ashton to be except she isn’t Ashton. She lacks the backbone to stand up for herself and confidence that Ashton wears like a crown.                                            Lana McDaniel has lived her life in her cousin's shadow. While Lana struggled with her grades no matter how hard she tried, her mother praised Ashton's intelligence. She hadn’t been blessed with Ashton’s blond hair and flawless skin, but that didn't keep her mother from lamenting her naturally red hair and freckles. But none of that would have mattered if Ashton hadn’t always had Sawyer Vincent wrapped around her finger -- the only boy Lana wanted. Once Ashton let Sawyer go, Lana had been so sure that he’d move on. Determined to make Sawyer finally see her, she'd talked her mother into letting her spend the summer with Ashton. But Sawyer is still in love with Ashton, and Lana isn’t going to be anyone's rebound girl. No matter how yummy Sawyer Vincent’s kisses taste.                   ~From GoodReads

"They're hard to resist." 

"Don't I know it."

(pg 35, eARC)

Sigh.... I don't even know how to write this review, y'all. I mean, I am a pool of goo. If you know me very well, you know I am a huge fan of Abbi Glines' books. Huge. I loved THE VINCENT BOYS (my review) and when Abbi told me she was writing another Vincent boys book, I'm pretty sure my squeals were heard miles away.

The number one thought I had when I started reading the book was, "Can Sawyer carry a book as well as Beau?". Beau Vincent, he's a tough act to follow. Beau and Sawyer are opposites in every way. Beau is full of swagger *swoon*, but Sawyer has a quiet demeanor. Beau is openly passionate about Ash, Sawyer is more reserved. Beau likes to drink and live it up, Sawyer goes to parties but doesn't drink much. All that may lead you to believe Sawyer is boring. I mean, I thought he was a big snooze in THE VINCENT BOYS. Ohhhhhh, how I was wrong. I should have known better. It's always the quiet ones who end up catching you by surprise, isn't it? I'm absolutely not going to give anything about this book away, but when I think about Sawyer...*shivers*.

I had the same issue with Lana McDaniel. Ash's cousin was in THE VINCENT BOYS long enough for me to think I knew her.  Lana thought Ash was crazy for leaving Sawyer for Beau. She thought Ash was handling everything wrong, and let her know it. All I thought about Lana was "What a buzzkill." Again, I was wrong. I only knew Lana from Ash's perspective. I was caught off guard by how quickly I began to love her. Lana is great. She's so strong, so forgiving, so loving.

Sawyer and Lana together. Gahhhh. I don't know how Abbi does it. There are some scenes that were so steamy, I had to stick my head in the freezer. And the funny thing is, the scenes aren't "graphic" at all. Or maybe I'm just easy, I dunno. Anyhow, it's good stuff.
Here's the deal. When Abbi sent me this book, I freaked out. I was so excited. One of my BFF's Autumn (from Autumn Review) and I read the book "together",which consists of DMs and texts since we live hours away from one another. We both stayed up until 3:30am reading THE VINCENT BROTHERS. As soon as we woke up the next morning, we started talking about the book again. Then, we talked on the phone for an hour that afternoon about all the little things that hit us so hard. I actually teared up when we were talking about it. I guess my point is, Abbi Glines' books have a special quality about them that resonates with me so deeply. I've called it her "special sauce". I can't tell you exactly what it is, but I know I'm going to find it each time I open her books. And that feeling, it is worth everything when it comes to reading.

Bottom Line: If you loved THE VINCENT BOYS, you will certainly love THE VINCENT BROTHERS.

Favorite Quotes:

" 'You think I'm a better choice than Beau? He's the bad one, you know. The dangerous one. Girls like bad boys.' His voice had dropped to a low rumble. I shivered as he took another step closer, his eyes never leaving their study of my lips. It had been awhile since I'd reapplied lip gloss. I wondered if they were dry.
Forcing myself to remain calm, I responded, 'Not all girls.' " (pg 21, eARC)


Expected publication: June 5th 2012


Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review.

Giveaway

THE VINCENT BROTHERS releases the day after my birthday. So I thought, what better way to celebrate than to give one of you this series that has brought me so much happiness? Here's what I'm doing. I will gift the winner of the giveaway Kindle copies of THE VINCENT BOYS and THE VINCENT BROTHERS. If you already own or have read THE VINCENT BOYS, then I will gift you another of Abbi's books. If you've already read all of Abbi's books, then you are awesome and my work here is done. ;-)

The Rules:

• You must be 18+ years of age to enter. I'm not personally into telling teens what to read, but I'm not about to get into it with your mom if she thinks the book is inappropriate for you.
• Open to anyone who can received Kindle ebooks.
• The only requirement is your name/email and a comment. Everything else is completely optional.
• Giveaway ends June 3rd at 11:59 pm. I will gift the winner their books when THE VINCENT BROTHERS goes live on Amazon.

Good Luck!

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THE WEEKLY REWIND, #5

THE WEEKLY REWIND is a weekly post in which I recap the bookish awesomeness from the past week, and post a book haul. Warning: I tend to ramble in my vlogs. Sometimes I get excited about things and I flail. Although, I don't follow a specific format, this was inspired by a few different blogs: For What It's Worth Reviews , Book Brats and Xpresso Reads.

Book Haul

Books Received:

THE VINCENT BROTHERS (The Vincent Boys, #2) by Abbi Glines
WHAT A BOY NEEDS, by Nyrae Dawn
SOUND BITES: A Rock and Roll Love Story by Rachel K. Burke
BEFORE YOU GO, by Ella James
NOAH (5th Street #1) by Elizabeth Reyes
BEAUTY QUEENS, by Libba Bray
SHADOW BOUND(Unbound, #2) by Rachel Vincent

Awesome People:

Abbi Glines
Nyrae Dawn

Posts:

Kid's Review of THE WHISPERING HOUSE
Teaser Tuesday from DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN
Review ~ FROST by Kate Ellison
Review ~ WHISPER, by Heather Hildenbrand
Waiting on Wednesday ~ WHAT A BOY NEEDS, by Nyrae Dawn
Blog Tour ~ PRETTY IN BLACK, by Rae Hachton
Review ~ DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN, by JA London
Review ~ GIRL UNMOORED, by Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Giveaways:

Splash Into Summer Giveaway ~ DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN by JA London

Thanks for stopping by. Leave a comment, and I'll come check out your blog. Have a great week!

Review ~ GIRL UNMOORED, by Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Apron Bramhall has come unmoored. It’s 1985 and her mom has passed away, her evil stepmother is pregnant, and her best friend has traded her in for a newer model. Fortunately, she’s about to be saved by Jesus. Not that Jesus—the actor who plays him in Jesus Christ, Superstar. Apron is desperate to avoid the look-alike Mike (no one should look that much like Jesus unless they can perform a miracle or two), but suddenly he’s everywhere. Until one day, she’s stuck in church with him—of all places. And then something happens; Apron’s broken teenage heart blinks on for the first time since she’s been adrift. Mike and his grumpy boyfriend, Chad, offer her a summer job in their flower store and Apron’s world seems to calm. But when she uncovers Chad’s secret, coming of age becomes almost too much bear. She’s forced to see things the adults around her fail to—like what love really means and who is paying too much for it.                ~From GoodReads

GIRL UNMOORED is a coming of age story set in the 1980s. That alone earned my rapt attention. Then you have the first line: "Jesus was in his underwear."(pg.9) That line, of course, made me think "Wha...?", but I also laughed. I never expected, though, to be so personally moved by the story.

GIRL UNMOORED reminded me in a way of a movie, maybe My Girl. The story isn't the same, or even similar. It's more of a feeling portrayed, or brought back. This story is the summer of a young, impressionable girl whose world is shifted and who learns and teaches those around her about real love. This isn't a love story in the romantic sense. It is love in a human sense.

Apron (the name is explained, so don't panic, people) is thirteen. I immediately adored her and wanted to smother her in love. But she became a rock star to me because she is a devoted Laura Ingalls Wilder fan and reads the Little House on the Prairie series repeatedly. She is motherless, her father is distracted by her evil stepmother, her best friend has dumped her. Apron has lost her faith. She's drifting, until she meets Mike and Chad.

Mike and Chad are proof that love has no defining factors. It's 1985 and many are afraid of gay men, particularly the ones who are sick. They are subjected to homophobia, violence, discrimination. The love exhibited between them, the kindness, the devotion in the face of the toughest obstacle of all, is inspiring.  I dare anyone to read this book and say that a love like Mike and Chad's is wrong. They become the anchor Apron needs. They take Apron in and embrace her in a way that causes her to blossom.

GIRL UNMOORED is a beautifully, bittersweet story of love; the most basic, human love.  I could not put it down. I was captivated by Apron's voice. To see the world through her view was poignant. I giggled at Mike and Chad, I raged at Evil Stepmother, I rolled my eyes at the ex-bff. And I cried, so hard. I count myself lucky to have read GIRL UNMOORED.


Favorite Quotes:

My favorite quote is near the end of the story. To share it would give too much away. It made me sob.

"The church smelled like leftover tears. Sadness was tucked into corners and hidden under beams and pasted so thick on the walls that it was hard to breathe." (pg.55)

"Being this close to Mike made the cramp in my heart loosen up a bit, like the shingles were falling off of it." (pg.136)
Read an excerpt from GIRL UNMOORED.


Published March 6th 2012 by Fiction Std, E Book

You can purchase GIRL UNMOORED at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository


Source: Received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review ~ DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN, by JA London

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won. Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters.... Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series. ~From GoodReads

"Soon the monsters will come out to play. They like the night. They feed on it. Sometimes they feed on us." (pg.3)

So I'm just going to come out and say it. I loved this book. I loved everything about it: the characters, the plot, the dangerous world...everything.

Let me start with the world-building. I would consider DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN to be a post-apocalyptic/dystopian crossover, heavier on the post-apocalyptic.[Sidenote: Post-apocalyptic and dystopian are not the same thing. For the difference in dystopian and post-apocalyptic please read this post by Julie Kagawa.] Many of the post-apocalyptic books that I've read have been vague in that respect.   In DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN, you learn exactly what happened to bring about the bleak existence humans endure. I don't want to give all the details away, because that aspect was fascinating for me to read. Long story short, there was a decades long war between humans and vampires. Vampires won. The VampHu treaty came out of this, the main stipulation being that vampires will not attack the humans within their walls as long as they provide blood to the vamps.

So here we are in Denver, and our heroine Dawn is the new delegate to the leader of the local vampires, Lord "Bloody" Valentine. And though the treaty is intact, the humans go into hiding each day when the sun goes down, for fear of rogue vampires. Their safety in tenuous at best. Dawn, who has replaced her murdered parents as the delegate, is all but responsible for walking the fine line that keeps humans safe. I truly admired Dawn as a character. She is a teenager with the world on her shoulders, yet she manages to smile, have fun, live, and still take her duties seriously. She has her guardian, best friend Tegan (not the sharpest knife), and her long-time boyfriend, Michael. I did like Michael. He's protective, intense, and seemed to be devoted to Dawn. Until...he isn't. Michael has an ego that constantly needs reassured. He definitely has a hero complex and begins to grate at the nerves which made it remarkably easy for another guy to swoop in.

That alluring new man is Victor. Victor is dashing, intriguing, and dangerous, but not in a bad boy way. He is exceedingly kind, goes out of his way, puts himself in danger to keep Dawn safe. He wants to do what's best for Dawn, even at his own risk. The dude made me hardcore swoon.

The storyline was consistently moving ahead. I never felt as if it stalled. Not only is the consistent threat of Lord Valentine a factor, Dawn is also confronting danger on at least three different fronts, never mind the potential drama in her love life. There is an issue at the opening, that Valentine mentions later in the story, that's never explained. I'll assume it will be expanded on in the next book. I'm fine with that. When everything comes to a head, though, I thought the suspense would kill me, or at least make me pass out from holding my breath. The ending was a definite cliffhanger. I would have been screaming, dying to know what was happening. But, my book, a finished copy, has a sneak peek of book two, BLOOD-KISSED SKY. Well played, authors, because I am dying to read that book.


Personal Note: In the synopsis, it is mentioned that fans of True Blood, the House of Night series, and Morganville Vampires series would enjoy this. I haven't read Morganville Vampires. But I have read the Sookie Stackhouse series and House of Night series. DBD, besides being a book with vampires that have come out, is nothing at all like Sookie Stackhouse series. And besides the obvious, vampires, it is nothing like the House of Night series. DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN is soooo much better. Sorry if I've stepped on any toes, but if someone told me this was like HoN, I probably wouldn't read it.


Favorite Quote:

"In my dreams, we're the same. We can touch, kiss, love. And every dream ends with us ...being together forever." (pg 224)

Expected publication: May 29th 2012 by HarperTeen

You can preorder DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository


Source: Received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

SPLASH INTO SUMMER GIVEAWAY HOP

Welcome to my stop on the SPLASH INTO SUMMER Giveaway Hop! This hop is hosted by I Am a Reader Not a Writer and Page Turners Blog. There are over 250 blogs participating in bookish giveaways. You can find them here.


The Giveaway:

Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London (ARC)

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won. Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters.... Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series. ~From GoodReads

 The Rules:

• Must have a US/CA mailing address. (Or a contact who can accept on your behalf.)
• Must be 13+ years of age.
• The only mandatory requirement is name/email address.
• All other entries are optional.

I'm reading this book right now. It is so good.

Good Luck!
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Blog Tour ~ PRETTY IN BLACK, by Rae Hachton

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the PRETTY IN BLACK Blog Tour! The tour is being hosted by Supagurl Books. Today I have an excerpt from PRETTY IN BLACK by Rae Hachton, and a link to the blog tour giveaway.

Some Things are Pretty. Some Things are Black. Love is both. [Ellie Piper] She wanted to die. He arose from the grave. He was sent to kill her. She was trained to kill those of his kind. But fate had other plans. He searched for 119 years to find her. & There's no way in hell he's letting her go. Dead or Alive. They're fated. [Marcus Marble] How far would you go to be with the one you love? Would you die for her? Would you kill for her? What if the only reason you're still alive is because of her? What if the reason you came back from the dead, was to be with her? But what if your job was to kill her, but you fell in love instead? And now you're being hunted by your own kind? Destroy? Or be Destroyed? ~From GoodReads

Excerpt from: The Secret Garden

“Welcome to the secret garden, My Lady.”

An extremely old cemetery lay neglected before me, but it was tranquil. The gate was frail and rusted, and the ivy vines that twisted around it also stretched out and wrapped themselves around the stone wall. Marcus reached into the backseat to retrieve his violin. In an esoteric way, the violin case slightly resembled a coffin.

He carried his violin and walked with me into the cemetery. The headstones were weathered and unreadable, and flowers, or what may have been flowers, dead. A cool wind blew through the trees. He rested his violin against a stone and before I knew it, he swept me off my feet and tossed me over his shoulder.

I squealed. “Marcus Marble, put me down now!” He just laughed and twirled me around and carried me over to the stone wall and sat me atop.

Be right back.”

I glanced around the cemetery and could’ve sworn I saw or felt someone watching me. Someone other than Marcus. But Marcus returned before I had time to analyze it any further and he noticed my expression had shifted.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m cold,” I lied. He quickly removed his coat and tossed it up to me. It was extremely warm and the scent was intoxicating—like sleeping on a bed of flowers on the first night of Spring.

I felt safe with Marcus, but there was also an intensity about it—an excitement from being near him, and often times it would even linger when he wasn’t around, and make me want to be with him more. The feeling was becoming more and more addicting and I wasn’t sure I could live without it.

Marcus raised his violin into position, looked up into my eyes and then…a bewitching tune melded onto the airwaves and spread over me like the afternoon sunset that flared through the trees and sank into the graves of the dead, never to be seen again.

Even with his coat on, I felt chills. The tune he played was sad at first. And then it flirted with a tune that sounded like love. Those two frequencies made a bittersweet melody that burst into a cry of pain, a wailing of war. Finally, the heartache subsided and silently imploded onto a string of notes that were unsettling. The sound that ended the melody was a sound that was unsure of itself. It was equivalent to reading a book and coming across a page that abruptly stopped in the middle of a paragraph and did not continue on. This sound was definitely not the ending of his tune. It wasn’t happy nor sad. It was just unwritten.

I realized tears trickled from my eyes. I quickly wiped them away. The sun faded and night began to descend. The sky was a deep navy blue. Marcus sat his violin aside and dropped to one knee, as though he were about to propose. His eyes flickered with seriousness. He took my hand into his. “Ellie, would you frolic in the land of forever with me?”

You can purchase PRETTY IN BLACK at:
Amazon  |  Barnes&Noble  | Book Depository  |  Smashwords

Giveaway

Author Rae Hachton has an awesome giveaway for the blog tour.

Prizes include:

• A Special Edition copy of Pretty in Black, which includes both books under one binding.
• A Swag assortment of bookmarks, stickers, and magnets.
• A Pretty in Black poster.

To enter the giveaway, click the link below (sorry, I couldn't get the form to post).

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WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...

Jaden Sinclair knows he'll never amount to anything...so why would he deserve a girl like Priscilla Mendoza? Since last summer, things have been screwed up between Jaden and Pris. He knows it's his fault, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to go a few rounds with her new boyfriend. He also knows he’s the loser his dad calls him, but it doesn’t stop him from wanting her. After getting a huge bomb dropped on him, Jaden lashes out and lands himself in jail. Everything in his chaotic life is turned upside down and to make it worse, his mom kicks him out in order to side with his dad. Yeah, he’s totally a prize for a girl like Pris. Sebastian, Aspen, and Pris are all going places in their lives...and he knows he can't keep tagging along for the ride. The group has one last chance for The Epic Adventure they've been looking for: a road trip to New York, where Jaden's friends will be going to college. Unfortunately, the more time Jaden hangs around Pris, the harder it is to keep the carefully constructed walls between them so she doesn't find out what a train wreck he really is. When the trip ends, Jaden has to decide if he's ready to say goodbye to his friends, and the girl he loves. He knows what he needs, but will he be man enough to go for it? ~From GoodReads

Why I'm Waiting ~ Wow. I loved Nyrae Dawn's first book, WHAT A BOY WANTS, sooo much.
And now it's Jaden's turn. There were strong hints that Jaden's home life was rough in WaBW. I can't wait to see this great circle of friends rally together again.


Edited to Add: I got an eARC of WHAT A BOY NEEDS yesterday afternoon. I stayed up until 2am reading it. Blown away. This book blew away every expectation. I'm dying for everyone to read it.

Expected Publication Date: June 12, 2012