HUGE Book Boyfriend Valentine's Day Giveaway!

Need A Valentine?

I've Got You (Chocolate) Covered...

Love. Candy. Kisses. Flowers. Sexy Book Boyfriends.

That's right - in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I've decided to do a HUGE giveaway!! I'm going to play my hand at Cupid and match you with 7 swoon-worthy men! I am giving away seven...yep...seven eBooks that feature some of my favorite book boyfriends. Love is contagious, and I'm going to make sure one lucky winner gets to spend Valentine's Day with seven sexy, sweet, charming book boyfriends. (Oh, and bonus: one of them just happens to be chocolate covered!) 

So, which books are up for grabs? 

1. Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde (Book Boyfriend: Jack Howard)

2. Avoiding Responsibility by K.A. Linde (Book Boyfriend: Ramsey Bridges)

3. Easy by Tammara Webber (Book Boyfriend: Lucas/Landon Maxfield)

4. Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivec (Book Boyfriend: Carter Ellis)

5. Slammed by Colleen Hoover (Book Boyfriend: Will Cooper)

6. That Boy by Jillian Dodd (Book Boyfriend: Phillip Mackenzie)

7. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay (Book Boyfriend: Josh Bennett)

ENTER TO WIN ALL 7 OF THESE EBOOKS BY USING THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK AND I HOPE Y'ALL HAVE A VALENTINE'S DAY FULL OF LOVE, CHOCOLATE, A SEXY MAN (real or a work of fiction), AND SOME SERIOUS GROPING!

Best of 2012 (Series)

Alright y'all, I guess one "Best of 2012" list wasn't enough for me. There were other books that I felt like needed recognition, and most of those books are part of a series. Now, I'm sure you know where this is going.....

Here are the series that blew my mind in 2012! Three of the series listed are not complete, but I really don't care; the books I read so far in the series are enough to put them in this category.

I have included one of my favorite quotes from each book in the series along with the cover photos; enjoy!

**Pssst! One more thing! Click on the covers and it will take you to the Amazon link to purchase the book :)

MY TOP 5 SERIES OF 2012

5. Asylum trilogy by Lauren Hammond

“I’m like a whirlpool in the middle of a choppy sea, once you’re in my grasp I’ll have no choice, I’ll snatch you by the leg, and pull you under.” –Addy

“Something else tells me that we just might be what each other needs to keep each other from falling apart.” – Addy

REVIEWS: Insanity I White Walls

4. Avoiding series by K.A. Linde

“We both know what we are. We cheated on other people, and that was what defined us. That was what defined our connection for quite some time.” – Lexi

“There was no reason to lie for him…not anymore.” – Lexi

REVIEWS: Avoiding Commitment I Avoiding Responsibility

3. The Dark Duet by C.J. Roberts

“He was my tormentor and my solace; the creator of the dark and the light within. I didn't care that he would undoubtedly hurt me at any moment, right now; I just needed somebody to hold me, somebody to be kind to me, somebody to tell me exactly those words. It’s going to be okay. It wasn't of course, I knew that. But I didn’t care. I needed the lie.” -- Livvie

"I don't want revenge, Caleb. I don't want to end up like you, letting some fucking vendetta run my life. I just want my freedom. I want to be free, Caleb. Not someone's whore...not even yours." -- Livvie 

REVIEWS: Captive in the Dark I Seduced in the Dark

2. Chocolate Lovers series by Tara Sivec

“Why is it that I’m just now finding out my best friend went through a lesbian phase? Every time I look at her now I’m going to picture vagina-hand. A little hand that looks like a who-ha chasing me around the house and watching me while I sleep. Vagina hand is always watching. Vagina hand sees you.” – Claire

"Water? At a wedding? I don't understand. Did you invite Jesus? That's the only way that will be acceptable" -- Drew

"Yes, and in just a few minutes, a dick will be able to find your vagina without needing night vision goggles and a weed whacker." -- Liz

REVIEWS: Seduction and Snacks I Futures and Frosting I Troubles and Treats

1. Slammed series by Colleen Hoover

“I wish I could freeze this moment. I wish we could just carve pumpkins forever…” – Layken

“It’s the clear headedness behind her voice and the calm, reasonable expression in her eyes that rips the heart right out of my chest. She turns to leave, and all I can do is let her go. I just let her go.” -- Will

REVIEWS: Slammed I Point of Retreat

Honorable Mentions:

The Sleepless series by Fisher Amelie

Callum & Harper I Thomas & January

That Boy series by Jillian Dodd

That Boy I That Wedding

So, there you have it. There were so many great series I read in 2012, but these were the ones that I could get lost in over and over again. If you haven't read these, read them and read them NOW.

And if you want to see my favorite books of 2012, check them out here.

Best Of 2012 (Books)

With 2012 coming to a close, I decided to share with y'all my favorite reads from the past year. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be; I mean, I read a lot of really great books over the past 12 months! How in the holy hell could I pick my top 10?! Not even just pick my top 10, but rank them?! Impossible! Well ladies and gentlemen, I conquered the impossible. After some serious debating, I finally have my lists. Check out which books rocked my world in 2012!

**I've included a snippet of my review for each book, and clicking on the number above the cover will take you to the Amazon link**

MY TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2012

10.

"Gone Girl gives a perfect and chilling portrayal of a modern day psychopath that will stay with you for days, even after you finish the book. It’s fucked up in more ways than one, and it’s very clear that both Nick and Amy have issues that they refuse to admit to each other. Their love story consists of an angst-driven romance, fueled by lies and deceit, and lit on fire with a big match full of crazy."

9.

"Seriously, I’m sitting here writing this review and pouting like a 5-year-old who’s upset because she isn’t allowed to have a cookie before dinner. The difference between me and a 5-year-old is that I don’t care about the damn cookie; I’m upset that I’m done with this book! I want MORE! I never wanted this book to end."

8.

"Sweet mother of God, Tara Sivec has managed to do it again. What is ‘it’, you ask? Well, let me tell you. She has managed to make me fall in love with someone who is simultaneously causing me to pee my pants from laughter. Now, I’m not a love doctor or anything but as far as I’m concerned, that folks, is true love."

7.

"I was so emotionally invested in these characters that it was almost scary. I think of one negative thing to say. This book was just as beautifully written as Slammed, and I was completely mesmerized by every single story line."

6. 

"Holy. Fuck. I honestly don’t even know where to start or HOW to start reviewing this book. I finished it yesterday morning, and I can’t stop thinking about it! My emotions got thrown all over the place; I felt like a 25-year-old going through early menopause! I was pissed off, I was heartbroken, I was hopeful, I was devastated; I loved the main characters and I hated the main characters."

5. 

"The emotions that these characters evoked were intense, to say the least. I think I wanted to punch every single person in the face at least once. Jack and Lexi’s relationship frustrated me, upset me, excited me, and gutted me. The sexual tension between them dripped off the pages and if girls could get blue balls, I would have had a pretty severe case of them!"

4. 

"Disturbing. Romantic. Fucked up. Sweet. Heartbreaking. Sexy. How in the hell can all those adjectives describe the same book? I don’t know, I honestly don’t…but somehow they do."

3.

"This is by far the funniest book I have EVER read. Yeah, you read that right…funniest book EVER! You know those rare books that you read and by the time you’re about 10-15 pages in, you’re already in love with it? Well, you’re in luck because Seduction and Snacks is one of those books."

2. 

"The writing is brilliant, the characters are phenomenal, the relationships will give you hope, break your heart, make you smile, and make you cry. Slammed is just perfection. Absolute perfection."

1.

"I can count on one hand the number of times I couldn't find words to describe something, and this is one of them. The Sea of Tranquility left me speechless and essentially inarticulate.  I sat in front of my laptop just watching the cursor blink on the blank screen for almost twenty minutes trying to find the right words to describe the wonderful perfection that is this book. No matter what I say, it’s not going to be enough; I know that already."

Honorable Mentions:

Troubles and Treats by Tara Sivec

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Avoiding Responsibility by K.A. Linde

Seduced in the Dark by C.J. Roberts

There you have it! 2012, you rocked. Let's hope 2013 brings it's A-Game and gives me just as many amazing books to get lost in.

Pssst! One more thing.....

**I hope each and every one of you has a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!**

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

*This is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine. "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating.*

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Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Expected Publication Date: December 31, 2012

Synopsis from Goodreads

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies...

That's what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder: a guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she's never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried. 

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he's nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn't at all who he's been claiming to be. When the secrets he's been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky's life will change forever. 

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

(Slammed series, book 2)
Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart. Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything’ until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’

“It’s the clear headedness behind her voice and the calm, reasonable expression in her eyes that rips the heart right out of my chest. She turns to leave, and all I can do is let her go. I just let her go.” - Will

I have such a bittersweet feeling with the end of this two-book series. I’m sad that the story of Layken and Will is over, but I honestly don’t think my emotions could handle another book! This is absolutely one of my favorite series that I’ve read, and I can sum up how I feel about it in three words: “IT’S BUTTERFLYING PERFECT!” (You’ll get it if you read the book.) I wrote a review about the first book of the series, Slammed, and I’m sorry if this one sounds repetitive, but the way I felt about Slammed is very similar to how I feel about Point of Retreat.

Unlike the first book which is written from Lake’s perspective, Will is the narrator in this book. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that at first, but it didn’t take me long to love it just as much as I did Lake’s narration. I didn’t think it was possible to love Will any more than I did after finishing Slammed; I was wrong. His love not only for Lake, but for Caulder and Kel is so admirable. The responsibilities he handles on a daily basis made me forget that he’s only twenty one. AND…OH. MY. GOODNESS! What he does for Lake as a final attempt to show her how much he loves everything about her was so freaking perfect! I would melt like a stick of butter on a hot day if a guy did that for me!

My favorite characters from Slammed were back; Lake, Will, Eddie, Gavin, Kel, and Caulder are all just as fantastically written in this sequel. Kel and Caulder are still best friends, and have gotten even funnier than they were in Slammed. My favorite new character we are introduced to is Kiersten – an odd, outspoken, hilarious, lovable, too-mature-for-her-age eleven-year-old who lives on their street and is in Kel and Caulder’s class at school. It seriously broke my heart when she was talking to Will about how being bullied didn’t even bother her anymore because she’s used to it. I cried. Yep, that’s right. I broke down and cried in this book AND the first one! I just absolutely adored Kiersten so much, and to think of her being bullied made my heart hurt.

The issues that arise in Will and Lake’s relationship really test their relationship, physically and emotionally. I love these two characters so much, and I remember saying out loud “Please, please, pleeeeease let them work things out!!” I feel like I’m in their relationship with them! That’s how freaking invested I am! I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I won’t go into any details, but much like Slammed, my emotions were playing tug-of-war with each other. I felt for both of them and I found it impossible to take sides! Their love for each other is just incredible, and it put a pit in my stomach when I thought that it was possible they might not end up together.

Here are just a couple other reasons why this book is worthy of 5 stars:

- Suck and Sweet. This is so awesome, and I can't wait until I have kids so I can do this with them.

- Kiersten's slam (GET SOME, GIRL!)

- Caulder's slam

- Will's slam for Lake (I know I already talked about it, but it deserves another mention)

- Kiersten's mom, Sherry

- The vase full of stars

- Will and Lake's incredibly adorable and powerful love for each other
- The "one more time" after Will says I love you to Lake (so freaking adorable)

Colleen Hoover just wrote two books that are now some of my favorites that I’ve ever read. I was so emotionally invested in these characters that it was almost scary. I honestly can’t think of one negative thing to say. This book was just as beautifully written as Slammed, and I was completely mesmerized by every single story line. Colleen Hoover, thank you so much for this incredible two-book series. I will forever recommend it and if I ever find myself ‘carving pumpkins’, I’ll remember these books and force myself to stop. 

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble (only available as nook book)

Slammed by Colleen Hoover

(Slammed series, book 1)
After the unexpected death of her father forces eighteen-year-old Layken and her family to move across the country, away from everyone and everything she knows, her outlook on life is anything but hopeful.

Enter Will Cooper: the attractive twenty-one year old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry. After a night tonight that turns out to be everything but expected, both Layken and Will are left with feelings they never knew they could have. Unfortunately in Layken’s life, things are never what they seem. Just as quickly as it develops, their relationship is derailed by a shocking revelation, sparking a tumultuous battle between their hearts and their ethics.

As if the dramatic turn of events in her life isn’t enough, Layken is slammed again when her mother reveals a secret of her own. A secret so intense, all of Layken’s current problems pale in comparison to her seemingly insurmountable future. Unable to confront the changes that lie ahead of her, Layken ignores her conscience as she turns to Will for solace. Struggles ensue as both Layken and Will search for a balance between that which keeps them apart and feelings that pull them together.

“I wish I could freeze this moment. I wish we could just carve pumpkins forever…” – Layken

WOW! This is one of the best books I have ever read and it is definitely one that I will read again in the future. I finished this book in one day because I was obsessed…just plain obsessed. I couldn’t put my Nook down and when I finished it, I had tears in my eyes. Okay, fine! I’ll be honest! I had tears streaming down my face. (Hey…I’m emotional!) Actually, I’m not even blaming the fact that I’m emotional for crying multiple times reading this book; it’s the writing. It is just brilliant. The storylines all flow together so well, and I absolutely fell in love with these characters.

First of all, Lake (yes, I’m on a nickname basis with her) is such a strong character. Oh, and how great is her name?! Layken. I LOVE IT! She has been dealt a hand that would cause most people to crumble, but with the exception of a couple bad days, she handles it all with maturity. The nurturing she provides to her younger brother Kel when her mother is busy working the night shift and sleeping during the day makes you forget that she’s only eighteen-years-old. I just adored her so much, and my heart ached for her throughout the book.

Ahhh, Will. I fell in love with him when he pulled out two grilled cheese sandwiches and sodas from a bag…in his car…for his and Lake’s first date. I don’t know why, but I just found that so freaking cute. What can I say? I’m a romantic ;) My emotions got toyed with reading this book more than they ever have in any of my relationships (I think that’s a good thing?) and it seemed like every time they would just maybe be working things out, I got slapped in the face with a big “AH HA, FOOLED YOU!” Colleen Hoover, you are a sneaky little trick…and I love you for it!

The last character I really loved was Lake’s best friend, Eddie. First of all, Eddie is a girl and you learn later on the actually meaning of her name. Without giving away too much, she has been bounced around foster homes because her mother was a crackhead who didn’t have time for her. Despite her upbringing, Eddie shines such a positive light on this book as a whole. She was the one picking up Lake when she needed it, she pushed her in the right direction; she was essentially her guiding light. The scene on Eddie’s birthday; I absolutely lost it. I was full on crying at my desk at work while I read that part. I just loved her character so much and to see her boyfriend do that for her was just too much for my emotions to handle!

I don’t want to say anything more, because I don’t want to give away any of the spoilers for this book. I feel like it would ruin the emotional ride if you had any hints as to what issues arise in Layken and Will’s relationship, as well as her mother’s secret. This is absolutely one of my all-time favorite books, and I can’t wait to start reading the sequel. The writing is brilliant, the characters are phenomenal, the relationships will give you hope, break your heart, make you smile, and make you cry. Slammed is just perfection. Absolute perfection.

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble (only available as nook book)