Sidekick Showcase [65] - Drama Queen

Sidekick Showcase, previously known as Sidekick Saturday, is a weekly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! I will post my Sidekicks on Saturday, then whichever day during the week that you would like to post yours, you can put your link in on my page. Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in the week's topic
• Share a picture (if you can) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• The day of your post, put your link in below and grab the code for your post so you can see the others that post their's throughout the week as well

Sidekick Showcase March - Oscars and St. Patty's Day Topics: best dressed, biggest drama queen, red head, lucky, Irish, Saintly, ect.

If you haven't stopped by my Blogaversary Giveaway, Please Do!

My choice is Effie Trinket

Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

Effie Trinket picture created by Jaclyn Canada as portrayed by Elizabeth Banks

Let's talk about Effie for a bit. She is a joke in the beginning of the story. With her crazy dress sense, and odd way of speaking, she is often poked fun at by the heroine and co. I chose her for Drama Queen simply because everything that she does is that inch more over the top. Her outfits, her accent, her pristine manners, and her positive attitude. That's not to say that I don't appreciate her as a character though, because I do very much. As a matter of fact, I feel that she's often under appreciated. She brings a light-hearted feeling to an often down-trodden cast. Who doesn't remember Effie seeing the joy in a sister volunteering for the first time in history in District 12? While everyone else was looking at her in disdain for clapping, I was admiring her for noticing the same thing that I was. How had this not happened before??

Quotes:

“May the odds be ever in your favor."

---

“She reaches in, digs her hand deep into the ball, and pulls out a slip of paper. The crowd draws in a collective breath, and then you can hear a pin drop, and I'm feeling nauseous and so desperately hoping that it's not me, that it's not me, that it's not me.

Effie Trinket crosses back to the podium, smoothes the slip of paper, and reads out the name in a clear voice. And it's not me.

It's Primrose Everdeen.”

---

It’s time for the drawing. Effie Trinket says as she always does, “Ladies first!”

---

“Unfortunately, I can't seal the sponsor deals for you. Only Haymitch can do that," says Effie grimly. "But don't worry, I'll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary."

Although lacking in many departments, Effie Trinket has a certain determination I have to admire.

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Shadow Town Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Shadow Town (Maggie Lane Chronicles #1) by Robyn Jones Tour

Published: January 29, 2014
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Goodreads Summary

By day, nineteen-year-old Maggie Lane is property manager of Pearl Estates, a posh housing community owned by her father and occupied by Shadows. By night, she's a waitress at a local dive. When a girl at her night job disappears, she dives into Scooby mode. She might be able to handle a missing waitress on her own, but when a new Shadow moves in next door and turns her into a blushing, flirting, love-crazed girl, her need for answers unearths nightmares from her past and monsters of the here and now. It's possible her bad attitude might not be enough to carry her through.

New Adult paranormal romance Shadow Town is the first novel in the Maggie Lane Chronicles.

Goodreads / Amazon - 99 cents NOW on Amazon

“You can't always tough it out, sometimes you need to laugh it out.” 

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

The Good

This one has a bit of all the things that I enjoy: snark, action, a little mystery, a MoBad heroine, and some spice. MoBad is another of my made up PG words, but you get the point. Maggie is strong and naive at the same time. She's been through so much in her past. It makes her gritty, but in some areas she's never been able to let her walls down so she's truly naive to what life should be like for someone her age. I grew to really love her.

One of the reasons that Maggie means so much to me, is that I felt a connection to her. Granted, I don't run a neighborhood that my evil dad owns crawling with Shadows in Montana or work as a waitress (anymore). Wait, what? It was in those little things that I was really able to connect. Maggie loves to swim every day and I used to be on the swim team in school. She wears crazy t-shirts and makes references to Wonder Woman and Captain America. She's also a painter. I may not paint, but I do love my art and I know what it feels like to get lost in a drawing and being completely transported to a new world.

The setting is a neighborhood called Pearl Estates that Maggie manages so there are quite a few characters of all varieties in the residents that live there. I really enjoyed all the minor players. There are a LOT of important men. Don't get me wrong, they are not all vying for her attention because she only has eyes for one. They are all there playing their own roles. All mysterious, all vital, and all grew on me. One thing that Jones does so well is really get you to care about the people you're reading about.

The action and mystery are wonderful. I felt like I knew exactly what was going on the whole time, them BAM! Ha, didn't know exactly after all. I really appreciated those surprises.

The Bad

Due to the build up and getting to know the characters, the action does come slowly. I found that this doesn't bother me personally since I enjoyed getting to know more about Maggie. The paranormal aspects and mystery were always present, but it is important to know that there are slow parts throughout as well.

The Romance

Maggie is out of school. She manages Pearl Estates and works as a waitress with some rough customers, but she's never had a boyfriend. Enter Damon. He's hot, her's, and he'll wait until she realizes it. I love it.

There are some nice steamy scenes to enjoy but it's built up well. I can't wait to see more of these two.

Conclusion

Wonderful characters, giggle-inducing snark and dialogue, great mystery, action, and romance are all in this story. Absolutely recommended.

Excerpt

“I'm sorry. I got carried away. Did I hurt you?” He turns off the faucet with harsh jerky motions, then wraps me in a towel like I'm some waterlogged puppy.

I'm standing in his bedroom with a towel and not much else. He's sitting on his bed berating himself. “I'm not so fragile, Damon.” It's not until I say his name that he looks up.

“Everything you've been through and then I don't mind my own strength with you.” I touch the bandage on my forearm, amazed it's still in place. He shakes his head. 

Anger bursts through me in the form of me wagging my useless pointer finger at him. “I'm not some victim.” I storm out. I'm more pissed that Branden has the nerve to share my dark history with another person. I rarely talk about my past; it seems implied best friend material. I'm at the front door when Damon moves in front of me.

“Don't go,” he says in a way that makes me want to give in, but that's not me. I don't give in, ever. “Wait.”

“We’re strangers,” I tell him with a hard nod, my best effort to remind myself Damon is a Shadow.

“I like elephants.” My mouth hangs open, too stunned to form words. “Did you know they laugh?” I shake my head. I didn’t know that. “Vegetarians piss me off. So does mint green.” 

“A color pisses you off?” He breathes a yes.

About Robyn Jones:

I'm the mom of two hardcore boys. My oldest trained me to be matter-of-fact, no frills. My youngest wants the whole singsongy sweet package. Thank goodness for reading and writing because they are my sanity makers. I know life is all about the journey, that's why I like my fiction to be all about the destination. I want to be taken somewhere not here when I read, same goes with the stories I create. Thrills, chills, tears, and laughter, but there has to be something to hold on to at the end.

Blog / Twitter / Goodreads

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Sunday Cover Scramble [56]

Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until the next day to let you know if you are right, allowing other to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. If you need hints, I will only post covers of series talked about on my blog previously. Also, let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more throughout the day if no one guesses it correctly. Here we go:

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Sidekick Showcase [64] - Book Boyfriends

Sidekick Showcase, previously known as Sidekick Saturday, is a weekly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! I will post my Sidekicks on Saturday, then whichever day during the week that you would like to post yours, you can put your link in on my page. Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in the week's topic
• Share a picture (if you can) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• The day of your post, put your link in below and grab the code for your post so you can see the others that post their's throughout the week as well

For the month of February, we're gonna go down the romance path and select characters that are romantic or just plain hot. Let's celebrate our book boyfriends and the protagonist's love interests.

If you haven't stopped by my Blogaversary Giveaway, Please Do!

OK this one is the one I got lost in.

My choice is Curran Lennart

Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews

Curran - The Beast Lord. Why do I love Curran so much? Well, the fact that just making the post had me lost for hours back in the books should tell you something. He is very much the Alpha male and will do anything to protect his pack and loved ones. He says some pretty surprising and blunt things, but he can because he's The Beast Lord. Kate, however, is not amused that everyone bends to his will and she will not be so easily swayed. One of my favorite things about him is how much he loves to tease Kate. Their banter and the dialogue is top notch. I've probably gone overboard on the quotes because they can show you why he's Grade A so much better than I can.

I worked so hard on a picture for him, and still am not happy with any of them. I see him as a mixture of Chris Hemsworth, David Beckham, and Brad Pitt aged to 31. How do you put that into a picture?? I'm really sad about this. Hopefully one day I'll be able to get a picture that I like drawn.

Thank you Jennifer Bielman for the glowing reviews that got me to read this series! It's definitely one of my favorites.

Quotes:

“His Majesty needs a can-I girl anyway. And I'm not it."
"A can-I girl?" Andrea frowned.
I leaned back. "'Can I fetch your food, Your Majesty? Can I tell you how strong and mighty you are, Your Majesty? Can I pick your fleas, Your Majesty? Can I kiss your ass, Your Majesty? Can I..." It dawned on me that Raphael was sitting very still. Frozen, like a statue, his gaze fixed on the point above my head. "He's standing behind me, isn't he?" Andrea nodded slowly.

"Technically it should be 'may I'," Curran said, his voice deeper than I remembered. "Since you're asking for permission."
Why me?
"To answer your question, yes, you may kiss my ass. Normally I prefer to maintain my personal space, but you're a Friend of the Pack and your services have proven useful once or twice. I strive to accommodate the wishes of persons friendly to my people. My only question is, would kissing my ass be obeisance, grooming, or foreplay?"

---

“The phone rang. I picked it up.
“Are you sitting down?” Curran's voice asked.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Click.

I listened to the disconnect signal. If he wanted me to sit, then I'd stand. I got up. The chair got up with me and I ended up bent over my desk, with the chair stuck to my butt. I grabbed the edge of the chair and tried to pull it off. It remained stuck.

I would murder him. Slowly. And I'd enjoy every second of it.”

---

“I said, I know why you’re afraid to fight with me.”
"And why is that?” If he flexed again, I’d have to implement emergency measures. Maybe I could kick some sand at him or something. Hard to look hot brushing sand out of your eyes.
"You want me.”
Oh boy.
"You can’t resist my subtle charm, so you’re afraid you’re going to make a spectacle out of yourself.”
"You know what? Don’t talk to me.”

---

“I think you’re confused as to the nature of our relationship. You and I, we don’t get along. You’re a psychopathic control freak. You order me around and I want to kill you. I’m a pigheaded insubordinate ass. I drive you mad and you want to strangle me.”

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Harry Potter Moment of the Week [18]

This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts.The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/ films/ J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! She is picking a topic within HP for us to focus on each week and then if anyone wants to take part feel free! All she asks is to link back to her blog :). There is now a full list of the topics to come here.

Best Spell

Isn't Bellatrix just creepy? I love it :D

I'm really going to have to go with Apparating for this one. So I'm not a morning person...at all. I need at least one Dr. Pepper before you really want to approach me for the day. I also tend to get behind people who have no idea how to do the speed limit when I'm trying my best to get my son to school and get to work on time. Needless to say, my morning commutes consist of me talking to the people in the cars around me..."Jiminy Cricket!" is my favorite epitaph.  "Did you even SEE the speed limit??" is another common one. "You WOULD pull out RIGHT in front of me" is one guaranteed to get the blood pressure going. Zane likes to remind me, "Mom, they can't hear you." I know that. I really do :) It just makes me feel better to tell them how they should be driving.

I really feel like Apparating would make my life a whole lot less stressful. Just whipping by to where I wanted to go in a matter of seconds. Never worrying about being late anymore, just needing to pack a little pepto in case my stomach gets a bit whoozy. Yes, I'm convinced this one out of all spells if I had to choose one from the Potterverse would be my life-saver.

Don't get me wrong though, I think for Harry his will always be Expelliarmus. In a world where dark magic is flying at you from all angles, and you have a conscience, you need a great defense spell. The fact that this became his 'trademark' spell makes a lot of sense to me. 

What spell would you choose as the best spell?

Review: Catalyst (Tethered #1) by Jennifer Snyder

Published: April 29, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance
Format: Kindle

Source: Sent for honest review

Goodreads Summary 
Sometimes who we really are lies buried just beneath the surface…

After learning she’s inherited a house in the beachside town of Soul Harbor, Georgia, Addison Harmon and her best friend decided to take a much needed vacation before the pressures of life after high school suffocate them too heavily.


But what Addison finds isn’t a chance to recoup from a bad break up and hang out with her best friend while she decides what she wants to do with her future. What she finds is Kace Sullivan—a sexy guy she can’t seem to get enough of—someone who with one touch reveals a seductive world full of magick and secrets Addison isn’t sure she’s ready to be a part of.

My Air, Your Fire...It's Elemental Baby

Just look at that cover, would you? Isn't it gorgeous?

The Good

I loved the beginning of the story with the mysterious inherited house that Addison receives upon the death of her birth mother that she's never known. It was a lot of fun reading Addison and her best friend Vera navigate Georgia on their own without parents around for the first time.

There's a lot of strange things that happen when they first arrive and she runs across some people that made me scratch my head and ponder their odd behavior. Even when some answers arrived for me as the story progressed, there were still questions popping up everywhere. There are a lot of characters introduced that I am very interested to know more of.

Kace is a stud that has Addison feeling sparks and forgetting all about her recent tragic break-up. There is a lot of potential there. Also, with the magick that's explored there is a TON of room for a fantastic series.

The Bad

I know that I LOVE twists and turns, but this particular book didn't wrap up a single thread all the way.

The characters, while very enjoyable, aren't fully fleshed out yet. Also, one of my favorite characters isn't even in the story for long.

The main action came at the very end of the book and ended on a cliff-hanger. The rest of the book, I spent trying to figure out if people should be trusted or not. I think I was expecting a lot more magick throughout, but it is mainly just introduced and explained.

The Romance

Kace is supposed to be a hot 'fisherman' for Addison, but for me, they are still in the getting-to-know-each-other phase so there's really no meat in their relationship. Addison I know more of, but what I know is that she is coming out of a relationship and is on the rebound. The two of them together are very cute, and I do like Addison's internal dialogue when Kace is around. There is some action, but it's cut away scenes so don't be looking for a steamy romp.

Conclusion

This one is a great set up for a series. I feel like the best is yet to come for this story-line. The magick that is introduced which is Elemental and Hoodoo has some real potential and I enjoy the mysteries even while I would like some of the threads tied up a little more. I like the characters and the side characters as well, but I do hope that we learn a lot more about them in the following books. I will be continuing the series. Recommended for some.

Excerpts

Vera nodded. "Yeah, tell me about it. I was putting the vibe out there and everything. Not many can turn me down when I let it release full-throttle like that."

"Actually, I have no clue why my mom ran off to have me. Are there any theories in town about why she gave me up for adoption too?"

"Magick wasn't real. It was something magicians claimed to use to create illusions and tricks of the eye, but not something I would have inside of me. No, what I felt was lust. Passion."

Sunday Cover Scramble [55]

Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until the next day to let you know if you are right, allowing other to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. If you need hints, I will only post covers of series talked about on my blog previously. Also, let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more throughout the day if no one guesses it correctly. Here we go:

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Sidekick Showcase [63] - Oh Romeo

Sidekick Showcase, previously known as Sidekick Saturday, is a weekly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! I will post my Sidekicks on Saturday, then whichever day during the week that you would like to post yours, you can put your link in on my page. Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in the week's topic
• Share a picture (if you can) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• The day of your post, put your link in below and grab the code for your post so you can see the others that post their's throughout the week as well

For the month of February, we're gonna go down the romance path and select characters that are romantic or just plain hot. Let's celebrate our book boyfriends and the protagonist's love interests.

If you haven't stopped by my Blogaversary Giveaway, Please Do!

This is not the one that I was lost in the other day BTW - I will be working on him the next couple of weeks. I want a really awesome picture.

My choice is Romeo Montague

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Romeo picture created by Jaclyn Canada as portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio

I really wanted to celebrate a character that inspired so many other characters and romantic scenes throughout literature and in movies for Valentine's weekend...Romeo Montague from Romeo and Juliet. Pretty much everyone has heard the quotes (and most can quote some back to you), know the tragedy, and refer to them as star-crossed lovers. Romeo was basically fickle about love until he met Juliet, and then all bets were off. He was willing to give up everything (even good sense in my opinion) to be with her.

I read the play when I was in AP English in high school. I'm curious to know if anyone else has read it. I really enjoyed getting to watch Leonardo perform as Romeo so that's the version I chose for my picture :D

Quotes:

“Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”

---

“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”

---

“See how she leans her cheek upon her hand.
O, that I were a glove upon that hand
That I might touch that cheek!”

---

“My only love sprung from my only hate.”

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Feature and Follow Friday [30]

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:
1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - This week's feature is: Literary Chameleon and Tween 2 Teen Books
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's question is: Find a “new to you blogger” and feature their button on your post this week (or just a link if they have no button). Tell us why this blogger stands out to you.

Oh my, just look how pretty that is. So I don't know much about Tome Tender, but the tagline at the top says, "When it comes to books, who needs shelf control!" Doesn't that just describe us all? Plus, I love fairies. Abso-freaking-love them.

Happy Valentine's Day!!
or I prefer - Happy Single's Awareness Day :D

Don't forget to check out the Shadow Town Blog tour - sign ups going on now

Sunday Cover Scramble [54]

Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until the next day to let you know if you are right, allowing other to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. If you need hints, I will only post covers of series talked about on my blog previously. Also, let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more throughout the day if no one guesses it correctly. Here we go:

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Shadow Town Release and Tour Sign Ups

We are celebrating the release of Shadow Town (Maggie Lane Chronicles #1) by Robyn Jones with a blog tour. The tour will run from February 24th - February 28th so please sign up if you are interested.

I've read it and enjoyed it immensely. Maggie makes me laugh...a lot. She's tough as nails and extremely naive and vulnerable all at the same time. It's really fun to learn all about her. The men in this book are all very different from each other, but I love them all.  It is a Paranormal, New Adult read.

Goodreads Summary
By day, nineteen-year-old Maggie Lane is property manager of Pearl Estates, a posh housing community owned by her father and occupied by Shadows. By night, she's a waitress at a local dive. When a girl at her night job disappears, she dives into Scooby mode. She might be able to handle a missing waitress on her own, but when a new Shadow moves in next door and turns her into a blushing, flirting, love-crazed girl, her need for answers unearths nightmares from her past and monsters of the here and now. It's possible her bad attitude might not be enough to carry her through.


New Adult paranormal romance Shadow Town is the first novel in the Maggie Lane Chronicles.

Feb 24

Tobi at Forget the Housework, I'm Reading shares her review. 

Texxie at PRUF Reads shares an excerpt. 

Becky at Twisted Book Junkie shares an excerpt.

The Giveaway:

(1) $25 Amazon Gift Card

(2) $10 Amazon Gift Cards

(1) $5 Amazon Gift Card

(2) Shadow Town e-books

Posting for the tour gives you extra points in the Rafflecopter towards winning the prizes

Sidekick Showcase [62] - A Slow Burn

Sidekick Showcase, previously known as Sidekick Saturday, is a weekly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! I will post my Sidekicks on Saturday, then whichever day during the week that you would like to post yours, you can put your link in on my page. Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in the week's topic
• Share a picture (if you can) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• The day of your post, put your link in below and grab the code for your post so you can see the others that post their's throughout the week as well

For the month of February, we're gonna go down the romance path and select characters that are romantic or just plain hot. Let's celebrate our book boyfriends and the protagonist's love interests.

If you haven't stopped by my Blogaversary Giveaway, Please Do!

We have snow on the ground! That doesn't happen just a whole lot in Northeast Texas. The temps have been crazy cold. For some reason, my internet has been on the blitz and hasn't been working the last few days. I called and they tell me they are working on it and there are more people having the problem, but the weird thing is that it would come on for about 10 minutes getting my hopes up and then would go down again. So it's up right now and has been up long enough for me to work on this post so I'm hoping it will last.

This is not the one that I was lost in the other day BTW - I will be working on him the next couple of weeks. I want a really awesome picture.

My choice is Vayl

Jaz Parks Series by Jennifer Rardin

Vayl picture created by Jaclyn Canada

Vayl is the top operative for the agency in this series. Jaz partners up with him and finds him to be a mystery...a very hot mystery. They both have issues to work out though so they keep things on a professional level, or at least try their darnest for quite a few books. I really like the slow burn on relationships. When things start to heat up, they heat up to a level that few others can reach. My other choices will be much like that.

Vayl is a vampire whose main priority is getting his sons back. I'll just leave it at that for those of you that haven't read the series. I know this one is an old one, but you really should pick it up if you haven't yet.

He gives Jaz a ring to help them work better together called Cirali and it forms a bond between the two helping them communicate.

Quotes:

As soon as Bergman left earshot Vayl said, "I am going to buy you some pom-poms and a short pleated skirt-"
Hey, if Bergman needs a cheerleader, that's what he's getting."
Vayl tipped his head to one side and smiled wickedly. "I was just thinking perhaps I need a cheerleader as well."
Cassandra got up. "If that's where this conversation is headed, I'm leaving."
She wants some pom-poms too," I told Vayl.
I do not!”

---

“Unbelievable. After what just
happened between us no, I don’t have any right. None at all. We’re barely a
couple. We’re not even sleeping together. I have to-"
What in God’s name are you babbling about?"
"You’re cheating on me!"
"I never cheat.”

---

“Seriously?"
I shrugged. "He can't suspect much if every time we're alone instead of talking I have my way with him." Cole shook his head. "You don't think it'll work?" I asked.
He rolled his eyes. "Vayl might be a vampire, but he's also a guy. Who's about to be deliriously happy. Good God, if you work this right, he won't even be mad if finds out because of the way you decided to hide it from him.”

---

“Hot.” The last word, barely a whisper, lost itself in my hair as he pressed his lips to that spot just below my ear that can, apparently, flip the off switch in my brain. Before I realized it my hands were inside that jacket, stroking the hard planes of his chest and stomach. And then, as if moving without any prompting from me they reached down, undid his belt, pulled it loose, and…“Ahhh, that feels great,” I moaned.“I am completely grossed out over here!” Cassandra informed us.Vayl, who’d been peering down at me with an expression of utter disbelief, stared at Cassandra over the top of my head. “It is not what you think,” he assured her.“As if I’d do something that disgusting,” I said, pulling away from him, but keeping the belt, because the buckle relieved the itching so much better than fingernails. I continued using it to scratch the inflamed skin across my stomach as I sat down by Cassandra.
“You are pathetic,” she told me.
“I’d get all offended, but I’m pretty sure you’re right.”

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When life's kicking your butt, how about a theme song? [2]

My friend Robyn from robgirlbooks tasked us with coming up with a theme song each month, and I love it! Music is a VERY big part of my life. This month Robyn has asked that we come up with a song that has a 'Just Do It' feeling and makes her want to move.

My choice for the month of February is:

Zane's choice for February:

The February playlist can be found here.

Entangled is Turning 3!

Entangled launched in 2011 and we’re celebrating! Two years ago this February, we launched our first category imprint with Indulgence. The Marriage Bargain, one of our first releases in Indulgence, went on to be one of the top selling books of 2012 and catapulted Jennifer Probst to the USA Today and NY Times bestseller lists.  Since then, we’ve grown to have six category romance imprints, as well as single title books for teens and adults in our Select, Edge, and Teen imprints, and have had multiple USA Today and NY Times bestsellers.  We’re in our third year and it’s been a wild ride, and it’s just the beginning.

What better month to begin celebrating our third year than February? All month long, our February new releases, as well as select titles on our Steals and Deals page, are just 99 cents!

Yes, you read that right. Every new release will be offered at an introductory price of just 99 cents!

Be sure to join our big Facebook celebration from February 24th scavenger hunts, authors, games, gossip, and lots of fun!

Explore our new website and prepare to find romance, because we have something for everyone and join our “Steals and Deals” newsletter.

We’re kicking off the month-long celebration with three new Brazens, each with a smoking hot military man front and center and each for just 99 cents!

Marine for Hire, by Tawna Fenske

She thought she’d sworn off military men for good…

Sam Kercher is every inch a wickedly hot Marine. Tall. Sexy. Lethal. When his best friends call in a favor, Sam is forced to face an entirely new line of duty—playing nanny for their newly divorced sister and her squirming seven-month-old twin boys. If Sam can dissemble an M16 in his sleep, diaper duty should be a cakewalk…right?

Unfortunately, Operation Nanny isn’t quite that simple. Sheridan has sworn off overbearing military men, so Sam must protect her from her dirtbag ex without revealing just how much he has in common with her brothers. Or that he’s been ordered not to touch her. Ever. Problem is, Sheri’s one hell of a gorgeous woman, capable of making this hard-bodied Marine even harder. And Sam wants her bad.

Protect the girl. Care for the babies. Hide his identity. And keep his hands off. But even the most disciplined Marine has weaknesses...and Sheridan is one Sam might not be able to resist.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/Mp9NNa
B&N: http://bit.ly/1bi1Tvx

Staking His Claim, by Tessa Bailey

He wants her. All of her.

NYPD sniper Matt Donovan is in Hell. Instead of driving his best friend’s little sister home from college, he’s stuck with her roommate—a fresh-faced ray-of-sunshine with a body that makes grown men weep. There’s no way he’ll allow himself to taint the little vixen, no matter how hard she tries to tempt him, so he resigns himself to the longest—and hardest—drive of his life.

Matt’s obvious attraction suits grad student Lucy Mason just fine. She had no idea her brother’s best friend was so deliciously hot. Knowing he’d never have his wicked way with his buddy’s sister, she lies about her identity and seduces him. But Matt’s no fumbling college boy. His desires run deep—and dark—and he wants to teach Lucy what wicked really means.

Matt’s demanding appetites only make Lucy want more. But when her cover's blown, he’s furious—even as his hunger for her becomes insatiable. Matt can’t trust anyone, least of all himself. And he knows all too well that darkness always destroys the light…

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ilfF5o
B&N: http://bit.ly/1fmHl7a

Temporarily Yours, by Jen McLaughlin, writing as Diane Alberts

This soldier’s the perfect hoax…if she doesn’t fall for him first.

Stats whiz Kayla Moriarity knows her way around numbers and algorithms. Men, on the other hand, are unsolvable equations. Now Kayla’s en route to her sister’s wedding—without the fictional boyfriend she invented for her family. Fortunately, her plane comes complete with complimentary cocktails and a ridiculously hot ex-marine in the seat beside her. And that’s all it takes for Kayla’s inhibitions to go sailing out the airlock...

Cooper Shillings has soft spot for people in trouble, but he certainly wasn’t expecting to land in it himself—and definitely not while getting naughty mid-air with a sexy southern belle. When he hears Kayla’s predicament, however, he offers his services as a stand-in boyfriend. After all, he’s heading overseas soon...and how could he refuse a little no-strings wickedness?

It’s the perfect plan. And all Kayla has to do is ensure her family falls for the ultimate bluff, without falling for it—and Cooper—in the process...

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1bkIFsg
B&N: http://bit.ly/1fBOmCV

We appreciate you and want readers to be able to fill up their eReaders all month long with great books at introductory prices. Thank you for an amazing first three years. This is just the beginning.

~The Entangled ‘Love’ Team

Sunday Cover Scramble [53]

Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until the next day to let you know if you are right, allowing other to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. If you need hints, I will only post covers of series talked about on my blog previously. Also, let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more throughout the day if no one guesses it correctly. Here we go:

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Sidekick Showcase [61] - Who Says Romance is Dead

Sidekick Showcase, previously known as Sidekick Saturday, is a weekly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! I will post my Sidekicks on Saturday, then whichever day during the week that you would like to post yours, you can put your link in on my page. Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in the week's topic
• Share a picture (if you can) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• The day of your post, put your link in below and grab the code for your post so you can see the others that post their's throughout the week as well

For the month of February, we're gonna go down the romance path and select characters that are romantic or just plain hot. Let's celebrate our book boyfriends and the protagonist's love interests.

If you haven't stopped by my Blogaversary Giveaway, Please Do!

My choice is Julie Grigio

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Ha! Ok so don't laugh at me but with me. I know you were all expecting a hunky guy. In all honesty, I have a few ideas for the month planned out, but ran into a small problem when I got sucked into the story of the guy that I wanted to feature this week. So when I looked up 3 hours later, with no picture started, and no blog post in action....well, I realized he was going to have to wait until a later day. You won't be sorry though, I promise.

I'd like to talk about Julie though. In a zombie book, really the last thing I'm expecting is romance. The lead in this book is obviously a male. R is such a great protagonist, and he needs a pretty amazing love interest for this story to work. I met Julie in the beginning of the story in a warehouse invaded by zombies looking for some tasty brains. R is a little different from other zombies and feels a moment of compassion so he saves her, covers her in zombie blood, and brings her to hide in a 747 plane until the other zombies forget about her. Really the story sounds so strange spelled out that way, but it pans out to eating crazy frozen meals, conversations (with a whole lot more words on her part and internal dialogue on his part) full of sarcasm and witty remarks, driving around an airport, and a passion for life from both of the characters. It's such a great adventurous read, and she's a fantastic and strong character that has been through a ton of tragedy.

Quotes:

"My mom used to say that's why we have memory. And the opposite of memory - hope. So things that are gone can still matter. So we can build off our pasts and make futures." She twirls the leaf in front of her face, back and forth. "Mom said life only makes any sense if we can see time how God does. Past, present and future all at once."

I allow myself to look at Julie. She sees my tears and tries to wipe one away. "So what's the future?" I ask, not flinching as her fingers brush my eye. "I can see the past and the present, but what's the future?"

"Well . . . ," she says with a broken laugh. "I guess that's the tricky part. The past is made out of facts . . . I guess the future is just hope."

"Or fear."

"No." She shakes her head firmly and sticks the leaf in my hair. "Hope.”

---

“And yet ...

But what if ...

I want to do something impossible. Something astounding and unheard of. I want to scrub the moss off the Space Shuttle and fly Julie to the moon and colonise it, or float a capsized cruise ship to some distant island where no one will protest us, or just harness the magic that brings me into the brains of the Living and use it to bring Julie into mine, because it's warm in here, it's quiet and lovely, and in here we aren't an absurd juxtaposition, we are perfect.”

---

“I look into Julie's face. Not just at it, but into it. Every pore, every freckle, every faint gossamer hair. And then the layers beneath them. The flesh and bones, the blood and brain, all the way down to the unknowable energy that swirls in her core, the life force, the soul, the fiery will that makes her more than meat, coursing through every cell and binding them together in millions to form her. Who is she, this girl? What is she? She is everything. Her body contains the history of life, remembered in chemicals. Her mind contains the history of the universe, remembered in pain, in joy and sadness, hate and hope and bad habits, every thought of God, past-present-future, remembered, felt, and hoped for all at once.”

---

“As she dampens my shirt with sadness and snot, I realize I'm about to do another thing I've never done before. I suck in air and attempt to sing. “You're . . . sensational . . . ,” I croak, struggling for a trace of Frank's melody. “Sensational . . . that's all.”
There's a pause, and then something shifts in Julie's demeanor. I realize she's laughing.
“Oh wow,” she giggles, and looks up at me, her eyes still glistening above a grin. “That was beautiful, R, really. You and Zombie Sinatra should record Duets III.”
I cough. “Didn't get . . . warm-up.”

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