Book Cracker Caroline

19-year-old Saffi March is not the perfect girl everyone thinks she is. When the pressure of pretending becomes too much, she escapes for a weekend and transforms herself into another persona - a hardcore groupie for the rockstar also known as Sweden's #1 Sex God, Staffan Aehrenthal.

One look at the beautiful girl hopelessly trying to hide her naïve virginal innocence behind skimpy dresses and garish makeup and Staffan immediately knows the groupie called "H" is hiding a secret. He also knows he needs her desperately. He's determined to make her his, the only girl who's able to soothe the demons in him.

But before Staffan can let Saffi into his life, those stars in her eyes have to go - and he'll do everything for that to happen, even if it means cruelly hurting Saffi until she realizes that he would never trust anyone with his heart again.

Click here to add on Goodreads.

Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Click here to purchase on Barnes & Noble

AUTHOR BIO:

Hi! I’m Marian Tee – I write sexy funny romances, emphasis on the funny because most readers tell me my books are a public hazard, often causing them to laugh out loud and get funny looks from other people.
I’m from the Philippines, half Filipino and half Chinese with a love for all things Japanese! Yes, that rhymed. I love dancing, travelling, watching horror movies and basketball, and reading Archie comics.

Of course I love reading books, too. In fact, if I’m a little too slow in releasing a new book, it’s probably because I’m too busy being a reader and forgot all about being a writer. Yes, I know, MY BAD!

I am a frustrated MANGAKA, hence why I write novels like Drawn and why I have a Vampire Knight fan fic posted atFanFiction.net (just search for Morteia Chronicles).

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Excerpt:

There was nothing as beautiful as seeing StaffanAehrenthal dance. It was sheer poetry in motion, and he never failed to seduce his faithful audience with every little move he made. There were just no words to describe the heart-thumping excitement he evoked from his fans no matter how fast or slow he danced. And when he started to sing, oh God, how it madeSaffi’s body tremble with desire!

Staffan’s eyes suddenly locked with hers.

She gasped.

She knew she must be imagining it. She must be. He couldn’t be---

The line of bouncers suddenly split into two from the center, just in time to let Staffan jump down from the stage. And then he was walking towards Saffi, his eyes never leaving hers.

Saffi’s gasp came out strangled, and it became harder and harder to breathe as Staffan came closer, a six-foot-five silver-haired man whose face was literally the last thing she saw before she slept and the first thing she saw when she woke up. He was the subject of her laptop, tablet, and phone’s screensaver, the pin-up in her high school locker, and she even had a limited edition collectible photo in her wallet.

Before she knew it, Staffan was already standing right in front of her, too gorgeous to be true but too close not to be real.

God, he was tall. God, he was sexy. And oh!Galloping groupers! Those hazel eyes. Surely she had to be mistaken. Surely those eyes didn’t say---

Staffan Aehrenthal held his hand out.

She took it without even a moment’s hesitation.

As he pulled her close, the screams all around them became louder. But even so, she heard Staffan very well as he whispered into her ear, “I’m going to fuck you now.”

And the next thing she knew, he was leading her up the stage.

Staffan Aehrenthal taking a girl from the crowd and dancing with her on stage was nothing unusual. He did it in every single one of his concerts. She had been aware of that, and she had envied all the girls who had the privilege of dancing with him. But what she didn’t know was that dancing withStaffan meant something entirely unexpected.

Staffan held her close, singing, not saying a word to her even if it was his backup vocals’ turn to sing. But with every chance he got, his hands would graze her breasts, pinching her nipples to life. Every time he would twirl her around, his hands would be brushing against her most private part, the one that had started to throb just because he was near.

Saffi was on fire, in heat, and out of her mind with desire. She was utterly mesmerized, and all she could do was followStaffan’s lead as he continued to arouse her in front of thousands of people.

A part of her was completely shocked. He was seducing her…not just in public but on stage. At a concert that thousands of mobile phones were presently recording, a concert that could be televised---

She should be running away from him now, but she couldn’t. All Saffi could do was look and feel StaffanAehrenthal touch her. All she could think was him.Staffan.Staffan.Staffan.

The look on Saffi March’s face almost made Staffan lose his concentration. Dammit. She looked so fucking sweet, so ripe for fucking, that only his sense of professionalism, honed razor sharp by the years he had worked in the music business, kept him from losing control and taking her then and there.

He had always done this. Always. But only Saffi threatened his control.

Giveaways:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, September 6, 2013

Giveaway Saturday: Leigh Bardugo's 'Shadow and Bone'

I've decided Saturdays are now Giveaway Saturdays on Book Cracker Caroline. I will be posting a giveaway every Saturday. This week's giveaway is for a paperback copy of one of my FAVORITE books, Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone.

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

*This is a US ONLY giveaway*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review of Richelle Mead's 'Gameboard of the Gods'

Title: Gameboard of the Gods

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Age of X #1

Publication Date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Dutton

Genre: Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Synopsis:

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of Xseries, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy andBloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

About Author:

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

My Review:

So I was really excited for this book to come out and I bought it right away. Then once I realized how long it is and that it's written in the third person (I have nothing against third person and usually end up enjoying it, but for some reason it always freaks me out at first) I kind of put it off for a while. I finally woman-ed up and started reading it. It didn't grab me right off the bat, but as a diehard Richelle Mead fan I stuck with it. I'm really glad I did because this book paid off in a big way.

The story takes place in a futuristic world where Canada, the US, and part of Mexico are now one country called the RUNA. In this country religion is closely monitored and viewed as ridiculous cults. There are also a lot of harsh laws about birth control and procreating due to a genetic disease that killed off a lot of people in the past. We have three main characters: Justin who worked for the government investigating various religions/cults, but was exiled out of the RUNA years earlier due to a mysterious incident; Mae who is a praetorian (the most deadly of the RUNA's military) who comes from a hoity toity family; and 16 year old Tessa who is a genius living in a poor, somewhat primitive country. Chance and fate throw the three of them together back in the RUNA working to solve a string of mysterious murders. We quickly learn that in this world that has, for the most part, turned its back on religion and the supernatural, there are greater forces at work that have plans for both Mae and Justin.

The first thing that caught my attention about this book was that it is not your typical dystopian novel (of which there are plenty). There is nothing flat out evil about this world like there is in typical dystopians. The world in this book is realistic, believable, and contains both good and bad aspects. It's a very detailed world with a strong backstory. I am so used to dystopians that make me think: well this is just ridiculous, but I enjoy reading about it. This book was not only enjoyable, but also well-developed and completely believable.

I also loved the various mythologies used in this book. It included Norse mythology, Greek mythology, Irish mythology, and others I've yet to figure out. I found myself doing a fair amount of Internet research about various Gods and Goddesses while reading this book. I always appreciate a good story that also teaches me a thing or two.

The characters are all fantastically well developed. Mae is a badass warrior with a sensitive side and a troubled past. She was probably my favorite because she managed to be tough, smart, and complex all at the same time. Justin is a drunk who dabbles in drugs and women, but is also brilliant and likeable. I still am not totally sure how Mead managed to make a character that could be really obnoxious likeable. I found myself rooting for him without even realizing it. And finally we have Tessa. Tessa is a sweet teenage girl that is in some ways naive, but also brilliant and able to see the RUNA and its citizens with a critical eye.

As I've come to expect from Richelle Mead, this book was well-written and filled with intriguing subplots. She is the master of creating detailed, realistic worlds and mythologies that suck you in. This book was everything I hoped it would be and I regret not reading it sooner. It is long, but didn't feel long while I was reading it. I was totally invested in these characters and this world by the time I finished. I am so glad this book is the first in a series. I can't wait to find out what's in store for these characters and what Gods, Goddesses, and mythologies will pop up next.

My Rating:

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Marilyn Brant's 'The Road to You' Cover Reveal

The Road to You by Marilyn Brant
Publication Date: October 3rd 2013
Genres: Mystery, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Sometimes the only road to the truth...is one you’ve never taken.

Until I found Gideon’s journal in the tool shed — locked in the cedar box where I’d once hidden my old diary — I’d been led to believe my brother was dead. But the contents of his journal changed all that.

The Road to Discovery...
Two years ago, Aurora Gray’s world turned upside down when her big brother Gideon and his best friend Jeremy disappeared. Now, during the summer of her 18th birthday, she unexpectedly finds her brother’s journal and sees that it’s been written in again. Recently. By him.

The Road to Danger...
There are secret messages coded within the journal’s pages. Aurora, who’s unusually perceptive and a natural puzzle solver, is hell bent on following where they lead, no matter what the cost. She confides in the only person she feels can help her interpret the clues: Donovan McCafferty, Jeremy’s older brother and a guy she’s always been drawn to — even against her better judgment.

The Road to You...
Reluctantly, Donovan agrees to go with her and, together, they set out on a road trip of discovery and danger, hoping to find their lost brothers and the answers to questions they’ve never dared to ask aloud.

In that expectant space between silence and melody, our trip began...

Click here to add on Goodreads.

AUTHOR BIO:

Marilyn Brant is a national bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary fiction, and she was recently named the 2013 Illinois Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English.

She wrote ACCORDING TO JANE, the story of a modern woman who receives dating advice from the spirit of Jane Austen (October 2009); FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE, a tale about three suburban moms, their marriages and what happens a decade or two after the "Happily Ever After" (a Doubleday Book Club and Book-of-the-Month Club pick in 2010); and A SUMMER IN EUROPE, a novel about a woman's journey of self discovery as she travels through Europe with her adventurous aunt's Sudoku & Mahjongg Club (a Literary Guild and BOMC2 featured alternate in 2011, and a Rhapsody Book Club Top 20 Bestseller in "Fiction & Literature" in 2012), all women's fiction releases from Kensington Books.

She's also a #1 Kindle Bestseller and has written a series of fun and flirty contemporary romantic comedies, available as original ebooks. Both ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE and PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH were Top 100 Bestsellers on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. DOUBLE DIPPING was a 2012 International Digital Awards Finalist for Best Contemporary Novel and HOLIDAY MAN was a RONE Award Contestant. Her next novel, THE ROAD TO YOU, is a coming-of-age romantic mystery and will be out in October 2013.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Ivy Sinclair's 'Where My Heart Breaks' Book Blitz: Excerpt and Giveaway

Where My Heart Breaks by Ivy Sinclair
Publication Date: August 30th, 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

If there were a course in screwing up your life, Kate Spivey would get an A+.

Trust is in short supply for Kate at the start of the summer before her senior year of college. Her parents sentenced her to spend it under the watchful eye of her aunt at the famous Willoughby Inn. It was further proof that she was a prisoner in, and not the decision maker of, her life. Nothing she does is good enough to prove that she learned from the mistakes of her past.

Almost immediately, Kate finds that her new summer home holds another person who understands the unfairness of her situation better than most. Reed Black has had his own share of tragedy and regrets, but instead of trying to fight his reputation, he embraced it.

Sparks fly between Kate and Reed, but Kate needs to steer clear of Reed if she wants to regain control of her future. He is one temptation she can't afford to indulge in, although fate seems to have other ideas for both of them.

Click here to add on Goodreads.

Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Click here to purchase on Barnes & Noble.

AUTHOR BIO:

Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy’s guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy’s stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.

Website / Goodreads

Excerpt:

I had no idea how much time passed as I was absorbed deeper and deeper into Jackson and Camilla’s forbidden romance. The story was set in the 1920s. Jackson was a wealthy industrialist staying at the Willoughby for the summer with his wife, who had taken ill. The doctors had recommended that Jackson take her out of the city to recuperate. Camilla was the daughter of the Willoughby’s owner. The hot summer days wore on, and the forbidden attraction between Jackson and Camilla grew in intensity.

I was entranced. Anyone with common sense would know that Jackson was a bastard. It shouldn’t have mattered that he married young to someone he barely knew. But that was how Walter Moolen drew the reader in to make Jackson likable and vulnerable beneath his gruff exterior. Camilla, young and inexperienced, didn’t stand a chance once Jackson set his sights on her. I wanted to hate her for being so naive, but instead I found myself rooting for her to win Jackson’s heart.

I just reached the part where Jackson pulled Camilla into his arms for the first time, intent on declaring his desire for her, when I heard the tumble of rocks behind me. I jumped up, and the scream caught in my chest when Reed stepped into the lantern’s light.

“What the hell?” I said, my heart pounding wickedly against my rib cage. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

He put up his hands in mock surrender. “I didn’t mean to scare you. You must have been pretty deep in thought if you didn’t hear me coming.”

I was torn between chewing him out for interrupting me at such a pivotal plot point in my book, and being thrilled that he was there. Which led me to an obvious question. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to make sure you made it home safely,” he said, cocking his head. “Considering you left Lula’s without letting me know you found another ride. You seem to make friends easily.”

“I’m not the only one,” I retorted, thinking of the two busty blonds hanging on his every word.

Reed looked surprised. “I told Bud that I’d get you home. I’m just upholding my end of the bargain.”

I didn’t know what to make of him. One minute he was all bad boy, and the next he was like this, tentative and uncertain. Which one was the real Reed?

“Obviously I’m fine, safe and sound right where I’m supposed to be,” I said, outstretching my arms to encompass my surroundings. “Sam brought me home hours ago.”

“Sam’s a good guy,” Reed said, moving closer to me. “A little on the soft side, but dependable and reliable. Trustworthy.”

“That’s a good kind of guy to have around,” I said faintly. I had to get a grip. I was acting like a silly girl in a romance novel who never laid eyes on a man before. What was it about Reed that drew me in and made my heart beat so fast?

“Not like a guy like me,” Reed said as if he read my mind. He stopped a foot shy of me. His eyes passed over my shoulder and out to the lake. “I’m sure you heard the warning. Any single woman under the age of forty who sets foot in Bleckerville hears the warning about me as soon as she meets someone like Lula or your Aunt Patrice. I’m a favored topic of town gossip.”

“What warning is that?” It shocked me that he was putting himself out there like that. I was doing nothing but trying to forget my reputation. Reed seemed intent on bringing his out in the open. His glittering eyes focused back on mine. The intensity in them took my breath away.

“To stay away. Don’t get involved. That the bad things that happened to me in my youth left me heartless and cruel when it comes to the fairer sex,” he said.

“Is that true?”

His hand reached out, and his fingertips pushed a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. “It usually doesn’t matter. Reputations are built on kernels of truth. People might change, but in a town like this, reputations don’t. The only way I’d ever stand a chance of getting away from it would be to leave Bleckerville, which I can’t do.”

As someone plagued by a reputation that I earned, but didn’t feel like I deserved, I knew exactly what he meant. No matter what I did or said, my parents, my college friends, my teachers, even Millie at times, all still judged me by the person that I used to be. I was the person who let Trevor in and proceeded to let him walk all over me, even when he walked me right to the edge of a metaphorical cliff and left me dangling with no help in sight.

“I prefer not to judge someone by what other people say about them. I make my own decisions,” I said, raising my chin. “All’s I ask is that I get the same consideration.” Remembering his earlier insinuation, I decided to call him out. If we were going to be honest, then we were going to be honest.

Reed dug his hands into his pockets. “I might have heard a few things about you.”

“I’m sure you have,” I said. I felt a flash of anger. “Is that why you’re here? To see if the bad girl is as naughty as they say she is? Seems like if you were looking for an easy lay, you could have taken a turn with either of those blond bimbos at the bar.”

Reed’s expression was unreadable. He leaned in and my breath caught in my throat. “And just like that, you judged me just like everyone else in this shithole town would without even knowing if what they’re saying is true.”

Then he moved around me. The imaginary bindings around my chest that I didn’t even realize were there loosened. I turned and watched him walk across the sand to the water’s edge. His arm ratcheted back, and then pushed forward and I heard the plop of something dropping into the water.

I made my way down to stand a few feet away from him. I was ashamed of myself. He was right. So far, he had done nothing to me. He changed my flat tire. He offered me a ride home. He appeared in the moonlight and made no movement toward seduction, which I admit was mildly disappointing. So far, the only person being an ass was me.

“I guess I deserved that,” I said.

Reed threw another pebble out into the water. He didn’t look at me. “You did.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review of Pepper Winters's 'Tears of Tess'

Title: Tears of Tess

Author: Pepper Winters

Publication Date: September 2, 2013

Genre: New Adult, Dark Romance, Erotica

Purchase: Amazon Barnes & Noble

I also happen to have an excerpt and giveaway of Tears of Tess going on here.

Synopsis:

A New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance, not suitable for people sensitive to grief, slavery, and nonconsensual sex. A story about finding love in the strangest of places, a will of iron that grows from necessity, and forgiveness that may not be enough.

“My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.

Then it all changed.

I was sold.”

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

About Author:

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her debut book Tears of Tess will be followed with Quintessentially Q. You didn’t think Q could stop so soon, did you? Her other two titles, Last Shadow and Broken Chance will be coming soon.

She loves mail of any kind: pepperwinters@gmail.com

My Review:

I received an advanced copy of Tears of Tess in exchange for an honest review.

Oh Tears of Tess, how I love thee. I love you so much. I want to write a really bad poem about you. Maybe a haiku. Or better yet maybe I could write a song about you and sing it to you.

Ok. Enough talking to inanimate objects. But in all seriousness I LOVED this book. Based on the synopsis I was intrigued yet unsure what to think. I kind of feel like maybe I should feel bad about loving this book so much, but I don't. This book is stunning proof that dark erotica can be both beautifully written and a total mind-fuck (in a wonderful way).

This book starts off with Tess going on a surprise vacation to Mexico with her sweet, loving, totally boring boyfriend. She and her boyfriend have been together a long time and are both really dependent on one another. He's a really great guy, but he's as vanilla as it gets, while Tess secretly harbors dark sexual fantasies leaning toward BDSM. Everything is going as expected on the first full day of their vacation until BAM, Tess is kidnapped and prepared to be sold into sexual slavery. She ends up being sold to a really handsome man with a dark past and a strange mystery to him. The story takes us through Tess's erratic mental state throughout her time with this mysterious man named Q.

Ok. First of all I was worried that this book would glamorize the human trafficking industry, which is much larger than anyone wants to really think about and is anything but glamorous. It absolutely did not do that. Tess's time with her initial captors is as traumatizing and horrific as you would expect it to be. And once she is with Q it's easy to tell that her situation with him is not a usual one. So I am so thankful for that. If it had glamorized sexual slavery I wouldn't have been able to enjoy this book.

The next thing I feel I should comment on is what an amazing job Pepper Winters did of capturing Tess's mental state and changes throughout this book. Yes, the sex scenes were hot, but the real star of this show was the goings on of Tess's mind. She went through all the emotions I would expect someone in her situation to go through and then some. She began to believe that her dark fantasies were to blame for the situation she finds herself in. She feels that because she had the dark fantasies she was being punished. She felt defiant and strong to begin with. Then eventually she felt guilty and weak. At some points her mind simply broke and disconnected with her reality. This part of the story, taking place inside of Tess's mind, is truly what makes this book so remarkable.

I feel like I could go on for pages about why this book is so impressive, but nobody wants to read all that, I'd probably end up giving away more information than I intended, and my fingers would cramp up. So this is what I will say: the sex scenes are scorching hot, the writing is immaculate, the story is intriguing and way meatier than a lot of erotic novels I've read, and the characters are beautifully developed. As much as I wanted to race through this book I managed to pace myself because this book is meant to be savored. I cannot wait to read what comes next in Pepper Winters's complex, dark, sexy world of Tess and Q!

My Rating:

Pages

Sunday, September 8, 2013

The Sunday Post #10

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Marian Tee's 'When Fangirls Lie' Book Blitz: Excerpt and 2 Giveaways

Friday, September 6, 2013

Giveaway Saturday: Leigh Bardugo's 'Shadow and Bone'

Review of Richelle Mead's 'Gameboard of the Gods'

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Marilyn Brant's 'The Road to You' Cover Reveal

Ivy Sinclair's 'Where My Heart Breaks' Book Blitz: Excerpt and Giveaway

Review of Pepper Winters's 'Tears of Tess'

Search This Blog

Translate