Author Swag!

Check out what I just got guys! The lovely Miss Jessica Sorensen was kind enough to host a giveaway contest recently, and I was lucky enough to win! **SQUEEEEEE***

You should totally stop by her FACEBOOK and tell her thanks for me! Oh, and find the amazing work behind this swag bag on Amazon!

Amazon's COMPLETE selection of work by Jessica Sorensen!

Because Of Low by Abbi Glines

Because Of Low by Abbi Glines is a follow-up to her debut novel Breathe ... a novel that I'm sad to say I have not read (yet). Like many, I fell in love with Abbi's work while reading The Vincent Boys. YA with just enough action to warrant a 17+ readers disclaimer. Because Of Low follows Marcus, post break-up from the character Sadie who was the feature in Breathe. This novel works as a stand alone and I had NO trouble following along despite not having read the previous installment.

It was late in the evening when I began Because Of Low. I wasn't really looking to get started on something but I had figured maybe I'd be able to read for an hour, put it down, and come back after I had some rest. I was wrong! (I'm wrong a lot huh??) Literally the first chapter, first PAGE had me sucked in! I felt soooo connected to our main character Low even though we have such very little in common!

She had Cage - her rock, her safe place. Her best friend all her life whom she held strictly platonic feelings for despite his frequent declaration that someday, they'd marry. (He was completely serious) Cage was to me, like the big brother I never had. Always there, big strong arms, drop everything anytime to take care of her. Of course, most big brothers weren't actually hoping to get into their sisters pants, so let's just forget I said that shall we??

Cage was always enough for Low... she had enough shit to deal with and he had never left her side. But although Cage was very much convinced that Low was "the one", he wasn't done sewing his wild oats (or having three-somes) so a relationship between them never materialized. Seems sad right? NOPE! Because Cage had a roommate! Enter Marcus. Ah, Marcus... how do I love thee? Let me count your abs... crap! ways, I totally meant to say 'let me count the WAYS!

Anywhoo... Marcus has been given the 'hands off' warning by Cage but he just can't help himself. They (of course) find love despite the fact that Marcus is from the other side of the tracks. -- He's from the side where people can afford nice things, have a steady place to live and family who doesn't do the dip! Low thinks she isn't in his league. But, every family has their problems,and Marcus is no exception. Inevitably, the 'family drama' that they are both SO familiar with punches a whole in their happy little world. Cage accepted their relationship, but other forces stand to tear them apart.

That's the nut-shell version, but it goes much, much deeper than all of that of course! The emotions come through so well and I cried with them! Don't judge me! A total hottie accidentally screws up the best thing that's ever happened to him, finds himself in despair with tears on the bathroom floor, YOU'D CRY TOO!

The story is told from both the viewpoint of Marcus and Low. I LOVED that because the inner-workings of the male brain is something I find ever so fascinating. It may be fiction, but I loved reading his private thoughts, and realizations! We're so often not privy to that moment when a man realizes he has fallen in love. *Swoon*

This was a short read for me. That's not to say that the novel isn't long enough... just that I couldn't put it down and I'm a damn quick reader! So I strongly suggest you follow in my size 7 1/2 foot steps and pick up Because Of Low!

Also pick up other works by Abbi Glines including Breathe (Im clicking buy right now) and The Vincent Boys!

Stalk Abbi on FACEBOOK and her BLOG also, and tell her I sent you!! 

        

Product Description

In my debut novel, Breathe, Sadie may have fallen in love with the teen rock star, Jax Stone, but readers fell head over heels for Marcus Hardy. This is his story…

Marcus Hardy had hoped to enjoy a year away at college while he put the summer he’d rather forget behind him. But instead, he’s jerked right back to the coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama due to a family crisis. His dear ol' dad found himself a girlfriend only a few years older than Marcus. So now his sister needs help dealing with their mother who is mentally falling apart. The only bright spot to returning is the fascinating red head who sleeps over several times a week. The problem is she's sleeping in bed with his new roommate, Cage Watson.

Willow “Low” Foster needs a place to live. Running to Cage’s apartment every time her sister kicks her out isn’t exactly a long term solution. Juggling her courses at the local community college and a part time job doesn’t produce excess income. But Cage has a new roommate and suddenly sleeping over at her best friend’s apartment isn’t such a bad thing. Not when she gets to see those sexy green eyes of Marcus Hardy’s twinkle when he smiles at her like he wants her there.
Even though Cage seems a little territorial where Low is concerned, Marcus finds time to spend with Low without upsetting his roommate. Cage may use his small college baseball star persona to sleep with every hot female in his path but he’s still under the disillusion that when he’s through sowing his wild oats, he’s going to marry Low. Marcus intends to change that assumption for both Cage and Low. Until his carefully laid plans come crashing down with a revelation he never expected. He’ll have to choose between Low or his family. Because once the truth comes out.... there’s no other choice.

Approx 65,000 words. Due to sex and language this is mature YA or New Adult recommended for 17+

Guest Review- Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park

  Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park

Flat-Out Love was one of those books that was on my “to be read” list for months.  I expected just your usual romance story and I didn’t get the feeling that I needed to read it immediately but I was WRONG!!  Now don’t get me wrong, this is very much a romance but with a twist, a touch of mystery and a lot of humor in it.  I feel like the average girl would not have coped as well as the female character did being forced to live with complete strangers that obviously had an unusual household.  Then, on top of that she starts to fall for the oldest son who she has never met!   When I first read the description, I was thinking how could a girl fall in love with a boy she has never met but it only took a few chapters of reading the character’s chats for me to also fall in love!    

Throughout the book you get to read the email and facebook correspondence between main characters.  With facebook being a huge part of today’s world I found it to be very entertaining.  I know I am enjoying a book when my husband asks me what I am smiling about as I read and I did my fair share of smiling and laughing throughout this book!  My favorite facebook post was, “I put my pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else.  It’s the way I take them off that makes me better than you.”  Now who wouldn’t fall in love with someone that posts sayings like that…just kidding!! I find things like that funny and maybe that is what made me love this book so much! 

     Now on a sadder note, the family dynamics in this book is disheartening.   The struggles going on in this family made my heart heavy.  I had a hard time trying to understand how parents can neglect their children in the way these parents did.   I understand that every family has skeletons in the closet but these parents needed to step up to the plate and start parenting.  The idea that a college age guy primarily takes care of his younger sister who has serious issues made me ANGRY!  He was an amazing guy that should have been able to enjoy his college life and not be responsible for his sister!  He was smart, cute (but a little nerdy) and SOOOO sweet.

     As you can see, this book will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. I would go from laughing one minute to wanting to SLAP the mom the next! I am not going to go into much more detail because I would not want to ruin it for anyone but this was the first book that really SHOCKED me towards the end!   My recommendation is read it if you have not. You can’t go wrong with romance, mystery and humor all in one but that’s just my opinion.

Thanks to Jessica Park for writing an amazing book that touched my heart in many ways!    

Follow Jessica Park's blog HERE!
Stalk Jessica's Facebook HERE!

Product Description

Flat-Out Love is a warm and witty novel of family love and dysfunction, deep heartache and raw vulnerability, with a bit of mystery and one whopping, knock-you-to-your-knees romance.

It's not what you know--or when you see--that matters. It's about a journey.

     Something is seriously off in the Watkins home. And Julie Seagle, college freshman, small-town Ohio transplant, and the newest resident of this Boston house, is determined to get to the bottom of it. When Julie's off-campus housing falls through, her mother's old college roommate, Erin Watkins, invites her to move in. The parents, Erin and Roger, are welcoming, but emotionally distant and academically driven to eccentric extremes. The middle child, Matt, is an MIT tech geek with a sweet side ... and the social skills of a spool of USB cable. The youngest, Celeste, is a frighteningly bright but freakishly fastidious 13-year-old who hauls around a life-sized cardboard cutout of her oldest brother almost everywhere she goes.

     And there's that oldest brother, Finn: funny, gorgeous, smart, sensitive, almost emotionally available. Geographically? Definitely unavailable. That's because Finn is traveling the world and surfacing only for random Facebook chats, e-mails, and status updates. Before long, through late-night exchanges of disembodied text, he begins to stir something tender and silly and maybe even a little bit sexy in Julie's suddenly lonesome soul.

     To Julie, the emotionally scrambled members of the Watkins family add up to something that ... well ... doesn't quite add up. Not until she forces a buried secret to the surface, eliciting a dramatic confrontation that threatens to tear the fragile Watkins family apart, does she get her answer.

Flat-Out Love comes complete with emails, Facebook status updates, and instant messages.

 Meet Our Guest Reviewer : Jennifer
I live in South Carolina and have lived here all my life...a true "Carolina girl."  I am a wife, mother of two awesome boys, full time nurse and currently in the process of going back to school to further my nursing degree.  When I am not doing all of the above, I LOVE to sit down with a good book to relax but that doesn't happen as often as I would like!

The Slammed Series by Colleen Hoover

I'm an honest girl. I have honest opinion. And my honest opinion is that I'm glad I picked up this two-book series! I'll admit that it wasn't something I just HAD to read. I was in a book rut... we've all been there right? The story seemed like it might be a nice young read and although I was currently trolling for something a little more adult, and a little less YA, I decided to give it a go. As I said, this is a two-book series so I'll try to break down my thoughts between the individual reads.

First, book one... SLAMMED!

As I said, I was apprehensive. A young girl, grieving the loss of her father, uprooted and dragged across the states by her surviving mother and little brother.. sounded like a bit of a downer. But then... Will happened! Poor Layken "Lake" had enough worries.. but they just kept adding up. I don't want to spoil any of the story here, so I really must be a little vague. She can't be with Will.. the boy across the street. Her family life is going to hell. She just wants to move back to Texas and crawl in a dark corner forever.  Life continues to suck for Lake. Again, I say the word "downer" but the stolen moments (and kisses) with the forbidden Will keep her going, and kept me reading! 

The first book in this series rounds out beautifully as everything comes full-circle and our characters, who've suffered so much find peace. I was content to just stop there and not even pick up book two. Slammed really would have worked greatly as a stand-alone. BUT I missed Lake and Will and just had to have more of them.

Book two - POINT OF RETREAT

Again, no spoilers on here, so I really can't go into much detail about book two without ruining book one for you :( As soon as I read the description, I hesitated yet again to read it. MORE trouble for these individuals who've suffered so much already? I just didn't think my heart could take it. It was almost like I thought that if I didn't read it, none of the rest of the turmoil would have ever existed for them. Of course, I read anyway. I was right.. My heart almost couldn't take it. Just when everything was working out and everybody was finding their way in life.. BAM! (There's always a 'bam' moment isn't there??)

Of course, everything has it's way of playing out and I'm ever so glad that I decided to pick up that second book!

Generally As a Series

I must say that each of these two books brought me something different. The first brought me back to my youth. Very YA, it took me back to those times every girl has when you have that first special moment with a boy.. that first heartache.. that giddy feeling you get right before you see 'him'... that feeling that the world will JUST END if he doesn't like you back... and my personal favorite - that gloriously wonderful "punched in the gut" butterfly feeling that boy gives you! Yes, I had butterflies while reading book one!

Book two is all about what happens after those moments... it showcased for me what happens after the "honeymoon phase" when real life starts getting in the way of young love. I must say that book two was hillarous to read though! I found a lot of humor in many passages and on several occasions giggled out loud! I had feared that I would hate having the 'happy ever after' conclusion from book one ripped apart, but book two offered me even MORE closure than I could have hoped. So yes, I'm again very glad that I kept reading!

This series is very YOUNG... young love, young troubles, but is so much more adult than that at the same time. A child growing up is never easy. A child living the life of an adult full of grown-up responsibilities is even harder. I found myself feeling proud of these characters and how they survived! Roll that over for a minute... I felt PROUD of people I've never met, who technically don't even exist. But of course, we readers become so emotionally invested in our stories that they WERE real to me! If I could see Lake, Will, and the rest of the gang in real life that's what I'd tell them... That I'm PROUD of them!

I'm also very proud of Colleen Hoover for putting together these stories so eloquently. Everything was so nicely rounded out and left me feeling complete when it was all wrapped up. I'd also like to thank Colleen for the "butterflying butterflies" she made me feel like I haven't since I was a kid with a crush! --- You'll understand and appreciate that statement once you finish book two. Which, by the way you'd BETTER!

Pick up both of these books on Amazon by clicking on the links below. 

And Be sure to follow Colleen Hoover on Facebook by clicking HERE!
And follow her personal blog www.colleenhoover.com.
--it's pretty bamazing, and was totally my "sweet" for today!

       

Product Description - Slammed

Layken Cohen's eighteenth year is proving to be the ultimate test of her resolve.
Following the death of her father, she is forced to move across the country after the start of her senior year. Just when she thinks all hope is lost, she meets her new neighbor, Will Cooper. An intriguing twenty-one year old with a passion for Poetry Slamming.  Layken and Will form an immediate connection. A connection so intense, only fate could have brought them together. But sometimes fate isn't enough. Layken and Will are slammed to the core when a shocking discovery reveals their relationship won't work. It can't work.
Now Layken and Will are forced to find a balance between that which keeps them apart, and the feelings that pull them together.
And that's only the beginning...
Slammed intertwines heartache with humor, desires with ethics, and ultimately proves that the harsh reality of death can sometimes be overcome by the beauty of life. 

Product Description- Point of Retreat

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 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.'

STATUS UPDATE

Status update! I've obviously been on quite the extended leave of absence for some time now. I'd like to quickly offer my explanations for this.

First, I'm sad to say that my dear friend and partner Jessica with Lover Of Paranormal has decided to part ways with Book Snobs. This was a hard decision for her to make, but the poor girl just has so much going on right now that she felt unable to commit fully. It's a parting that goes with no hard feelings and all the love and support in the world! Im hoping that she may bless us with her insight and reviews from time to time as she is possible. I wish her and her blog all the success in the world!

Secondly, No new reviews have been posted as of late. This is due to several reasons. Im planning a MAJOR re-haul on the blog to accommodate for Jessicas absence and that kind of under-taking does not happen over night. I'm also scouting out possible "guest reviewers". Im very much hoping to find readers willing to share their honest opinions, and offer a different perspective than my own. I can only read and review so fast and my personal reading selections tend to be a bit biased. I'm hoping to find some fresh opinions to add to the mix from time to time. Break it up a little ya know? On that matter, if you or anyone you know are interested in being a "guest reviewer" from time to time, please contact me so that we can make this happen!

Finally, Im sorry to say that I've just been ridiculously busy as of late. We all have lives that must take priority over our recreational activities from time to time. Unfortunately, Im no exception to this rule. As many of you know, I'm a married, mother of four who is also a working nurse. I've also had some sick babies to nurse back to health, and a two-year old who had surgery yesterday. (Nothing major) With all of that, I've simply been unavailable for reviewing, and even reading lately. It's quite sad to me as my books are my escape. Im hopeful that all will return to normal very soon.

With all of that, I'd like to offer my continued thanks the the few followers and loyal contacts that Book Snobs has come by in the past few weeks. It's been quite an undertaking just to get this all up and going, and I'm NOT GIVING UP! It's just taking a bit longer to sort out all the bumps in the road than I had expected. I will be forever grateful for all the messages and continued support. I'm also willingly accepting all the help I can get from all of you! Keep sending me your recommendations, opinions, and even a review if you have the time!

Book Snobs was created with love, with the sole purpose of supporting my favorite authors (Usually Indie) and their fantastic work, and for sharing with my fellow readers what's hot, and what's not! It is with those goals in mind that I will continue to push forward, all be it a little slower than I had imagined.

Thank you all for your love, support and understanding! Keep checking in from time to time as I get these new changes and hopefully, some kick-ass reviews out to you!

--Tyra

Fifty Shades Of Grey (Series) by E. L. James

        Buckle up girls... this is going to be a LONG one! 

FIVE STARS!!!

To start, I'll say that when I started reading Shades of Grey, I was doing so with the idea that it was a paranormal romance. Where I got that idea I couldn't tell you. I kept reading and reading waiting for the other shoe to drop and reveal something other-worldly, but it never came. It may have turned out to be the polar opposite of what I THOUGHT I was reading, but I couldn't be happier! Before we go any further, I will throw out 'the warning' .. this book contains EXPLICIT sex, language, some violence, sad reflection of child abuse, and a SMBD theme. For those of you like me who don't know what SMBD means.. I'll sum it up - bondage, submissive/ dominance relationship, etc. This was a whole new world for me and I'm not ashamed to admit that I couldn't put it down! 

First, on the non-sex parts of the book... Ive often laughed out loud while reading, but E.L. James had me running to the bathroom before I had an accident many times! I also shed more tears than I could count, and WAY too many nights were spent by myself awake, alone with only the light of my e-reader to light my way until the sun came back up! 

This story is told from the point of view of our main character Ana. However, the author has this magical way of not only incorporating the play-by-play of what's happening, but shows us a look into the main characters mind.. by telling us all about the thoughts of her subconscious and "inner goddess" ... Basically a metaphor for Ana's shoulder sitting angel and devil. The "Inner Goddess" Is my favorite and I will carry that concept with me for the rest of my life! 

This story is fantasy, fairytale, and heart breaking reality all rolled into one! How many stories are there about the plain, poor girl with nothing special going for her who gets swept off her feet by her knight in shining armor and whisked away to live in a palace with all of her hearts desires available for the rest of her life? Well, switch that into the 21st century, make the knight in shining armor an insanely wealthy CEO, and give him some SERIOUS demons, and there you go!

That's really all the further I can go without incorporating "the sex" into this review, because it's such an intricate part of the story! I'll be honest - there's a LOT of sex! Some of it is just for the fun of the read. (Don't be embarrassed ladies) However, this story could not possibly be told without it! As I said, SMBD is the theme here. Don't be shy... who hasn't fantasized about a little role-play in the bedroom? The point that I'm probably failing at making is that the sex tells a story! Our main male role Christian has a LOT of issues. His "lifestyle" in the bedroom is an expression of those and a coping mechanism, therapy if you will for the brutal early-childhood he suffered through. This works fine for him until he falls for the very virginal, very vanilla Miss Anastasia Steele. As for Miss Steele, not only has she never had sex, but a VERY indecent proposal from this easy on the eyes man is just too much for her! She, her subconscious and her "inner goddess" set off to see if this is a life she could ever really get involved in. What's meant to be a black and white formal agreement between two consenting adults becomes 'complicated' as feelings and emotions evolve. The black and white blur into "Fifty Shades of Grey" for all involved. 

Shortly after finishing this series, I caught a segment of The Today Show calling this series many things from "Women's secret fantasy" ... to a "Slap in the face of the women's movement" and stating that the "Violence on women" was appalling! Obviously in my opinion, those people are morons! The only violence on women in this book is 100% consenting adults and in the bedroom... it's fantasy! It's the whole pleasure/pain thing. Mind you, we're talking about spanking here... not domestic abuse! So let's just put that to rest right now! The famous television personality "Dr. Drew" admitted on air to having NOT read the series right before he threw it under the bus stating that anybody who takes pleasure in that type of activity is often the victim of child-abuse. Well, DUH! Our male role Christian is fifty-shades of f#$%-up because of what happened to him as a young boy! This is how he has come to deal with it.. but Ana is there to help him work it all through even more and heal his inner child! Ugh! That television segment made me SO angry because it painted this series in the wrong light! They made it seem like only lonely, horny women or sick puppies could enjoy this book... as though it were some sort of perversion. It's NOT! It's a wonderful tale of love, lust, complications, and growth!

Many women would feel embarrassed to admit that they read and enjoyed such a racy series. NOT ME! I will admit that I was a little shocked though. If you don't believe that a story with a lot of sex can have real emotion- just ask my husband who saw the tears fall down my face! This beautiful, amazing tale was written by a WOMAN for WOMEN and I'd go as far as to say every man should read it too!

Overview

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time. Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

           

Some of my favorite NON-paranormal recent reads...

**4 Stars**

When Hollywood It Boy, Reid Alexander, arrives on location, his intentions are simple: film another blockbuster hit while enjoying his celebrity status to the fullest. His costar is a virtual unknown with whom he has blazing hot chemistry, and the universe is lining up nicely to grant whatever he wants - until he's confronted with a bitter ex-girlfriend and a rival for the first girl to spark his genuine interest in years.

Emma Pierce just got her big break after more than a decade of filming commercials for grape juice, department stores and tampons, and bit parts in made-for-TV movies. Nailing the lead role in a wide-release film should send her into raptures. But Emma is experiencing a building desire to be normal, and starring in a silly, modernized adaptation of one of her favorite novels--opposite the very hot Reid Alexander--isn't going to advance that aspiration.

Indie actor Graham Douglas isn't overly picky when it comes to film roles. If it pays, he'll do it. Besides, his friend Brooke Cameron snatched up the role of the bitchy hot girl and could use his help as a buffer, because her ex is the star. Graham has no problem keeping a handle on the situation, until he finds himself attracted to Reid's costar, Emma, the girl Reid is pursuing full-throttle with his standard arsenal of charm, good looks and arrogance.

**4 Stars**

Life sucks for orphans Callum Tate and Harper Bailey.Kicked out of their foster homes because they suffer the 'eighteen disease' with nothing but a hundred dollar check from the government and a pat on the back, they're forced to rely on a system that failed them miserably.So they sit. They sit inside Social Services, waiting for their social workers to call their names and offer them the miracle they know will never come but they sit anyway because they have nowhere else to go, no other options on their very literal and figurative empty plates.But as they sit, they notice the other. Although captivated, they each come to the conclusion that life is complicated enough without throwing in a boiling tension that can't ever be acted upon because they're both too busy thinking about where their next meal will come from but when their names are called and both are placed on a year long waiting list for permanent housing, suddenly relying on each other seems like a very viable plan B. And, oh, how lovely Plan B's can be. Well, except for the psycho from Harper's past that haunts her and, oh, yeah, there's the little issue that neither of them knows they're in love with the other. Needless to say, Callum & Harper's life just got a bit more complicated.

“One day, you and I are gonna’ wake up and be alright. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but one day. One day. I promise you.” - Callum Tate

 Follow Amy on Facebook

** 4 Stars**

Libby has been in love with Tony Marchetti since she was seven years old. The problem? Tony is her best friend's older brother. Lately Tony has started looking at her in a new way and he emails her all the time. Could it be possible that he is starting to see her as more than his kid sister's best friend?

Tony knows Libby McKay is off limits. She's his sister's best friend for crying out loud! But she is also smart, funny, and seriously hot. Plus she's not afraid to get a little sweaty-- on the track that is. Tony can't seem to help himself, besides what's a few emails? The occasional phone call? He can keep things light and friendly-- Can't he?

Follow T.J. Dell on Facebook

**I give this 5 stars!**

For almost two years now, Kiera’s boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she’s ever wanted: loving, tender and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together, Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university, everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he’s purely a friend that she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes…and none of them will ever be the same.

Follow S,C, Stephens on Facebook

**4.5 Stars**

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?" He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible a secret. Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

 

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