Swoon Thursday (#314): The Similars by Rebecca Hanover

He pulls me into his arms and presses his lips to mine. This time when we kiss, it is unbounded, turning every inch of me inside out. 

When the kiss is over, I stare into his eyes.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

I absolutely love the second line - referring to the kiss being unbounded. That's a great line!

Waiting on Wednesday (#318): In the Woods by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel

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

This week, I'm featuring:

In the Woods by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel

Publisher: Tor Teen

Publication Date: July 16, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

New York Times bestselling author Carrie Jones teams up with acclaimed cowriter Steven Wedel in this supernatural mystery

It should have been just another quiet night on the farm when Logan witnessed the attack, but it wasn’t.

Something is in the woods. 

Something unexplainable. 

Something deadly.

Hundreds of miles away, Chrystal’s plans for summer in Manhattan are abruptly upended when her dad reads tabloid coverage of some kind of grisly incident in Oklahoma. When they arrive to investigate, they find a witness: a surprisingly good-looking farm boy.

As townsfolk start disappearing and the attacks get ever closer, Logan and Chrystal will have to find out the truth about whatever’s hiding in the woods…before they become targets themselves.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

I am not into horror stories, BUT I love Carrie Jones's books! Her Need series was one of my favorites, when I was a young teen. I am so excited about her new book!

Top Ten Tuesday (37)

Happy Tuesday! Today I've decided to participate in Top Ten Tuesday, formerly hosted by Jamie at The Broke and the Bookish, now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Today's topic is:

Books I Meant to Read In 2018 but Didn’t Get To

This list was very easy to compile, because I basically read nothing in 2018. I want to say that I will do better this year, but we'll see about that! I'm still very excited about all of these books. =)

Monday Muse (17)

Hey fam! Happy Monday! Or something - are Mondays ever really happy? Let's change that! Today I'm sharing another Monday Muse post, which features my hobbies other than reading.

It's the last Monday of January! Isn't that bizarre? Time really flies.

I still haven't started coloring in my new Johanna Basford planner... there is definitely something wrong with me! I love coloring, but just haven't gotten into it so far. I'm going to start this week!

I posted something bookish on my Instagram, theeaterofbooks!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alyssa (@theeaterofbooks) on Jan 26, 2019 at 7:55am PST

I've posted on my personal one too, alyssasadventuresinwonderland. Lots of Florida pictures!

In other bookish news, I got my King of Scars preorder incentive!

Speaking of preorders, I highly recommend checking out Austine's Preorder Incentives page on her blog, to see if there are preorder incentives that might apply to you! This is an amazing resource that I have bookmarked.

I posted a new giveaway!

New #diversereads giveaway! Follow me + RT to win a book from the stack, plus a surprise book! 💫

Open INT. Ends 02/04 (11:59 PM EST). One winner.

BONUS (both optional):

+1: follow my bookish Insta- theeaterofbooks
+1: follow my other Insta- alyssasadventuresinwonderland pic.twitter.com/IBphyT03Sx

— Alyssa (@Alyssa_Susanna) January 26, 2019

Here is a pretty sunrise photo for last week!

Friday, January 25th, 2019.

Blog Tour: Moonlight Scandals by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hello all! Today I'm sharing information about Jennifer L. Armentrout's upcoming adult romance novel, Moonlight Scandals! This is the third book in the series. Read all about it below!

About the Book:

Moonlight Scandals by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book Three of the de Vincent series

Publisher: Avon Books

Publication Date: January 29, 2019

Official Summary:

It takes a fearless woman to love the most scandalous man alive in New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s breathtaking novel

Even a ghost hunter like Rosie Herpin couldn’t have foreseen the fateful meeting between two mourners that has brought her so intimately close to the notorious and seductive Devlin de Vincent. Everyone in New Orleans knows he’s heir to a dark family curse that both frightens and enthralls. To the locals, Devlin is the devil. To Rosie, he’s a man who’s stoking her wildest fantasies. When a brutal attack on her friend is linked to the de Vincents, he becomes a mystery she may be risking her life to solve. 

Devlin knows what he wants from this sexy and adventurous woman. But what does Rosie want from him? It’s a question that becomes more pressing—and more dangerous—when he suspects her of prying into the shadows of his past. 

Now, the legends surrounding the de Vincents may not be myths at all. But if she’s to discover the truth, she must follow them straight into the arms of the man she can’t resist—the handsome devil himself.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

About the Author:

JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT is the #1 international and #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 40 books, including the Wait for You, Lux series, the Dark Elements series, and Til Death. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion, Harlequin Teen and writes steamy and fun New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. Jennifer is also the founder of Apollycon, a yearly reader event that brings in over 1400 readers and authors together each year. She currently lives in West Virginia with her husband and two dogs, Loki and Diesel.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Excerpt:

“Let me get this straight. You want my brother to let you into his home to see if it’s haunted?”

She nodded.

Dev honest to God had no idea how to respond to that, but then he watched her suck her bottom lip between her teeth. As shitty as it was, he realized he had bargaining power, and there was something he wanted.

Lots of things he wanted, actually.

“I’ll get you into the house.”

“What?” Surprise pitched her tone. “You’re for real?”

A half grin tugged at his lips. “On one condition.”

“What condition?”

He sat up and leaned in close enough that he heard her inhale. The scent of coconuts teased him again. “It’s a pretty big condition.”

“Okay? What is it?”

What he was about to say was not planned. It was not calculated in the ways he wanted it to be and how he was accustomed to. His condition was . . . simply something he desired.

“Kiss me,” he said, voice low. “That’s my condition. Kiss me.”

Stacking the Shelves (#318)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, in which bloggers share the books and swag they've received in the past week!

So, what did I get in the week of Sunday, January 20th to Saturday, January 26th?

(all links to Goodreads are provided!)

In the mail:

An ARC of We Rule the Night by Claire Eliza Bartlett

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK! Thank you, Novl!

King of Scars preorder pin

This is early! Thank you, Fierce Reads! Now waiting for my hardcover preorder...

A hardcover copy of The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons

Thank you, Tor! This book is seriously HUGE. 

Not a lot going on! This week felt incredibly long, even though we had a holiday on Monday. I am so, so happy to hear that the government shutdown will be over, at least temporarily anyway. 

Here's a pretty sunrise!

Friday, January 25th, 2019.

Blog Tour: Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis

Hey fam! I'm excited to share information about Jill Shalvis's latest novel, Playing For Keeps! Jill is such a speedy writer - I feel like I was just promoting Hot Winter Nights! You can read this new book now. Check it out below!

About the Book:

Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis

Book Seven of the Heartbreaker Bay series

Publisher: Avon Books

Publication Date: January 22, 2019

Official Summary:

If you’re planning on falling in love… 

When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s yoga pants, he’s a suit. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.

you’d better be sure… 

Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.

… someone is there to catch you. 

Both guarded and vulnerable, Sophie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author JILL SHALVIS lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventure.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Excerpt:

“Sadie.”

She shook her head.

“Look at me. Please?”

It was the damn please that had her opening her eyes. He’d closed the gap so that if she so much as took a breath, they’d be touching.

So she did just that. She took a deep breath, and then their bodies were up against each other, his warm and hard. Everywhere. “What’s happening?” she whispered.

“I believe you’re deciding between kicking me in the nuts and kissing me.” One side of his mouth curved very slightly as he lifted their still joined hands above her head, against the wall.

“But that last part might just be in my dreams.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Yes, it’s just in my dreams?”

She meant to say yes again, she really did.

She even opened her mouth to say it, because this was insane, this incredible . . . craving she had for him. It made no sense. Less than no sense, and yet . . .

She went up on tiptoe and touched her mouth to his.

Swoon Thursday (#313): Pan by Gina L. Maxwell

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Pan by Gina L. Maxwell!

"You've always been so hard on this poo lip of yours," I whisper, soothing it with the pad of my thumb.

Her breathing is shallow, and her gaze drops to my mouth, right where I want it. Dipping my head, I hover just out of reach, teasing my lips over hers, until her eyes flutter shut, and I know she wants this just as much as I do.

"I've been dying to do this from the moment you stepped into my shop."

Then I claim her lips like I once claimed her heart - fully, almost desperately.

- eARC, 24%

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

I'm currently reading this book and OMG I love it already. Pan is so yummy! This book is officially available, so you can read it for yourself now!

Waiting on Wednesday (#317): A Dress for the Wicked by Autumn Krause

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

This week, I'm featuring:

A Dress for the Wicked by Autumn Krause

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: August 7, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

The high-stakes fashion scene of a reimagined nineteenth century Europe takes center stage in this YA debut perfect for fans of The Belles and The Luxe.

Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Shy in Avon-upon-Kynt. And for eighteen years, Emmaline Watkins has feared that her future held just that: nothing.

But when the head of the most admired fashion house in the country opens her prestigious design competition to girls from outside the stylish capital city, Emmy’s dreams seem closer than they ever have before.

As the first “country girl” to compete, Emmy knows she’ll encounter extra hurdles on her way to the top. But as she navigates the twisted world of high fashion she starts to wonder: will she be able to tailor herself to fit into this dark, corrupted race? And at what cost?

Historical fiction and contemporary fans alike will flock to this twisted, lush story of fashion, betrayal, and romance.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

I think thissounds pretty cool! I've not read either of the comp titles, but I love historical fiction, so I'm ready to see what this is all about!

Release Day Blitz: Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

Happy Tuesday! Today is the publication day of Only A Breath Apart, Katie McGarry's latest YA contemporary novel. See below for more details, and an exclusive excerpt!

You can see a previous excerpt HERE!

About the Book:

Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

Publisher: Tor Teen

Publication Date: January 22, 2019

Official Summary:

Jesse dreams of working the land that’s been in his family forever. But he’s cursed to lose everything he loves most.

Scarlett is desperate to escape her “charmed” life. But leaving a small town is easier said than done.

Despite their history of heartbreak, when Jesse sees a way they can work together to each get what they want, Scarlett can’t say no.Each midnight meeting between Jesse and Scarlett will push them to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

About the Author:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


The Excerpt:

~SCARLETT~

A scraping of a chair, a tray full of food and I glance over with my practiced smile in welcome. It’s not Camila, Evangeline, or anyone else from the group. It’s green eyes, red hair, a familiar mischievous smile that used to be reserved only for me, and my blood pounds with excitement as if someone lit a sparkler in my chest. Then I frown because I’m not supposed to feel this way. Not with him. Not with anyone.

Jesse Lachlin winks at me as he sits across from me like no time has passed from when we climbed trees together. “What’s up, Tink?”

Another thrill runs through me but then my muscles tighten. Stupid, antiquated reaction belonging to a dead past. “What are you doing here?”

Jesse pops a fry into his mouth, chews, then picks up another as if he has no intention of answering. I scan the cafeteria. Several people are watching us, curious as to why Jesse Lachlin is sitting with me, or is event at lunch, or even at school.

From the lunch line, Camila’s and Evangeline’s eyes are bugging out of their heads.

What is going on? Camila mouths.

I raise my eyebrows to inform her I have no idea. Jesse digs into his corn with his fork and that’s crossing a line. “Maybe you didn’t hear me, but I asked what you’re doing here.”

He lifts his eyes to meet mine and there’s a glimmer in them that causes my lips to flatten. Fantastic. He’s here to make my life a living hell.

“It seems obvious,” he says.

If he remembers anything about me, he should recall I was never known for my patience and that he should be speaking, and speaking soon. “Just answer the question.”

“I’m eating lunch.”

I honest to God groan in frustration. “There’s no room at the inn.”

He surveys the table, takes in the empty seats, my books, and then gives me a good look. A slow look. As if he’s trying to memorize every inch he’s drinking in. My cheeks redden because that somehow feels a little too intimate for lunch. Feels a little too intimate for someone I’m no longer friends with. It feels too intimate if we were friends.

I glance away, but I sense him still staring at me. God help me, I want to stare back.

Monday Muse (16)

Hey fam! Happy Monday! Or something - are Mondays ever really happy? Let's change that! Today I'm sharing another Monday Muse post, which features my hobbies other than reading.

Happy MLKJ Day! Martin Luther King, Jr. was (and still is) such an important figure in United States history, and I'm honored to celebrate the day in his honor. We are still fighting hard for equal rights, but the fight would be nowhere without Dr. King.

In coloring news, I haven't colored in my new Johanna Basford planner at all! I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but it hasn't been a great start to the year in terms of coloring. Hopefully this week!

In book news, I am SO EXCITED to tell you all that I have read my first book of 2019! And I loved it! Wrong Bed, Right Roommate by Rebecca Brooks was fantastic.

You can check out my review HERE, and a steamy excerpt HERE.

I'm working on this one right now:

Also in book news - I finally posted something new on my bookish Instagram, theeaterofbooks!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alyssa (@theeaterofbooks) on Jan 20, 2019 at 1:58pm PST

Preorder Bloodwitch! Read Bloodwitch! I still need to read it, but I've preordered it. I want those buttons (in addition to getting a hardcover for more collection)!

In photography news, I've bought that photography class on Udemy! It's a lot to take in, so I'll be slowly working my way through that over the next few weeks. 

Here are some of my recent sunrise photos!

Baltimore; January 16th, 2019.

Baltimore; January 17th, 2019.

And in vacation news, I was in southwest Florida from January 12th to January 14th! Here are some very brief highlights. Go to my personal Instagram - @alyssasadventuresinwonderland - for more gorgeous photos!

Centennial Park

Manatee Park

Manatee Park

Siesta Key

Longboat Key

Sanibel Island

Finally, I have to share this song I've been introduced to. I loooove this song. I'm obsessed!