Swoon Thursday (#226): Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill

- 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 Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill!

I looked at her for a second, thinking about what I should say, what I should do, what someone other than me would say or do right now.

And then I thought, fuck it. I was already gone. No reason not to do exactly what I wanted.

I pulled her to me and kissed her, My bottom two fingers curled into the top of her pajama bottoms, which were cool and fuzzy-soft, and my top two fingers curled into her flesh, which was sleep-warm and smooth. She was startled, but she didn't pull away, and slowly, she raised one hand to touch my jaw with her fingertips.

I'd never kissed anyone like that before.

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

This week's swoon is a sweet first kiss! Catch my review of Here Lies Daniel Tate tomorrow. :D

Pre-Order Blast and Giveaway: Forbidden Promises by Katee Robert

Welcome to the pre-order blast for Forbidden Promises by Katee Robert! This book publishes on Tuesday, and do not want to miss it. Read on, and enter the giveaway!

Forbidden Promises review | Other Katee Robert reviews

About the Book:

Forbidden Promises by Katee Robert

Book Four of the O'Malleys series

Publisher: Forever

Publication Date: May 30, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

All Sloan O’Malley ever wanted was a simple life—and now she’s finally got it. She’s left everything behind in Boston—her family, her money, even her name—and set herself up in a tiny seaside town in Oregon. What she doesn’t plan for? Her mysterious and painfully attractive neighbor, Jude.

Jude MacNamara has been many things in his life—pampered son of a prestigious family, only surviving heir to a lost legacy, hit man—but now he’s out for revenge on the man responsible for the death of his father and brothers—Colm Sheridan. He’s tracking Colm’s sister when he encounters Sloan living with her in her beach house. He’s a patient hunter and he’s willing to sit back and wait for his prey...he just doesn’t expect for this woman to give rise to emotions he hasn’t felt in years.

He doesn’t want to see Sloan hurt, but in order to protect her, he will have to turn his back on the one thing he’s spent his life pursuing—revenge. Even then, there’s no guarantee either one of them will make it out alive.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

About the Author:

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her 2015 title, The Marriage Contract, was a RITA finalist, and RT Book Reviews named it 'a compulsively readable book with just the right amount of suspense and tension."  When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Excerpt:

Up until this point, Sloan O’Malley has been kind of lost in a sea of the strong personalities in her family. She’s the quiet one. The wallflower. The obedient one. But now she’s out of Boston and out of that life behind, and she’s stepping out to stand on her own for the first time in her life. She wants her freedom, but more than that, she wants to live. What better way to do that than to give into the desire that sparks an inferno between her and the gorgeous guy next door?

All her hard-won calm disappeared when she saw Jude lounging in the corner booth. Lounging wasn’t the right word. He looked like a big cat who was as likely to tear out her throat as purr and rub against her.

Rub against…

She tried and failed to shut the thought down. From there, it was a slippery slope to thinking about what she’d done last night while picturing him.

It was almost enough to make her flee into the kitchen again. Or it would have been if not for the knowledge that Marge had given her a chance, and the woman wouldn’t take kindly to her hiding in the back when there were customers to be served.

Sloan took a careful breath and approached Jude. “What can I get you?”

“I feel like I’m perpetually apologizing to you, but I left abruptly last night and I’m sorry.” He didn’t wait for her to respond. “Come out with me after your shift.”

She blinked. Did he just…“I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m going to take you out. Tonight.” His intense dark eyes never wavered, though she was wondering how she ever labeled them cold. Right now, they were so hot, they were liable to turn her into a pillar of flame.

The only question was if she’d perish in the fire or emerge as something altogether different.

That thought should have scared her, but she’d been afraid for so long. Maybe it was time to do more than think about taking the first step into the future. Maybe she needed to actually put herself into motion. Sloan licked her lips, aware of the way he tracked the move. Everything about Jude was intense. He’d toned it down for her last night, but he wasn’t even trying right now. She shifted her stance, still torn. “I’m not exactly in a good place to date right now.”

He considered her, and she suddenly got the impression that he was choosing his words with care so as not to spook her. “What is it, exactly, that you think I’m asking?”

“I, ah…” She clutched her little notebook to her chest, painfully aware that the handful of diners in the place were blatantly eavesdropping. “I don’t know.”

He lowered his voice to the point where she had to inch closer to hear him clearly. “Let me show you.”

And, suddenly, she wanted to do exactly that. Sloan found herself nodding even though every instinct she had said that Jude was trouble in the worst way. But, whatever he was, he was vitally different from her brothers and father back home. He might seem brutal and dangerous and intense to a criminal degree, but this wasn’t Boston. This was Callaway Rock. No matter how dangerous he seemed, odds were that he wasn’t a man who had skeletons in his closet—literal or otherwise.

That made him safe in a way none of the men she’d ever known were.

Jude’s gaze sharpened. “That’s a yes.”

“That’s a yes.” Her voice was too breathy, too irregular to pass for anything other than nerves, but she didn’t care. If she fell flat on her face, at least she was living.

Copyright © 2017 Katee Robert

The Video:



Praise for The O’Malleys Series

"It can be hard to make a ruthless assassin into a sympathetic character, but Robert handles the task with ease. She also deftly shows Sloan’s transformation from a pampered and protected naïf to a strong woman with a backbone of pure steel. A tension-filled plot full of deceit, betrayal, and sizzling love scenes will make it impossible for readers to set the book down."—Publishers Weekly on FORBIDDEN PROMISES

“You will finish it in one sitting and die after you’re done because the next book isn't out yet. This was one sexy ride!”—Reviewer Top Pick, Night Owl Reviews on FORBIDDEN PROMISES

“Two story lines end up converging into one explosive finale at the end.  A great read from the talented Robert!” —RT Book Reviews

“Katee Robert's has created a fictional underworld of such veracity, that one almost expects the characters to turn up on the front-page news. It never feels over the top or implausible; the author writes extremely well-crafted stories… The romance between Cillian and Olivia is very beautiful, tender and real.”—Fresh Fiction on AN INDECENT PROPOSAL

“Will keep you turning pages.”—RT Book Reviews on THE WEDDING PACT

“If you like angsty reads, this book is right up your wheelhouse.”—Heroes & Heartbreakers on THE WEDDING PACT

"Dark, dirty, and dead sexy."—Tiffany Reisz, bestselling author of The Original Sinners series, on THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT


The Giveaway:

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Waiting on Wednesday (#230): As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti

"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:

As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: January 1, 2018

Summary (from Goodreads):

What if you could ask for anything- and get it? 

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.

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

This one is new to me, and it sounds awesome! What a great way to start 2018, in YA publishing!

Release Day Blitz and Giveaway: The Last Star by Rick Yancey

Welcome to the release day blitz for the paperback version of The Last Star by Ricky Yancey! As you may recall, this is the final book in the series, and it published in hardcover last year. Check it out!

About the Book:

The Last Star by Rick Yancey

Book Three of The 5th Wave series

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: May 23, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

The Last Star is the heart-stopping finale to the bestselling 5th Wave series by award-winning author, Rick Yancey. Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent and The Maze Runner.

'Wildly entertaining . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough' The New York Times

We’re here, then we’re gone, and that was true before they came. That’s always been true. The Others didn’t invent death; they just perfected it. Gave death a face to put back in our face, because they knew that was the only way to crush us. It won’t end on any continent or ocean, no mountain or plain, jungle or desert. It will end where it began, where it had been from the beginning, on the battlefield of the last beating human heart.

Master storyteller Rick Yancey invokes triumph, loss, and unrelenting action as the fate of the planet is decided in the conclusion to this epic series. 

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

Check out the series:

  

(Click on the covers to go to Goodreads!)

About the Author:

Rick Yancey (www.rickyancey.com) is the author of the New York Times bestseller The 5th Wave, The Infinite Sea, The Last Star, several adult novels, and the memoir Confessions of a Tax Collector. His first young-adult novel, The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, was a finalist for the Carnegie Medal. In 2010, his novel, The Monstrumologist, received a Michael L. Printz Honor, and the sequel, The Curse of the Wendigo, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. When he isn't writing or thinking about writing or traveling the country talking about writing, Rick is hanging out with his family.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Giveaway:

Enter for a chance to be one (1) grand prize winner and receive a set of The 5th Wave Collection in paperback, including The 5th Wave, The Infinite Sea, and The Last Star (ARV: $32.97), or to be one (1) of five (5) second place winners to receive The 5th Wave in paperback (ARV: $10.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on May 23, 2017 and 12:00 AM on May 30, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 2, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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Blog Tour and Giveaway: Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott

Welcome to the blog tour for Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott! I adored this book and I highly recommend it. Check out my interview with Victoria Scott, and enter to win this book!

Violet Grenade review | Violet Grenade Swoon Thursday

The Interview:

Alyssa: Hi and welcome to The Eater of Books! So glad you could join me today. =) Congratulations on the publication of Violet Grenade! By my count, this is your eighth published novel since 2013? Do you SLEEP? What helps your creative process so you keep going and don’t burn out?

VS: That’s a good question, because I’m working on two hours of sleep today. Honestly, if it weren’t for readers cheering me on, I’d be in a ditch somewhere. 

Alyssa: How was writing this book different compared to writing your other books, especially with it being a completely different genre than your usual? 

VS: This one is much darker, and much more lyrical in style. I usually write with more snark and humor, but I wrote the way I wanted to with this one, and it felt natural. 

Alyssa: A somewhat related question – what was the most difficult thing about writing this book?

VS: Keeping the suspense going without wearing readers out. It’s a difficult thing to balance, and the first time I had to tackle something like that. 

Alyssa: How did you come up with the title of this book?

VS: It’s a combination of Violet, which is the highest ranking Flower in the house Domino goes to live in, and Grenade, which represents Domino as a person, and specifically her second personality, who is quite explosive. 

Alyssa: What are some YA psychological thrillers that you recommend to readers?

VS: Start with Gone Girl and Girl on a Train, obviously. Then move onto In the Blood by Lisa Unger! 

Alyssa: What is one message that you’d love young readers to take away from Violet Grenade?

VS: Be careful who you mess with. 

Alyssa: My last question – what’s next for publication? Will there be anything to follow Violet Grenade? Or entirely new projects?

VS: I’m working on a new young adult book that I can’t talk about too much yet. But I should be able to share with you guys very soon! 

Alyssa: Thank you so much, and best of luck with everything!

About the Author:

Victoria Scott is the acclaimed author of eight books for young adults. Her novels are sold in fourteen different countries, and she loves receiving fan mail from across the world. Victoria loves high fashion, big cities, and pink cotton candy. You can find her online at VictoriaScott.com.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

About the Book:

Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: May 16, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

DOMINO: A runaway with blood on her hands.

CAIN: A silent boy about to explode.

MADAM KARINA: A woman who demands obedience.

WILSON: The one who will destroy them all.

When Madam Karina discovers Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position inside her home for entertainers in secluded West Texas. Left with few alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn’t long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam’s approval. But after suffering weeks of bullying and unearthing the madam’s secrets, Domino decides to leave. It’ll be harder than she thinks, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the person living inside Domino’s mind. 

Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.

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

The Giveaway:

Signed paperback of The Collector, a signed paperback of Titans, and a signed galley of Hear the Wolves.

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Follow the Tour:

There are tons of stops and content! Check out the schedule HERE.

Promo and Giveaway: Seeker by Veronica Rossi

Welcome to the release week celebration for Seeker by Veronica Rossi! I am so excited to help promote this exciting conclusion novel. Don't miss this series!

Riders review | Seeker review

About the Book:

Seeker by Veronica Rossi

Book Two of the Riders series

Publisher: Tor Teen

Publication Date: May 16, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Veronica Rossi's new fantasy adventure in the Riders series—Seeker .

When Daryn claimed she was seeing visions during her sophomore year of high school, no one believed the truth. She wasn't losing her mind, she was gaining the Sight the ability to see the future. If she just paid attention to the visions, they'd provide her with clues and show her how she could help people. Really help them. Daryn embraced her role as a Seeker. The work she did was important. She saved lives.

Until Sebastian.

Sebastian was her first and worst mistake.

Since the moment she inadvertently sealed him in a dark dimension with Samrael the last surviving demon in the Kindred guilt has plagued her. Daryn knows Sebastian is alive and waiting for help. It's up to her to rescue him. But now that she needs the Sight more than ever to guide her, the visions have stopped.

Daryn must rely on her instincts, her intelligence, and on blind faith to lead the riders who are counting on her in search of Sebastian. As they delve into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems and where Samrael is steadily amassing power, Daryn faces the ultimate test. Will she have to become evil to destroy evil? The very fate of humankind rests in the answer.

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

Check out Riders:

(Click on the cover for more information.)

About the Author:

Veronica Rossi is a best selling author of fiction for young adults. Her debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, was the first in a post-apocalyptic trilogy. Released in January 2012, it was deemed one of the Best Books of Year by School Library Journal. The series appeared in the NY Times and USA Today best seller lists and was published in over 25 foreign markets.

Her second series for young adults will begin with RIDERS (published February 16, 2016), the story of four modern day teens who become incarnations of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and the prophetic girl who brings them together.

Veronica completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA and then went on to study fine art at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She is a lifelong reader and artist. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she has lived in Mexico, Venezuela, and all over the United States, to finally settle in Northern California with her husband and two sons.

When not writing, Veronica enjoys reading (it’s worth repeating), painting, and running. She does NOT like anything involving numbers, the addition of them, subtraction of them, you name it. They terrify her. Her obsessions generally lead to fictional works. Currently, she’s exploring New York City during the Revolutionary War.

Don’t tread on me. (If you know what that means, then you are my people!)

What else? This is getting more fun, isn’t it?

She–okay, I–am a huge fan of the SF Giants and the Golden State Warriors. I know, I know. Book types and sporty types shouldn’t be one in the same, but what can I say? I’m breaking the mold. Continuing. I have an irrational love of elephants. They make me cry, but it’s the best kind of cry. On other end of the spectrum, I abhor the shrill squeak styrofoam makes when it’s coming out of a box. Just typing that sentence made me want to scream. Needless to say, Christmas is great, but also really tough on me.

It’s probably time to wrap this up. If you’re here, it’s likely because you’ve read one of my books, or because you’re thinking about reading one of my books. Either way, thank you. Writing fulfills me like nothing else and I feel exceedingly fortunate to also call it my profession.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


The Giveaway:

10 Winners will receive a Copy of Seeker and Swag (Glow in the Dark Bracelet and Stickers) by Veronica Rossi. Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

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These Are a Few of My Favorite: "Old" Adult Romance Books

Hello, everyone! Today I'm sharing some of my favorite "old" adult romance books. What do I mean by "old"? I'm classifying "old" as published over five years ago (or thereabout). I started to read adult romance in 2011 (before I started blogging), when I was sixteen. To this day, a lot of them are still some of my favorites! Keep in mind, these are just a few of many. Also, a few of these are not quite old. Enjoy!

You can check out my favorite "old" YA books HERE!

  

    

    

    

I'm sure I'm missing some books. I reread several of these books constantly, when I'm stuck in a reading slump (like Spinning Gold and Through a Dark Mist). Tell me - what are some of your favorite "old" adult romance books?