Waiting on Wednesday (61)

The Rose and the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn #2) by Renee Ahdieh

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

I am SOOOOOO EXCITED for this book, it is unbelievable. The Wrath and the Dawn was honestly one of my favourite reads in 2015 so far and I know book number 2 will not disappoint. The cover is just as gorgeous as the first book. The waiting is killer! I wish the whole series came out at once.

Expected Publication Date: May 3rd, 2016

Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

The much anticipated sequel to the breathtaking The Wrath and the Dawn, lauded by Publishers Weekly as "a potent page-turner of intrigue and romance."
I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.
In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.

While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.

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Raquel

xoxo

Release Blitz: Surviving Ice by K.A. Tucker

We are so excited to bring you the Release Week Blitz for K.A. Tucker's SURVIVING ICE! SURVIVING ICE is a standalone romantic suspense novel and is the fourth book in K.A. Tucker's Burying Water Series, published by Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Grab your copy today!

 Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo ** IndieBound

 SURVIVING ICE Synopsis: The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths series and Burying Water—which Kirkus Reviews called “a sexy, romantic, gangster-tinged page-turner”—returns with a new novel packed with romance, plot twists, and psychological suspense. Ivy Lee, a talented tattoo artist who spent the early part of her twenties on the move, is looking for a place to call home. She thinks she might have finally found it working in her uncle’s tattoo shop in San Francisco. But all that changes when a robbery turns deadly, compelling her to pack up her things yet again. When they need the best, they call him. That’s why Sebastian Riker is back in California, cleaning up the mess made after a tattoo shop owner with a penchant for blackmail got himself shot. But it’s impossible to get the answers he needs from a dead body, leaving him to look elsewhere. Namely, to the twenty-something-year-old niece who believes this was a random attack. Who needs to keep believing that until Sebastian finds what he’s searching for. Ivy has one foot out of San Francisco when a chance encounter with a stranger stalls her departure. She’s always been drawn to intense men, so it’s no wonder that she now finds a reason to stay after all, quickly intoxicated by his dark smile, his intimidating strength, and his quiet control. That is, until Ivy discovers that their encounter was no accident—and that their attraction could be her undoing.

And don’t miss the previous titles in the Burying Water Series!

BURYING WATER

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo ** IndieBound

BECOMING RAIN

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo ** IndieBound

 

CHASING RIVER

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo ** IndieBound

        About K.A. Tucker: Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.          

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads **

YouTube ** Pinterest ** Instagram

 

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Stacking the Shelves (52)

Welcome to this week's Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga`s Reviews. It features books I bought or received for review each week. It is about adding books to my book shelf whether it by physical, virtual or audio. Thanks for stopping by!

I have only purchased one book this week through Audible.com:

Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas

I am still listening to Heir of Fire which I am enjoying a lot. I am excited to get through the rest of it and continue onto Queen of Shadows. 

Also if you have not done so already, you can enter my giveaway for Spooktacular Giveaway Hop.

Raquel

xoxo

Waiting on Wednesday (60)

White Hot (Hidden Legacy #2) by Ilona Andrews

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

This book was originally releases this month but it got pushed back  to 2016 and I am so bummed about it. I listened to the first book, Burn for Me, in audiobook version which was great. The beginning was a little slow but after that a lot happened. Certain parts I replayed over and over again. Overall I really enjoyed Burn for Me and I am really excited to see where the story goes.

Expected Publication Date: June 2016

Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

It is listed on the website as late spring/early summer 2016

Nevada Baylor has a unique and secret skill—she knows when people are lying—and she's used that magic (along with plain, hard work) to keep her colorful and close-knit family's detective agency afloat. But her new case pits her against the shadowy forces that almost destroyed the city of Houston once before, bringing Nevada back into contact with Connor "Mad" Rogan.

Rogan is a billionaire Prime—the highest rank of magic user—and as unreadable as ever, despite Nevada's "talent." But there's no hiding the sparks between them. Now that the stakes are even higher, both professionally and personally, and their foes are unimaginably powerful, Rogan and Nevada will find that nothing burns like ice . . .

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Raquel

xoxo

Release Day Launch: A Moment of Weakness by Brooklyn Skye

We’re so excited to bring you the release day A Moment of Weakness by Brooklyn Skye. This is a great new contemporary romance! Brooklyn is sharing an excerpt and giveaway with us, so be sure to check it all out!

 

A Moment of Weakness Synopsis:
 Until her new job starts in September, buttoned-up elementary school teacher Laurel Harris is at loose ends and in need of cash. Fortunately her best friend's older brother is a single dad and desperately needs a nanny. Or so she’s told. She doesn’t anticipate him being such a menacing, muscled, and undeniably gorgeous man…or that he has zero interest in hiring a nanny. Micah Crane will do right by his young daughter, no matter the cost. And right now, that cost is juggling parenthood with long hours at his bar and working as an enforcer for a notorious crime boss. He doesn’t need another complication in his life, but the sweet, frustratingly opinionated little blonde hell-bent on caring for his daughter stirs his blood like no woman ever has. All it takes is a moment of weakness to ignite the lust blazing between them. A moment that will unravel their self-control and unleash all of Micah’s darkest secrets... 

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes   

Exclusive Excerpt: Laurel opened her mouth, but before she could get anything out, Micah said, “How about I show you where you’ll be sleeping,” and walked out of the kitchen, gesturing for her to follow. Silently, she trailed him, her suitcase bumping along the carpeted hallway. With each step, she catalogued what she knew of him so far. Right foot. Raising six-year-old alone. Left foot. Has taken some precautions in keeping Shaelynn safe, but might need some help with that. Right foot. His backside is really, really nice to look at. Left foot. I wonder if those muscles under his back pockets feel as hard as they look— “It’s only a two-bedroom apartment,” he said, suddenly coming to a stop. The movement was too fast, and by the time her brain caught up, she was already slamming into the back of him. Right against the butt she’d been staring at. Oh my god. He twirled fast and clamped his huge hand around the top of her arm to steady her, those brown eyes ticking from her eyes to her forehead to her ears, mouth, over her shoulder, then back to her eyes. The force of his stare triggered a nervous giggle from her lips. “I’m so sorry,” she said, forcing her gaze to stay with his even though the intensity was making her a little dizzy. “I didn’t expect you to stop right there.” “We’re at the end of the hallway,” he said, unamused. Right. But… She pointed to where the carpet dead ended. “I couldn’t see because of your…” Butt. Not a chance she’d admit that. Your entire ginormous body blocking my view. Yeah, not that either. “Because of…um, you,” she said, swallowing down what she hoped was all of her embarrassment. 

Praise for A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS: “...one of the hottest first kiss scenes I have ever read.” -Escape With a Book review blog “I loved the way this book was written. At times, it was almost like poetry. Brooklyn Skye knocked it out the park with this one.” -Wicked Good Reads “Skye's creation was absolutely superb… a perfect blend of romance and eroticism with a dash of suspense thrown in to keep the pace running smoothly.” –Lunaland Books “This book is a refreshing change from the run of the mill rich alpha guy falls for the beautiful girl that walks into his life and uncovers all his secrets. Micah is not rich. He is raising his six year old in a small two bedroom apartment. Trying to be a better parent than his dad was to him.” -Mollien for Alpha Book Club  

Brooklyn Skye Bio: Brooklyn Skye grew up in a small town where she quickly realized writing was an escape from small town life. Really, she’s just your average awkward girl who’s obsessed with words. She writes young adult, new adult, and romance fiction. You can follow her on Twitter as @brooklyn__skye, Instagram as @brooklynskyewrites, or visit her web site for updates, teasers, giveaways, and more. www.brooklyn-skye.com 

  Links: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Blog | Goodreads

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Blogs Taking Part in the Release Day Launch

Southern Vixens Book Obsessions

Romancing the Readers

Zoe Forward

I Love Romance

Alpha Fangirl Book Blog

British Book Binge

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club

Indy Book Fairy

Sanaa's Book Blog

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Nose Stuck in a Book

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Belle's Book Bag

Read, Write, Ripley

Nicole's Book Musings

JB's Book Obsession Blog

2 Greek Girls Reading

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Read Your Writes Book Reviews

Miss Riki

Smut Book Junkie Reviews

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Jax's Book Magic

Adventures in Writing

BestSellers & BestStellars

Sexy Bibliophiles

Summer's Book Blog

Alpha Book Club

Teatime and Books

Hooked on books

My Girlfriends Couch

Cupcakes and Vodka Book Blog

Wild Wordy Women

Bookcrastinators in Wonderland

Country Gals Sexy Reads

Ellesea Loves Reading

The Book Bellas

Craves the Angst Book Blog

Hot Kindle Reads

Evermore Books

Mama Likes to Read

Tantalizing Reviews

Amazeballs Book Addicts

Kitty's Book Spot!

Bound By Books Book Review

Works of Fiction

Garden of Reden

Jen’s Reading Obsession

Musings of the Book-a-holic Fairies, inc.

Love N.Books

She's a Lip Biter

Pages Abound

Olivia Loch

Sweetlove and hotness britches

Renee Entress's Blog

New Adult Addiction

Wicked Babes Blog Reviews

Liz's Reading Life

G & T's Indie Café

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We Like It Big Book Blog

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oh the book feels

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Romance Reviews and More

Friends Till The End Book Blog

Love Affair With Fiction

Reading Bliss

Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters

The Babbling Reader

 

Stacking the Shelves (51)

Welcome to this week's Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga`s Reviews. It features books I bought or received for review each week. It is about adding books to my book shelf whether it by physical, virtual or audio. Thanks for stopping by!

Over the past several weeks I have been purchasing audiobooks from Audible. Here are those purchases:

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Every Last Breath (The Dark Elements #3) by Jennifer Armentrout

Item bought from Amazon:

Ride Steady (Chaos #3) by Kristen Ashley

I recently finished Ride Steady which was great. My review will be up in the next 2 weeks as I am way behind in reviews. I have also listened to Every Last Breath and Crown of Midnight which were great as well. I am currently listening to Heir of Fire which so far I am liking more than Crown of Midnight. 

I have been going through some things (reason for my lack of blogging) but I will be posting on a more consistent basis from now on :)

Also if you have not done so already, you can enter my giveaway for Spooktacular Giveaway Hop.

Raquel 

xoxo

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

I am giving away (1) $15 Amazon Gift Card. This giveaway is international. Open to anyone 13 and over. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget and will also be emailed. Thanks for entering!
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Waiting on Wednesday (59)

Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4) by Morgan Rhodes

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

I am really looking forward to this book. Even though I have only read the first 2 books so far, this series just keeps on getting better and better.

Expected Publication Date: December 15, 2015

Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

Rebels, royals, and monsters wage war over the Mytican throne in the shocking fourth book of the Falling Kingdoms series, from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes.

CLEO: Reeling after a bloody showdown in Limeros ending with Amara’s abduction of the water crystal, and a vacancy in the Mytican throne, Princess Cleo must cast aside her feelings and look toward her kingdom with the eyes of a Queen.

MAGNUS: With the kingdom in chaos, Princess Lucia still missing and quite possibly in danger, and a shocking realization about Cleo, the steely prince is once again torn between love and duty, leaving him wondering whether he’s strong enough to rule his people.

LUCIA: The young sorcercess has had her vengeance after the cruel death of her first and only love. Heartbroken and unable to trust anyone, she allies with the awoken Fire god, who also seeks revenge.

JONAS: After escaping death by the skin of his teeth, the defeated rebel—along with a mysterious stranger–leader reunites with Princess Cleo, only to find himself a mere pawn in a dangerous hunt for the elusive Kindred.

KING GAIUS: Abandoned by Melenia and betrayed by his own children, Gaius flees Mytica and sails to Kraeshia, where he attempts to ally with the famously brutal emperor across the Silver Sea.

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Raquel

xoxo

Waiting on Wednesday (58)

Nameless by Jennifer Jenkins 

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

This book sounds EPIC with a killer front cover...Need I say more. I NEED to read this!

Expected Publication Date: October 6, 2015

Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series. 

Add To Goodreads

Raquel 

xoxo

Amazing Books- May I Suggest...Giveaway Hop

I am giving away (1) $15 Amazon Gift Card. This giveaway is international. Open to anyone 13 and over. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget and will also be emailed. Thanks for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves (50)

Welcome to this week's Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga`s Reviews. It features books I bought or received for review each week. It is about adding books to my book shelf whether it by physical or virtual. Thanks for stopping by!

Bought from Chapters/Indigo:

Confess by Colleen Hoover

Wait For You by J. Lynn

Effortless by S.C. Stephens

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare

Raquel

xoxo

Review: Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

Title: Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2)

Author: Kresley Cole

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Pages: 320

Source: Bought from Chapters Indigo

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Synopsis: 

In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Timesbestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles.

Shocking secrets 
Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who've been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It's kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies 
With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery 
When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she's drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can't remember--but Death can't forget...

My Thoughts:

I loved, loved, LOVED this book. It was an electrifying read. Endless Knight picks up where Poison Princess leaves off; Evie has made her first kill by turning into the Red Witch. Evie and her friends are continuously on the run from bagmen, militia and cannibals. It is very interesting how the flash changed the world and fascinating why there aren’t many women left. I definitely liked this installment better that I did Poison Princess.

In Poison Princess, we see flashes of Death and how evil he was from what Evie can remember or told by Matthew. But in Endless Knight we learn a lot more about Death and his hardships (and of course his first name) and I must say I fell head over heels for him.  I am officially on Team Death! Don’t get me wrong, I still like the Cajun but there is something about Death that made me fall for him; he is complicated and misunderstood among many things. I loved the chemistry between Death and Evie. It is heart pounding and electric, like you never know what is going to happen next in their relationship. One thing I must say is that both Death and Jack are 100% devoted to Evie so it will interesting to see what happens in the love triangle.

We also learn more about the Arcana and the Tarot Cards in Endless Knight. To me, this aspect of story makes the book so unique. This installment was fast paced, and consuming and I just wanted more. I was so impatient sometimes with the pace of my reading that I would peak and try to see what would happen next (I know very bad of me). But I just needed to know what was going to happen. As time passes, we see Evie slowly getting stronger and it shocks me still the things she can do with her powers. If I were one of the Tarot Cards, I definitely would want her to be one of my allies.

The third book, Dead Winter, is already out and I am afraid to read it because I know there will be a cliffhanger at the end of it. I’m not sure I can wait another year to read the fourth book. Kresley Cole (please if possible) write faster. This is such an awesome series!

My Rating:

5 out of 5 stars

Raquel 

xoxo

Waiting on Wednesday (57)

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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

Expected Publication Date: September 29, 2015

Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven in this brand-book in the world of the Grisha by New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first. 

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Raquel

xoxo

Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Title: Poison Princess 

Author: Kresley Cole

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Pages: 369

Source: Bought from Chapters Indigo

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Synopsis:

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side.

My Thoughts:

I started reading this book in audiobook version since August 2012 (at least this is what Goodreads told me, lol). I originally starting listening to this book and I found the first part, the part with Arthur, so unbelievably creepy I could not continue with the story so I stopped. It wasn’t until the 3^rd book was being released that I decided to buy the hard copy of the book and realized that I should have continued reading it. I don’t even know how to begin this review other than it is so unbelievably good. I honestly could not wait for the times I was able read. This book was addictive, haunting, adventurous and utterly unique.

 In Poison Princess, we see zombies, militia and the apocalypse. It is like a fight to the death where the strongest and smartest will prevail. It kind of reminded me of The Hunger Games where 24 teens had to battle to the death and let me tell you, Poison Princess was utterly captivating. I have to say my favourite thing about this book is Jackson Devereax. That Cajun is one HOT boy. I love the interactions and the intense chemistry between him and Evie. It was electric and sizzling off the pages.

I loved the concept of the novel and the world the author, Kresley Cole, created. This is my first book by the author and it was spectacular. The novel was easy to read and descriptive. I found I always had a clear image of where the characters were and the surrounding area. Most importantly, I believed in the world building the author created. When I opened Poison Princess I truly believed I was in a world where there were hardly any women, bagmen and no food.

 I really enjoyed Evie’s progression in this story. In the beginning, she was very weak but by the end she grew into her own and continued to grow in strength. I think it was necessary for Evie to become stronger with how the world changed and for her to come into her powers.. There are so many lines I loved in this book; I swear half the book has a book tag on it. 

Some of my favourite lines are:

“W-we both know your life would be so much simpler without me! I am just a thorn in your paw."
He nodded easily. "And it reminds me of you - every move I make, I think of you."
My lips parted. Again I realized that he was the only thing in my life that made me feel sane, made me want to fight for a future.
"Evangeline, I've got to feel you with my every step." His shaking hand closed over my nape, squeezing. "Or I go a little crazy, me.” 

“If you touch me like that again, Evangeline,” he began in a husky tone, dropping to his seat once more, “in the space of a heartbeat, I will have you off this bike and onto the closest horizontal surface. And I woan be picky, no.” 

“Damn, cher, you still smell like a blossom. Been so long since I've seen a flower that I'd nearly forgotten what they smelled like." He took a lock of my hair, rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger. "You're dressing up and using expensive perfume? Ole Jack senses a trap. Consider me snared.” 

With lines like these, I know this series is only going to get better and better and I must say I really can’t wait to read the rest.

My Rating: 

4 out of 5 stars

Raquel 

xoxo