Interview with Natalie Ward

So this is awesome! I got to interview Natalie Ward, the author of I Love You To Death. I just so happen to love the hell out of this book. I instantly was hooked within the prologue. I read this book in one day and was blown away by its epicness. Natalie has a gift, a way with words and she's an amazing person as well. She's a lot like me and just expresses her thoughts and doesn't care what people think. Life is too short to give a damn about what others think. If they like you, great-if they hate something about you, well whatever. I'm not on this earth to impress everyone, so I could care less. Now, I love people and I love it when people do like me, but I won't go through the trouble of trying to convince them to. And that is what Natalie seems to be like and her and I get along and she's a great person. I was so happy to get the opportunity to ask her some questions. She answered them honestly. Everyone needs to read her book!!! So here is my interview with her, enjoy!

About Natalie

So what can I tell you about me. Well I was born and currently live in Australia, but I’ve also lived in England and the US. You’ll probably notice that I tend to use “Australian” spelling because I'm just not used to “American” spelling....plus my computer defaults to it.

I'm a seriously avid reader and have been known to read all night and go to work the next day with no sleep because I just can’t put a book down. I probably get a little too invested in stories and characters sometimes and should work on that. It’s hard to say how long I’ve been writing for, most of it was done in secret and there are a tonne of files on my computer that will never see the light of day – but that’s a good thing, as most of them are crap.

I Love You to Death was the first thing I wrote that I actually seriously committed to. It was born out of two incidents, the first being a random thought that struck me on my way to buy lunch. That thought became Sam’s letter to Ash and it got me thinking about people dying and what it would do to you if you thought it was all your fault. Imagine having to go through the stages of grief over and over again. The second thing was making a friend a mixed tape. This was around the time of Adele and Christina Perri and their amazing power ballads about having your heart ripped out by some guy. My friend made the comment that no songs like this are ever written by men. I disagreed and proceeded to make her a mixed tape to prove it. Oh boy, did that create trouble! Well actually, it created Luke and when it did, he just would not leave me alone. That man occupied my head for months and months and because of him, I got to thinking all about the stages of love instead. But it also created some inspiration for the story (ie: the sexy rock star) and a playlist too which features some of my most favourite songs and artists. So, ta dah – that was how it got started!

How did it get finished? Well, that was a lot harder! Firstly there was the “just finish something” comments that I kept getting from the few people who knew I was doing this. Then there was the writers block and trying to get over that. Then there were the sleepless nights as this story kept waking me up with answers to missing parts or plot changes. Then there were the “when can I read it” questions I got, followed by me needing to overcome the fear of actually showing it to anybody. Then, well then I just got over it, took a massive gamble and went for it. Ta dah – that’s how it got finished!

Now it's finally finished, I'm working on my next book, actually I have two on the go at once and I'm trying to decide which one to focus on. There are other stories too, but at the moment, these two are the ones waking me up at night. Guess now I get to go through the process all over again!

Anyway, that’s all I can think of for now. Drop me a line if there’s something you’re really dying to know about me and I’ll see if I can give you an answer. In the meantime, here are ten completely random and probably very useless facts instead!

1.       My favourite colour is black – I even got married in it. But don’t worry it wasn’t a bride of Frankenstein type dress, it was much classier than that!

2.       I really hate wasabi and I hate it even more when they disguise it as avocado in my sushi.

3.       My two biggest fears in life are plane crashes and shark attacks. Naturally a combination of the two would be my worst nightmare.

4.       I have a very good memory for useless information which makes me great for quiz nights but is fairly pointless in all other situations.

5.       I absolutely love shopping, seriously. And I can really go hard at it. I miss living in America because of all the great shopping.

6.       I am definitely a night owl. I hate getting up in the mornings.

7.       I spent 8 years studying at university – none of it was related to writing or English!

8.       I watch a lot of TV. I love it, movies too.

9.       I really wish I could sing. Unfortunately I can’t and this shows when I do karaoke, although that’s probably not helped by the alcohol I’ve had to consume in order to get up there. I like Singstar on playstation too, that’s so much fun.

10.   I never read instruction manuals, preferring to just work it out as I go. This often leads to trouble.

Interview with Natalie Ward

1.       When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?

LOL, I don’t think I ever realized I did! I still don’t consider myself to be one now. I just like to write and I have a crazy arse imagination. Putting the two together just seemed like a logical thing to do!

                           2.       How long did it take you to write I Love You To Death and did you see yourself actually publishing it?

From the day I wrote Sam’s letter, to the day it was published was exactly 1 year, but there was a 2-3 month gap where I wrote absolutely nothing because I was so stuck. When I first started, I never thought about it being published, I wrote it because it was in my head. But towards the end, I started to think about actually trying to publish it, even though the idea of it being out there kinda scared me. The whole process taught me a lot about myself, that’s for sure.

                   3.       Are any of your characters based on actual people you know?

Directly no, but there are definitely elements of people I know in some of the characters. It scares me to admit, but there’s a lot of me in this book as well, a lot. Many of Ash’s thoughts are my thoughts.

4.       What is your writing style like?

Epic fucking chaos. I’m not kidding, nothing I write ever progresses in any kind of logical way. I can’t outline, plot or plan, I’ve tried, but it all just turns to shit. I can be writing one scene that’s from the middle of the book and suddenly the ending comes to me and I have to go and write that. I’ll get hit with a scene that I have no idea where it goes or what it means, but I just have to write it down and hope I work it out later. It’s crazy and it means for a long time I have no idea about exactly what is going to happen. I’ve tried being more organized, but it never works, so now I just go for it and hope it will eventually all make sense.

5.       Where is your favorite place to write?

Anywhere, wherever I have my laptop. Probably the most writing gets done on the couch in front of the TV, glass of wine close by.

                            6.       What is the biggest challenge you have faced while writing? Did you ever get stuck or have writers block?

Time! Unfortunately I also work a full time job, so finding the time to write is hard. Usually I give up sleep to write which means I probably look like shit most days. As for getting stuck, absolutely. With ILYTD I got stuck badly around 65,000 words. I just couldn’t write anything, nothing was coming to me. It took almost 3 months and then coffee with a friend to make it all start flowing again. Now, with Luke’s book, I’m kinda finding myself in the exact same situation…with him it’s a bit different, I know what he’s telling me, but it just isn’t translating into words yet. Hopefully we’ll get it sorted.

                             7.       Do you ever plan to write outside of the current genre or are you set on Romance?

I never even thought about writing in the Romance genre! To be honest, I have about 15 books started on my computer and they cover everything, from supernatural, crime, mystery, romance and good old smut. So I don’t see myself as being set on this genre and actually, at the moment I’m writing something else that is far from it.

8.       Who are your inspirations?

I have no specific people as inspirations – I don’t know if that’s a bad thing?!! But I am easily inspired by loads of stuff around me; a conversation, a text message, eavesdropping, people watching etc.

                             9.       What is the one thing you love most about writing? What is the least you love about it?

The thing I love most – telling a story that feels so real inside my head. The thing I love least – writer’s block!

10.   Do you find publishing a book to be easy?

In general, yes, surprisingly so. I was scared about all the formatting for the ebooks because I am super impatient and formatting does my head in, but it was all smooth sailing. The hardest and scariest part about publishing for me was telling friends and family that I’d actually written a book and then knowing they were reading it.

                       11.   What goes into writing a book and how do you ensure that it is complete?

The best piece of advice I ever got was to just write, because it’s much easier to edit crap, than edit nothing at all. So that’s what I tried to do, write. I’d like to say I did it everyday, but I didn’t. On the days when I was stuck, I would just read over stuff that was already done and try and improve it. As for knowing when it’s done, possibly a harder question to answer. I knew the story I wanted to tell, but having other people read it, see it with fresh eyes and tell me where the gaps were, that definitely helped. You could probably re-work a story forever, but I eventually reached a point where I had to let it go and so I did.

                 12.   What is one piece of advice you would give to new authors who are trying to self-publish?

Stop worrying about your story and what other people are going to think about it and just write. Oh and finish it before you do anything else!

13.   What do you like to do in your spare time?

Read, listen to music, watch TV and hang out drinking wine with my hubby and friends. A combination of all this is my perfect day.

14.   What is your biggest fear?

Plane crashes and shark attacks and thanks to my hubby coming up with a nice scenario of my plane crashing into shark-infested waters, a combination of the two is my worst fucking nightmare.

15.   What is your favorite genre to read?

Hard to say, my reading is mood driven, so that can cover many genres. I love romance, mystery/crime, contemporary fiction, books that are outside the box, biographies, anything. I just want a book that makes me think or feel.

                        16.   What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your characters?

How much I grew to love them and how much I learnt about their lives. I feel like I know them all personally and they live in this little world inside my head. Either that or I’m just going crazy.

                       17.   To any reader who hasn't read your book, how would you persuade them to give I Love You To Death a try?

Down on my knees begging and saying “pretty, pretty please?” Either that or “please just go in with an open mind.”

18.   Where did you get the inspiration from this story?

I have no idea! I was walking down the street to buy lunch and Sam’s letter just popped into my head. When I got back to work, I wrote it out, literally as it appears in the book and then just kept writing…by the end of the day I had close to 6,000 words and a lot of Ash and Sam’s relationship written. I still don’t know why it came to me, but once it did, the story never left.

                               19.   In I Love You to Death, there is a lot of music that seemed to inspire, what were your favorite bands growing up?

Growing up, shit do I want to admit that! As a kid I loved Culture Club…yes, I know…but I loved them, I still do! My music tastes are super eclectic and I would never discard any band or song until I’ve listened to them, because I’ve been introduced to so many amazing bands purely on recommendations. Right now though, while there are many bands and artists that I love, I cannot go past 30 Seconds to Mars….I love them and I love them hard.

20.   What did you want to be as a kid?

I still don’t know what I want to be now and I’m supposed to be an adult!! But, I did and still do, want to be a chef. I love to cook and would love to have my own restaurant…yes, I live this vicariously through Luke now J

21.   Where can your readers stalk you?

Facebook, Goodreads and my blog, I have no time for Twitter. And please stalk away, I love hearing from people who have read the book!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. It’s been a pleasure and I wish you the best of luck in your writing and I know you will go very far!!! This is just the beginning! J Looking forward to Luke’s book!!! So excited!

Synopsis:

When Ash loses her boyfriend, she is consumed by grief, loneliness and an overwhelming sense of guilt for her role in not only his death, but the deaths of everyone she has ever loved. Refusing to let anyone in for fear of losing them too, she becomes withdrawn, spending her days reliving the nightmares from her past. 

Until she meets Luke. 

Initially scared by his intensity and interest in her, Ash tries to push him away. But as Luke slowly starts to chip away at the walls she’s built, Ash finds herself doing the one thing she swore she’d never do again — falling in love. 

When the familiar feelings Ash had hoped were long buried with her past begin to resurface, she is forced to ask herself if falling in love again is really worth the risk.


Luke Taylor 

Review: Find You in the Dark by A. Meredith Walters

Find You in the Dark by A. Meredith Walters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, I'm in absolute tears and depression right now. This was such a hard book to read. I cried through most of it. I need to get my emotions together to write my review. But after reading the sneak peek for the sequel which is in Clay's POV, I am more than positive that there is light at the end of the tunnel, somewhere. But this is NOT an HEA, so if you're looking for that in this book, don't look further. I need the sequel now!!! My heart hurts so bad for these characters.



Okay, I am not sure how to start this. This book still weighs heavy on my mind since I finished at 4 am. But I will start out by giving this author kudos, for addressing such a heavy issue and doing it tragically beautiful. I don't know how she did it, but this is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time. I've known people in my life who suffered from bi-polar disorder and personality disorder. These are NOT easy issues to cover. But somehow, I was thrown into this darkness that I could not climb out of, much like Clay Reed. So, with that said...Good job A Meredith Walters. It proves me to be even more of a masochist, but I am okay with that. It's books like these that make me love reading so much more. And if that makes me sick, then so fucking be it.

So we have Maggie Young, a seventeen year old who is in her senior year of high school. She's a sweet and caring person. She loves her family and her two best friends, Rachel and Daniel and would do anything for them. Her life is anything but fun. She does the same things everyday and is not at all spontaneous. She starts to wish there was something more to life than this monotony she lives through. Don't we all??

That is...til she runs into Clay Reed, literally runs into him in the school parking lot. He's the new student who moved from Florida. He's dark, mysterious and oh so good looking. Everyone tries to bully him, especially the popular jackass Paul who makes a scene at lunch one day. Yelling at Clay, calling him a pussy and breaking his MP3 player. But Clay does nothing but keep his head down and his gaze anywhere but on Paul. To Maggie, it's very disconcerting that he would let such a prick humiliate him in front of everyone so she intervenes. He's not happy about the save, letting Maggie know it was not her business. What is he a Damsel in Distress? No guy wants a girl to "save" them from public humliation-it's embarrassing and takes their "man card" away. What....ever.

Clay:



After all the cold shoulders and hissing that Clay does, Maggie has had enough. She's intrigued by his secretive side and wants to know more about him so she makes it a mission to butt into his life. And she won't back down. Much to Clay's dismay, he finally lets her in..a little at a time. He shows her a little bit of living and she finally gets to see what spontaneous is like. She stops hanging out with her friends to spend as much time with Clay as possible. Their friendship grows and soon becomes something more, they fall in love. It also becomes destructive and fast. Because there seems to be a wall between them, something that Clay is still hiding from her. When she finally learns his family history and of his sickness, she does everything in her power to save him. But is love really enough?

Maggie and Clay:



Ahhhhh, this book. It broke me to pieces. I was on pins and needles. Constantly biting my nails in fear, frustration, pain and anger. Clay suffers from mental health issues. His parents were never the loving type, in fact his parents are probably a big reason he's so fucked up and I HATE THEM!!! They are inconsiderate, self-centered, evil people. They always blamed him for his issues and called him every bad name in the book, making him feel like an embarrassment. How the hell can you call yourself a parent when you're anything but...evil sons of bitches. Yes, excuse the cursing but his mother made me want to throw my nook at my wall and then sob. I hated how she acted toward Maggie and blamed her for everything that's wrong with him. Fuck you. Ugh. That woman got under my skin like no other.



Seriously, I know this is a hard book to read but I couldn't stop-and didn't want to. I've dealt with this kind of stuff and its not pretty. But the author really did a good job of dragging me into the pits of hell with Clay and all I wanted to do was.....




It was so hard to read what he was going through. I cried, I sobbed and I wanted to help Maggie too. She was so helpless, thinking that her love would save him-them. That all you need is love. But sometimes, even love isn't enough. Sometimes the darkness sucks you under so quickly, you can't breathe...




Just when I thought things were going to be okay....



I was a mess. I couldn't breathe. I cried so much. I felt Maggie's pain, her helplessness, her fear...everything. I loved Clay. He was a broken and very sick boy. I wanted him to have a happy ending. But sometimes even happy endings are impossible.



I don't know if this book is for everyone, but those that can handle such monumental issues will like this. Those that are masochists like me....read it. I want to discuss this book with others. I want opinions...



If you choose to read this, just know there is a sequel...and its from his POV and I can't effing wait. I want it....NOW!!! I'm dying here....I want more. I love them. Maggie and Clay. I want them to have a happy ending. Dammit to hell. This is me at the last page....




I loved Maggie for being one of the only people that really loved Clay. The only one that wanted to help him-even though she may in some way enabled his tendencies. But what did she know? She got in too deep and couldn't get out, because she loved him enough to try and help him. Unlike his parents who did nothing but make him feel worthless and want to end his life. There were many things that happened in this book that made you question whether it was right or wrong. Maggie wanted to live a perfect normal life with her amazing boyfriend, and sometimes he was amazing. But in an instant, his moods went off the handle and he was a complete dick. How do you justify your relationship with that person? That's not love, yet she would not give up on him. It broke my heart. I feared for his life and for hers as well. Gah, this is hard. I can clearly visualize everything that happened. I loved Rachel and Daniel too. They were good friends and even though they didn't understand what was happening, they were always there for Maggie.

All in all, the writing was great! The story, obviously a hard pill to swallow, the characters were memorable and the end....well the end will kill you. Just have tissues handy. And then when you read Clay's POV in the back-a sneak peek at the sequel, you'll feel a sense of hope for the future. Maybe a light....go to the light. Ahhhh I want...I want that book NOW NOW NOWWW! Please don't make me wait too long.

View all my reviews

Pyramid of the Moon Blog Tour: Spotlight

Pyramid of the Moon Blog Tour

The Book

Pyramid of the Moon
By: Teresa Smith

Synopsis
We all have a darker side. Nobody knows this better than Evangeline Mason.
Her ancestors were hungry for ultimate power and now she and her friends must pay the ultimate price for that greed. Can you imagine feeling as if you don't belong in your own body? Life is hard when you don't know who you truly are or what sort of evil you are capable of.
Who can she trust and who will end up betraying her? At the end of her journey, will she hold on to her soul mate, or lose him as she loses herself?
Follow Eva and her friends on their incredible journey to self discovery and true love.

Genre

Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Recommended Age Group
13 and Older

Length 
235 Pages

Publisher

Teresa Smith

Average Rating

4.8 of 5 Stars

What People Are Saying
“This is such an amazing start to this series! Seriously...I need Pyramid of the Sun like....now!”

“Honestly, I have to say...this book is fantastic! The very first chapter reeled me in with curiosity. The author is very detailed in her words, she creates a virtual movie in your mind with the description of each aspect of the story…”

“Words escape me. The characters, the plot, the intensity, the dynamic scenes, just everything about this book will hold your attention which is important to me. From beginning to end I was just lost in the characters and their moments. It's different, it's fast going, and it left me demanding book 2.”

“If you are a fan of action, a wee bit of romance, and some truly evil people, well...this is the book for you. As I said, EXCELLENT book! This is one of those that you seriously don't want to miss out on. “ 

Links
Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15989099-pyramid-of-the-moon

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sun-and-Moon-trilogy/274117662695644

The Author

Teresa Smith

Biography

Teresa Smith has been writing short stories since she was ten years old. She served a full term in the United States Air Force and then decided to raise her three beautiful daughter’s full time.
Working on a degree in Business Management, she couldn’t turn off the urge to write stories and it became her main focus.
She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, three daughters and golden retriever.

You can comment and like this trilogy on her Facebook author’s page at sun and moon trilogy.
It is also listed on Goodreads under Pyramid of the Moon.

Links

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sun-and-Moon-trilogy/274117662695644
Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6568179.Teresa_Smith

Make sure you join the Blog Tour and Stocking Stuffer Event on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/events/371997279560881/

The Schedule

December 2
Amber’s Supernatural & YA Reviews

http://ambersupernaturalandya.blogspot.com/

December 4
I Read Indie

http://twimom101bookblog.blogspot.com/

December 6
Love YA Books Forever

http://loveyabooksforever.blogspot.com/

December 8
The Cover (and Everything in Between…)
http://thecoverbybrittany.blogspot.com/

December 10

Little Miss Sunshine

www.anniebrewerwrites.com

December 12
Book Crazy

http://bookcrazy123.blogspot.co.uk/

December 14
Tammy's Tea Time

http://tammysteatime.blogspot.com/

December 16
Books, Brownies and Barkers

http://www.booksnbrownies.com/

December 18
R&M Fab Book Reviews

http://rmfabbookreviews.blogspot.com

December 20

Tamara’s One Stop Indie Shop

http://theindieshop.blogspot.com/

Blog Tour: Out of Reach-Spotlight + Giveaway

Synopsis:

How do you find someone who doesn’t want to be found? A girl searches for her missing addict brother while confronting her own secrets in this darkly lyrical novel.

Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah. He struggles with addiction, but she tells herself that he’s in control. And she almost believes it. Until the night that Micah doesn’t come home.

Rachel’s terrified—and she can’t help but feel responsible. She should have listened when Micah tried to confide in her. And she only feels more guilt when she receives an anonymous note telling her that Micah is nearby and in danger.

With nothing more to go on than hope and a slim lead, Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, begin the search. Along the way, Rachel will be forced to confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler…and the possibility that Micah may never come home.

    

About the Author:

Carrie Arcos

Carrie Arcos lives in Los Angeles with her family. She writes young adult literature and is an adjunct professor. You can find more about her at carriearcos.com

Links:

Website: http://carriearcos.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carriearcosauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/carriearcos

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752060.Carrie_Arcos

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Seduced in the Dark- ~C.J Roberts

Seduced in the Dark by C.J. Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW WOW WOW I can't stop crying. This was....it was....I just. Gah, my emotions are everywhere right now. I seriously need time to process what I just read. Maybe tomorrow I can write a proper review. But holy shit. I love Caleb. LOVE him!!!! A-Fucking-Mazing!!!!!!


“Once upon a time, Caleb held me captive in the dark, now he used it to seduce me.”

Well, I just realized I never did my review for Captive in the Dark. So I will have to rectify the situation-what an absurd ordeal. Though out of the two, I would have to say this book is my favorite. And yes, it's MUCH more intense, darker, more hair pulling, eye gauging, wanna slap a bitch up fucked up book and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!! I seriously wanted to scream, punch holes in the wall, throw my laptop and phone down on the ground in surrender and ram my car into a tree. That is how disturbing and dark this book is. My thoughts became so volatile and wretched, I had to force myself to stop reading sometimes. It consumed me-my every thought. I was a wreck. I couldn't sleep well and I didn't eat much while reading this for fear of retching. Some parts were so appalling I didn't know why I was reading it. I kept saying, "What the fuck am I still enamored by this damn book? It's making me sick."

But then my answer, the only answer it could be....CALEB. CALEB. CALEB. CALEB. CALEB.
Yeah, I was in love with Caleb. I'm guilty!

“So, that's it? You think I'm just some idiot that fell for your bullshit! Well you're wrong! I fell in love with you, Caleb. I fell in love with your sick sense of humor. I fell in love with the way you protected me. You saved my life!" - Livvie”

Ahhh, didn't he save us all??? God, how I love him! He's mine Livvie!

"Mine!"

I knew this book would be an emotional rollercoaster as was Captive in the Dark. But daaaaaaamn, I hadn't anticipated all the sharp turns and hills, going up and down, side to side then plummeting to my death. Woaaaaah, let's put on the breaks please. This ride was a lot of things. All the things we discover about these characters made me say "WHAT????" But through most of it, I just sat there numb and cried.

Livvie. Oh how I loved this stupid awesome girl. We both had something in common in falling for the psycho sicko. She was such a stronger more fearless girl in this book. Everything she went through made her so brave. You felt her pain, literally. You wanted to hold her while she cried and tell her it would be okay-or just take her and run the fuck out of there. You wanted to protect her and keep her safe from those sick fucks! You just wanted to be there to support her. I admire Olivia's character very much. Oh my gosh, the pain, agony, despair she suffered through most of it was enough to send you to the mental house. I really loved her. I found myself though, wishing I was in her place. (Yes, I'm a total whack job, I know.) But it's true. I'll take her place.
You hear that Caleb??? Pick ME ME ME!!!!! I'll be your prisoner!


Livvie Quotes:

“I love you, Caleb. I love you! If you care for me at all... please, don't do this! Please, don't leave me. I don't know how to live without you. Don't make me go back to trying to be someone I don't know how to be anymore. - Livvie”

“Softly, he inhales and exhales as we kiss. He never stops kissing me; he simply continues to steal my breath, returning it to me only when he’s infused it with his essence. Pure lust lives inside him. Every breath I take should come from his lungs.”

“In the dark, my master let down his guard and he was Caleb again. He didn’t correct me. He didn’t punish me. He didn’t push me away emotionally. Caleb was there to hold me until the nightmares passed. He was there to tell me I was beautiful. He was there to tell me I was going to be okay. In the dark, he seduced me. I didn’t want the seduction to end.”

“I'm fucked in the head, too. Even before I met you.”

“I don’t want revenge, Caleb. I don’t want to end up like you, letting some fucking vendetta run my life. I just want my freedom. I want to be free, Caleb. Not someone’s whore…not even yours.”

“The naïve girl in me had been bitch-slapped into womanhood. I’d been razed by pain, grief, loss and suffering, and honed by lust, rage and an acute awareness of my need to survive.”


Caleb. Oh my, what to really say about Caleb?? I loved him in Captive. Though he was fucked up in that one too-but worse in this book. I came to love him more. In Seduced, we really see another side to him that we're not used to. It's a wonderful side but still very unfamiliar. One minute he shows a smidge of kindness then the next he's whipping her like a dog. It was disturbing yet I couldn't stop reading. I wanted to hate him and a part of me did, but when I got glimpses of the Caleb that could love another person or the Caleb that felt remorse for the things he'd done-or even the Caleb that would let himself feel...something other than the lust for revenge, I knew that deep within his rage and anger, he was just one fucked up lost soul that needed to be saved. THAT Caleb I loved with all my heart because once he knew that it was okay to be human and make mistakes, he was everything Livvie needed-and me too. Ha! Honestly, as effed up as loving him sounds, I would be stupid not to. He was mislead, betrayed, lied to, raped, beaten to a bloody pulp, deceived and transformed into a monster. But it wasn't his fault. Yes, he did bad, very bad unspeakable things. Very disturbing and unforgiveable things. And I guess there are no excuses for that. BUT because of his fucked up childhood, he didn't know any better. Maybe he did as an adult, but he was already in so deep, how can one recover from that? My heart broke for him. I cried for him. I felt his pain, anguish, longing, loneliness, betrayal, hatred...I felt all of that too! It was horrible!!! My poor Caleb!! Oh how I would fix you poor, tortured boy!

Caleb Quotes:

“I've been doing this a long time- manipulating people to get my way. That's why you think you love me. Because I've broken you down and built you back up to believe it. It wasn't an accident. Once you leave this behind..... you'll see that. -Caleb”

“That you could fix me? What's more, that I could fix you? Well, Sorry, pet, I don't want to be fixed. - Caleb”

“Mine.
The word was a declaration. It rocked him to his very foundation. It was a truth he’d kept hidden for far too long. Caleb didn’t know anything about love, or loving anyone, but he knew… Livvie was his.”

“She kisses my scars and I create new ones for her.”

“What are you doing ?" She said and laughed.
"I was curious," he whispered.
"About what ?"
"If happy tears taste the same as the sad ones," he said.”

“Live for me, Kitten. Be all those things you'd never be with me. Go to school. Meet a normal boy and fall in love. Forgive me. It's time for you to go, Kitten. Time for us both, to go.”


All in al, this book was definitely a tossing-turning kind of ride. I recommend these books to those that can handle the Fifty Shades books. Though these are darker and more fucked up, I say they are BETTER!!! If you love Fifty-you'll love Caleb MORE!!! Seriously, these were incredible. What a joy ride! But be prepared for the shock and clusterfuck of shit that happens! You'll be mentally and emotionally drained by the end. God, one minute I was screaming in rage-the next I was weeping for Caleb-then sobbing for Livvie and all she had to endure-then I was in shock-turned disgust-to hatred filled madness. Oh what a bloody mess! The end. Oh God, I can't say much but I will say the last 35% of this book had me on pins and needles. I couldn't sit still. I couldn't be disturbed. I ignored my kids to find out what happened to our beloved Olivia and Caleb. All I will say is.....

READ IT!!!! You won't regret it-maybe but if so...then that is your fault. I am saying now, it's dark and so effed up. But it is worth every bit!!

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Scarlet Woods Blog Tour-Spotlight

Synopsis:

Past, future, and love all exist in the door through time.
Modern and independent seventeen year old Morgan Westbrook thought she
had seen all there was to her home town of Scarlet, Georgia, but one
day while walking in the woods behind her house she discovers a
mysterious door masked behind the trees. After admiring the door’s
timeless beauty she walks through its entrance to venture into more
woods, but what she doesn’t know is that the door is a gateway through
time that takes her back to the year 1863 during the days of the Civil
War in Scarlet.
Without knowing that she had traveled back in time, she stumbles upon
Danny Carson, an attractive young man who is appalled to see that
Morgan is wearing skimpy modern clothes instead of a nineteenth
century dress. Although they find each other completely different than
anyone they've ever known, they cannot help but feel drawn to one
another. After spending time in another century, she discovers that
she's time traveled back to the year 1863 and that the door took her
there. For months she and Danny journey back and forth through the
door to experience the joys of traveling to both of their centuries.
When dilemmas of unwanted marriage, slavery, and war are thrown at
them, they must face the perils that time travel has delivered them in
both the future and the past.

Brooke Passermore

 Author Bio:

I live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and am a 22 year old young woman who
probably will never fully grow up. As a kid I played with Polly
Pockets, swam in my swimming pool practically every day during the
summer, and went on vacations to Disney World with my family (favorite
days of my life). I loved telling stories as a kid by playing with my
Polly’s and dressing up like princesses with my friends. Eventually
everything that went on in my busy imagination I wrote down on paper
in the late hours of the night.
 
When I was in sixth grade I moved into a new house with woods directly
behind my backyard. I’d walk about the woods and loved trampling
through the creek or getting lost in the trees. These trips through
the woods gave me my inspiration for my book trilogy Scarlet Woods. My
main character in my book is Morgan who lives in a house where the
woods are right behind her backyard. My love for trees and anything
woodsy definitely shows in my book and I hope I painted a pretty
picture in readers’ heads about what Scarlet Woods looks like.
 
My favorite candies are Skittles and M&M’s. I put ketchup on
practically anything with meat (even with chicken quesadillas). I’m a
great fan of Florence and the Machine, The Beatles, Taylor Swift,
Carrie Underwood, Birdie, and recently The Civil Wars. My favorite
books are The Hunger Games, Shiver, and Wither. My favorite movies are
Titanic and Gone with the Wind. The Vampire Diaries is the wonderful
TV show I’m obsessed with (I’m a Delena lover!!). I hate ads on
youtube that I repeatedly have to skip every single time I want to
listen to the newest song from Glee. I love to smile, laugh, and
purposefully sing loud and off key whenever my brother is around just
to pester him. I have a cat named Phoebe who we named after Phoebe
from Friends, a yorkie named Coco who we named because he likes to eat
Cocoa Puffs, and a shih tzu maltese we named Indy after Indiana Jones.
My favorite princess is Cinderella but I think my personality is a tie
between Ariel and Belle so they’re all my ultimate faves. If I could
choose a century to time travel to I’d probably choose the Victorian
age, the roaring 20’s, the 1950’s, or the 1940’s. I think the
Victorian age and the 1940’s were probably the most romantic eras in
history and the 20’s and 50’s would probably the most fun!

The Edge of Never by JA Redmerski

The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ummmm, holy crap this book sounds so damn AMAZING! I want it now! And look at that cover! Damn gorgeous! Eeeep!




Best. Fucking. Book. Ever.!

Andrew and Cam

Okay, before I get into this review because I am still a bit mind and emotional fucked right now, I have to say....when I first saw the blurb and the cover for this book, I knew...I KNEW I would love this book. The cover spoke to me and I was instantly drawn to want to read this book. I thought it wasn't coming out til next year but oh my fucking god, when I found out it was out, I was ALL OVER this baby...like a baby on it's mommy's nipple. I was like "GIVE ME THIS NOW!" So I bought it, of course I was finishing another book at the time so that I could give this book ALL of my attention. When my gals recommend a book and hound and hound and hound and demand and demand some more (hint hint Sylvia) I KNOW it's a must-read book! The cover, being such a cover whore that I am I was instantly in love with this book. I mean, look at it. Gorgeous...beautiful...PERFECT. Then to add the blurb...oh yes, gimme gimme gimme gimme! Put a perfect cover with a perfect blurb together and what do you get? A FUCKING MASTERPIECE. Yep, that's what I got. I was never disappointed. OH. MY. GOD.

Okay, okay I know, I am babbling too much...like a psycho and y'all are thinking "shut the fuck up and get on with the review dumbass" and so I will before my resolve slips and I break down and fall apart all over again.

So we have Camryn Bennett(I wonder if she's related to Josh Bennett?? haha), a 20 year old who is fed up with her monotonous regular going-nowhere life where she works at a department store. Her boyfriend Ian died from a tragice car accident while they were in high school, her parents divorced, her brother Cole went to prison for killing a man during a drunk accident, and her best friend since second grade accuses her of being a lying bitch(in which I wanted to slap across the face...hard). So basically her life is shit. She decides it's time to quit living for everyone else...and start living for herself. And so she does. She sets out to leave North Carolina on a road trip to Idaho(because they are known for their potatoes, which was freakin hilarious how that happened and now when I buy Idaho potatoes, I'll forever think of Cam). When she gets on a bus and starts her new found self-discovery...everything changes.


Andrew Parrish is 25 and on a road trip from Texas to see his dying father in Wyoming. He is reluctant to go because he knows that saying goodbye would make this real and it hurts him in the worst way. So, reluctantly he heads out on a bus to face reality...and pain.


Little do they know, Camryn and Andrew meet on the same bus...for the same reasons-not sure what they want from life but knowing they want something more than what they're getting now. And so their journey together begins when they meet on the infamous bus and the infamous road trip to Never....


"Finally, an under-populated bus I might actually get some deep sleep on. It's all I really want to do. The longer I stay awake, the more I think about all of the things I don't want to think about. I don't know what I'm doing, or where I'm going, but I do know that I want to do whatever it is and get there soon.
I doze off after staring out the window next to me for an hour.
Muffled headphone music blaring right behind me wakes me up sometime after dark.
At first, I just sit here, hoping maybe he'll notice the top of my now fully awake head bobbing over the seat and decide to turn the music down.
But he doesn't.
I lean up, reaching back to rub a crooked muscle in my neck from sleeping on my arm and then I turn around to look at him. Is he asleep? How can anyone actually sleep with music blasting in their ears like that? The bus is pitch dark except for a couple of dim lights shining down onto books and magazines from above the passenger's seats and the little green and blue lights at the front of the bus in the driver's dashboard. The guy sitting behind me is covered by darkness but I can see one side of his face lit up by the moonlight.
I contemplate it for a second and then push myself up with my knees on the seat and I lean over the back of it, reaching out and tapping him on the leg.
He doesn't move. I tap him harder. He stirs and slowly opens his eyes, looking at me with my stomach hanging over the top of the seat.
He reaches up and pulls the earbuds from his ears, letting the music funnel from the tiny speakers.
"Mind turning it down a little?"
"You could hear that?" he says.
I raise a brow and say, "Uhhh, yeah, it's pretty loud."
He shrugs and thumbs the MP3 player for the volume button and the music fades.
"Thanks." I say and slide back down in my seat.


Okay, that was long and for some reason I was compelled to type all of that. But that was Cam and Andrew's first encounter. And I think it was absolutely amazing and meaningful. Haha, yeah I'm nuts. But seriously this book had me up and down and on turns after turns and more turns with them that I was not sure where up or down was anymore. I was not sure where I was anymore. I absolutely LOVED EVERY MINUTE of this fabulous joyride. I for one love roadtrips. This book made me want to get in my car, drive to a bus station and ride until I was beyond lost. I can't describe my feelings for this book. I just, I am so lost right now. This book made me FEEL every emotion-good or bad that the characters felt and then some. Right now, I am bawling again, just thinking about this experience I shared with my friends. I loved it.


Camryn. She was fantastic. The kind of girl that everyone would want to be friends with. She's smart, witty, funny, sarcastic(which probably goes with witty), sweet, caring and just plain amazing. I loved her character-especially when she starts to come into her own and become herself around Andrew. I love her sassy side and the side that she initally shows us eventhough she is trusting, she puts up a barrier-to protect herself, which I can completely understand her reasoning. Then once she realizes Andrew's intentions, she puts them down and lets him in. I loved her romantic side too. Once she feels comfortable, she really laid it on thick....my God, she shocked me but in the best way. I was happy to share this journey with her. She's very likeable and relatable. Ahhhhh, she's just.....amazing!

Andrew. Oh my sweet sweet sexy Andrew Parrish. I can't even think of the right words to describe him. He is just the most amazing guy I've ever gotten to know. He reminds me of my Joshy Bennett and that's why I've taken to him so fast and hard. Seriously, his sweet and caring side was truly incredible. I loved his fierce protectiveness of Cam. Though some may refer to it as a crazy jealous side, but I see why-and once the readers read into it more, the more they'll understand as well. There is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING.....I didn't like about him. He's so irresistable from the start-from his sarcastic dirty mouth(which I happen to love by the way) to his sweet soulful understanding side. I loved every minute I spent with him and like Cam, it was hard NOT to fall head over heels in love with this boy. He rocked my world....in EVERY way, and yes....the naughty way too.

I loved how we got both POV's. Honestly, we NEEDED both pov's to relate better to both characters. Jessica did a remarkable job of developing the story from the beginning to the very last page. I noticed alot of people felt the story was dragging in the beginning. I didn't feel that way one bit. I loved every second of every page of every minute I spent with these two. I love road trips so I never got bored...but always wondering where their next stop would be or where they were headed next. Once they got off the bus and both went on the road trip to Never-together by car, I was so giddy with excitement. I felt like I was in the back seat and experiencing this whole trip with them. It was AMAZING! Just to get on the open road and go....who the fuck does that? Boy this book sure made me want to do it now. Damn, why didn't I think of that when I had the chance? LOL

The relationship. First, I was glad it wasn't insta-love...or at least in the sense of "Oh you're hot, I love you let's get married and have babies and run away together". It was never like that. I felt this friendship turned romance really developed slowly and just right. I was glad Cam had kept her wall up for awhile....long enough to make us squirm and say "Okay, now let's move on, we know you love each other-QUIT STALLING....YOU'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH" because at least it wasn't a quick one two three thing. It would have lost the appeal then and wouldn't have been as exciting or intense. As it was, I started to get frustrated with both of them for ignoring their attraction. But once things started to take a turn....OH MY GOD. I was so excited and giddy and squealing like a teenager. Perfect.

"OK, defenses are back up. Bring it on.
I snarl over at him, crossing my arms.
"First off, I don't listen to Justin Beiber. And second, Gaga isn't so bad. Playing the shock-value card a little too long, I admit but I like some of her stuff."
"That's shit music and you know it." he replies and shakes his head."

"Classic rock is where it's at," he says matter-of-factly and then gazes out ahead. "Zeppelin, the Stones, Journey, Foreigner." He lets his head fall to the side to look over at me again. "Any of that ringing any bells?"

Ahhhhh, a man after my own heart. He likes the shit I love. Yes, Journey, Foreigner and the Stones...some of my faves. I'm an 80's music freak! I love you Andrew.

"What's your name?" he asks, setting his drink on the grass.
I wonder if I should give him my real name. "Cam." I say, settling on the short version.
"Short for what?"
I didn't expect that. I hesitate, my eyes trailing, "Camryn." I admit. I figure with all the lies I'm going to have to keep track of, I might as well be truthful about my first name at least. It's one less-significant piece of information I don't have to remember to keep under wraps.
"I'm Andrew. Andrew Parrish."

"So how old are you?"
"Twenty-five," he says. "What about you?"
"Twenty."
"Well, it's good to meet you twenty-year-old Cam short for Camryn heading to Idaho to see her sister who just had a baby."

Sigh. I love you Andrew, God damn he is perfect. And he's from TEXAS....which is where I live. Ahhhh, I want to go stalk him. Wait, what? He's not real? HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT. *hands cover mouth in bafflement*


Andrew moments:

"She wasn't shy to tell me to turn my music down, with a snippy-ass attitude at that. She got pissed when i accused her of havinf Beiber Fever (it pisses me off that I even know what the fuck that means-I blame that on society) and I get the feeling that she would have no problem kicking me in the nuts if I touched her in an inappropriate way. Not that I would. Hell no. But it's good to know that she's the type.
Hell yeah, I like this girl."

"If you were going to let me fuck you, you would have to let me own you."

"A woman who knows what she wants sexually and isn't afraid to express it is so fucking hot, Camryn-Tell. Me. What. You. Want. Or, I won't give it to you." OH. DEAR GOD. *fans self*

"I absolutely fucking melt when she looks up at me like that. How would I ever say no to her? Whether is was about sleeping next to a pile of cow shit or under a bridge overpass next to a homeless drunk-I would sleep anywhere with her."

"I kissed you because I wanted to," I say. "I want to do everything with you, Camryn. Trust me! In just a few days I've managed more positions with you than there are in the Kama Sutra. I've wanted to-." I notice I'm white-knuckling the steering wheel."

"Don't lie to me, baby, did you get hurt anywhere? I swear to fucking God if you did I'm going after them."

"Just pretend you're my girlfriend, at least that way no one will fuck with you, or they're less likely to try, anyway."


Okay, I could go on and on. And more likely the best quotes from Andrew are toward the end but I my nook is dying and going through it right now is not a good idea I should have highlighted them. Moral of this review is.....READ THIS BOOK. Seriously. It will make you laugh, cry, swoon, gasp, FEEL and most of all.....LOVE. This is one story that will stay with me forever-and beyond. I love Cam and Andrew and never will forget their beautiful magical story for as long as I live.

The end. Oh my God, the ending will have you hyperventilating and grabbing your stomach from the painful bomb that drops from under you. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE ARE YOU TO STOP READING......KEEEP READING. I PROMISE IT WILL BE WORTH THE PAIN AND DEVASTATION AND ANGER AND ANGUISH. Please.....PLEASE KEEP READING UNTIL THE LAST PAGE.

There aren't enough stars in this world to give this book....I would give it infinite and beyond amount of stars. BRILLIANT. FABULOUS. PERFECT. UNFORGETTABLE. MUST-READ! Now I need a print copy for my bookshelf. GREAT JOB JESSICA. GREAT FUCKING JOB!

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