Chattin' It Up + Giveaway with Tracie Banister

Ana: Welcome to Beach Bum Reads! I’m glad you can join me today :)

TBanister: Thank you so much for having me, Ana! I’m excited to be here.

Ana: We’re going to start off with some basics…Can you tell us a little about yourself?

TBanister:  Like my favorite fictional heroine, Scarlett O'Hara, I am a Southern belle who lives on the outskirts of Atlanta. I'm addicted to television (I watch everything from Disney shows to Top Chef and think the DVR is the best invention since the wheel.), crossword puzzles (I do 3-5 a day and like to time myself.), and salt and vinegar potato chips (My one junk food weakness.) Animal rights (I have three rescue dogs, two with special needs.) and finding a cure for diabetes (I've been a Type 1 diabetic for over 25 years.) are my two passions. I love theater and try to get to New York to see several Broadway shows every year. And, of course, I am a rabid reader who enjoys a wide variety of genres, everything from Historical Romance to Steampunk.

Ana: What was the first book that got you into reading?

TBanister:  I was obsessed with The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling when I was little. It was the book I wanted to be read to me every night, and I had every word memorized so my mother couldn’t skip a page without me calling her out on it!  

Ana: What/who inspired you to become a writer?

TBanister:  I think it was just books in general. I loved reading from a very young age and I was never happier than when I was in a library. I started writing my own stories when I was in elementary school, and my love of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) just grew from there.  

Ana: Is there anything you want to say to aspiring writers?

TBanister:  Focus on being the best writer you can be and don't rush to publish the first thing you write. Read as many different books in as many different genres as you can. Take the time to learn and grow as a writer. You’ll know when you've written the book that's "the one," then you can educate yourself on the different publishing avenues and decide what's best for you.

Ana: I absolutely loved In Need of Therapy, but let’s pretend I have no idea what it’s about, can you tell us a little bit about it?

TBanister:  Thanks, Ana! I’m so glad you enjoyed the book. Okay, in a nutshell . . . In Need of Therapy is a fun, fizzy read about a Latina psychologist who struggles to cope with all the craziness in her life, which comes in the forms of her high-strung family, her demanding patients, and a trio of potential love interests, all of whom are Mr. Wrong.  

Ana: I loved Pilar’s patients and their problems. And some of their problems were pretty out there, are you a therapist in disguise or did you have a hunky doctor at your beck and call?

TBanister: I wish I knew a hunky doctor, but alas I do not. I did toy with the idea of becoming a psychologist when I was in school and even took several courses on the subject so that’s where some of my info on the therapeutic process came from. Also, I picked the brains of friends and family members who’d been to see a shrink and I did plenty of research into different psychological conditions.

Ana: What was the hardest part about writing In Need of Therapy?

TBanister: Honestly, I can’t think of anything that was too difficult about writing Therapy. I had a blast with the characters, the story, and the setting. It was the first book I wrote using a first-person POV, so that might have taken me a little time to get used to, but I love a writing challenge!

Ana: Are you currently working on anything? Care to dish?

TBanister: My current work-in-progress is a Chick Lit novel about two sisters who are polar opposites and live in San Francisco. I can't say anything more without getting spoilery, but I can promise plenty of comedy, romance, cute guys, and even cuter dogs. This one should be released in the fall of 2013.

I am, also, hoping to write a Regency Era series that will have the same comedic and romantic elements that my modern-day novels do. I've already got several chapters of the first book in the series under my belt and I look forward to moving forward with it as soon as I'm done with my San Francisco story!

Ana: Okay, last question… and I’ve gotta ask… are you a beach bum? 

TBanister: Sadly, no, since I live in a landlocked area. That’s probably why I decided to set In Need of Therapy in Miami; I got to transport myself to the beach every day when I was writing the book!  

Ana: Thanks for stopping by! It was a pleasure having you here today :)

TBanister:  It was great to hang out here on the virtual beach with you, Ana! Thanks again for reading and reviewing In Need of Therapy!

Think Fast:

Ana: Water or Soda?  

TBanister: Water, the bubbly kind with lemon

Ana: Coffee or Tea?

TBanister: Tea, love it – must be the English blood from my maternal grandmother

Ana: Zombies or Vampires?

TBanister: I’m a True Blood addict, so vampires all the way. Zombies freak me out!

Ana: Rap or Rock?

TBanister: Rock

Ana: Day or Night?

TBanister:  Day

Ana: Salad or Burger? 

TBanister: I love a good cheeseburger, but not beef – turkey or bison!

Concluding our little chat, Tracie is giving away an eBook copy of In Need of Therapy! 

<a href="http://www.beachbumreads.com/2013/01/JScottInterviewGiveaway.html" target="_blank"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGH4zcy_r0U8leQWR2Rd6TYtj7ud_A7e4q3jWWwD12rSVeqKpp6Ogxsx_xVY5E1_6ts3cCsL8RWN1MkoY787MVlqIW-PMZjoUvTAftkyuU-rEOFfZ3n7aIua0Q7XGxmQYN2Gytt2BQ0G2/s1600/JScottGiveaway.png" /></a>a Rafflecopter giveaway

An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O'Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her 4th grade class performed an original holiday play that she penned (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she, also, starred in and tried to direct the production.) Her dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a "real" job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, Tracie decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. Her debut novel, the Hollywood-themed BLAME IT ON THE FAME, was released in January, 2012. And she's following that up with the Miami-set Romantic Comedy, IN NEED OF THERAPY.

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Review: In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister

In Need of Therapy
Amazon | Goodreads | BN
Author: Tracie Banister
Publisher: Self Published (July 19, 2012)
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, 478 pages
ASIN: B008N6Z36Y
My Copy: eBook

SUMMARY:

Lending a sympathetic ear and dispensing sage words of advice is all part of the job for psychologist Pilar Alvarez, and she’s everything a good therapist should be: warm, compassionate, supportive. She listens, she cares, and she has all the answers, but how’s the woman everyone turns to in their hour of need supposed to cope when her own life starts to fall apart?


While working hard to make a success of her recently-opened practice in trendy South Beach, Pilar must also find time to cater to the demands of her boisterous Cuban family, which includes younger sister Izzy, an unemployed, navel-pierced wild child who can't stay out of trouble, and their mother, a beauty queen turned drama queen who’s equally obsessed with her fading looks and getting Pilar married before it’s “too late.” Although she’d like to oblige her mother and make a permanent love connection, Pilar’s romantic prospects look grim. Her cheating ex, who swears that he’s reformed, is stalking her. A hunky, but strictly off-limits, patient with bad-boy appeal and intimacy issues is making passes. And the sexy shrink in the suite across the hall has a gold band on his left ring finger.

When a series of personal and professional disasters lead Pilar into the arms of one of her unsuitable suitors, she's left shaken, confused, and full of self-doubt. With time running out, she must make sense of her feelings and learn to trust herself again so that she can save her business, her family, and most importantly, her heart.

MY REVIEW:

Pilar Alvarez is a therapist who is nearly 30 years old and still isn't married. That "still" being stressed by her ever persistent and overtly dramatic mama. Aside from helping her patients get through all of their problems, Pilar finds herself in a bit of a romance puddle. With three guys no less.

It took me a while to get into this book, but once I got to about 30% in, this book was easy sailing. I wasn't really a big fan of Pilar and a few other characters in this book. They just weren't my cup of tea, but that didn't stop the awesomeness that is this book. Aside from my slight dislike for Pilar, I thought her therapy patients were pretty danged cool. The problems they dealt with I wouldn't have thought of, even though they were pretty common. And I'm sure that a few of us have run into people with said problems:

• Hypochondriac 
• Teenage body issues
• Man Whore
• Marriage issues
• Clingy woman

Familiar with these? Yepp. Aren't we all. Ms. Banister sure does have a way with going about these issues that I wouldn't even have touched. I felt these characters, as little page time as they had, were very believable. 

Pilar doesn't just have to deal with her patients, but also with her starting up business, rent, family issues, clingy-ex-boyfriend-who-doesn't-understand-the-meaning-of-no, a patient with the hots for her, and a hot new doctor who takes up the office right next to hers. All these things kept me turning the page and anticipating what will happen next, even the patients. 

I would definitely recommend this book. It might be oozing with other peoples problems, but it's definitely a light read with a budding romance in the making. 

MY RATING:

TBR Pile Knockout #7

TBR Pile Knockout is a weekly meme hosted by Ana of Beach Bum Reads and Anna of Herding Cats & Burning Soup. This meme was created to tackle our HUGE and STILL GROWING TBR piles.

We will be posting on the FIRST of EVERY month for the rest of the year. Our goal is to make a rather nice dent in our TBR piles. So, aside from our other lovely reads, we will be making sure ONE book out of our TBR pile will be read :)

Want to join in? Check out the rules:

1. Go to your TBR pile and randomly pick one book off your list!

• We'll be using random.org to pick our reads.

• Type in the number of books in your TBR pile where it says "MAX"

• Then click generate and it will give you your randomly selected book!

• NOTE: If the book chosen via random.org is part of a series, you can go ahead and read the first book in said series. 

2. Come back here each week (or however often you'd like to join in) and link up your "TBR Pile Knockout" post in the linky below!

Don't know what to write in your post? You can Add the cover for your book, the book summary and details (author, publisher, etc.), you can leave a line or two on how long that book was sitting in your TBR Pile, or just tell us what you think about starting this one! You can always add in a review for your last pick too!

Don't have a blog? You can still join in! Just link in your Goodreads reviews or add link the Amazon/B&N page for the book and leave your thoughts in a comment on this page :)

*Click on photos to enlarge*

QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT: Anna and I have decided to push the meme to one book a month. That way we wont suck at our own meme. *sigh* Sad, I know. BUT, that means if you've been hesitant to jump in because of the timing and the amount of books, then FEAR NO MORE! lol. Of course, if you finish one book before the month is finished, you are more then welcome to randomly select another book, or just pick one out from your TBR pile that you've been wanting to read.

***

Lol. I did not finish my book. BUT, I'm gonna defend myself here. I did start it and I did get more then halfway through it, AND it is good. Really good actually. I just got sidetracked with other books *cough* Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton *cough* You know how there are books you just CAN'T stay away from and want to devour them in one sitting? Yepp, that's the Merry Gentry series for me. I haven't read them in years, so I've been rereading them and loving EVERY. SINGLE. SECOND.

Still need to read: 

♥Exiled: 1% done
♥Awakening: 0% done
♥The Seer's 7 Deadly Fairy Tales: 34% done - I've attempted at this one and I'm just not feeling it. So, it shall sit on this TBR list until I feel I can pick it up without reading and not comprehending a dang word read.
♥How Sweet It Is: 0% done

This time my pick is...

SUMMARY:

When hockey phenom Billie-Jo Barker returns home and decides to play in the local Friday night hockey league, all hell breaks loose. Not because Billie's talent is in question, but because Billie is a woman. And though these are modern times, some of the local guys still have a problem letting a girl into their 'men's club.'

Soon, Billie is at the center of a small town battle of the sexes, with everyone choosing sides. Her sisters. The townsfolk. Her friends. And yet, the only person whose opinion she cares about doesn't seem to care much at all. Logan Forest, the man who broke her heart when she was eighteen and the man she now shares the bench with every Friday night.

She's got a lot to prove and though Billie Jo Barker scores on the ice, will this girl ever score with the man of her dreams?

Oh, SNAP! I think Random.org is finally starting to warm up to me. lol. I got this book a while back on Amazon while it was free and couldn't wait to start it. And I'm glad I finally get the chance to read it. AND it's got sports in it! Hockey to be exact. That will count towards Anna's @ Herding Cats & Burning Soups's Sports Romance Reading Challenge. To check out the reading challenge click HERE. 

So, what was your random pick this week?

Manicure Monday #4

Manicure Monday is a meme hosted by Nite Lite Book Reviews. Take your current read and give yourself one fantastic manicure! 

Welcome back to another week of Manicures! Oh, but I do love doing my nails. I actually just ran out of nail polish remover after I took off last weeks mani, so I told myself I better not mess up. Lmbo. And I didn't ^_^ It got a bit messy too *wipes brow* on to the mani! 

SUMMARY:

My name is Meredith Gentry, but of course it's not my real name. I dare not even whisper my true name after dark for fear that one hushed word will travel over the night winds to the soft ear of my aunt, the Queen of Air and Darkness. She wants me dead. I don't even know why...

I fled the high court of Faerie three years ago and have been in hiding ever since. As Merry Gentry, I am a private investigator for the Grey Detective Agency: Supernatural Problems, Magical Solutions. My magical skills, scorned at the courts of Faerie, are valued in the human world. Even by human standards, my magic isn't flashy, which is fine by me. Flashy attracts attention and I can't afford that.

Rumour has it that I am dead. Not quite. I am Princess Meredith NicEssus. To speak that name after dark is to call down a knock upon your door from a hand that can kill you with a touch. I have been careful, but not careful enough. The shadows have found me, and they are going to take me back home, one way or another.

So the running is over. But the fighting has just begun...

Rich, sensual, brimming with dangerous magic, A Kiss of Shadows is a dazzling tour-de-force where folklore, fantasy and erotically charged adventure collide.

Alright! Last week I couldn't get myself to pick up a book that needs to be reviewed, so I started rereading the Meredith Gentry novels by Laurell K. Hamilton. *le sigh* Oh, but I do love those books. So, of course, this weeks mani is all about the Unseelie court ;) 

A little bit messy *shrugs*

RAWRRR ;)

So, I mentioned the Unseelie court, if you're familiar with the Merry Gentry novels and the world of faerie then you know that the Unseelie Court is the dark court and the Seelie Court is the light court. I absolutely love Merry and all her men *swoon* so I figured I would do a mani that represented the dark throne (and it kinda sorta matched the cover)

Description: I did a 3D look on my nails with a matte finish. The matte black represents the Unseelie court and all its darkness. I wanted a matte black rather then a nice shiny one because the Unseelie sidhe are dark, dark creatures lol. I would have left it at the matte black, but that's just not my style xD So I did a 3D effect to represent the Unseelie sidhe. They aren't perfect, and most of them are the product of mixed blood and being cast away from the Seelie court for not being "perfect".  I didn't add a top coat, as that would have ruined the matte finish.

Nail polish used: NYX Girls: Collection Noir

To create a matte polish: Nail polish of choice, toothpick & corn starch. On a small palette mix your nail polish and a bit of corn starch. The more corn starch you mix in, the more matte the color. Mix until there are no lumps in your polish (it doesn't lump easily, but just break apart the corn starch) Apply quickly, because the polish will set and get tacky and we don't want that!

Link up below if you're joining in on this meme! 

Blog Tour: Review + Guest Post: The Best Man by Kristan Higgans

Review + Guest Post

Thanks for stopping by! This tour is brought to you by Book Trib.

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*

The Best Man
(Book #1 in the Blue Heron series)
Amazon | Goodreads | BN
Author: Kristan Higgans
Publisher: Harlequin HQN (February 26, 2013)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult, 432 pages
ISBN-10: 0373777922
ISBN-13: 978-0373777921
My Copy: Paperback

SUMMARY:

Sometimes the best man is the one you least expect…

Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there….

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief—and best friend of her former fiancé. There's a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it's not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

MY REVIEW:

Faith Holland is the youngest of the Holland children. After being humiliated at the alter by her high school sweetheart/fiance, she takes off to California to get away for a while. And that "while" turns into years.

Oh. My. Gosh. Kristan Higgans is a pure genius! GENIUS! I absolutely loved The Best Man and all it's characters. After finding out that her fiance is gay, at the alter no less and being outed by the best man, Levi Cooper, Faith flees Blue Heron to put her past behind her. She's still carrying around the love and hurt for her ex fiance Jeremy. She thinks Jeremy has ruined her. No one, and I mean NO ONE, can measure up to Jeremy. Doesn't help that the first two men she meets and has somewhat of an "attraction" to in California are gay and the third man she meets, is a two timing asshole with a wife and child.

After getting a call from her sister, Faith packs her bags is on her way back to Blue Heron. She doesn't plan to stay long, but that short trips turns into an extended vacation with simmering heat between herself and Levi Cooper, the man who "ruined" her wedding. Levi and Faith didn't have much of a friendship growing up, but more of a mutual ground seeing as Jeremy was a big part of both of their lives. Running into each other now, there's a heat that's there and it's coming to a small boil.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. And all the characters. Yes, even the gay ex fiance was awesome. All of the Holland children are a hoot. Faith being the youngest, I didn't think I'd connect with the older siblings, but I did. Ms. Higgans mixed this big bad novel in a big ol' pot of love. Her ingredients:

• Gay Ex Fiance
• Sexting between two grown married folks
• Bathroom mishaps
• Chocolate
• Chocolate
• More Chocolate
• Wine
• Wine
• More Wine
• One hot smokin' chief sheriff (Levi Cooper)
• Cute dogs
• Bickering couples
• Faith Holland

Ahh. Yepp, that's one big ass pot of love. I might have left out of a few ingredients, but the chocolate and the wine will make up for it xD 

I'll admit, this is my first book by Ms. Higgans, but I can assure you it wont be my last. If you love yourself a light contemporary romance read that has you craving that glass of wine (seriously, this book is practically filled to the rim with wine), then this book is for you. This book is the first in the series, and I can't wait for the second story, where we catch up with Faith's older sister.

MY RATING:

GUEST POST:

THE BEST MAN is the first book in the Blue Heron series.  Do you sometimes find yourself beginning to write the next book before you’ve finished the one you’re working on? If you do, what do you do to remember all your ideas?

Since I haven’t written a series before, this has been a learning experience. Knowing that I’ll be picking up another character or two and carrying them into the next book(s) made it important to hint at certain things early on. For example, I knew that Honor, the middle sister, would be the next heroine, so I had to deal with her very carefully in THE BEST MAN.

What’s always interesting is that what one character thinks about another isn’t necessarily true—it’s just that character’s perception. So Faith, the heroine of THE BEST MAN, views her older sister as somewhat terrifying and uber-competent. Honor herself doesn’t see things that way…and she views Faith differently from how Faith sees herself. I love that stuff! It’s so true in families…how many of us have said, “Mom loves you best” to our siblings, only to have them screech, “Are you kidding? Mom loves YOU best!”

As I was writing THE BEST MAN, I knew a few things about Honor’s story, and I kept notes as I went along. When I got to the edits stage of the first book, I was pretty solid on what I needed to know about Honor in this first book.

I’m never terribly far from a computer, so when I get an idea that’s going to have to sit for awhile before it can geminate, I just write it down. If I’m on the road, I call myself and leave messages, so the kids might come home to find a message that says, “Make sure Honor references the grandparents anniversary party.” They know by now not to erase those. 

Hello! I’m flattered that you clicked the button. If you clicked by mistake, well, hello anyway.

I live in a small Connecticut town with a beautiful library, a great agricultural fair, nice people and not much else. I have two lovely, entertaining children and a brave firefighter for a husband, who is, perhaps more importantly, a fantastic cook. Digger from Fools Rush In is inspired my very own Digger, our cheerful Lab mutt. We also have two cats and grieve for an occasional, short-lived beta fish. 

I worked as a copywriter until I had kids and started writing fiction when my children graced my life with simultaneous afternoon naps. Writing, I surmised, was infinitely more satisfying than folding laundry, and so I started my first novel. Before long, I had finished Stalking Joe, whose title was later changed to Fools Rush In. Catch of the Day followed, winning the 2008 Romance Writers of America's RITA© award, which just thrilled me to my toes. Then came Just One of the Guys (August 08), Too Good To Be True (Feb 09), The Next Best Thing (Feb 10), and All I Ever Wanted, summer 2010. More books are in the pipeline.

I love to write books about relationships, since the search for love and security is one of the driving forces of life. And I try to focus on an aspect that’s common, if not universal, hence the “stalking” in Fools Rush In and the crush on the unattainable man in Catch of the Day. People ask if I’ve ever stalked a guy. Of course not! Jeez! Come on! It’s fiction! They also ask if I’ve ever had a crush on a priest. Of course not! Jeez! Come on! It’s fiction! As far as being crazy about one of my brother's friends, which is the plot of Just One of the Guys, well, yes to that one. But I'm not naming names. Dating a fictional man, like Grace does in Too Good To Be True? Um...can I take the fifth on that one? Whether it's my own experience or not, I try to find something we can all relate to.

When I’m not writing, I like to be with my kids, goof around with my husband, read, watch baseball, ride my bike and bake. I suffer from chronic bedhead and an unhealthy (and completely understandable) obsession with Derek Jeter, shortstop for the New York Yankees. Like Millie Barnes, I run, which provides the neighbors with some real entertainment. 

We spend as much time as possible at our family home on Cape Cod, swimming in the Atlantic, shivering on the beach, swatting horseflies and watching fish evade my lure at Higgins Pond. It’s as close to heaven as it gets.

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Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway: Relentless by Cassia Leo

Review + Giveaway

Thanks for stopping by! This tour is brought to you by Cassia Leo

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*

Relentless
(Book #1 in the Shattered Hearts series)
Amazon | Goodreads | BN
Author: Cassia Leo
Publisher: ORLY Press (February 22, 2013)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, 232 pages
ASIN: B00BJDHT4C
My Copy: eBook

SUMMARY:

Claire Nixon is a twenty-year-old college dropout with a secret.

To Claire, Adam Parker is just another flirty customer at the cafe, until a chance encounter and seemingly innocent comment spurs a bet between them. The bet is simple: If Adam can get Claire to reveal the secret that made her drop out of college, she has to re-enroll. If he doesn’t succeed, she gets to keep her secret and he has to stop stalking her at the cafe.

Claire thinks she has this one in the bag. She’s perfected the art of forgetting her past. But she isn’t prepared for Adam’s relentless pursuit or for him to share his own secrets. And she’s definitely not prepared for her rock star ex, and her secret, to come banging down her door one year later.

New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language, drug use, and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

MY REVIEW:

Claire Nixon dropped out of college after breaking up with her long time love/rockstar boyfriend Chris Knight. She just up and left her old life to start a new one. She has her secrets and isn't willing to share them. That is, until she meets Adam Parker (Jack Dawson *wink*) her new hot neighbor and makes a bet that if he could pull her secret out of her, then she has to go back to school. But Claire isn't the only one with a big secret.

I'll admit, it took me a while to get into this book. I felt the beginning really dragged, but the Titanic references kept me afloat. "Jaaack. Don't let go." lol. *tear* oh, but I do love that movie. And apparently these characters are movie buffs! Very nice. Once I got into the book, the pages were too short. Hell, the book was too short! I WANT MORE! MORE, MORE, MORE! This bet between Adam and Claire, I think, was...mehh. It was okay. But, it pushed along the story. Adam likes Claire. Claire likes Adam. They both have issues. They'd make a fantastic pair, right? Right.

While reading this book, you gather that Adam has anger management issues, is a pot head, and loves to surf. Oh, and has issues with his daddy. Claire on the other hand, loves to meditate (a lot), was in foster care most of her life, and doesn't like to watch MTV in fear that she'll see her ex boyfriend rockin' out. The background characters are minimal, but I think essential to the book. They didn't really "steal" the pages away from Claire and Adam, though Chris might have done that once his sexy ass self made an appearance.

What I liked about this book, is that these two characters aren't perfect. They have their secrets, they have their own ways of coping. And in the end, they're still not perfect and they're still trying to cope. I want to say it's a HEA kinda story, but Ms. Cassia Leo left us at a cliffhanger. *sigh*  BUT, this is a series and I'm extremely happy about that and can't wait to see where Shattered Hearts goes next. Also, I liked the relationships. It's, again, not perfect. Even the background characters, their relationship wasn't perfect, and I liked that. We can't all be the Brady Bunch.

I would definitely recommend this book. All you New Adult lovers out there. this one is for you. Cassia Leo definitely can stand on her own in this growing genre and has no problem throwing down with the best of them. There is sex in this book, so all you Erotica/Adult readers out there looking for something lighter then what you're used to, then this book will be good for you as well :)

MY RATING:

BLOG TOUR PRIZE: 

Autographed paperback copy of Relentless by Cassia Leo 

To enter in this giveaway leave a comment with your name and email I will randomly select on winner. 

***

Grand Prize 

One iPad Mini and $25 iTunes or Amazon giftcard; 5 autographed paperbacks

Here is the rafflecopter for the Grand Prize:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cassia Leo grew up in Florida and moved to California after graduating with a degree in journalism. She worked at two small newspapers before discovering her passion for writing romance. Her favorite color is lavender and her dream is to one day score a record deal based on her awesome shower singing skills.

Goodreads | Facebook | Website

10 FUN FACTS ABOUT CASSIA LEO::

1. Favorite movies: The Jerk and Waking the Dead.2. I'm four degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon.3. Favorite books: The Book Thief, Nineteen Eighty-Four, and The Pact.4. I'm tri-lingual and I've lived in three different countries; most recently, I spent six months in Portugal last year.5. Favorite movie quotes: From The Jerk, “My mother gave up everything to put me through cosmetology school,” and, “What’s happening to my special purpose?!” If you’ve read Relentless you won’t be surprised to know that I wrote a techno remix consisting of my favorite lines from Titanic. The first line of the song is, “I see the iceberg and I see it in your eyes.” Maybe someday I’ll record it and post it on SoundCloud. ;-)6. 7. Favorite music artists: Adele, Florence + the Machine, Agnes Obel, The Beatles, Rage Against the Machine.8. I can do a one-handed cartwheel.9. Favorite TV shows: Sex and the City, Homeland, Revenge, So You Think You Can Dance.10. I drink my coffee black and with a pinch of salt.

Tuesday Jams #24

Tuesday Jams is a weekly post hosted by Sharonda @ Salacious Reads. This is a way to share with others your love (other then books of course) for music! Want to participate? Easy! Head on over to Salacious Reads & link back up with her Tuesday Jams post in her comments section!

Welcome back to another fantastic week of Tuesday Jams! This week, it's all about REGGAE! I grew up listening to reggae. Every time there was a family party or get together, there was always music playing and the genre most played would be reggae. And not Bob Marley reggae, as most of you would know. But some Glen Washington, Lucky Dube, Beres Hammond, Taurus Riley, Natural Vibrations, etc. You name it, was played it.

I always looked forward to our family get together's. California sunshine beating down onto your back, baking your skin into a golden brown. Smoke from the BBQ grill thick in the air. Children running all over the place. Laughter from family members reminiscing about the "good ol' days" (not that I know anything about that, but I loved hearing the stories) and reggae music blaring from the speakers putting you in a feel good mood. Yepp. Nothing like family gatherings and good music to put your soul at ease.

Every year during the summer time there is a Reggae Fest at the Hollywood Bowl here in California. I've been dying to go. My sis had the chance to go about two summers ago and she said it was the best concert. Despite the fact that she was no where near the stage and the whole place was just blazin' with smoke and the stench of alcohol, it was an amazing experience. She got to see Ziggy Marley! Lucky her, right? One day, one day I'll go :)

Click play on the music player below to get lost in some reggae music! Enjoy! ♪♫♪♫♪♥

Talking Zombies #11

Welcome back to another zombified week of Talking Zombies with Ana & Sharonda. If you missed last weeks TZ click HERE and check out our last post. This week we will be dishing about Sunday’s episode “Arrow on the Doorpost” S03E13

Ana: Ugh. I don’t even want to cover this episode. >.< Sharonda: lmbo...me either Ana. I seriously was not feeling it..I honestly had a love/hate feeling towards this epi and I have to say, it was more hate. Rick pissed me off to high heaven...ooooh man, I want to choke him until he passes out. What did you think of it? Ana: I... just... ugh. no. NO. NOOOO! I didn’t like this episode at all. I think it was more a breather to move things along. Maggie and Glen are on speaking terms again. Rick is... *sigh* I don’t even know. I kinda wanted to get up and turn off the TV about 5 minutes into this episode. That’s all I gotta say. I didn’t love it. Sharonda: I totally agree. I thought that "sit down" was a waste of time because come on..WE all know the Governor is a psycho AND that he wants everyone at the prison dead. I just don't know why they put us through that..smh. I wasn't even paying attention to half of what they were saying. Ana: lol neither was I. I’m just... over this epi. Let’s leave it at this and move on to this weeks question lol. Waste. Of. My. Time. Sharonda: Yeah..*pours liquor on grave* to Arrow on the Doorpost. Heres to nothing, never to be heard from ever EVER again Ana: *grabs bottles of liquor and takes a swig* for all my time and effort to drag my ass in front of the TV. Sharonda: *Blinks at Ana* Well hell *take bottle back and take a deep swig too*

Question of the Week

Do you think Rick will hand Michonne over to the Governor?

Ana: If you would like to participate in next weeks Talking Zombies with us email us at...

Ana: beachbumreads@yahoo.com

Sharonda: mslowman@gmail.com