11.27.2013

November Ipsy Glam Bag Reveal

After weeks of being on the wait list, I finally received my very first Ipsy Glam Bag!  I may be canceling my Birchbox subscription after this, guys!  For $10 a month, you get a really cute make up bag, and 4-5 beauty products.  All of the items I received were full sized and wonderful!  




BH Cosmetics Galaxy Chic Baked Eyeshadow in Aphrodite

I loved the pigmentation of this eyeshadow!  It can be applied dry or wet and lasts all day! The color is really bold and is a fun shade!  I will be purchasing more from BH Cosmetics!
Retail: $14.95






Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Champagne 

I love this color!  It's great for day or night and was long-lasting!
Retail Value: $13.00




Em Michelle Phan Lip Gallery Creamy Color Lipstick in Nude

I'm always on the prowl for a great nude lipstick, and this one didn't disappoint! 
Retail: $16.50






Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in Hot Damn

A fun, bright red color that lasts all day!  
Retail: $14.00






Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in Topaz

This pencil goes on easily and is a beautiful addition to a smokey eye!  I loved the color!
Retail: $14.00




Pixi Beauty Bronzer in Subtly Suntouched

I love anything Pixi, and this bronzer is awesome!
Retail: $18.00


Total Value for November Bag: $90.45

Here is the link to get on the waiting list and sign up!


http://www.ipsy.com/r/25og








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11.05.2013

THE EDGE OF ALWAYS BY J.A. REDMERSKI *RELEASE DAY BLITZ AND GIVEAWAY*



I've been waiting for this day for months now!  It's release day for J.A. Redmerski's 'The Edge of Always!'  This is the follow up to one of my all-time favorite reads, 'The Edge of Never.'   You can find my review of 'The Edge of Never' here.




Synopsis:

Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged-and a wedding isn't the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can't wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew, a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to-until tragedy blindsides them.

Andrew doesn't understand how this could happen to them. He's trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won't do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride...


Excerpt:

I hear the water from the shower shut off, and seconds later a loud bang vibrates through the wall. I jump up from the chair, letting the remote control hit the floor as I rush toward the bathroom. The edge of the coffee table clips the shit outta my shin as I pass.
I swing open the bathroom door. “What happened?”
Camryn shakes her head at me and smiles as she leans over to pick the hair dryer up from the floor beside the toilet.
I breathe a sigh of relief.
“You’re more paranoid than I am,” she laughs.
She glances down at my leg as I rub it with my fingertips. She sets the hair dryer back on the counter, comes up to me, and kisses the side of my mouth. “Looks like I’m not the one of us who needs to worry about being accident-prone.” She smiles.
My hands cup her shoulders and I pull her closer, letting one hand fall down to touch her little rounded belly. I can barely tell she’s pregnant. At four months I thought she’d at least be emulating a baby hippo, but what do I know about this stuff?
“Maybe so,” I say, trying to hide the red in my face. “You probably did that on purpose just to see how fast I could get in here.”
She kisses the other side of my mouth and then goes in for the kill, kissing me fully and deeply while pressing her wet, naked body against mine. I moan against her mouth, wrapping my arms around her.
But then I pull away before I fall into her devious trap. “Dammit, woman, you’ve gotta stop that.”
She grins back at me. “You really want me to stop?” she asks with that up-to-no-good smile of hers.
It scares the shit out of me when she does that. Once after a conversation laced with that smile, she stopped having sex with me for three whole days. Worst three days of my life.




Giveaway:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy links:



Author Bio:


J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children, two cats and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC's The Walking Dead.

Author Social Media links:


I'm so excited for you to check this one out!  You'll fall in love with Andrew and Camryn just like I did!


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9.29.2013

Endre Blog Tour Review and Giveaway!



Hei, Hei!  Thanks for stopping by the Endre Blog Tour!  I'm excited to share Book II of the Elsker Saga by ST Bende with you!  




Release Date: September 9, 2013


If you haven't read Book I, Elsker, please check out my blog post about it, you need to read it before enjoying Endre!


Blurb: 
Sometimes, finding your destiny means doing the exact opposite of what The Fates have planned.

Winning the heart of an immortal assassin was a dream come true for Kristia Tostenson. Now she’s knee deep in wedding plans, goddess lessons, and stolen kisses. But her decision to become immortal could end in heartbreak -- not only for Kristia, but for the god who loves her. Because while Ull would do anything to protect his bride, even the God of Winter is powerless against the Norse apocalypse. Ragnarok is coming. And the gods aren’t even close to ready.

My Review:

I received this book from the publisher, Entranced Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to continue on Kristia and Ull's journey once I finished Elsker!  It was fun to see how they dealt with their pre-wedding jitters and the Elf-Man who continued to harass Kristia in her dreams.  They had a wonderful ceremony and my favorite part was reading about Kristia's lovely wedding dress!  Ull was the perfect groom and the entire event was written beautifully.  I also enjoyed getting to see the interaction between Kristia's family with Sif and Thor.   

We all know, that the Honeymoon phase doesn't last forever.  It became apparent rather quickly that whoever was trying to get to Kristia while she was sleeping, wasn't going to give them a very fun wedding gift.  What a way to start a life together!  Ull and Kristia learned just how much they could rely on each other and their closest family and friends during the epic battle at Ragnorak that they knew was inevitable.  The evolution of Kristia's gift of Sight was also fun to experience.  She learned that she wasn't just a weak human, and proved to be a valuable asset to Asgard.  

I won't spoil the fun for anyone by saying much more, but I have a feeling, the battle isn't quite over yet!  The suspense is killing me, ST!  

The world that ST has created, is beautifully woven with Norse mythology.  Even if the reader knows nothing about this wonderful world, it's very easy to dive in and experience this great love story!   I've come to care about and love these characters and can't wait to see what is in store for them!  I will be waiting anxiously to hear about Book #3!   

If you enjoyed Elsker, or are looking for a new paranormal love story that is completely original, I would strongly encourage you to check out this series!  



Buy Links: 
Amazon / Kobo / Barnes & Noble


Giveaway: 

Tour wide Rafflecopter:




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Review Snippets:

“If you're looking for a different take on New Adult that has plenty of swoon-worthy moments, some nail-biting action, and a mythological world you can lose yourself in, this book is for you.”

“WOW... just, wow! The main question or demand lol I have is... There better be more coming?!”


About the Author:






Before finding domestic bliss in suburbia, ST Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (became overly fond of Peet’s Coffee) and Europe… where she became overly fond of McVities cookies. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher inspired the books of The Elsker Saga (TUR, ELSKER and ENDRE). She is an audio co-host of #NALitChat, and helps compile indie new releases for the USA Today HEA blog. She hopes her characters make you smile and that one day, pastries will be considered a health food.

Find ST on Twitter, her blog, or send her an e-mail. While you’re at it, introduce yourself to @UllMyhr -- when he’s not saving the cosmos from dark elves, he loves meeting new friends. Especially the human kind.  


Author social media links:

Blog: http://stbende.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/stbende 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stbende or @stbende
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/stbende/ 
Email:  stbende(at)gmail(dot)com


Excerpt:  

“What do you want to know?” Ull lowered his sunglasses lazily and eyed me with a look that made my insides burn.


“Well,” I paused. “Uh… what am I supposed to do if I’m attacked?”


“You mean if this happened?” Ull launched himself off the chaise, wrapping one arm around my waist and dragging me across the beach. He cradled me in his arms and landed in the froth where the ocean met the shore.


“See? I’m totally defenseless?” I gazed up at him, my back pressed firmly against the wet sand. He hovered over me, supporting his weight on his forearms. 


“I am afraid you are.” Piercing blue eyes locked in on mine. Between the depth of his stare and the heat from his abs, I forgot everything else. 


“Um …” I bit my bottom lip. 
Ull tilted his head to one side, a small smile playing at one corner of his mouth. “Now what did you want to know?”


“I--” I broke off as a wave washed over us. The warm saltwater lapped up to my waist then retreated, leaving a film of sand over my legs. 


“You were asking me how to defend yourself?” Dangit, it was hard to focus with Ull’s dripping body pressing against mine. Yes, I wanted whatever it was I’d asked about. Self-defense, right. But there was something else I wanted more.
I bent my knee and twined my calf around Ull’s. I shifted my hips just an inch and stared into those endless blue eyes. They sparkled in the sunlight. My arms were trapped beneath his torso, so I turned my palms upward to touch the spot where his chest met his shoulders. It was so smooth, so firm, and so very, very warm. My eyes never left his as I moved my thumb along the line of his shoulder, down his biceps and down to the crook of his arm. I drew a slow circle inside his elbow and Ull blinked. 


“Kristia,” he whispered. 


“Yes?” I tried to reach up to stroke the stubble lining his square chin, but my arms were pinned.


“You are not trying to defend yourself.”


“So?” I raised my head and kissed his jaw. “Maybe I don’t feel like fighting you off.”


“Mmm,” Ull closed his eyes as I kissed my way up to his ear. “So if someone came after you, you would just let them do this?” 


He swiftly rolled onto his back, forcing me on top of him. He shoved his fingers in my hair and tugged gently, pulling my head back. He kept the other hand just above the bottom of my bikini, firmly pressing my hips into his. I squirmed against the hold, trying to find a way out of his grip. Though I tactically had the upper hand, I couldn’t move.


“Well I wouldn’t let just anyone do this.”


“I should hope not,” he growled softly. He raked his teeth along my throat and paused at the hollow of my neck. “Because this could end very badly for you.” He ran his tongue along my collarbone. I shivered.


In a lightning-quick move, Ull flipped me onto my back and pinned my arms above my head with one hand. I gazed adoringly at the fierce assassin glowering over me. “And this. What would you do if someone did this to you?”


“Uh,” I blinked. If I told Ull what I really wanted to do right now, I’d turn every possible shade of crimson.


“Focus Kristia.” Ull stared at me. “What would you do if you were trapped?”


“I… uh… I’d,” I blushed. “You seriously want me to fight you off?”


“If you are so bent on going through with this little exercise, then yes. Give it your best shot. And then I believe, you promised to pay me for the lesson.”


“Gladly.” I narrowed my eyes and wrenched my arm as hard as I could. It didn’t budge. I tried again but it was futile. 


“You are outmaneuvered and I am twice your weight. Try something else.” Ull commanded.
I threw my shoulder into his chest and tried to roll to one side.
“You cannot out-force me. Look at the difference in our masses. Think tactically, Kristia. What can you do that will debilitate me?”


My eyes widened. “You don’t want me to--”


“I want you to find a way to get me off you. Do what you have to do.”


I closed my eyes and raised a knee to his groin. Ull groaned and rolled off me.


“I’m so sorry! You said to--”


He raised a hand and waved at me, turning away.


“I’m sorry,” I repeated.

“That was good.” He rolled back with a grimace. “But if someone is bent on capturing you, they will come back for more. And quickly. Your next step should be to run.”


“If you want I can get some ice for--”


“Run, darling.” It was a threat. “Now.”



Please go show my gal, ST, some love!  She's wonderful!




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9.13.2013

Bound by Blood and Brimstone, by D. L. Dunaway



Today, I'm excited to share a new book release by D. L. Dunaway, Bound by Blood and Brimstone!






Bound by Blood and Brimstone

by D. L. Dunaway


The beauty of our humanity is born in the struggle of the journey...
NEW COMING OF AGE BOOK REVEALS DEADLY FAMILY SECRETS

When push comes to shove, I suppose the truth has to be told for me. Maybe then the dreams will let up, and I can decide if enough shards of my life remain to piece Ember Mae Roberts back together. If not, the dark knowledge I hold inside could kill me. ~~ Ember Mae

Some books want you to believe in true love and happily ever after, while others take you to a very different place. One that is not full of sunshine and lovers riding off into the sunset, but takes you to a place that makes you question who you are and where you came from. Bound by Blood and Brimstone,by D. L. Dunaway, is undeniably one of those rare books that implores you to turn the page and see what secrets lurk around the corner.

“I’ve wanted to write a fictional account about my mountain culture since I was a little girl. Mountain culture is rich in music, history, violence, and scandal,” says Dunaway. “My great-grandmother was Cherokee, and apparently had a child out of wedlock. My grandmothers on both sides had vast knowledge of herbal remedies and natural healing, and there have always been rumors of relatives who had ‘the sight.’” 

Coming of age is never easy, but for Ember Mae Roberts and her twin sister, Lorrie Beth, it may boil down to a matter of life or death. Growing up in the mountains of West Virginia in the 1950s presents unique challenges for any child but, for talented young Ember Mae, it means bearing the burdens of an adult, as she quickly learns her expected role is that of her sister's keeper. When a schoolyard bully sets his brutal sights on a fragile Lorrie Beth, Ember Mae jumps to her defense. Terror abounds at every turn as the tormenting escalates. What begins as a normal rite of passage for most children ends in a final tragic confrontation that leaves Lorrie Beth shattered. 

Both sisters make a pact to keep a deadly secret in order to heal, but Lorrie Beth has always been weak. Ember Mae fears she'll crack under the strain and bring their world crashing down around them. What Ember Mae doesn't realize is that she and Lorrie Beth aren't the only ones keeping a secret. There are other secrets waiting to spill out, secrets so vile that when the full force of their evil is unleashed, it's anybody's guess who will survive.

Full of intrigue, mystery and suspense, Bound by Blood and Brimstone explores:
  • The inevitable pain when transitioning from being a child to becoming an adult
  • Bullying and the extended impact on their victims
  • Unexpected and lasting affects of childhood abuse
  • Hypocrisy in organized religion
  • The duality of human nature 
  • Family secrets and the lengths people will go to protect them
“Our culture places profound emphasis on the impact of childhood, its fears, its innocence, its joy. Many believe that our beginnings ultimately determine who we become,” shares Dunaway. “I believe that the perfect childhood is a myth, and the beauty of our humanity is born in the struggle of the journey.”


 Bound by Blood and Brimstone is available through:


D. L. Dunaway is a native of eastern Kentucky and is a single working mom with a Master’s degree in Middle School Counseling from Morehead State University. While working with middle school kids, she fell in love with troubled youth and now works for a local community action agency. Her family is her greatest blessing, her daughter is the love of her life, but writing is her passion.



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9.11.2013

Favorite Accessories for Fall!!!


I'm linking up with Shanna today for Random Wednesday! 


I don't know about you guys, but I'm certainly excited to feel the hints of cooler weather in the air!  There's nothing finer in the land than SEC football, bonfires and all the fun that October has in store.  I love everything about Autumn.  

Blazers, boyfriend tees and skinny jeans are like my uniform once the weather permits.  My favorite accessory for finishing off this look are Lariat and Tassel Pendant necklaces.  There are so many styles available that it's really hard to just settle for a couple.  There are some great options in very reasonable prices out there right now.  


Here are a few of my favorites!!!


Baublebar is a great place to find awesome pieces!  If you don't know about their Buried Bauble every Friday, I must insist that you find out!  Get on their email list and every Friday a new piece is listed for $10!!!  The link to get on the list is HERE!



(The other cool thing about Sole Society, is that when first visiting the site, you get a code for 20% off your first purchase of $100 or more!  Lots of awesome items available!)


River Island Wing & Stone Statement Necklace ($20.25) from ASOS:
























I hope you all found something fun to add to your fall looks!  

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September 11th, 2013




12 years have flown past and we still remember the most tiny details of that tragic day.  Many went to work and never made it home.  Others packed suitcases that they never got to open.  The brave First Responders who ran in, only thinking of getting people to safety.  All need to be honored for their sacrifices.  

Never Forget.  

September 11, 2001








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8.05.2013

Summer of Books

Hello, Lovelies!  I'm so excited about sharing some of my favorite books that I've been barreling through this Summer!  I don't know about you, but I definitely miss all the books we were assigned to read over Summer break in high school!  I lived for those days that I got to make a trip to Tattersall's, the small bookstore right down the road from my house.  I always got the required books and a few extras for fun.


When I was younger, I had to beg my mom for anything by R.L.Stine.  For me, it's always been the scarier, the better.  My mom hated it.  She always bargained with me to get a normal book and then my usual Fear Street selection.  This was awesome for me, because all knew was that I was getting 2 books instead.  The other thing that probably drove her nuts was that I always read like 3-4 books at the same time.  I couldn't help myself!  I needed more adventures, I guess!


The first books that I flew through this Summer, were 'The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer' and 'The Evolution of Mara Dyer.'  My friend, Megan, recommended them to me and I'm so glad she did!  They are great!  They were written by the lovely Michelle Hodkin, and are part of a trilogy.  The final book is due out next June!  I encourage you to check out her website!  There's a ton of information there and she's just an all around great person!  



The synopsis below is from Amazon and was all I needed to read!  It is just vague enough to reel the reader in!  I had to know more!


'Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
     It can.
     She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
     There is.
     She doesn't believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
     She’s wrong.
     After Mara survives the traumatizing accident at the old asylum, it makes sense that she has issues. She lost her best friend, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s sister, and as if that weren't enough to cope with, her family moves to a new state in order to give her a fresh start. But that fresh start is quickly filled with hallucinations—or are they premonitions?—and then corpses, and the boundary between reality and nightmare is wavering. At school, there’s Noah, a devastatingly handsome charmer who seems determined to help Mara piece together what’s real, what’s imagined—and what’s very, very dangerous.
     This fast-paced psychological—or is it paranormal?—thriller will leave you breathless for its sequel, The Evolution of Mara Dyer.'



I'm so glad that I started this series after the second book was already out!  I'm super impatient, and glad that I had 'The Evolution of Mara Dyer' ready to go!  

I would recommend this series to anyone that is a fan of a fun paranormal series.  I had no idea what the outcome would be as I read along.  I will say, that the best part for me, was that no one sparkled :)  Just kidding!  This was such a fun ride, and I don't want to give too much away!  I can just encourage you to please check these gems out!  


Sorry it's been so long between posts!  I've been enjoying this Summer with the babies, and I hope you all have been having fun too!

What are some good suggestions for my next read?  I would love to hear some!  Also, I'm on Goodreads!  Send over a friend request, and I'll follow along!






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