WWW Wednesday (1): 3/19/2014

**WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading!**



To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?
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What are you currently reading?
Although I have a couple books on the go, the main two that I'm currently reading are Road to Somewhere by Kelley Lynn & Jenny S. Morris and Dash of Peril by Lori Foster!! Dash of Peril I received as an ARC from Netgalley, while Road to Somewhere I received as an ARC for a blog tour that I'm taking part of!




What did you recently finish reading?
I recently finished A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier and By His Desire by Kate Grey. I haven't written a review for A Death-Struck Year yet because I'm stuck between either 3 or 4 stars. I'm thinking I might need to read it again so I can give it a final verdict. As for By His Desire, this book was an interesting read. Not a favourite but still enjoyable.



What do you think you'll read next?
The chances of me sticking to this are actually about 80%, for once! I'll end up reading either Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon, The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi or Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong. I'm looking forward to reading all three :).

Cover Reveal: Harp's Song by Cassie Shine

I'm thrilled to take part in the reveal for the new cover of HARP'S SONG by Cassie Shine! Check it out, and let me know what you think in the comments. Then be sure to enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter link below for a chance to win a signed copy of HARP'S SONG, and a $25 Amazon gift card!

HARP'S SONG by Cassie Shine | Publication date: November 5, 2013

In just a few months Harp Evans will be officially coming of age and graduating from high school. She will be free from the mother that never wanted her, the house that never felt like home, and the disappointment of the last seventeen years. What she doesn’t know is that her mother has been holding onto a secret that has the potential to derail her dreams and destroy her already faulty sense of self.

A self-proclaimed recluse, Harp spends most of her time practicing the cello, in the hopes of earning a full scholarship that will grant her freedom, but will also send her away from her best friend Connor Williams, who is becoming more than just a friend.

As revelations are made, will Harp still feel the same way about leaving everyone that cares about her behind? Or will she continue to pursue the life she’s been dreaming of for as long as she can remember?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

What do you think of the cover?

About the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Instagram | Goodreads

Cassie Shine released her debut young adult novel, Harp's Song in November 2013, finally finishing the short story she started in her college creative writing class … many, many moons ago. She has always been an avid reader and lover of music (yes, she was in the high school marching band). While she has a weak spot for all things teeny bopper, especially boy bands, she also loves classical, country, rock and well, pretty much everything.

After living in St. Louis for more than ten years, she and her husband packed up a U-Haul and headed west. They currently live in Orange County, CA with their furry kids Finnegan and Molly.

Giveaway

Enter to win a signed copy of HARP’S SONG with $30 Amazon gift card! (US/CA only)

[Enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter here!]

Top Ten Tuesdays (1): Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we list our top 10 book-related things. This weeks Top Ten Tuesday consists of ten books that are on my Spring 2014 TBR List old and new!!
I decided that I'm only going to post 10 books that have been sitting on my TBR list instead of 10 books that will be released this spring. My version of spring cleaning!! Also, this will not include series, since I have my own series goal for 2014!!

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1. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
This book is the 1st book on my TBR shelf on Goodreads! I haven't watched the movie and I own on copy of it. I really need to read this! And don't even get me started on the other 7 books by Picoult that I own and haven't read. AH!

2. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Yet another book I own and haven't read. And no, I haven't seen the movie. But I really want to! I love Tom Hanks.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chosbky
The amount of times I would pick this book up and put it back down is ridiculous, until one day I finally decided to buy it. I'm exciting to read this because at times I find myself to be a bit of a wallflower and I'm curious to see if I'll form a connect with Logan.

4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Seeing as I love classics, I'm surprised in myself that I haven't read this yet! Read Jane Eyre and absolutely just fell in love! And I'm hoping to fall in love with Wuthering Heights!

5. The Camera Never Lies by Tess Daly
I picked this up in the bargain section at Chapters in May 2013. While the synopsis was interesting, I really love the cover. This Chick Lit should be pretty entertaining.

6. Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer
A mother/daughter book? Why yes! A must read for sure!! When I first added this to my TBR list I had no idea that Picoult was Samantha's mother. But now this makes me want to read it ten times more!

7. Aleph by Paulo Coelho
The one author that I will probably never stop talking about. I've read majority of his books minus 4 and with every book Paulo Coelho always manages to open my eyes and makes me see/live differently. Such an inspiring author.

8. Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard
Oh how I would love nothing more than to just travel the world, meet new people and experience new things! But I can't, so I'll just have to live through Bria.

9. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
This is one that I know will make me cry, which is probably why I have put off reading it. This will be my first Jojo Moyes book, and I'm excited!

10. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
During the month of January, while taking the subway I would see roughly around 4 people a day reading this. I've heard nothing but great things about this book and I'm looking forward to finally reading it!










What are some books that are sitting on your TBR list?
xo
Patty♡♕

Book Haul: Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam

I bought a book! Key word, being a. I have this horrible habit of going to a bookstore and buying multiple books that I don't need and just want. While I have books sitting here (home) that haven't been read yet! So I was extremely proud of myself that I only picked up one book :).

Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures

Author: Vincent Lam
Genre: Contemporary, Medical
Publication Date: September 26th, 2006
Format: Paperback
Pages: 368

Synopsis:
Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures welcomes readers into a world where the most mundane events can quickly become life or death. By following four young medical students and physicians – Ming, Fitz, Sri and Chen – this debut collection from 2006 Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Vincent Lam is a riveting, eye-opening account of what it means to be a doctor. Deftly navigating his way through 12 interwoven short stories, the author explores the characters’ relationships with each other, their patients, and their careers. Lam draws on his own experience as an emergency room physician and shares an insider’s perspective on the fears, frustrations, and responsibilities linked with one of society’s most highly regarded occupations.

“I wanted to write about the way in which a person changes as they become a physician — how their world view shifts, and how they become a slightly different version of themselves in the process of becoming a doctor,” Lam explains. “I wanted to write about the reality that doing good and trying to help others is not simple. It is ethically complicated and sometimes involves a reality that can only be expressed by telling a story.”

In the book’s first story, “How to Get into Medical School, Part 1,” students Ming and Fitz wrestle with their opposing personalities and study techniques, while coming to terms with a growing emotional connection that elicits disapproval from Ming’s traditional Chinese-Canadian parents. Lam’s exceptional talent for describing scenarios with great precision is showcased in “Take All of Murphy,” when Ming, Chen, and Sri find themselves at a moral crossroads while dissecting a cadaver. Throughout the book, readers are treated to the physicians’ internal thoughts and the mental drama involved with treating patients, including Fitz’s struggle with self-doubt in “Code Clock” and Chen’s boredom and exhaustion in “Before Light.”

From delivering babies to evacuating patients and dealing with deadly viruses, the four primary characters in Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures are made thoroughly human by Lam’s insightful detail, realistic dialogue, and expert storytelling. The medical world is naturally filled with drama, but it’s the author’s ability to give equal weight to the smaller moments that really brings this book to life.

From the Hardcover edition.

-------------------------------------This book was recommended to me by Nicole at Chapters. While I was there we spent time discussing books and she gave me a couple different titles to look into. I have to say that it is so refreshing to go to Chapters and ask someone for a recommendation and have them actual be able to give you one! So after reading the synopsis and first couple of pages I decided that Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures would be the book to come home with me. This isn't normally something I would read, but my goal for this year is to try different genres. So I'm looking forward to reading this.

xo
Patty♡♕

Review: Hot Shots by Anne Marsh, Lynn LaFleur & Stacey Kennedy

Title: Hot Shots
Authors: Anne Marsh, Lynn LaFleur, Stacey Kennedy
Series: N/A
Expected Publication Date: February 25th, 2014
Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, Anthologies
Format: Paperback
Pages: 304
Source: Netgalley

Synopsis:
Sexy as sin and hot as hell, these firefighters smolder with passion and burn with desire. . .

"Fired Up" by Anne MarshHannah Green watches for wildfires from an isolated fire tower in Sequoia National Park by day and radios Cajun firefighter Cole Henry at night to share carnal fantasies hot enough to start a forest fire. . .

"Sizzle" by Lynn LaFleurWhen photojournalist Maysen Halliday arrives in Lanville to take calendar pictures of the sexiest firefighters in Texas, red hot Fire Chief Clay Spencer makes her want him for her own personal centerfold...

"Five-Alarm Masquerade" by Stacey KennedyWith her home destroyed in a fire, Abby has only the muscular arms of a rock hard firefighter to hold her up and the dream of blazing hot nights of pure erotic pleasure to keep her going. . .

This book contains adult content.

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*ARC received from Kensingston Books via Netgalley*

I did feel really out of my element at first while reading this. But then I thought to myself "Okay, let’s all be honest with ourselves. If you were to come across a HOT fireman wouldn’t you want him!?" DUH!! I mean what girl doesn’t drool just thinking of a hot man in a uniform. Okay, I’ll stop now. Overall! This book was indeed enjoyable! I will definitely be looking into Lynn LaFleur and seeing what other books she has! If you enjoy Erotica's and like firefighters (who doesn't?) I recommend this book to you!

Fired Up by Anne Marsh
My rating: ★★★.5/5
Wow!! Well then Anne Marsh. This was a quick but steamy story! Right off the bat it has hot and steamy scenes! What was never suppose to become a reality does, and we get to see Hannah decide if she’s going to accept what Cole has to offer or walk away! I liked the way this started off; they already “know” each other so no time is wasted on that. The only thing I didn’t enjoy was at times I couldn’t tell if Cole was coming or going. But let me just say, that if a guy like Cole came and found me in the woods I wouldn’t even hesitate!

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Sizzle by Lynn LaFleur
My rating: ★★★★★/5
Hands down my favorite one. I need to go on the hunt to see if Lynn LaFleaur has more stories on the characters from this book. While I was on the second chapter I already wanted to give this book 5 stars. While some felt Clay didn’t have a backbone I enjoyed that fact. It’s not that he didn’t have a backbone but in my opinion I like the fact that Clay was a realistic character; so many male characters are portrayed as alpha, male bravo and all. But every now and then it’s nice to have a male character that’s real! And man, do I wish Clay were real J. This book had me giggling and wanting more! Please LaFleaur, can this be a series!?!

 Favorite Quotes
“And you’re so sexy.” Dax batted his eyelashes.

“Maysen began to walk before she turned her head. She ran into a wall of muscle.”

“Another excuse. Clay must have a complete file cabinet full of them in his brain.”

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Five-Alarm Masquerade by Stacey Kennedy
My rating: ★★★★/5
I know that they were all short stories, but while reading this one I felt that the romance between Abby and Gavin was rushed. I can’t really put my finger on it but this book was missing something. Don’t get me wrong I did like this one!! I loved that Gavin was so determined to get Abby and Abby you are crazy! I loved the friendship between Abby and Sierra.

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Overall

My rating: ★★★★.5/5

 xo

Patty♡♕

Review: Rescue Me by Serena Bell

Title: Rescue Me
Author: Serena Bell
Series: N/A
Publication Date: February 5th, 2014
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook
Pages: 36

Synopsis:
Getting stood up on Valentine’s Day has taken Molly Mack places she never would have dared to go…

After Molly Mack’s deadbeat boyfriend dumps her on the most romantic day of the year, Molly finds herself pushed to the edge—and in a tight spot. The only rescuer for miles around is her grumpy, laconic—and piping hot—neighbor, Dave Jenkins. Before long, Molly and Dave have struck enough sparks to bring the fire department running. Now the question is, Does Molly still want to be rescued? Or is she exactly where she wants to be?

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Rescue Me is a short & sweet novella that was released for Valentine's Day.

 "Valentine's Day rebound, she thought...". What? Did I actually just read that? Oh yes, I did. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not a fan of the rebound. I wish Molly had previous feelings for her hot neighbour, Dave. And if she did, I don't think it was properly . I'm not sure what Serena's intentions were, but that is what I gathered from reading this.

Although this was a cute short read, I was expecting more. The synopsis doesn't give much away on what tight spot Molly finds herself into, so I thought it was going to be something a little more drastic(?). But other then that it was a light read that had me giggling at some parts. I recommend this for anyone looking for a quick and (almost) PG-13 read!

Favourite Quotes
"So I threw a show."
"Out the window?" he asked."I meant to throw it at the wall. The open window kind of jumped in front of my throw."

My rating: ★★★/5

xo

Patty♡♕

Review: Her Dirty Boss by Sadie Koening

Her Dirty Boss

Author: Sadie Koening
Series: Her Dirty Boss, Book #1
Genre: Erotica, Adult Fiction
Publication Date: January 29th, 2014
Format: ebook
Pages: 23

Synopsis:

Alice has just turned 18, and finds herself in an incredible position.

While her friends are toiling away in college, Alice is working directly beneath her handsome, sexy, older boss. In more ways than one.

After stumbling upon a dirty rumor that turns out to be fact, Alice has two options: forget about the whole thing or try to use her new found information to further her career.

Until it all backfires.

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What. did. I. just. read!?!?!!

Okay, so I completely understand that while reading a book there will be an unrealistic thing or two that take place, but this novella takes the cake!! An 18-year-old working for the CEO of a large marketing company and has no college background? REALLY!? Does that even happen? So not realistic at all, maybe it should have been written that she was doing an internship instead?

"At 18, life wasn't easy in corporate."

You think? YOU'RE 18!!! Of course it's not easy. And then, this part just kills me.

"I stared at my boss, 40-something, and imagined him with his clothes off."

Alice, you're 18. Incase you didn't get the memo that is a big NO-NO!! Her boss is the CEO of a marketing firm, someone please enlighten me on what CEO would hire an 18-year-old that wasn't in school to work for them. And it just keeps getting better...

"In my dream I met up with him after work, his cloying cologne filtering into my nostrils, and his suit fitted perfectly against is muscular body. It seemed wrong, he was so much older than I was, it ask seemed like he had so much experience. Where I fumbled and shook, he was confident and powerful. He guided me, it was wrong, but so right."

I don't even know what else to say. Alice's coworker tells her about a black riding crop that Alan keeps in his desk drawer, and she asks him about it and this leads to them having sex. Overall, this was a disappointing read and it's a series I will most definitely not continue reading. I tried, I really did but this book just wasn't for me, I also think this should have been titled Dirty Alice instead!!

My rating: ★★/5

 xo
Patty♡♕

Review: The Russian's Furious Fiancee by Elizabeth Lennox

Title: The Russian's Furious Fiancee
Author: Elizabeth Lennox
Series: N/A
Publication Date: May 9th, 2012
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook
Pages: 132

Synopsis:
A man everyone loves to hate, including his fiancée! Damon Kelopatros was the ultimate businessman, considering that all things in life should be reduced down to a logical thought process, including selecting a wife. After hiring a firm, he went after his selection with formidable focus.

What he hadn’t anticipated was being intensely attracted to the woman he’d emotionlessly selected. Nor had he anticipated actually respecting and admiring her. These were things that he wanted for his mistress, but did not need in his wife – until he met Eva. And then he wanted all of her. He loved her smiles, her lush figure and her enchanting sense of humor.

And he especially loved the way she fought him every step of the way. He found that winning her over was more of a challenge than he expected, but each victory was cherished more because it had been so difficult to win.

Eva couldn’t believe that a man would simply hire a firm to select a wife but Damon was the most emotionless, horrible, arrogant and reprehensible man she’d ever met. Unfortunately, he was also the only man who made her heart pound simply by a glance across the room, or by just a touch of his warm, strong fingers.

How could she feel so much for a a man so irritating? Then she discovered that the man had his softer side too. As she fought him over every detail, she also learned that the man wasn’t as cold as he wanted everyone to think he was. He was kind and gentle, sweet and caring.

And she was falling in love with a man she’d originally thought was the devil.

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Now normally I fall in love with all of Elizabeth Lennox's books. But I would have to say that this one was definitely not one I loved. At the beginning I was sitting at 5 stars, and then by time I was halfway through I was already at 2.5/3 stars. I couldn't follow Damon's emotions where as Eva's emotions were a bit easier to follow. I found myself constantly going back a page or two and trying to figure out what I missed, which only really annoyed me. Definitely not her greatest work, but her other books are fantastic!

My rating: ★★★/5

xo
Patty♡♕

Blogger or Wordpress? Hmm...

Hey!

My name is Patty and welcome to my book blog!

I have a Wordpress blog, but I want to see if Blogger might be more up my alley. So here I am! I'll be posting book reviews, blitz, tours, hauls, and other bookish things. If anyone has any advice or tips for me on blogger, they'd all be greatly appreciated!! 

 xo
Patty♡♕

Review: A Duchess in the Dark by Kate McKinley

A Duchess in the Dark 

Author: Kate McKinley
Series: By Invitation Only, #1
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Adult Fiction
Publication Date: December 3^rd, 2013
Format: eBook
Pages: 54

Synopsis:

When a well-bred young lady opens the wrong bedroom door at a Regency house party, she has no idea of the sensual delights that await her on the other side…

Miss Daphne Hayward is on the hunt for a safe, honorable husband and she has set her sights on the perfect target. He’s kind, titled, and miraculously single. She plans a full-scale seduction that will bring him to his knees, begging for her hand in marriage. But when she mistakenly climbs into another man’s bed, sparks ignite, threatening to send all her plans up in smoke.

Ashton Fitzgerald, Earl of Claymore, is surprised by the powerful desire that surges through him when he sees Daphne for the first time. So when he unveils her as his mysterious midnight visitor, he is determined to make her his…forever.

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Daphne Hayward is convinced that Edward loves her and believes that in order to get him to purpose she must seduce him. Than we have Ashton Fitzgerald, Earl of Claymore; who we are lead to believe is a ladies man with women falling for him left, right and centre. When Daphne mistakes his room as Edwards, her plan starts to crumble.

I enjoyed reading this! I loved the plot, mistaken identity and romance. And Daphne and Ashton are likeable characters that had me giggling at the beginning. While this was well written, I only wish this were a novel instead of a novella. There’s a lot more that could have been said about Ashton and Daphne, for instance; when they first meet each other, also I would like to have learned more about Edward. Basically this novella has the perfect outline and characters to be a full novel and sadly it’s only a novella. While at times predictable, A Duchess in the Dark was still an entertaining fast read.

My rating: ★★★.5/5

 xo
Patty♡♕