Sophie Reads YA

Release Day Blitz: Unleashed by Bella Jacobs (+US giveaway)

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I am so excited that UNLEASHED by Bella Jacobs is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Bella Jacobs, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $10 Amazon GC, Moon Charms, & eBooks courtesy of Bella and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Title: UNLEASHED

Author: Bella Jacobs

Pub. Date: August 17, 2018

Publisher: Bella Jacobs Books

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 298

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Amazon UK

One woman on the run. Four dangerously sexy bodyguards. And a war brewing that will change the shifter world forever…

I’m living on borrowed time, fighting for survival against a deadly new virus that has no cure and a cult doing its best to brainwash me. But when a mysterious note shows up on my windowsill one night, its chilling message--Run, Wren--launches me out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Within hours, everything I thought I knew about my life, my family, and my origins is obliterated, and I'm racking up enemies at an alarming rate. Between the cult I've just escaped, a violent shifter faction out for my blood, and an ancient evil who eats "chosen ones" like me for breakfast, my last hope is to join forces with four dangerous-looking men who claim they were sent to guard my life.

Luke, a werewolf with a rap sheet. Creedence, a lynx shifter who never met a mark he couldn’t con. Kite, a bear kin with a mean right hook and heart of gold. And Dust, my childhood best friend and dude voted least likely to be a secret shape-shifting griffin.

But are these men really what they seem?

Or are my alpha guardians hiding a secret agenda of their own?

I’m not sure, but one thing is for certain—choosing the right allies will mean the difference between life and death. For me, and everyone I love.

UNLEASHED is book one in the Dark Moon Shifter’s series. It is a true reverse harem featuring one woman and her four mates.

Excerpt

Kite’s breath rushes out, his shoulders sagging with a relief that makes me feel like I’ve done something more important than answer a question. “Good. Keep trusting me, bird girl, and I’m going to show you a whole new world. A world where you can be the powerhouse you are on the inside.”

The backs of my eyes begin to sting, but I’m smiling when I say, “There’s no cure, Kite. I might never go back into remission, let alone get better.”

He pauses, seeming to debate something silently before he whispers, “But then again, you might.” Before I can assure him that hope is a lost cause in this case, he leans down and gently presses his lips to mine and I am the one who’s lost.

My eyes slide closed as my heart lights up, each warm, sweet brush of his lips against mine making my body fill with magic. Electricity floods my nerve endings and my pulse races so fast I know I would fall over if Kite let me go. But he doesn’t let me go, he wraps me up in his big strong arms, hugging me close as he lifts me off my feet, bringing our lips onto a level playing field as he takes charge of holding us both steady.

With a soft sob of gratitude for this kiss, this miracle, this moment of feeling like the luckiest girl in Seattle, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him with everything in me, not caring if I use up all the energy I’ll need to get home.

I’m always so careful—I’ve had to be in order to keep working and having some semblance of a normal life long after most people with my condition would have taken to their beds for good—but I don’t want to be careful right now. I want to be alive and wanted and on fire. I want to burn with this man who makes me hungry in a way I’ve never experienced before.

In just a few moments, Kite banishes every teenage kiss and lukewarm make-out session from my early twenties from my memory, leaving nothing but his smoky, sexy taste in my mouth and his campfire and almond scent swirling through my head.

About Bella:

Bella Jacobs loves pulse-pounding action, fantasy, and supernaturally high stakes, mixed with swoon-worthy romance and unforgettable heroes. She's been a full time writer for over a decade and hit the USA Today Bestseller list multiple times in contemporary romance under her other pen name. She writes as Bella for her trips to the dark side and can't wait to take you on her next adventure. xo!

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International.

1 winner will win a signed paperback of UNLEASHED, US Only.

1 winner will receive a Moon Charm (photo below), US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2018 Contemporary Romance Challenge

Review: Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

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Foolish Hearts
Series: None
Author: Emma Mills
Published December 5th 2017 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Goodreads Synopsis
A contemporary novel about a girl whose high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream leads her to new friends—and maybe even new love.

The day of the last party of the summer, Claudia overhears a conversation she wasn't supposed to. Now on the wrong side of one of the meanest girls in school, Claudia doesn't know what to expect when the two are paired up to write a paper—let alone when they're both forced to try out for the school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

But mandatory participation has its upsides—namely, an unexpected friendship, a boy band obsession, and a guy with the best dimpled smile Claudia's ever seen. As Claudia's world starts to expand, she finds that maybe there are some things worth sticking her neck out for.
Goodreads

Review
Emma Mills is slowly but surely becoming one of my favourite contemporary authors. Foolish Hearts is my third book by her, and I've already preordered her next, she's that good. In Foolish Hearts, Claudia's senior year should be perfect, but everything seems to go wrong from the get go. At a back to school party, she overhears two of the popular girls, and the it couple of the all girls school she goes to, break up. What makes it worse is that one of the girls, Iris, is a bona fide 'mean girl', and she has Claudia in her sights. They end up being forced to work together on a paper for class, and, as you can imagine, it doesn't go well. To make up their grade, their teacher makes them audition for the school play, a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, that will be performed with the linked all boys school. As they slowly start to work together, they form an alliance that quickly becomes a friendship that helps each other through school and relationships and a mutual love for the same band.

Claudia was one of the best characters I've read in a YA contemporary. She honestly felt like a 'real' person, who acted like her age would warrant, and had proper relationships with family, friends, and beaus. In her family, she has older siblings, as well as a brother-in-law, and they are all really close. There is an online game, Battle Mage, that they keep in touch through, and seeing that kind of family dynamic was wonderful. The friendships in the book all were natural too, with Claudia and her best friend Zoe - who goes to a different school - and Claudia's fledgling friendship with Iris. As a new friendship, which didn't start off all that well, we see how they struggle to get used to each other, to their quirks, and likes and dislikes, but also how they grow closer, and understand each other as if they've been friends for years.

Honestly, the same could be said for the love interest, Gideon. Gideon was someone who you just had to like from the get go. He got along with everyone, and though he was a bit of a flirt, it was harmless. He likes everyone, and they can't help but like him back. Claudia is a bit clueless when it comes to boys, and from their very first meeting, I just knew that she and Gideon would be together, and it would be perfect - the chemistry was just so good. She is really quite awkward around him, not knowing what to make of him, and whether he actually like likes her, or just as friends. It's only through the other characters, and especially Iris, that she realises he's not messing about, and whenever they're on the page together, it is seriously cute and fluffy. Be warned though, it is a slow burn of a romance.

As much as I've loved Emma's previous books, I think this is my favourite of the lot. I can't recommend this enough, and if you haven't already tried one of her books, you need to get on it, ASAP!

Dates Read:

June 25-26, 2018

Rating
5 Stars

Escaping from Houdini

Waiting on Wednesday: Escaping from Houdini (Stalking Jack the Ripper #3) by Kerri Maniscalco

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2018 Blogger Shame Challenge

ARC Review: Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson

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Not Now, Not Ever
Series: None
Author: Lily Anderson
Published November 21st 2017 by Wednesday Books

Goodreads Synopsis
The sequel to The Only Thing Worse than Me Is You, inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest.

Elliot Gabaroche is very clear on what she isn't going to do this summer.

1. She isn't going to stay home in Sacramento, where she'd have to sit through her stepmother's sixth community theater production of The Importance of Being Earnest.
2. She isn't going to mock trial camp at UCLA.
3. And she certainly isn't going to the Air Force summer program on her mother's base in Colorado Springs. As cool as it would be to live-action-role-play Ender's Game, Ellie's seen three generations of her family go through USAF boot camp up close, and she knows that it's much less Luke/Yoda/"feel the force," and much more one hundred push-ups on three days of no sleep. And that just isn't appealing, no matter how many Xenomorphs from Alien she'd be able to defeat afterwards.

What she is going to do is pack up her attitude, her favorite Octavia Butler novels, and her Jordans, and go to summer camp. Specifically, a cutthroat academic-decathlon-like competition for a full scholarship to Rayevich College, the only college with a Science Fiction Literature program. And she's going to start over as Ever Lawrence, on her own terms, without the shadow of all her family’s expectations. Because why do what’s expected of you when you can fight other genius nerds to the death for a shot at the dream you’re sure your family will consider a complete waste of time?

This summer's going to be great.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

The Only Thing Worse than Me Is You was one of my favourite debuts of 2016, and when I heard that their would be a sequel, albeit following different characters but linked to the prequel, I couldn't wait. Again, this was a case of forgetting all about having an ARC, and it was only recently that I remembered I had a copy of Not Now, Not Ever, so I thought it was time to give it a go.

Not Now, Not Ever follows Elliot, who, in order to go to a prestigious summer camp with the hopes of winning a scholarship, starts over as Ever. She has pressure from both sides or her family, to either join the Air Force or become a lawyer, neither of which sound like a good fit for her. Instead, all she wants to do is go to college, Rayevich College to be precise, to study their unique Science Fiction Literature program. Both sides of her family have opinions on this, and the only way for her to succeed is to go behind their backs, and prove to them that she is capable of winning the scholarship, and earning her right to go to the school she wants, to do what she decides. What throws a spanner in the works, however, is that her genius cousin has had the same idea, and now they're having to pretend to be twins, and know that if one gets caught, the other goes down with them.

Originally I wasn't sure how much of a 'sequel' this book would be to Anderson's debut, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was set in the same place, and the summer camp was linked to the school that original gang went too. Also, the main characters from TOTWTMIY were camp counsellors and Brandon, who was one of my favourite side characters.

Basically, the main premise of Not Now, Not Ever follows a competition in which the campers need to complete academic task, and the winner wins a scholarship. They are grouped into teams to work together, but when it gets to the final tasks, they will be on their own. In Ever's group is Brandon, and they get close while revising, and if I didn't already think that Bea and Ben from TOTWTMIY were the ultimate OTP, they would be in the running. They slowly open up to each other about what they've been hiding since they started the programme, and it was lovely to see how they grew themselves by having someone as a sort of soundboard to be there for them to vent.

Obviously, the whole plan doesn't go that way Ever thought (hoped/wished) it would, and there is a lot of angst at times that could've been solved with a bit more honesty, and I think between that and the rather abrupt ending, I couldn't give the book 5 stars. I've also never read The Importance of Being Earnest or anything by Wilde, so I don't know how close to the original this retelling is. However, if you enjoyed Anderson's debut, I'd say you would also enjoy this one.

Dates Read:

July 1-5, 2018

Rating
4 Stars

ARC August

ARC August Update: 12th August 2018

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August

Stacking the Shelves: August 11th 2018

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2018 Blogger Shame Challenge

Review: Rebel Belle (Rebel Belle #1) by Rachel Hawkins

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Rebel Belle
Series: Rebel Belle #1
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Published March 3rd 2015 by Speak

Goodreads Synopsis
Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts. Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.
Goodreads

Review
I bought this book way back in 2015 when I was on holiday in Florida, and for some reason I never actually read it, whoops. However, the other day I was looking through my books, and decided to give it a go, and that it was about time I did. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't sooner, because I was fantastic - I was only half way through when I went and ordered books 2 & 3 (now I have to wait for them to come -.-).

Now, Rebel Belle is all about southern belle and debutante, Harper, who during her homecoming dance, she gets attacked by her History teacher and the janitor, who gets killed, passes on some sort of magic through a weird kiss. Also, she kills the teacher. She's obviously freaking out, especially when the only person who knows what actually happened, because all the evidence is poofed away, is the one person she hates more than anyone else, David. After a bit of research, Harper discovers that she's become a 'Paladin', someone who is bound to protect another person linked with Charlemagne. Low and behold, who else would be that person she needs to protect, but David Stark, her nemesis. As she discovers more about her powers, and learns to work with David in order to protect him, herself, and, quite honestly, the whole town, she is also juggling her cotillion preparations, and her long term relationship.

Harper is an amazing character, she is strong and willing to fight, but doesn't lose her sense of decorum and her desire to take part in cotillion. She juggles her time as president of the school association, with her family, and her friends, while at the same time bottling up everything to do with her mission. The only ones she can turn to to help are David, who seems to be slowly warming to her, and his 'aunt' (who isn't really his aunt at all) Saylor. They help her to understand what it means to be a Paladin, and they work together to make a plan of action to save everyone they love. I'm not going to say that Harper never complains, because she does - but that's normal. What I loved about her was how normal she tried to make it all for everyone else. She found reasons for why she would be spending time with David and Saylor - cotillion business - and why she's now a really good fighter - self defence classes.

Harper and David's relationship uses a trope I simply adore, that of 'enemies to lovers'. After an incident in kindergarten where David threw Harper off the climbing frame, there has been a hatred and animosity between them, and high school life was no different. David, as editor of the school paper, would regularly write defamatory articles about Harper, and she would retaliate in whatever way possible. Once Harper was made a Paladin, and they realised they would need to spend a lot of time together, their relationship grew and developed into friendship, and, gradually, into more.

Now, I've already said that I ordered the sequels while I was reading this one, but, unfortunately, I'm having to wait for them. Hopefully they will be here soon, or I might go crazy! This is definitely a book I'd be recommending to others.

Dates Read:

July 21-22, 2018

Rating
5 Stars