Life Of Crime With Jennifer Aniston Giveaway!

When a pair of low-level criminals kidnap the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer, they get both more and less than they bargained for in Life of Crime, a dark caper comedy based on legendary author Elmore Leonard’s novel The Switch. Starring Jennifer Aniston, John Hawkes, yasiin bey, Mark Boone Junior, Isla Fisher, Will Forte and Tim Robbins, Life of Crime is packed with the outrageously eccentric characters, black comedy and unexpected twists that earned Leonard a reputation as one of America’s sharpest and funniest crime writers.

Mickey Dawson (Jennifer Aniston), the wife of crooked real-estate developer Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins), is kidnapped by two common criminals (yasiin bey and Jon Hawkes), who intend to hold her for a $1 million ransom and extort her husband with inside information about his illegal business dealings. But Frank, who is holed up in the Bahamas with his mistress, decides he’d rather not get his wife back, setting off a sequence of double-crosses and plot twists that could only come from the mind of master storyteller Elmore Leonard.

*****
Enter below by commenting on your favorite scene from the trailer above.

Each household is only eligible to win $15 Fandango Gift Card via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Entries close on September 4th, 2014.

*****

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Kiss Me Captain by Gwen Jones: Ebook Release Announcement!

French billionaire Marcel Mercier is irresistibly sexy in Gwen Jones’s

fun and sassy follow up to Wanted: Wife.

Kiss Me, Captain

A French Kiss Novel

Gwen Jones

Readers had a brief glimpse of French billionaire Marcel Mercier in Wanted: Wife. The charming heartthrob is back in the new French Kiss Novel, Kiss Me, Captain (Avon Impulse | on-sale August 26^th, 2014 | ISBN: 9780062356482). Gwen Jones displays the perfect combination of smart writing, sexy characters, and sassy dialogue that made the first French Kiss Novel a huge success.

Marcel loves women. And there's a string of broken hearts across two continents to prove it. But as CEO of Mercier Shipping, he's got more important things to worry about … like why the charter company he just purchased in the United States is suddenly the center of an international media firestorm.

Now that big, bad Mercier Shipping owns Captain Dani Lloyd's ship, she's sure her job is at stake. But she won't go down without a fight—even if it means chaining herself to the mast of the Esther Reed and refusing to set foot on shore. The delectable captain and her newsworthy dramatics are a PR nightmare, but Marcel is happy to let Dani prove her skills on a weeklong sail to Boston. He knows no woman can resist him for that long … in fact, he's counting on it.

But Marcel's plan to seduce Dani backfires as sparks fly between the billionaire playboy and the passionate captain, which leaves Marcel realizing that winning her heart is a challenge he can't afford to lose.

About the Author:

GWEN JONES, is an MFA, HEA addict, politics geek, and part-time native of the Jersey Shore. She lives with her husband, Frank, and the absolute cutest cats in the world, Gracie and Tommy, near Trenton, New Jersey.

Buy Links:

Avon

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Google

iTunes

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Covering Kendall by Julie Brannagh: Cover Reveal!

COVERING KENDALL by Julie Brannagh

On sale: 10/21/2014

Kendall Tracy, General Manager of the San Francisco Miners, is not one for rash decisions or one-night stands. But when she finds herself alone in a hotel room with a heart-stoppingly gorgeous man-who looks oddly familiar-Kendall throws her own rules out the window…and they blow right back into her face. Drew McCoy should look familiar, he’s a star player for her team’s archrival the Seattle Sharks. Which would basically make Drew and Kendall the Romeo and Juliet of professional football…well, without all the dying. Not that it’s an issue. They agree to pretend their encounter never happened. Nothing good can come from it anyway, right? Drew’s not so sure. Kendall may be all wrong, but he can’t stop thinking about her and he finds that some risks are worth taking. Because the stakes are always highest when you’re playing for keeps.

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Summer Cleaning Giveaway!

My shelves need cleaning off and you all can benefit from it!  Please enter below for a chance to win these 20 books!

Don't Forget to Enter:
Deadly Errors!
What Strange Creatures!
2 Book (children's) Giveaway!
The Signature of All Things!

and many others!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

What Strange Creatures by Emily Arsenault: Review and Giveaway!

Scandal, love, family, and murder combine in this gripping literary mystery by critically acclaimed author Emily Arsenault, in which a young academic’s life is turned upside down when her brother is arrested for murder and she must prove his innocence.

The Battle siblings are used to disappointment. Seven years, one marriage and divorce, three cats, and a dog later, Theresa still hasn’t finished her dissertation. Instead of a degree, she’s got a houseful of adoring pets and a dead-end copywriting job for a local candle company.

Jeff, her so-called genius older brother, doesn’t have it together, either. Creative, and loyal, he’s also aimless in work and love. But his new girlfriend, Kim, a pretty waitress in her twenties, appears smitten.

When Theresa agrees to dog-sit Kim’s puggle for a weekend, she has no idea that it is the beginning of a terrifying nightmare that will shatter her quiet world. Soon, Kim’s body will be found in the woods, and Jeff will become the prime suspect.

Though the evidence is overwhelming, Theresa knows that her brother is not a cold-blooded murderer. But to clear him she must find out more about Kim. Investigating the dead woman’s past, Theresa uncovers a treacherous secret involving politics, murder, and scandal—and becomes entangled in a potentially dangerous romance. But the deeper she falls into this troubling case, the more it becomes clear that, in trying to save her brother’s life, she may be sacrificing her own.

Goodreads Summary

Theresa live a pretty measly life with not a lot going right. She is a divorced woman, has a million pets at her place, is not finished with her dissertation, and a job that is not going anywhere. It is not a surprise though as her family has a history of failure. Her brother Jeff wanders through life as well and somehow his girlfriend is found dead. Theresa then sets out to prove her brother's innocence and finds herself in a world of trouble that she may not be prepared for.

What I found myself really clinging to in this book was the witty dialogue. It will leave you smiling and laughing all the way through. One thing that I did find to be a little slow was the constant talk about the dissertation, however it still did not draw my opinion down about the book as a whole. The mystery of the cause of her brother's girlfriend's death is also a fun part of the story to watch unravel. Another nice thing about this book is that it is a mystery novel that has the main protagonist being a normal person. It is a breath of fresh air and a treat to read.

4 Stars

*Reviewed by Chris*

GIVEAWAY:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a book (USA) with your email and why you would like to win this book!  Thank you for stopping by!


This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

The Secret Bliss of Calliope Ipswich: Promo and Giveaway!

The Secret Bliss of Calliope Ipswich by Marcia Lynn McClure “Oh! Do link arms with me, Calliope,” Blanche whispered, her brown eyes widening with apprehension. She took Calliope’s arm, tightly linking it with her own. “The old Mulholland house still gives me the willies every time I walk past it. I hate to think on what might have gone on inside. It’s truly terrifyin’!” “Oh, don’t be silly, Blanche,” Calliope said, feigning calm. “Poor Prudence’s lunacy…it’s sad. And besides, her fiendish acts were not committed inside the house. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just…it’s just a sad, empty building.” Calliope Ipswich felt the hypocrite, however, as an uncomfortable shiver of residual dread and unease shuttered down her spine, More than six months had passed since the All Hollow’s Eve when the dangerous state of Prudence Mulholland’s fracturing mind had been revealed to the townsfolk of Meadowlark Lake. And now, each time Calliope thought of poor Prudence and her family, not only did her heart ache for their family’s unhappy lot but a chill of lingering horror rippled through her being. In truth, at times Calliope wondered if it had all been simply a bad dream—a nightmare. But it hadn’t. It really had happened—all of it.

Purchase your copy on

AMAZON * Distractions Ink

  Author Marcia Lynn McClure Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.” Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.  
BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/16/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blood Chimera: Guest Post and Promo!

What’s in a name? The ‘chimera’ in Blood Chimera.

Chimera. Def.

1.       A fire-breathing she-monster in Greek mythology with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent.

2.       An illusion or fabrication of the mind.

3.       An individual, organ, or body part consisting of at least two genetically distinct types of cells.

Back when I first starting to build up the world in which I would eventually set Blood Chimera, I was doing a whole lot of research on monsters of all sorts. I came across a theory that the Chimera of Greek mythology (born of Echidna and Typhon, slain by Bellerophon with the help of Pegasus) was originally based on phantom fires often spotted near the volcanic mountain Yanartas in present-day Turkey. The idea was that ancient Greek travelers would see this spouts of flame and assume the source was a fire-breathing monster, rather than what it really was: volcanic gas vents.

Which is pretty cool. Kind of brings to mind a Halloween haunted house except the Greek were scaring themselves by seeing nature’s special effects. “Ahhh, a monster!”

I’ll admit though: that last definition of chimera was the one I found really intriguing.

In the natural world, chimerism (usually) happens when embryos recombine in the womb, which isn’t necessary as rare as one might think, but goes largely undetected. Heterochromia (having eyes of a different color) is one possible manifestation of chimerism (turns out it’s not always a groovy mutation, Professor Xavier,) as is hermaphroditism and unusual patches of skin and hair color.  There have been several important legal cases that occurred because a parent didn’t test as parent to their own children, and in the process discovered that he or she was a chimera. And yes, human/animal chimera are possible (although it takes some tinkering in a lab and is legally frowned on by just about every nation.) We’re talking real Island of Dr. Moreau stuff here.

Naturally, given how my mind works, the first thing I thought about was how elegantly this would explain so many mythological creatures. Mermaids? Check. Centaurs? Not a problem. The Minotaur? Hell yes. Even the Pegasus from that version of the myth up above could be explained as a horse/eagle chimera. Thus, the shapechangers in my story became chimeras, although depending on which animals they knew how to blend, in what combination, and how good they were at controlling it, they might self-identify as very different kinds of monsters.

Including some monsters who haven’t walked the earth in a very long time.

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Deadly Errors by Allen Wyler: Giveaway!

Thriller Explores Biggest Medical Nightmare:

Deadly Patient-Care Errors

 

 

"A thriller that only a doctor could have written. Wyler's sense of the worlds of the hospital and operating room are unsurpassed. You'll feel as if you are right there."

--Michael Palmer, New York Times bestselling author of Miracle Cure and The Sisterhood

"Deadly Errors is a wild and satisfying ride! This is an "up all night" pass into troubled places that only hard-working doctors know about, a turbulent world of trusting patients and imperfect humans struggling with the required image of perfection."

 

--John J. Nance, author of Pandora's Clock and Fire Flight

 

 

A comatose man is given a fatal dose of insulin in the emergency room, even though he isn't diabetic.  An ulcer patient dies of shock after receiving a transfusion of the wrong blood type.  A recovering heart patient receives a double dose of medication and suffers a fatal heart attack.

Brain surgeon Dr. Tyler Matthews suspects that something is seriously wrong with the hospital's new "Med-InDX" computerized medical record system. But he doesn't suspect that there?s something murderously wrong with it.

 

As Matthews begins to peel back the layers of deception that cover the deadly errors, he crosses powerful corporate interests who aren't about to let their multi-billion dollar medical record profits evaporate. Now a target, Matthews finds himself trapped in a maze of deadly conspiracy, with his career, his marriage, and his very life on the line.

 

Once again, Wyler blends his unparalleled expertise as a world class surgeon with his uncanny knack for suspense to create a true "best-of-breed" medical thriller. Deadly Errors is a lightning-quick action procedural that is destined to win new fans to the medical thriller genre.

 

###

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allen Wyler is a renowned neurosurgeon who earned an international reputation for pioneering surgical techniques to record brain activity.  He has served on the faculties of both the University of Washington and the University of Tennessee, and in 1992 was recruited by the prestigious Swedish Medical Center to develop a neuroscience institute.

In 2002, he left active practice to become Medical Director for a startup med-tech company (that went public in 2006) and he now chairs the Institutional Review Board of a major medical center in the Pacific Northwest.

Leveraging a love for thrillers since the early 70's, Wyler devoted himself to fiction writing in earnest, eventually serving as Vice President of the International Thriller Writers organization for several years. After publishing his first two medical thrillers Deadly Errors (2005) and Dead Head (2007), he officially retired from medicine to devote himself to writing full time.

He and his wife, Lily, divide their time between Seattle and the San Juan Islands.

**Post your email address in the comments section below to enter the giveaway**

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

The Universe Builders: Bernie and the Putty by Steve LeBel

We have all heard of the fabled perfect being, the Greek God.

Well, how about a geek god? Named Bernie, yet.

Fresh with his diploma from God School, determined but unsure, bright but without confidence, Bernie faces the challenge of building his own universe. If only it were that easy...

An old school rival will do whatever it takes to ensure Bernie's failure, even if it means destroying his world.

It’s god vs. god, guile vs. goodness, where only one of them plays by the rules. Bernie must find a way to outwit his evil foe. If he fails, it will cost him everything. 

A fascinating tale of good vs. evil and a young hero on a journey of self-discovery in an original, humorous, fantastic wrapper.


Praise for The Universe Builders:

“…had me hooked from start to finish…I couldn’t put it down.”

“This book was fantastic! I was riveted, wanting to know what was going to happen to Bernie.”

“…weird, crazy characters that will tickle your funny bone and, at times, tug at your heartstrings.”

“…a fascinating tale of good vs. evil and of a young hero on a journey of self-discovery.”

“…a mind-bending journey…and a great start to a series.”

“Everybody loves an underdog story, and I’m no different.”

“This book was just wonderful!”

Goodreads Summary

What if there were many gods around that spent their time building universes for a living? There would be a hierarchy of gods with different personalities that put their own flair on their "projects." There would be some gods that built better universes than others and some that were lazy. This is your typical school type situation with a good amount of humor thrown in to spice it up and make a charming book.

Bernie is our charming new graduate from God school and he jumps right in to his first job a little bit shaky but with good intentions. I loved reading about his fumbles through rogue asteroids and plate tectonics with his swirling planets. I also was fond of the playful presentation of good versus evil where Bernie must learn fast to overcome his major foe. His self discovery is clumsy at times and it adds to his overall well created character in the book. This is definitely worth a read.

5 Stars

*Reviewed by Chris*

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Unbreakable by C.C. Hunter Cover Reveal!

Five Things You’ll learn from Eternal:

1. Never drive ninety miles an hour in a forty mile an hour speed-limit area.
2. When it snows inside your bedroom, something spooky is going on.
3. Breaking and Entering isn’t nearly as much fun as you would think it would be.  Especially when you are seconds from being caught.
4. Riding in a convertible with the wind in your hair is almost as good as flying.
5. Taking ice cream away from a girl suffering from a broken hear might get you turned into a kangaroo with pimples.

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Very Bad Things Q & A with Susan McBride

Katie never thought she'd be the girl with the popular boyfriend. She also never thought he would cheat on her-but the proof is in the photo that people at their boarding school can't stop talking about. Mark swears he doesn't remember anything. But Rose, the girl in the photo, is missing, and Mark is in big trouble. Because it looks like Rose isn't just gone…she's dead.

Maybe Mark was stupid, but that doesn't mean he's a killer.

Katie needs to find out what really happened, and her digging turns up more than she bargained for, not just about Mark but about someone she loves like a sister: Tessa, her best friend. At Whitney Prep, it's easy to keep secrets…especially the cold-blooded kind.

Goodreads Summary

Q&A

1) If you could be any character in your book who would it be?

I’d have to say Katie because of the way she changed through each draft of Very Bad Things. She’s had a rough time since her dad died when she was 13. Her whole life flipped upside-down. Her mom pretty much checked-out and sent her away to school. So Katie’s struggled with trust issues, which is why her best friend Tessa and her boyfriend Mark are so special to her. When her faith in them is shaken, she can only count on herself. I didn’t mean to put her through so much in this book, but I admire how she figures out what’s real and what’s not. And I love that she’s able to reach out for help—and tries to help others—when she needs to. I have a lot of respect for people who know that, no matter how strong you are, we’re all vulnerable. Katie is that kind of person.

2) Who was your favorite character in the book?

Joelle—the ex-girlfriend of Katie’s boyfriend, Mark—because she surprised me the most!  Sometimes people just aren’t who they seem on the surface. Katie is convinced Joelle is totally one dimensional: a pretty girl who thinks she can have whatever—or whoever—she wants. But Joelle is so much more as Katie learns throughout VBT. So many characters in this book are a mystery. That’s what made writing this story so intriguing!

3) Which character would be your best friend and why?

My first instinct is to say Katie because she’s very loyal. She’s in relationships to stay. So if she was my friend, I’d know it was for real and not superficial.

4) How did you get the idea for the book?

I got the idea from something I read in the paper years ago about a FedEx box that was leaking. What was found inside was pretty creepy (um, body parts for sale!). So I started with the leaky package and went from there. The mystery turned out to be so much more than I’d imagined when I first began writing. The development of the story and the characters from the first draft to the final book kind of blew me away. (And I owe it to my editor, Wendy Loggia, for really pushing me to make the story even more twisted!)

5) What is your favorite scene?

It’s hard to pick one!  But I’ll go with the scene where Katie finds herself lost in the tunnels beneath her boarding school in the middle of the night. It’s a huge test of her strength and her faith in Mark. She kind of has to decide in an instant whether she trusts him or believes the gossip that he had something to do with the disappearance of Rose. I found myself holding my breath as I typed!

6) Are you working on anything else we can be excited for?

I’m working on Say Yes to the Death, the sixth book in my Debutante Dropout Mystery series for HarperCollins (which will be out in 2015). The fifth, Too Pretty to Die, was published in 2008 so it’s been a while! But I’m thrilled that HarperCollins wanted more. And I look forward to writing more YA mysteries for Delacorte because doing Very Bad Things was such a roller-coaster ride! It was such a challenge to get the story right; but once I did, it was like rolling downhill with my hands in the air, yelling, “Ahhhhhhhh!”  ;-)

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

2 Book Giveaway!

Guinea Dog 3

By Patrick Jennings

Ages 8-12

Publication Date: August 5, 2014

“Youngsters will eagerly jump in for another fast, fun read.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Another cute and laugh-out-loud entry in the series.”—School Library Journal

An award-winning, hilariously funny middle-grade series about guinea pigs who act like other pets will move its author, Patrick Jennings, into the ranks of much-loved writers, such as Louis Sachar and Andrew Clements.

When Rufus, Murphy, Lurena, and their pets go camping, they meet Pedro, a shy boy who seems afraid of just about everything--especially the water. One thing leads to another and the kids go into a nearby town to buy him a pet to cheer him up--a guinea pig, naturally. Yet what they bring home may look like a guinea pig, but it can swim--like an otter!

Guinea Dog has appeared not only on many state lists, but on county and school district lists as well. Here are just some of its appearances: Hawaii NeNe Award Nominee, Washington State Sasquatch Award Nominee, Massachusetts Children's Book Award Honor, Florida Sunshine State Master List, Kansas Winner of the William Allen White Award, Colorado Children's Book Award Nominee, New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award Master List, and Texas's Cy-Fair Horned Toad Tales List.

My Zombie Hamster

By Havelock McCreely

Ages 8-12

Publication Date: July 8, 2014

“Think Shaun of the Dead for a middle-school crowd.”—Publishers Weekly

“The perfect pick for readers who are interested in zombie action, but who are not ready for gore.”—School Library Journal

“Packed with references to action and sf movies, this comic horror zips along like a fluffy little rodent in an exercise ball. Minor gore will please Goosebumps fans.”—Booklist

A laugh-out-loud funny middle-grade debut with a scary twist, My Zombie Hamster will appeal to readers who like their animal stories mixed with chills. Fans of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps Most Wanted series will grab this one right up.

Matt Hunter and his buddies are looking forward to Christmas--actually, they're looking forward to receiving the latest sword-and-fantasy video game. But Matt's parents have other thoughts--they give him a fluffy little mammal, a hamster called Snuffles, for the holiday. And his grandmother makes it worse by giving him a hamster cage and wheel. But the hamster isn't all that cute--at least not after part of its cheek and belly fall right off--without bothering it a bit!

And why is it staring at Matt with black beady eyes and a lean and hungry look? Say hello to Anti-Snuffles, the zombie hamster! Or better yet, run! This series combines middle-school readers' passions: humor, animals, and scary stories, into one unbeatable package.

**To enter the giveaway enter your email address and contact information in the comments section below. One winner will be chosen for each of the above book. **

 This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Shark Week Excerpt from Cynthia Sax, Sinful Rewards 2 on sale today!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Belinda “Bee” Carter isn’t quite sure what she’s gotten herself into. She’s been receiving mysterious messages from a secret admirer who is sending her more and more erotic dares. Each time she fulfills his desires, she gets rewarded. She’s convinced that her mystery texter is one of two super-hot men—Nicolas, the handsome billionaire, or Hawke, the sexy biker—but she can’t tell which one it is. And she’s coming to realize that beneath her peaches-and-cream exterior beats a heart that longs to play out all of her most secret fantasies.

As the stakes are raised again, will Bee succumb to the sensual allure of this latest dare?

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89HA

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards2-1581413-149.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-2-cynthia-sax/1119919836

Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780062354129

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-2/id814153762

Excerpt:

The bus arrives six minutes late. It’s crammed full of people. Painted faces are pressed against the steamed-up windows. I spot dorsal fin hats and giant foam fish, which can mean only one thing—it’s Shark Week at the Shedd.

The driver opens the door, looks at me, glances behind him at the masses of bodies wedged into the space. “You’re small. You might fit.” He flicks his fingers, ushering me onto the vehicle.

“Thank you.” I’m average size but I don’t argue. I pay my fare and slide between a broad woman proudly wearing an I Heart Hammerheads T-shirt and a bearded man in a suit. My hand sticks out of the suffocating human sandwich, my purse hanging over the fare box.

The bus jerks forward. I slam against the corporate lumberjack, my breasts smacking against his chest. “Sorry.” I widen my stance, better bracing myself, embarrassed by the contact.

He grunts, his response swallowed by his beard. Moisture beads on his forehead. His suit jacket smells like wet wool.

I stare at his lapels, trying to act as though I’m not pressed against him, as though I’m not sharing an intimate embrace with a stranger, our thighs, hips, chests touching. The floor vibrates under my shoes. I don’t know how fast we are moving, as I can’t see outside, my view blocked by bodies, my fellow passengers much taller than I am.

A lady grumbles loudly about great whites giving other sharks a bad name. “Everyone knows the great white is the only shark worth talking about,” a man snaps.

Passengers gasp, their reactions encouraging the combatants. The verbally dueling duo exchange increasingly shrill insults, drawing oohs and aahs from the shark-savvy crowd. I wince, my eardrums ringing. Shark fans make Black Friday shoppers appear civilized, and these adversaries are locked in a to-the-death standoff, their hostility spiraling my anxiety skyward.

The man finally calls her a seal lover, the ultimate insult. The woman shrieks. Foam slaps against foam. Bodies sway. The bus stops, and everyone groans.

“Is this an incident?” the driver asks. “Do I have to notify dispatch?”

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Visions by Kelley Armstrong

As #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s new Cainsville series continues, Olivia’s power to read omens leads to the discovery of a gruesome crime with troubling connections to her new hometown.

Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong’s exciting new series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.

Their success, however, is short-lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel’s past mistakes have come to light, creating a rift between the pair just when she needs his help the most.

Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia’s convinced it’s another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman went missing just days ago—the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has her new home played in this disturbing murder?

Olivia’s effort to uncover the truth places her in the crosshairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don’t want revealed.

Goodreads Summary

If you could see omens that predicted the future, would you tell anyone the impending doom that approaches them. That is what the first book in this series is about and the second one, "Visions" does not disappoint at all. Olivia can see the omens here in Cainsville and it seems that the more that she investigates them, the more trouble she seems to get in. 

There are times that the novel seems to be going in circles instead of making forward progress towards solving the mystery at hand. This is not a warning omen towards telling you this is a bad book, you just need to be patient with the plot and let it develop and you will get to the good parts. The magic in this book is great. It is a lot better than the first book in the series as there are a lot more questions that are answered. We also learn a lot more about the characters, which is good because I know a lot of people were complaining about the story being light on back plot. This made things slightly hard to understand at times. However this book picks up that slack well. The story keeps up a great element of fear for the reader as well so those looking for a little horror will not be disappointed. Get your copy of "Visions" and dive in to the adventure.

3.5 Stars

*Reviewed by Chris* 

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Latitude Zero by Diana Renn

“I have to run,” said Juan Carlos. “You will call? Please? It is very important.”
“Yes. I will call. Definitely. At two.”

That’s what Tessa promises. But by two o’clock, young Ecuadorian cycling superstar Juan Carlos is dead, and Tessa, one of the last people ever to speak to him, is left with nothing but questions. The media deems Juan Carlos’s death a tragic accident at a charity bike ride, but Tessa, a teen television host and an aspiring investigative journalist, knows that something more is going on. While she grapples with her own grief and guilt, she is being stalked by spies with an insidious connection to the dead cycling champion. Tessa’s pursuit of an explanation for Juan Carlos’s untimely death leads her from the quiet New England backwoods to bustling bike shops and ultimately to Ecuador, Juan Carlos’s homeland. As the ride grows bumpy, Tessa no longer knows who is a suspect and who is an ally. The only thing she knows for sure is that she must uncover the truth of why Juan Carlos has died and race to find the real villain—before the trail goes cold.

Goodreads Summary

If you were someone who thought that you had your life all figure out with everything that you wanted, and then it all fell apart, how would you respond? Many of us would fall apart and lead a destructive path for a short while and probably eventually work our way back to our true selves. Tessa fits this mold exactly and her tipping point is an unexpected death that sets her in her confused spiral. Here in this book, we follow her route to discovery through bike riding and adventures. 

I liked reading about the ups and downs that Tessa faces while on her journey. The idea of a rogue bike ride seems a little bit silly to me but the author presents it in such a way that makes it exciting and fun to follow. The other lessons that she learns make her a better person as she travels, volunteers and meets new people. I loved the journey that her life leads her through as it is uncertain but she always seems to be traveling in the right direction. It is a journey that you will want to be a part of, thus you should get a copy and read this book.

3.5 Stars

*Reviewed by Chris*

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Season of the Dragonflies by Sarah Creech

As beguiling as the novels of Alice Hoffman, Adriana Trigiani, Aimee Bender, and Sarah Addison Allen, Season of the Dragonflies is a story of flowers, sisters, practical magic, old secrets, and new love, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

For generations, the Lenore women have manufactured a perfume unlike any other, and guarded the unique and mysterious ingredients. Their perfumery, hidden in the quiet rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, creates one special elixir that secretly sells for millions of dollars to the world's most powerful-movie stars, politicians, artists, and CEOs. The Lenore's signature perfume is actually the key to their success.

Willow, the coolly elegant Lenore family matriarch, is the brains behind the company. Her gorgeous, golden-haired daughter Mya is its heart. Like her foremothers, she can "read" scents and envision their power. Willow's younger daughter, dark-haired, soulful Lucia, claims no magical touch, nor does she want any part of the family business. She left the mountains years ago to make her own way. But trouble is brewing. Willow is experiencing strange spells of forgetfulness. Mya is plotting a coup. A client is threatening blackmail. And most ominously, the unique flowers used in their perfume are dying.

Whoever can save the company will inherit it. Though Mya is the obvious choice, Lucia has begun showing signs of her own special abilities. And her return to the mountains-heralded by a swarm of blue dragonflies-may be the answer they all need.

Goodreads Summary

A perfume with magic powers that makes any woman successful that wears it seems like dream come true for most of society. With great power always comes people who abuse it though and there is always someone who can't handle power above others. When the power is abused in this story things go completely crazy and the world collapses in on itself. 

The discovery of the power in this book starts off very small scale in the right hands and because of a very small mistake, things go haywire. I really liked the plot of the book and the message that it gives about little things building into big trouble if not handled properly. It is a great lesson that all of us can learn from. I also loved the magic elements that are presented throughout the story. Thirdly, I thought it was awesome that the girls in the story have millions of dollars and still live in a simple house with not many frills. This is definitely a great book that it worth a read if you are into fantasy.

4 Stars

*Reviewed by Chris* 

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ