Carries Book Reviews

Falling for the Girl Next Door by Tera Lynn Childs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sloane Whitaker never expected that after she had to move from New York to Texas with her mother that she would find herself feeling at home in her new state. Texas grew on Sloane though, she loved her new school and she especially wanted to stay when she began a relationship with Tru Dorsey, the boy next door. The only problem, half of her family is still in New York and she really misses her brother and father.

Tru has also had his own problems mounting up which has led to him drinking way too much. His father can be very abusive and at an early age Tru found himself beginning to hide in a bottle but now he knows this has become more than a problem and he needs help. Sloane is the only good thing in his life but Tru feels that they need a break so he can become more worthy of her love after getting himself fixed.

Falling for the Girl Next Door is the fifth book in the Creative Hearts series but only the second featuring Sloane and Tru. I had not read the first book featuring this particular couple but I found that it really didn’t seem to be totally necessary although there may be a bit more background information given having met the couple before. I have however read a couple others from the series and there are mentions of other previous characters but again, not really necessary to be familiar with them.

I actually enjoyed Sloane and Tru and watching this couple deal with some very tough things in their lives and how they handled them. My one complaint though with this book came at the very end, it just seemed to end rather abruptly and left a lot of things up in the air. It could be possible that this couple will continue on later but I would have enjoyed learning more about their issues in this book.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Home by Eleni McKnight!

YA Dystopian fans, this one’s for you!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Knowledge is a dangerous commodity in the Home commune, the last beacon of civilization against the fallen outside world. As Suzannah Commons begins to secretly read forbidden books, she jeopardizes her future for the forbidden love of the boy who supplies her new, dangerous habit, Silas Maars, and his family. Will her new-found knowledge be her destruction?

Suzannah is in training with the rest of the unmarried teenage girls in the Handmaiden House and Home’s laundry to become a bride when she accidentally comes upon a naked boy in one of the family quarters, Silas Maars. To see a naked man before marriage is an unforgivable sin in Home and a challenge to her precious status as a virgin, her only aspect of worth. This compromise to her purity would earn her an automatic exile in the Hard Labor Camp, a death sentence until the commune leader, Parson, sentences her to the punishment of serving Silas and his unusual family as a housekeeper. As she works for the Maars family and is isolated from the rest of the commune’s population, she discovers the frightening, threatening outside world is not as dangerous as she has been led to believe. The Maars family reveals to her that Deacon controls the population of Home by keeping them all ignorant, denying them education and books so he can teach his own twisted, corrupt, self-serving version of religion from the pulpit. As she learns the truth and begins to fall into a star-crossed love with Silas, her fate as a childbride to one of the lecherous Elders or a worker in the hard labor camp is drawing nigh.

Eleni McKnight is a Murfreesboro, Tennessee native and graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Literature. This left her with a wild passion for creating costumes and doing make-up in her freetime, along with her intense passion for reading from her childhood. She started writing at age eight when she had read all the Baby-Sitter’s Club books she had brought along for a road trip at age nine, and wanted something new to read. It’s never quite left her over the years.

These days, you can usually find her working backstage or costuming in local community theatres, reading a book, walking/exercising, at a concert, drinking a craft beer with friends, knitting, embroidering, or taking a dance class.

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The Cowgirl’s Christmas Wish by Barbara Ankrum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Eve Canaday has had a little bit of a crush on her longtime friend Dr. Ben Tyler but nothing had ever come of the crush. When Eve volunteers to drive Ben to the airport for his vacation trip though the pair instead find themselves stuck in a snowbank when a reindeer crosses their path in the road.

Getting a ride back into town Ben finds he has to cancel his vacation and when they stop by the hospital to let them know it seems that fate kept Ben from leaving when he finds a longtime friend had fallen off a ladder hanging Christmas lights. Ben steps into the surgery while Eve takes care of his poor daughter in the waiting room.

After the surgery Ben and Eve find themselves caring for the little girl who had lost her mother the year before and now has her father recovering in the hospital. Finding that the young mother of the girl had set in motion a special Christmas for her daughter and husband in the event that she hadn’t survived to be there Ben and Eve step in to make sure the plans are carried out which brings them closer together as the magic of the holiday surrounds them.

The Cowgirl’s Christmas Wish is the third book in the Canadays of Montana series taking place in the lovely small town of Marietta, Montana with all of it’s usual Christmas charm. As usual with these various series set in this town you get mentions of other characters and events from the town all throughout the book but this can be read as a standalone novel.

I enjoyed the fact that this particular couple had already been friends so with the situation forcing them together at the holidays they are given the chance to become more than just friends in their lives. Another nice addition was having the four year old that this couple is caring for involved as it seemed to bring even more fun Christmasy events into the read as they follow the list to make a perfect Christmas for her.

Overall, another lovely holiday romance taking place in the small town of Marietta, Montana. Yes, I am a fan of this town and all of the lovely couples coming together during the holiday charm.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Secrets of a Reluctant Princess by Casey Griffin

presented by Entangled Teen!

Be on the lookout for this upcoming title,

and be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post!

Life-Action Role Playing gamers, this one’s for you!

Author, Casey Griffin’s thoughts on the cover:

Talk about punch! The colors immediately grab my eye and the font is so fun and unruly. I feel like the combination of those two things makes the cover of Secrets of a Reluctant Princess striking. With the simple yet powerful design, I think it will scream out from the bookshelf “pick me!” Or maybe that’s just because I love pink. And glitter? What’s not to love? I’m so happy with the results.

At Beverly Hills High, you have to be ruthless to survive…

Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working.

Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people.

Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her.

The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on.

Secrets of a Reluctant Princess

by Casey Griffin

Publication Date: March 7, 2017

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Genre: Contemporary, YA

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Casey Griffin can often be found at comic conventions on her days off from her day job, driving 400 ton dump trucks in Northern Alberta, Canada. As a jack of all trades with a resume boasting registered nurse, English teacher, and photographer, books are her true passion. Casey is a 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel finalist, and is currently busy writing every moment she can.

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Dangerous Kiss
Crystal Kaswell
Publication date: November 2nd 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance

He was supposed to glue my broken heart back together. Instead he threw me away.

Now he’s just another rock star asshole.

He gets everything he wants.

But not me. Not again.

Ethan Strong was the first man I ever loved. He was the one person who understood me, the one person who made me feel whole, the one person who set my body on fire.

We were supposed to be together forever. Then things got hard and Ethan forced me to choose between him and everything I’ve worked for.

Now he’s back in my life. He says we’ll be friends. It’s been a long time. I can forgive, but I can’t seem to forget. The taste of his lips, the sound of his groans in my ears, those calloused fingers between my legs– I’m going out of my mind remembering all the pleasure he brought me.

Worse, I keep thinking how happy he made me.

I can’t fall back in love with Ethan. It doesn’t matter how badly I crave his gorgeous blue eyes, his tattooed arms, and his strong guitarists’ hands. It doesn’t matter that his smile still lights me up inside. It doesn’t matter that I need him like I need oxygen.

I’m not giving Ethan another chance to throw me away.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

His eyes meet mine with this look that begs me to spill my guts.

He waits to speak until his drink is melting ice. “I know you think Mal is pulling strings to get us back together.”

“Is there a reason why you don’t object to this?”

“Mal doesn’t listen to anybody but Mal. Besides, I’ve seen him stressing about numbers. He doesn’t have the expertise. And I’m not saying you do, but he’s right. You’re somebody we trust.” Ethan’s eyes find mine. “If you want the gig, you should take it.”

His voice is even, effortless. Usually, Ethan wears his intentions on his face. But not right now.

No. That was the old Ethan, the one I knew. This playboy rock star version of Ethan… who knows what he does or why.

I take a long sip of my now lukewarm drink. “Won’t that bother you?”

“No.” His voice is shaky for a moment. “Just, well… I’m not gonna be celibate just because you’re around.”

“Excuse me?”

“I get it. You think I’m a manwhore. I won’t argue.” He runs his hand through his wavy hair. “You’re right. I fuck a lot of women. That isn’t going to change if you join us on tour.”

“Thanks for the update on your sex life.”

“Don’t want you to get upset if you see me with someone else.” His voice is clipped, his expression is frustrated.

But why? I stare back at him. “I don’t give a fuck where you stick your dick.”

“Good.”

“Yeah, great. Is that it?”

“Pretty much.”

I stare back at Ethan. I’m getting in the last word here. “Goes for you, too. I didn’t swear off sex when we broke up.”

Okay, so I’ve only slept with one guy since Ethan and I broke up. Denny and I dated for a few months. He was crazy about me—he wanted to move in together—but I never felt the same. After we broke up, he nearly evaporated from my mind. It still goes back to Ethan every time I pull out my rabbit-style vibrator (he did buy it for me). Or every time I touch myself sans mechanical assistance.

I clear my throat and smile my most confident smile. “Don’t get upset if you see me with someone else.”

“You’re sleeping around?”

“That’s not a crime, is it?” I chew on my lower lip. It’s not the case either, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“No. Of course not. I’m glad. Anybody I know?”

“No.”

“You coming often, at least?”

“Excuse me?”

“We’re gonna be around each other. We should be friendly.”

“Pretty sure you coming often goes past most people’s idea of friendly.”

“Of course, Vi. Would never want to make you uncomfortable.” He smiles, the look in his eyes screaming I guess that’s a no.

I clear my throat. “Yeah, I’m coming a lot. Every night.” By my hand, but that’s a technicality. “Sometimes multiple times.”

His expression flares with frustration. “Great.”

“And you? Enjoy screwing strangers at bars?”

“Depends on the stranger.”

I laugh-scoff. “I guess it would.”

He smiles.

Even though we’re hate-flirting, I fucking melt.

Author Bio:

Crystal Kaswell writes scorching hot new adult romance. When she isn’t writing, she is chain drinking tea, binge watching Law and Order, practicing yoga, or debating which fictional character would be the best in bed. She lives in Portland, OR with her husband.

Sign up for her mailing list to get exclusive bonuses like deleted and alternate POV scenes http://www.crystalkaswell.com/subscribe/

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