UNTIL THE END by ABBI GLINES+GIVEAWAY

We would love for you to join us in a release week event for UNTIL THE END by New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Abbi Glines from October 28-November 4, 2014! 

Until The End (Sea Breeze #9)

Author: Abbi Glines

Publisher: Simon Pulse (October 28, 2014)

Blurb:

The backstory that fans have been clamoring for—how Rock and Trisha fell in love—is the final installment in the Sea Breeze series from New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines. And don’t miss the sizzling Epilogue, where Abbi wraps up all the Sea Breeze couples’ stories!

Trisha Corbin always knew how to hide a bruise. With her momma’s boyfriends unable to keep their hands off of her, she had no choice. And as long as it meant the guys wouldn’t go near her little brother, Krit, it was worth it. But her days of dreaming that Prince Charming would ever come rescue her are far, far in the past.

Rock Taylor always had a plan. Through football, he would rise above the life he was born into. A full ride to play for a major college team was within his reach—assuming he didn’t let anything get in his way. But scoring a date with the hottest girl in Sea Breeze was proving harder than expected. Trisha Corbin was every man’s walking fantasy, and she wouldn’t even glance his way.

When Rock finally does get Trisha in his truck, it isn’t for a date. It’s because he picks her up on the side of the road, beaten and bruised and walking to the local hospital. Before Rock knows it, football is no longer his life. Trisha Corbin is. And he’ll do anything to save her. And keep her.

In addition to Rock and Trisha’s love story, this special novel contains the wrap-up stories of all your favorite Sea Breeze couples: Sadie and Jax, Marcus and Low, Cage and Eva, Preston and Amanda, Jess and Jason, Krit and Blythe, and Dewayne and Sienna.

You can purchase Until the End at the following Retailers:

Trisha, The Present

Once we had both boys tucked in we cut the lights and closed the door.

Rock stood there with his hand on the doorknob once we were in the hallway. “That never gets old,” he said in a whisper.

He didn’t have to explain. I understood. Two years ago we were told that we could never have children. It was something we both wanted. A family. We wanted to create a world we ourselves were cheated of.  We wanted to have a house full of love and safety. One we could give to kids the way we had always dreamed of having ourselves.

We had that now. We were not only able to have a family filled with all those things we longed for, but we were able to give it to kids that were living a life of hell much like the one we had been raised in. They were here now, though, and they were ours. And never again would they suffer or fear or go hungry. We would love them always.

“We’re very blessed,” I agreed quietly.

Rock smiled at me. “Yeah, we are.”

About the Author 

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of TWISTED PERFECTION, FALLEN TOO FAR, NEVER TOO FAR, JUST FOR NOW, WHILE IT LASTS, BECAUSE OF LOW, BREATHE, THE VINCENT BOYS, THE VINCENT BROTHERS, THE EXISTENCE TRILOGY.

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5 ebooks, Until the End

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Release Day Launch for Cora Carmack's ALL BROKE DOWN+Giveaway

  
 Yowza! We are extremely excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Cora Carmack's ALL BROKE DOWN!! ALL BROKE DOWN is a New Adult Contemporary Romance novel being published by HarperCollins, and it is the 2^nd book in The Rusk University Series.

All Broke Down(Rusk University #2)

by Cora Carmack

Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Release Date: Oct 28th, 2014

Blurb:

In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack’s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can’t only fight for what you believe in . . . sometimes you have to fight for what you love. 

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians you name it, she's probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He's in for a different kind of fighting. And though he's arrogant and infuriating, she can't help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it's trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He's met girls like her before fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn't think he's broken, and he definitely doesn't need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about: his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all

    Excerpt

I think I get it then. That decision I saw in her eyes back in the kitchen. That’s what this, what I’mabout for her, too. I’m just another part of whatever rebellion she started earlier today. About doing what she wants, not what’s expected of her.

“We’re not talking about me, though,” she says. “So you went to meet your friend, and then what happened?”

She keeps her eyes down as she picks up the gauze and begins winding it snugly around the knuckles of one hand, and then the other.

“He said the wrong thing.”

“Which was?”

“Dylan.” Now it’s her that’s pushing too hard. I didn’t want to talk about things with my friends, and I won’t talk about them with her, either, no matter how gorgeous she is.

“I’ll guess. You were mad about what he did, and he wasn’t sorry.”

“This isn’t middle school, Pickle. He didn’t hurt my feelings. He said some shit he had no business saying, and it pissed me off. The end.”

“But you don’t think some of that anger stems from what you feel is a betrayal of your friendship?”

She finishes taping down the last of the gauze, but doesn’t let go of my hand.

“I think you’re analyzing me again. Making things more complicated than they are.”

“And I think you’re just a guy who doesn’t like to admit he has feelings.” She drags out the word, teasing me with some goofy smile on her face. I turn my hand over so I can clutch her wrist. I curlmy other bandaged hand around her waist and pull her closer.

“I feel plenty of things.”

The teasing stops. She swallows.

“I wasn’t talking about that kind of feeling.”

With her standing and me sitting, I’m eye level with her chest. I see the sharp rise and fall as she sucks in a breath. I want her in my lap again, straddling me this time.

“Doesn’t mean we can’t talk about that kind of feeling. Or experiment with it.”

“Is that Stella girl an ex?”

I cough, surprised. My throat twists uncomfortably, and it takes me a couple of solid breaths to get a hold on myself.

“Ah, no. Stella and I have never dated.”

“Have you—”

“Do you ever run out of questions?”

“Not ever.” She turns playful again, and I’m done doing this the careful way. If she wants a rebellion, I’ll be the one to give it to her. I want her against me, and I’m tired of waiting.

I pull her forward, insinuating my knees between hers, and her body naturally follows, settling across my thighs. Her lips part, but she catches herself before she gasps this time. I keep her steady with my hands at her waist and say, “I’ll make you a deal. A question for a kiss.”

Tentatively, she lays her palms against my shoulders. They rest there, her grip light and casual. She ponders my offer for a moment, and it drives me mad that she can do that while our hips are inches away from alignment.

“Okay then. Are you—”

I cut her off. “Not so fast, Dylan Brenner. I’ve already answered one question. We’ve got to settle up first.”

I wrap her braid around my hand like I’ve been waiting to do all night, and I use it to pull her head back just enough that I can crush my mouth against hers.

And don’t forget to grab your copy of ALL LINED UP Today!

  

About the Author 

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. 

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Guest Post: Rites of Passage by Joy H. Hensley

Hi lovelies! Today Joy N. Hensley is visiting the blog to talk about the setting of her fabulous debut novel! Read on to know about the preparations and research that went into creating the world of Rites of Passage below.

Creating the setting for Rites of Passage was a labor of love, and in saying that, there wasn’t much labor at all. I’m not sure many people know this, but once upon a time, I went to a military school on a dare (Norwich University in Vermont). I lived in the barracks, I climbed up the mountains, and I swam through the rivers. The key, though, was taking what I was familiar with in Vermont and making it work for Denmark Military School in Virginia.

I used campus maps from Norwich University and Virginia Military Institute to design the DMA. I took what I needed of both and put them where I needed them to be for the DMA to be as accurate as possible. I also included the tunnels, which may or may not have existed at Norwich University. I think with any old institution like this, even created ones, there are rumors and mysteries that help the place keep a feel of power about it. The tunnels I made for the DMA were just maintenance tunnels in the original plans of General Denmark, but over time they became a great meeting place for a group in the book, known as the Society.

The armory, the chapel, and the library were also very real in my mind and very much based on those same buildings at the military school I went to. I especially remember the chapel being my sanctuary, a very real place I could escape to when I needed a break from all the yelling. In the chapel, you see, no one had rank. So even if upperclassmen were in there, they weren’t allowed to yell at us lowly freshmen in there. We could eat, play guitar, chill, and even sleep on the pews, which I only felt slightly guilty about.

A lot of scenes take place in the barracks themselves, and with this part of the setting, I made sure it was as much like a “normal” dorm room as possible. These kids are still in high school, even though it’s a boarding school. It couldn’t be a big house, though—not for the DMA—because the Worms still have things they must accomplish. Living on the top floor and having to run up and down stairs is a very real event in military schools. Cadets have to “earn” their place on the first floor—and that’s reserved for seniors. The fire doors that close at the end of the halls make things private enough that, if needed, bad things can happen—smoke shows (though I’m not sure if these were done with or without adult knowledge and consent), company time, motivational training. All of these things happened at my school and were very important to the company building aspect of military school.

I did take as much care as I could to making sure it was as “real” as possible with regards to my town setting of Lexington, Virginia. The runs they go on were marked out on real maps, thanks to my author-friend, Jodi Meadows, so the lengths of the runs were probably a bit longer than reality for a military high school, but I wanted to be as true to my surroundings as I could. I did take liberties where necessary, though. The river used on Dedication Day, the waterfall later in the book—all these were built in my mind and used without apology.

I hope that gives you a bit of insight into creating the setting for Rites of Passage—part real, part blended, part made up. That’s the beauty of fiction, though!

I hope you enjoy reading the setting as much as I enjoyed creating the setting. The DMA, itself, is very much its own character in the book!

 

Rites of Passage

by Joy N. Hensley

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: September 9th, 2014

Blurb:

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.
At any cost.

Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

You can purchase Rites of Passage at the following Retailers:

    

  

About the Author 

Joy N. Hensley is a former middle school teacher. She used to spend her twenty-minute lunch breaks hosting author Skype chats for her students. Once upon a time she went to a military school on a dare. She lives in Virginia with her husband and two children, finding as many ways as she can to never do another push-up again.

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CINDER & ELLA by Kelly Oram Excerpt+Giveaway

     Hey everyone! I’m excited to be here today on the Teen Reader’s Diary to share an excerpt from my new book with you. The book is Cinder & Ella. It’s a contemporary retelling of the classic fairy tale Cinderella. I love Cinderella. It’s always been my favorite, and I always knew that eventually I would write my own adaptation of it.

In my version “Prince Charming” and “Cinderella” (Cinder & Ella) are old online buddies. They met through Ella’s book blog when she wrote a review about Cinder’s favorite book that he felt compelled to argue with. What she doesn’t know is that in real life Cinder happens to be Brian Oliver, the famous actor whose been cast to play the lead in the movie adaptation of the book. You can figure this out from the summary of the book so I’m not spoiling anything, I promise! Part of the fun of the book is knowing who Brian is and waiting to see what will happen when Ella finally figures it out.

In the beginning of the book tragedy strikes and Ella disappears from the online world. When that happens Cinder & Ella lose contact. The excerpt I have for you guys today is part of the fist conversation they have after they reconnect. Hope you enjoy it!

    

EllaTheRealHero: You were on a date???? Cinder! I can’t believe you ditched her. What a jerk.

Cinder458: Eh, she was too high maintenance, anyway.

EllaTheRealHero: Cinder!!!  

Cinder458: Get over it, woman. It was a stupid date. You were more important. That e-mail almost made me cry. Effing tears, Ella! Why are we even talking about me? I can’t imagine what you’ve been through. I know how close you were with your mom. And you had to move in with your dad? You haven’t seen him in years!!! How are you? Is there anything I can do? You want me to fly out there and steal you away from him? Or at least punch him in the face? I can’t believe he got rid of your books.

Already the world seemed brighter. Life wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been half an hour ago. My overwhelming loneliness was gone. There wasn’t really a light at the end of the tunnel yet, but at least I wasn’t in the dark by myself anymore.

I should have known Cinder wouldn’t have changed. I should have e-mailed him months ago in the rehab center once I could move again. Oh, well. No use dwelling on the past. I had him back now, and that was all that mattered.

EllaTheRealHero: No punching. My dad is a big, bad U.S. attorney. He would bury you in court, get you thrown in jail, and probably even take your fancy talking car.

Cinder458: Whoa, whoa, whoa, not my precious! Okay, okay, so no punching him or kidnapping you. But seriously, Ella, what can I do? I feel helpless here chica. Talk to me.

EllaTheRealHero: I don’t want to talk. I am so sick of talking. The only people I talk to anymore are doctors, and all they do is make me talk. I don’t need another doctor. I need a friend. I need someone to make me laugh and help me take my mind off everything. Don’t treat me like I’m going to break. Yell at me and don’t let me get away with anything when I start acting like a brat.

Cinder458: Would I ever miss an opportunity to call you a brat?

EllaTheRealHero: No. That’s why I need you. My life is upside down right now, and I really need something familiar. I need normal.

Cinder458: I can do normal.

I laughed a genuine, happy, lighthearted laugh. It was the first real laugh I’d managed since my accident. There was nothing forced or awkward about it. I hadn’t done it because I was nervous about anything or trying to hide my real feelings. I just laughed because I was in a good mood (and because what Cinder said was ridiculous).

Dr. Parish was going to be happy. Maybe, if I was lucky, she’d stop hounding me about spending time with my dad and the stepwitches, but I doubted it.

EllaTheRealHero: Sure you can, rock star. You wouldn’t know normal if it bit you on your ridiculously good-looking face.

Cinder458: You’ve never seen my face. How do you know it’s good-looking?

EllaTheRealHero: Because no ugly person could have an ego as big as yours.

Cinder458: You’re right. I’m gorgeous. I’m also probably way too amazing to accomplish normal, but I can definitely handle familiar. You’ve seen the cast for The Druid Prince, right? I’ve been going crazy not being able to talk to you about it.

I laughed again. This was familiar. My mind drifted back to the early months in the hospital. The doctors kept me in a medically-induced coma for three weeks because my pain was too much and I was having so many surgeries. After they brought me out of it, there were still a number of weeks where I was groggy and incoherent—in and out of consciousness. The hospital staff told me that for weeks I would call out for my mom and Cinder.

One day, one of my nurses recognized the name Cinder and brought me an entertainment magazine. The cover boasted an article about Hollywood’s leading It Boy landing the role of fantasy’s most cherished prince. I guess the thought of teen sensation Brian Oliver playing Prince Cinder was so horrifying it brought me right out of my stupor and sent me into a tizzy, as my nurse called it. And that was before I learned who was directing.

EllaTheRealHero: Ugh! Don’t remind me!

Cinder458: ?

EllaTheRealHero: Why does Hollywood always have to ruin everything?

Cinder458: You think it’s going to suck?

EllaTheRealHero: Kaylee Summers as the Princess Ratana? She’s not even an actress! She’s a supermodel!

Cinder458: Who knows, maybe acting is her calling.

EllaTheRealHero: And maybe Max Oliver just thought she was really hot. They don’t even have her in a dress in the movie. She’s decked out in some slutty, tight, leather getup like Xena: Warrior Princess. It’s disgraceful. And forget any chance of them following the story. With Max Oliver directing, you know it’s going to be nothing but a bunch of over-the-top mindless action.

Cinder458: Wow. So you’re really not a fan of Max Oliver, then. I thought you were joking all those times you wrote scathing reviews of his movies on your blog.

EllaTheRealHero: I thought you were joking every time you defended him. Max Oliver is your go-to director if you want flashy car chases, big explosions, and half-naked women—which I know is your favorite kind of movie—but even you have to admit he is so wrong for The Druid Prince. And of course he just had to go and bring his son on to play Cinder! Why??? Why are they doing this to me???

Cinder458: What!!! I thought you’d be happy about that. Brian Oliver will make an excellent Cinder. That dude is awesome.

EllaTheRealHero: LOL! I never knew you had some big, gay celebrity crush on Brian Oliver.

Cinder458: Remember what we said about you being a BRAT??

 ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cinder & Ella

by Kelly Oram

Release Date: October 1th, 2014

Blurb:

It’s been almost a year since eighteen-year-old Ella Rodriguez was in a car accident that left her crippled, scarred, and without a mother. After a very difficult recovery, she’s been uprooted across the country and forced into the custody of a father that abandoned her when she was a young child. If Ella wants to escape her father’s home and her awful new stepfamily, she must convince her doctors that she’s capable, both physically and emotionally, of living on her own. The problem is, she’s not ready yet. The only way she can think of to start healing is by reconnecting with the one person left in the world who’s ever meant anything to her—her anonymous Internet best friend, Cinder.

…

Hollywood sensation Brian Oliver has a reputation for being trouble. There’s major buzz around his performance in his upcoming film The Druid Prince, but his management team says he won’t make the transition from teen heartthrob to serious A-list actor unless he can prove he’s left his wild days behind and become a mature adult. In order to douse the flames on Brian’s bad-boy reputation, his management stages a fake engagement for him to his co-star Kaylee. Brian isn’t thrilled with the arrangement—or his fake fiancée—but decides he’ll suffer through it if it means he’ll get an Oscar nomination. Then a surprise email from an old Internet friend changes everything.

You can purchase Cinder & Ella at the following Retailers:

 

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen—a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat named Mr. Darcy. 

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