Excerpt Blog Tour: Spy Girl by Jillian Dodd

 

BUY LINKS: 

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/SpyGirliBooks 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/22rSpHT 

Kobo: http://smarturl.it/SpyGirlKobo 

B&N: http://smarturl.it/SpyGirlBN 

Google Play: http://smarturl.it/SpyGirlGP 

Signed Paperback: http://smarturl.it/SpyGirlSigned  

 

EXCERPT: I know the drill. Open my orders, commit them to memory, destroy them.

X X X

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Protect the heir to the throne of Montrovia, uncover the person or persons behind the plot to assassinate him in order to take control of this geographically important sovereign nation, and eliminate the threat. Get close to the hottest Prince on the planet and work for Black X, the double-black covert group so secret even the President of the United States is on a need-to-know basis? I accept. I think about what he said about me looking good in a bikini. Do they want me to hookup with this Prince in order to protect him? Are you kidding me? I’m valedictorian. I have the school’s highest scores in everything from parkour to the number of ways I can kill a man. I frown as I’m burning my orders in the fireplace. “Sir, may I speak freely about my assignment?” “I’m afraid I’m not privy to your orders. My job was to help choose the student best fitted for the task based on the parameters given to me.” “And one of those parameters was that I look good in a bathing suit?” He chuckles. “In this situation, my dear, they need an operative who is not only the best and brightest but one who can also demand male attention. Your handler is waiting for you outside. You leave immediately.” “But I need to go pack. Tell people goodbye.” “I’m afraid there’s no time.” He stands up and, in an uncustomary show of emotion, hugs me briefly. “Godspeed, X.”

 

Praise: 

 "Spy Girl is an intrigue filled, exciting ride through a world you'll wish you were part of and want to know more about!"- J. Sterling, NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author. 

 "Spy girl was fun and fabulous! Jillian Dodd had me turning the pages as I was taken on an action-packed ride filled with mystery and secrets, not to mention a super sexy cast I fell head over heels for. I loved every second!" - A.L. Jackson, NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author 

 "X" to me was a younger version of a kick ass Angelina Jolie that had all the moves to back up her reputation as being the best. With gadgets and gizmo's aplenty this book will appeal to the spy in all of us and brings together a fun, flirty, thrilling read. - The Romance Cover 

 "My favorite read of 2016! Spy girl is 007 meets Gossip Girl level decadence, charm, and badass! 5+ stars!" - KA Linde, USA Today Bestselling Author 

  ABOUT JILLIAN DODD: Jillian is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thirteen contemporary romance novels, from the The Keatyn Chronicles and That Boy series to Vegas Love. She grew up on a farm in Nebraska, where she developed a love for Midwestern boys and Nebraska football. She currently lives in Florida. Checkout Jillian's website for added content and sneak peaks at: www.jilliandodd.net and be sure to sign up for her newsletter there.

Review: Making Faces by Amy Harmon

Goodreads

Ambrose Young was beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.

Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast where we discover that there is little beauty and a little beast in all of us. 

Review

5 out of 5 stars

Do you ever fall totally in love with a book?  I mean, head over heels, crazy for the characters and everything about it?  Well, I just did with this one from Amy Harmon.  Unfortunately though, the problem when that happens is that it is so hard to write a review, to convey just exactly how much love you have for this amazing book find.  Nevertheless here is our attempt at gushing over the awesomeness that is Making Faces.

We are am ashamed to admit how long it has taken us to sit down and read this book.  However, over the last couple of years we have been reading so many things for blog tours and on deadlines we got burned out and almost lost the desire to read what we wanted.  This year, we are back to doing things in our time and reading only what we WANT to read and what a difference it makes!  It is so liberating to go to the Kindle and just choose whatever book catches our attention.  

Last week, I was in a reader group that questioned Ms. Harmon on how she can incorporate religion in her books so bold, yet respectfully.  Her answer was so profound it made me instantly go to my Kindle and search her name.  This one popped up and I am happy to report that it left a huge imprint on my heart.  

Making Faces is told from the third person.  Honestly, this is really hard to pull off.  Most books told from a narrator POV are confusing and I have a hard time keeping things organized in my mind.  That being said, Ms. Harmon executed this flawlessly.  

Amy Harmon weaves multiple storylines and emotions into this beautiful story.  She allows us to not only get to know multiple characters intimately but to also enjoy each of those characters journeys. Fern Taylor, the awkward girl that believes she is ugly.  Fern also loves romance novels and wants to be a writer.  Ambrose Young, Hercules, to his small town that feels the pressure of being a perfect wrestler.  Bailey Sheen, Fern's cousin and best friend.  Bailey has Muscular Dystrophy and despite the fact that he is disabled, still lives life to the fullest.  Rita, the beautiful blonde that has to live with her choices.  Plus many other secondary characters that impact each other.  

One of the important things I took away from this book is that everyone has circumstances dealt to them that they would like to avoid.  Some people think they are not pretty enough, some that they don't have enough money.  We all are guilty of looking at ourselves and wanting to change something about us either physically, emotionally, monetarily.  Things are never quite good enough in our eyes.  Making Faces is an important reminder that rather than change those things about ourselves we should embrace them and use them to be a blessing to another person.

I know that there is an event in the novel we can all relate to and remember.  Reliving September 11 in the eyes of the teenager characters is so real.  Especially since most of us can remember exactly what we were doing on that day.  If we all traced our own choices back, it would be interesting to see what causes us to make those decisions and travel down those paths in our life.  Seeing the choices play out in the book is a reminder to me of exactly how God is truly in control of everything.  

I am a christian and it is refreshing to read a book with real issues be addressed in a way that honors faith but does not cram it down others throats.  To put it in perspective, here is one of my favorite quotes from the book.  "I don't think we get answers to every question. We don't get all the whys. But I think when we look back to the end of our lives, if we do the best we can, and we will see that the things we begged God to take from us, the things we cursed him for, the things that made us turn our backs on him, are the things that were the biggest blessings, the biggest opportunities for growth." 

In our humble eyes, Making Faces is an absolute must read book.  This is the kind of one-click you don't need to overthink.  You will get your money's worth from this story and honestly so much more.  It's heart-breakingly beautiful and incredibly uplifting.  This book is in a league of it's own and I don't doubt it will impact you in ways you never see coming.

Review: Spy Girl by Jillian Dodd

What happens when you get pulled out of spy academy before graduation because you look good in a bikini?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:
Protect the heir to the throne of Montrovia, while uncovering the person or persons behind the plot to assassinate him in order to take over control of this geographically important sovereign nation, and eliminate the threat.


Get close to the hottest prince on the planet and work for Black X, the double-black covert group so secret even the President of the United States is on a need-to-know basis?  I accept. 

Review 

4 of 5 Stars

We were pretty excited to read this new book from Jillian Dodd.  We absolutely love the way she perfectly mixes drama and fun into each one of her story lines.  From the get go Spy Girl sounded like something a little different from her normal genre, so needless to say we were interested to see if it lived up to our expectations.

Agent X is pulled from her elite spy academy suddenly to go on a Top Secret and important mission to protect the Prince of Montrovia and find out who is out to kill him.  Taking the cover of Huntley Von Allister, an orphaned heiress, the journey begins.  From her introduction I was intrigued by this character, and even now, with the last page turned I still have many unanswered questions about her true identity, what really happened to her parents and the story behind Blackwood, her spy academy.  Agent X is no doubt a fun character, who sort of reminds me of Keatyn in her personality.  The Prince of Montrovia is her first "real" mission.  This is a chance to actually prove herself, which is necessary if she wants to achieve her ultimate goal, and in order for this mission to be successful she will have to keep her emotions at bay, a task which is proving more and more difficult the further into the mission she gets.

In order to  meet the prince, Huntley and her "brother," another under cover agent, Ari have to make friends with influential people.  Cue the introduction of several notable hotties.  So now not only do we have a dreamy real life Prince interested in Huntley but then there is also Daniel, the VP of the United States son, and let's just say when Huntley and Daniel share a page their chemistry is off the charts!

We throughly enjoyed the first book in this new series from Jillian Dodd!  The second half of the story seemed to keep my attention more than the first part, since I think I had more of a connection to the characters once the story's groundwork was laid.  The first half of the book primarily felt like a launch pad, which I now understand was needed in order to catapult this book into a full blown series.  The only other thing we did not love was the POV.  It seemed to alternate throughout the mission from Huntley to a narrator perspective.  We would have preferred to just have the entire book from Huntley's perspective.  

In conclusion, if you love drama, mystery, fun, and a strong, self sufficient bad ass female lead in a book, this one is for you!  We are certainly hooked and are excited to see where book 2 will lead Huntley on her next mission.  Hopefully, we will get the answers we are seeking on her real identity as well!  Either way, one things for sure...we predict each book to be more and more addicting the further we dive into Agent X's story.  

Review: Roots and Wings by M. Mabie

Welcome to Wynne, population 3,401. 

No billionaires. No professional athletes. No celebrities. 

In this small town, current events are pondered in mirrors at the local salon or around crowded tables at the diner, and there’s a new couple to gossip about. A rough and tumble woman who works in her dad’s garage, not yet ready to spread her wings, shows the new guy in town what it’s like to finally have roots. 

It’s your run-of-the-mill, sexy, Astro van driving dentist meets smart-ass, bass fishing tomboy in a story of real-life romance. 

Low on drama. High on love. 

Pull up a chair and stay a while.

http://amzn.to/1RwD0V8

Review

4.25 of 5 Stars

When I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I had to read it.  Mo write a book without a bunch of drama?  Was it possible I was about to embark on a journey without wanting to punch someone, throw a temper tantrum or scream?  I had to find out!  The verdict?  YES! And I loved every minute of it.  Well done, Mabie!

Mutt O'Fallon is a small town girl with sass.  She doesn't fit the mold of other girls in Wynne and is proud of it.  I love the fact that she works at her dad's garage, drives a loud truck and can out fish all the men around her.  Is there anything better than a true tomboy?  Speaking of fish, I think that it is a theme with this author.  She apparently loves fishing and using all the lingo in her books to Bait us into reading!  (See what I did there?  If you want drama, go one click that baby and you will be sure to get it!)

When the dentist in Wynne decides to retire, a new, young dentist moves to town.  Vaughn is from Cleveland and has a set of baggage with him.  But, he also is thrilled to experience small town living. He has no idea what it is like to have everyone know your business and think they know all the facts about your life.  The first person in town he meets is Mutt and from the first interaction, I knew it was going to be an amazing relationship.  

Mutt and Vaughn are some of the most likable characters I have read lately.  They both have their faults, but overall, they are really like normal, everyday people.  It was refreshing to read a genuine love story with very dialed down drama, something you could actually believe would happen to one of your friends.  Roots and Wings had a very realistic tone and was overall a simply beautiful story about finding the person who brings out the very best version of yourself.  I for one found myself smiling throughout the entire book.  What are you waiting for?  Travel to Wynne today!

Blog Tour and Review: The Matchmaker's Playbook (Wingmen Inc. 1), by Rachel Van Dyken

Amazon

Goodreads

Wingman rule number one: don’t fall for a client.

After a career-ending accident, former NFL recruit Ian Hunter is back on campus—and he’s ready to get his new game on. As one of the masterminds behind Wingmen, Inc., a successful and secretive word-of-mouth dating service, he’s putting his extensive skills with women to work for the lovelorn. But when Blake Olson requests the services of Wingmen, Inc., Ian may have landed his most hopeless client yet.

From her frumpy athletic gear to her unfortunate choice of footwear, Blake is going to need a miracle if she wants to land her crush. At least with a professional matchmaker by her side she has a fighting chance. Ian knows that his advice and a makeover can turn Blake into another successful match. But as Blake begins the transformation from hot mess to smokin’ hot, Ian realizes he’s in danger of breaking his cardinal rule…

The Matchmaker's Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken from Becca the Bibliophile on Vimeo.

Review
4.5 out of 5 stars

I have to admit after finishing The Matchmaker's Playbook I can confidently admit I'm a big fan of this new  Rachel Van Dyken series.  It was a everything I have come to expect and love when I one-click one of her books.  The story was fun, full of clever witty dialogue and I'm just going to go ahead and say it...this time around she takes the "steam" to a whole new level and she did it perfectly!

Ian and his best friend Lex run Wingmen Inc. It's a referral run business which specializes in helping women not only get the guy of their dreams, but help them become confident in their own bodies.  The concept may seem a bit outrageous but Ian's motives for even creating this business come from a good, self-less place and from the moment he's introduced you won't be able to help but falling for this book boyfriend. Needless to say Blake a new client who also happens to be his best friend's new roommate will shake Ian to his core, but the real question is whether or not Ian is willing or even capable of risking everything for a chance at love.

When it comes to love all bets are off and rule breaking is essential!  The chemistry between Ian and Blake is off the charts.  These two have so many sweet moments but their banter will have you literally laughing out loud!  Perfectly paced with just the right amount of "drama" mixed into the story I predict you will enjoy this story as much as I did.  A perfect start to what's sure to be an outrageously funny new series. Go ahead and give The Matchmaker's Playbook a one-click, it's so much fun, you definitely don't want to miss out on this one!

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About Author Rachel Van Dyken

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!
You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken  or join her fan group Rachel's New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com .

Links:

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/8l7hP

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Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Van-Dyken/e/B0054TW5AA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1407369649&sr=8-2-ent

Review: The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead

Goodreads

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. Alchemists protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she struggles to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do.

Then she finally tracks down the elusive, enigmatic Marcus Finch - a former Alchemist who the organization denies exists, and who lives in shadows, on the run. With Marcus's help, Sydney realizes that the group she's been loyal to her whole life has been hiding the truth from her. Is it possible that her golden lily tattoo might have more power over her than she thinks?

As she struggles to come to terms with what that might mean, Sydney is compelled to use her magical powers to track down an evil magic user who is targeting powerful young witches. Using magic goes against everything she always thought she believed, but she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her special blood - or else she might be next.

Forging her own way is harder than Sydney ever dreamed. Maybe by turning off her brain - and following her heart - she'll be able to finally figure out where she belongs.

Review

5 of 5 stars

To say I am obsessed with this series is a bit of an understatement.  I feel like it is consuming my brain.  I can't get it out of my head!  And, well, I love it.  The end of The Golden Lily left me so upset with Sydney that she would treat Adrian like she didn't care about him after THAT kiss.  However, I still love her and sympathize with her plight since she has basically been brainwashed from birth.

The Indigo Spell picks up right where we left off in The Golden Lily.  Sydney has trust issues with the Alchemists since she thinks they are keeping things from her.  She also has decided to look for Marcus Finch and see what he can tell her.  To top it all off, she is going against everything she believes in and begins to practice magic.  Even she can admit it came in handy battling the Warriors of Light.

Adrian is still a huge character in TIS, and despite his feelings and disappointment in the way she treated him at the end of book 2, he still loves Sydney.  He is really the only person that knows Sydney and accepts her for who she is without pretense.  He forces her to deal with things and doesn't try to control her.  I have to say, I love Adrian.  I liked him in VA, but I adore him in this series.  

There is also a new threat to Sydney in the form of a crazy witch named Veronica that just so happens to be her teachers sister.  Despite her issues with magic, even Sydney can see that using it to save others is noble.  This story has lots of twists and turns, and lots of scenes that play out with Adrian and Sydney that make it fantastic.  Don't miss out on this series, I dare say I am loving it even more than Vampire Academy.  I can't wait to dig into The Fiery Heart!

Promo Post: Roots and Wings, by M. Mabie

Goodreads

Welcome to Wynne, population 3,401. 

No billionaires. No professional athletes. No celebrities. 

In this small town, current events are pondered in mirrors at the local salon or around crowded tables at the diner, and there’s a new couple to gossip about. A rough and tumble woman who works in her dad’s garage, not yet ready to spread her wings, shows the new guy in town what it’s like to finally have roots. 

It’s your run-of-the-mill, sexy, Astro van driving dentist meets smart-ass, bass fishing tomboy in a story of real-life romance. 

Low on drama. High on love. 

Pull up a chair and stay a while.

Buy Links

Amazon US 
iTunes 
B&N 
Kobo 

Review: The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead

Goodreads

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. Alchemists protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she's been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California - tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formorly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.

But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age-old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and her sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi - the fiercest vampires, the ones who don't die. But it's her fear of being just that - special, magical, powerful - that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Braydon, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else - someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney's loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.

Should she trust the Alchemists - or her heart? 

Review:  

5 of 5 stars

The fact that I am writing this review right now is a miracle.  Why you ask? Simple, I would rather be reading the next book in the series, The Indigo Spell!  However, I have forced myself to review this one before I read the next one or it just won't happen.  

We return to Palm Springs and Amberwood in the second installment of Bloodlines.  And the more I read in the series, the more I love it.  I was so convinced that I would never enjoy Bloodlines like I enjoyed Vampire Academy, but I was so wrong!  

Sydney Sage is again the main character and POV we read in TGL.  I really love Sydney and enjoy her comments and thoughts.  However, to be so clever and smart, she can really be dumb too.  She has all the book knowledge in the world but the simplest things can throw her for a loop.  I suppose that is why she is so endearing.  It is obvious that Sydney is struggling with morals in this book.  As an alchemist she is supposed to despise Dhapmirs and Moroi, however, at times she notices they are more ethical and moral than some humans.  The dilemma only becomes worse the more time she spends with Eddie, Jill, Dimitri, Sonya, Angeline and Adrian.  

Speaking of Adrian, I am so proud of the strides he is making in this series.  Despite the fact that he has a history of being rebellious and insensitive, he wants to grow and become a better person.  We saw him "attempt" this in VA to try and win Rose, but Rose was always meant to be with Dimitri.  This time is different as he has a hard time even explaining it to himself.  

The other issues in the book surround Sydney and her issues with magic.  If you recall, her teacher is a witch and believes that Sydney could become a powerful one as well, if she would only embrace it.  After Sonya and Sydney are attacked the struggle to resist magic and claim it is evil is much more difficult.  Events in this book also lead Sydney to think about the ethics of an offshoot of the Alchemists and if they are hiding things from her as well.  Clearly, her struggle with right and wrong will continue in book 3.  

In conclusion, be prepared for a heck of an ending that we have all been waiting for a long time.  It was totally worth the wait!  And since the remainder of the series is already released, I don't have to wait any longer to dig into The Indigo Spell!

Cover Reveal: Tapping the Billionaire by Max Monroe

***COVER REVEAL***

Ho-ly hotness! There’s something about a man with a hand down his pants…err…laughing. There’s something about a man laughing!

Add to TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28675670-tapping-the-billionaire

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Title: Tapping the Billionaire

Series: Billionaire Bad Boys Book 1

Author: Max Monroe

Cover Designer: Perfect Pear Creative

Photo Credit: David Vance Photography

Blurb:

Blind dates? Online dating profiles? Been there, done that.

Georgia Cummings has zero luck with dating, and the era of the internet is not her friend.

No matter how fast she runs, how many corners she turns, she can’t find her way out of this weird, alternate universe where men think dick pics are a replacement for small talk and getting to know a girl. One more crotch selfie and she might write men off for good…

But why can’t she stop fantasizing about him?

Kline Brooks is the quintessential billionaire bad boy—dark, styled, short hair, muscles for days, and a panty-dropping smile.

Except—he isn’t.

As his employee, he won’t touch her with a ten foot pole.

But she won’t touch him either.

Too bad their hormones missed the memo.

Cover Reveal: Dear Heart, I Hate You by J. Sterling

PRE-ORDER ON IBOOKS:

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/dear-heart-i-hate-you/id1092824775?mt=11&at=1l3vqNs

Synopsis:

JULES

I didn’t plan on him. ...

Or for him.

Or anything that had to do with Cal Donovan from Boston.

Meeting him had been a complete and utter surprise, taking me one hundred percent off guard. I met new people every single day in my line of work and none of them affected me. Wasn’t that the way of things though? You could meet a thousand people and they’d all mean nothing to you, but then you’d meet that one and they suddenly meant everything.  

I had always been focused on work. When did making yourself your number one priority become such a negative thing? I wasn’t entirely sure, but I learned fairly quickly after my last breakup that men didn’t like being second on the priority scale. And they seemed to be intimidated by a motivated woman, calling me things like “hard to handle,” “challenging,” and “difficult.”

Being single seemed to work best for me and I had no plans on changing my relationship status anytime soon.

And then I met Cal.

And he fucking ruined everything.

ABOUT J. STERLING:

I got fired from my last job.

It's true.

I know you're sitting there thinking, "Jenn, how could anyone in their right mind fire someone like you?" And I'd love to give you a good reason, but the truth is that sometimes being all sorts of awesome isn't fun for other people. They don't always tend to like it. lol  :)

So I picked my pride off the floor, bought a laptop and started writing my first book. And you know what I realized? Writing stories that meant something to me was a million times better than working my ass off for someone who didn't really care about anything other than the bottom line.

My soul has never felt more satisfied.

My heart has never been more full.

I've never worked so hard in my life, but I love every second of it. I truly do.

It is SO worth it.

All of it.

Every moment.

The journey it took to get to this point- I wouldn't change a thing.

So thank you for reading, loving and recommending the stories I write to other people. Your word of mouth is my very best friend.... that and your reviews.  :)

I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you.

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