RELEASE REVIEW: The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter

Title: The Evil Queen 

Author: Gena Showalter 

Series: The Forest of Good and Evil, #1

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Publication Date: June 25, 2018

Synopsis: 
WELCOME TO THE FOREST OF GOOD AND EVIL.

A DREAM COME TRUE…AND A LIVING NIGHTMARE. 

Far, far away, in the realm of Enchantia, creatures of legend still exist, magic is the norm and fairy tales are real. Except, fairy tales aren’t based on myths and legends of the past—they are prophecies of the future.

Raised in the mortal realm, Everly Morrow has no idea she’s a real-life fairy-tale princess—until she manifests an ability to commune with mirrors.

Look. See… What will one peek hurt? 

Soon, a horrifying truth is revealed. She is fated to be Snow White’s greatest enemy, the Evil Queen.

With powers beyond her imagination or control, Everly returns to the land of her birth. There, she meets Roth Charmaine, the supposed Prince Charming. Their attraction is undeniable, but their relationship is doomed. As the prophecy unfolds, Everly faces one betrayal after another, and giving in to her dark side proves more tempting every day. Can she resist, or will she become the queen—and villain—she was born to be?

The battle between good and evil is on.

Buy Links: 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2H7vbpY

B&N: https://tinyurl.com/y348omc8

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/yxmakdpn

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1388972368

Sonja’s Review

I was listening to a podcast where Gena Showalter and Kresley Cole were being interviewed and when Ms. Showalter described the book she was working on at the time, The Evil Queen, it literally gave me chills! It sounded utterly fascinating to me to get the wicked Snow White queen’s backstory and understand why she is the way she is and what her motivations for everything were. I love getting the villain or what you perceive to be the villain’s story because they’re so complex and thought-provoking. I was chomping at the bit to read this and though I thought I would dive in as soon as I got it, I put it off because I had such high, high expectations for The Evil Queen and while I knew Ms. Showalter would deliver an excellent book no matter what, I was still a little worried that it wouldn’t live up to the hype I’d built up in my head. I really should not have been nervous at all though, because from the very moment I started reading, I knew it was going to be worthy and I was extremely excited to continue on. The Evil Queen was truly even better than I was hoping for and I could not have imagined a better book — it was incredible!

There were so many things I loved about The Evil Queen, but one of the aspects that I loved the most was the world building. The world of Enchantia is so huge, complex, and detailed that I was just in awe of it. There was no part of it that wasn’t fully developed or well-thought out. The world and the plot really just blew me away.

The Evil Queen brought out all my emotions from frustration and heartbreak to amusement and happiness. It had me on the edge of my seat, glued to the pages and kept me guessing until the very end. The Evil Queen was stunning, intriguing, and outstanding. It is easily one of my favorite reads of the year and I can’t wait for more from this series to come!

~ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars 

About the Author: 

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over fifty books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, and the White Rabbit Chronicles. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs. Visit her at GenaShowalter.com.

Author Links: 

Website: http://www.genashowalter.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genashowalterfans/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/genashowalter

Instagram: https://instagram.com/genashowalter

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gena-Showalter/e/B001I9RQQ8

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/48192.Gena_Showalter

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Bad Influence by Charleigh Rose

Title: Bad Influence

Series: Bad Habits

Author: Charleigh Rose

Genre: New Adult Romance

Release Date: June 13, 2019

Allie

When I moved to River’s Edge, dating was the last thing on my mind.

I definitely didn’t expect to fall for him.

Jesse Shepherd. 

Popular. Star athlete. Cocky as hell.

You know the type.

But as time passed, I realized there was more lurking beneath that gorgeous exterior.

Secretive. Angry. A little bit broken.

The more I peeled back his layers, the deeper I fell.

Until I slammed headfirst into his sea of lies.

Jess

I blew my shot.

Pissed everything away—college, lacrosse, my future—only to end up right back where I started in River’s Edge.

I was content to revel in my misery, spending my days drowning in a bottomless pit of booze and girls.

Until I saw her.

Allison Parrish.

Beautiful. Sarcastic. Perpetual bad attitude.

The pretty little distraction from the shit show that was my life.

But the sins of my past were closing in on me, and I learned the hard way that nothing gold can stay.

“Did you hear that?” I ask.

 Moving in slowly, he cages me in, bracing his right arm on the wall above my head, his left hand by my hip. He brings his lips close to my ear and I fight the shiver that rolls through me.
“It’s probably just your admirer,” he says, his voice hushed and husky. I swallow hard, looking over his shoulder as he nuzzles closer, his nose skimming my neck, then down to my collarbone. My pulse pounds in my ears as he moves back up, his mouth brushing across my cheek, stopping at my parted lips.
“Is this convincing?” He asks. He’s so close that I can feel his breath on my lips, and I realize that I want him to do it. I want him to kiss me.
I give a slight shake of my head in response.
“No?” He smirks, knowing exactly what he’s doing to me. His left hand leaves the wall to curl around my hip and he presses his chest to mine. “How about this?”
“Almost,” I whisper. I wet my lips and the tip of my tongue nearly grazes his bottom lip. His expression goes from playful to heated in an instant, then he’s closing the final distance. It’s soft at first, just a brush of his lips against mine, but soon he’s cupping my face with both hands, tilting my head back as his tongue sweeps into my mouth, his movements confident and skilled. Unhurried and unyielding.
My hands find his shirt, pulling him closer as his tongue fucks my mouth. Because that’s exactly what this is. This isn’t kissing. Or maybe it is, and I’ve been kissing the wrong boys.
Jesse groans, fitting a firm thigh between my legs, and the need bubbling inside me threatens to boil over at the sensation. But all too soon, he pulls back, leaving me breathless. “Was that convincing enough?”

Charleigh Rose lives in Narnia with her husband and two young children. She’s hopelessly devoted to unconventional love and pizza. When she isn’t reading or mom-ing, she’s writing moody, broody, swoony romance.

HOSTED BY:

Sonja's Review

I saw a teaser for Bad Influence, it was smokin’ hot and I decided that I needed to read it. I had no idea what I was getting into, though I was expecting a solid story because I just read Bad Habit a few books before this one and I really enjoyed it. I loved Bad Influence even more than Bad Habit and Charleigh Rose definitely delivered on that teaser! 

Bad Influence brought out  lot of my feels. It wasn’t super angsty, but it did manage to sock me right in the heart a few times and made me tear up a little too. There were shake-my-head, roll-my-eyes, and some heavy side-eye moments, but I did have a good time reading this book. I do think it wrapped up a bit fast and while I might have made the hero suffer for just a little bit longer, I can’t complain too much because I do enjoy a quick resolve for the most part. Bad Influence for sure entertained me, I loved the characters and now there are even more books that I want Charleigh Rose to write!

~ 4.5 Stars

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: On the Rocks by Kandi Steiner

On the Rocks by Kandi Steiner

Release Date: June 13, 2019

On the Rocks, an all-new standalone contemporary romance by Kandi Steiner.

Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.

That’s what Mama told me when I was a kid, kicking his pew in church and giggling at the games we’d play. It’s what the town said when his father died and the Becker brothers went wild.

And it’s on repeat in my mind the day I walk into the whiskey distillery where he works to buy a wedding gift for my fiancé.

He’s trouble.

Dirty, sweaty, rude trouble.

No matter how many times I repeat it, I can’t escape Noah in our small Tennessee town. And the more I run into him, the more he infuriates me. Because he sees what no one else does.

He sees me—the real me.

The me I’m not sure I’m allowed to be.

I’m Ruby Grace Barnett, the mayor’s daughter. Soon to be a politician’s wife, just like Mama and Daddy always wanted. Soon to fulfill my family’s legacy, just like I always knew I would.

Until the boy everyone warned me about makes me question everything, like whether the wedding I’m planning is one I even want.

Everyone said Noah Becker was nothing but trouble.

If only I had listened.

A stand-alone, contemporary romance.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2KfzmD4

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/OnTheRocks

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Keav1w

Lia's Review

I’ve only read a few books by this author, but I’ve been assured by other readers she’s the one to go to when you’re looking for angst. And I definitely enjoy angst. This one however, wasn’t as angsty as I was hoping for.

On the Rocks was a well plotted, well written story, it just didn’t knock my socks off. The writing was strong, but in the beginning I really didn’t care for the heroine and wanted to slap her. She ended up growing on me as the book went on, but I just didn’t feel a connection with her.

I’ll definitely pick up more by this author, she’s a great storyteller. I just needed and wanted a little more oomph from this one.

~ 3.75 Stars

Excerpt:

I watched from the sidelines as Betty schooled Noah on the final dance scene from the classic movie — and one of her favorites. Noah, bless his heart, took it in stride. He held her hands, spun her gently, even went under water completely to give Betty some sort of “lift” that made her feel like Jennifer Grey.

That was when her smile was the largest — her eyes closed, face cast upward, arms out in the same iconic flight stance that the actress had done.

If I wasn’t laughing so hard, I might have cried at the sentiment.

After a dozen more run throughs, Betty called for a break, and the two of them swam up to the side of the pool where I sat. Betty took the lemonade I offered her, sipping and hollering across the pool at Mr. Buchanan — who was seated under the umbrellas. Noah rested his arms on the concrete edge, crossing them and resting his head on his forearm before he peered up at me through lashes still dripping with water.

His eyes were an endless blue, the light from the pool reflecting off them like a tropical dream.

“Enjoying your entertainment this afternoon, Miss. Barnett?”

I bit my lip against a smile. “Very much so, Mr. Becker. I never knew you were such a great dancer.”

“Oh, you should see me on the actual dance floor. I can two step and waltz and cha cha with the best of them. And don’t even get me started on what happens when ‘Watermelon Crawl’ comes on.”

“I’m sure it’s quite entertaining,” I mused, still dangling my feet in the cool water.

“When do I get to see your dance moves?”

I barked out a laugh at that. “Um, that would be approximately… never.”

“Never?” he asked, popping his head up off his arms with a look of injustice. “But you’ve seen all my moves, now. I show you mine, you show me yours. Isn’t that the deal?”

“I never agreed to that.”

He narrowed his eyes, running his forefinger and thumb over the stubble on his chin before he nodded. “I see…” Then, a wicked gleam came over those blue steel eyes, and before I could so much as scream, his hand wrapped around my wrist, tugging forward until I was off the ledge and under water.

I popped up instantly, not even able to open my eyes against the chlorine yet before I was swinging at him. “Noah!”

He laughed, catching my advances easily and pulling me into him. I blinked several times, shaking the drops from my eyes before I glared up at him.

“You jerk. Mama’s going to kill me for ruining my hair.”

“Mama will live,” he said, and then one arm wrapped around my waist, the other taking my hand in a leading position. “Now, let’s dance, little lady.”

With one pull of my hand and push of my hip, I spun away from him, reeling back in like a yo-yo and falling in line with his steps before I realized what was happening. Surprise ripped through me, brows shooting up to my hairline as he somehow managed to smoothly twirl me around that metaphorical dance floor even with water hitting us waist deep. My feet felt sluggish, the moves slower than if we were in boots on a hardwood floor, but somehow, that made it even more fun.

I laughed and laughed as he danced me around — until he had the bright idea to flip me like a swing dancer. I emerged from the water beating on his chest again, which just made him laugh harder. And when we were breathless, Noah tugged me to the side of the pool again.

“Thank you for the dance,” he said, both of us still breathing heavily as he wrapped his strong, rugged hands around my waist. For a moment, he just held them there, the rough pad of his thumbs smoothing over my exposed hip bones. My smile fell, chest still heaving as my eyes slipped to his lips.

I didn’t know why I looked at them.

I didn’t know why I couldn’t look away.

Noah swallowed, tightening his grip on my hips before he lowered in the water a little and helped push me back up onto the edge of the pool where I’d been seated before. Once I was steady, he released his hold on me, backing away with a distant look in his eyes that I couldn’t decipher before he tore them from me and looked at Betty, instead.

About Kandi:

Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a diehard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer, and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Kandi:

Mailing List: bit.ly/NewsletterKS

Facebook: facebook.com/kandisteiner

Facebook Reader Group: (Kandiland): facebook.com/groups/kandischasers

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kandisteiner

Twitter: twitter.com/kandisteiner

Pinterest: pinterest.com/kandicoffman

Website: www.kandisteiner.com

Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:

www.kandisteiner.com/events