reading – Page 106 – Sincerely Karen Jo

Hello lovely bookish friends! Welcome to my Blog Tour Stop for Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club. Don’t forget to stay until the end for the giveaway!

aceofshades

4 ★ – SINFULLY EXCITING AND FUN

PUBLISHED BY HARLEQUIN TEEN APRIL 10, 2018

GENRE(S): YOUNG ADULT, FANTASY

PAGES: HARDCOVER 416

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PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON – BARNES AND NOBLE – KOBO – BOOKDEPOSITORY

iBOOKS – INDIEBOUND

synopsispic

Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn’t have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne’s offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi’s enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

And she’ll need to play.

review

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody was a fascinating and entertaining read. It’s sinfully exciting, quite unique, and wonderfully magical.

I had such a great time reading this book. The world building intrigued me from the very beginning. It was creative, mesmerizing, and whimsical! Although there were a few confusing parts here and there, I really enjoyed reading about the different kingdoms, gangs, talents and basically just everything that existed in the City of Sin. The writing style was descriptive and easy to read which made it so much easier to get lost in the story and I loved that about this book. The plot was interesting, fast-paced, and thrilling. There were a few unexpected twists here and there that caught me off guard so that was definitely fun. I loved the romance — it was one of those slow-burn types and the pining on both sides were so heartfelt, believable, and well-developed. I really rooted for the Enne and Levi and cannot wait to see where their relationship will be in the next installment.

I have to be honest and admit that I had quite a difficult time with one of lead characters. Enne Salta just got under my skin and annoyed me throughout most of the story. She was naive, stubborn, arrogant, and just not someone I would want as a heroine. I thought there was no way I would like her, BUT — towards the end of the story, I did go through of big change of heart. Her character development was not an easy one, but in the end, I definitely thought Enne was one badass heroine. Levi Glaisyer was an interesting character and I liked him a lot from the very beginning. He’s complex and broken, but also very caring, protective and sweet. He’s definitely my favorite and I loved his POV. The other characters and villains were pretty awesome and I enjoyed getting to know them all so I’m really excited to see where everyone will be in the sequel.

All in all, this was an amazing beginning to a thrilling new fantasy series. There were a few things that weren’t explained as clearly as I would want, but that didn’t really affect my reading experience. I still had a great time spending a few hours in the City of Sin and I definitely will be coming back for more.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

abouttheauthor

Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. After spending her childhood longing to attend Hogwarts, she now loves to write about immersive settings and characters grappling with insurmountable destinies. She holds a Masters in Accountancy from Villanova University, and a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from the College of William and Mary. Currently, she works as a tax accountant in Philadelphia, PA, surrounded by her many siblings and many books.

DAUGHTER OF THE BURNING CITY is her first novel. Her second, ACE OF SHADES, will follow in April 2018.

Follow and Connect with Amanda Foody

Website – Goodreads – Tumblr – Instagram – Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

5 copies of ACE OF SHADES (The Shadow Game #1) by Amanda Foody (US/Canda Only — Please make sure you specify this).

Starts: 3/26

Ends: 4/19

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Thanks for stopping by and reading! Hope you have a wonderfully sinful day and add this fantastic new series to your TBR.

sincerelykarenjo2

Hello wonderful readers. Welcome to my Blog Tour Stop for EVERYTHING I LOVE by A.K. Evans hosted by Inkslinger Book Tours. I have an exclusive excerpt to share with you and a giveaway at the end. So let’s get started and don’t forget to grab your copy today!

Title: EVERYTHING I LOVE

Author: A.K. Evans

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Nikki Drake was just nine years old when she experienced her first heartbreak. Sixteen years and many betrayals later, she’s learned that life is what you make of it. Needing to leave the poison behind, Nikki joins her best friends and moves from the warm, sunny beaches of California to the cold, snowy mountains of Wyoming. She’s a loving and faithful friend who’s built a successful career despite the disappointments she’s experienced. While her past hasn’t stopped her from working hard and becoming a genuine and confident woman, it has affected one small part of her. Nikki refuses to give her heart to anyone ever again.

Luke Townsend is a man most women dream about. Underneath his tall, handsome exterior he’s charming, compassionate, sensitive and loyal. A dedicated snowboarder, Luke knows what it means to work hard for what he wants. And what Luke wants is Nikki.

When Luke tells Nikki he’s fallen in love with her, she’s devastated to think she’s going to hurt him the same way others have hurt her. Having resolved to live a life without romantic love, Nikki rejects Luke. Luke can sense that she needs some time so he walks away, vowing to find a way to her heart.

Three months after she pushed him away, Nikki decides to take a chance on Luke. He is patient and understanding while she struggles to allow herself to be vulnerable with him and to find the courage to trust he won’t hurt her. But when Nikki finally hands her heart of to him, Luke shatters her world with the truth.

Purchase Links – Amazon | Paperback

excerpt

I was pulling into the garage at my house. Nikki’s car was still there. It was crazy. Seeing her car there, knowing she would be inside when I walked through the door, made me feel like a teenage boy all over again.

I parked my truck, grabbed my gear, and walked into the house. Once inside, I smelled something awful and poked my head around the wall to make sure nothing was on fire. I saw Nikki sitting at the island with her head down on the countertop.

Something was wrong.

I set my gear down just inside the door and asked, “Nikki, what’s wrong?”

She lifted her head to look at me and all I saw was frustration in her face.

“I suck,” she blurted.

“I’m sorry. What?”

She shook her head and explained, “I should have gone to work today. I’m not domesticated. I thought since I was here and had gotten everything ready that we’re taking with us to the party tonight, I’d try my hand at making you lunch for when you got back. I suck. I’m the worst cook on the face of the planet.”

“Is that what that smell is?” I asked.

Her face changed from frustrated to sad. “I really tried. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

I walked over to her, turned her body on the stool to face mine, and wrapped her up in a hug. Her hands went to my hips as her forehead dropped to the middle of my chest.

“It’s ok, babe.”

“But, Luke, I made your house smell and I don’t have a single thing made that’s edible. Now’s your chance to get out of this. Don’t try your hardest to make me fall in love with you and then leave me because you suddenly realize that I’ll never be able to prepare you the kind of meal you deserve to have after a long day of training.”

“Look at me,” I demanded.

With her hands still on my hips, she lifted her head and looked up at me.

“I fell in love with you knowing you can’t cook for shit. I don’t care that you can’t either; I’m not leaving you. If you fall in love with me, I won’t care if we have to eat toast for the rest of our lives.”

“Just saying…I’d probably burn the toast.”

A.K. Evans is a married mother of two boys residing in a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania. After graduating from Lafayette College in 2004 with two degrees (one in English and one in Economics & Business), she pursued a career in the insurance and financial services industry. Not long after, Evans realized the career was not for her. She went on to manage her husband’s performance automotive business and drive the shop race cars for the next thirteen years. While the business afforded her freedoms she wouldn’t necessarily have had in a typical 9-5 job, after eleven years she was no longer receiving personal fulfillment from her chosen career path. Following many discussions, lots of thought, and tons of encouragement, Andrea decided to pursue her dream of becoming a writer.

Between her day job, writing, and homeschooling her two boys, Evans is left with very little free time. When she finds scraps of spare time, she enjoys reading, doing yoga, watching NY Rangers hockey, dancing, and vacationing with her family. Andrea, her husband, and her children are currently working on taking road trips to visit all 50 states (though, Alaska and Hawaii might require flights).