Sunday, September 30, 2012

{ARC Review} The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Lost Prince
Series: The Call of the Forgotten #1
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Publication Date: October 23, 2012
Source: NetGalley


Synopsis:

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.


The Lost Prince is a perfect re-submersion back into Julie's fascinating The Iron Fey world, one of the first series I read about Fae, and definitely the series that made me fall in love with all things Fae. Traipsing through Nevernever and the Wyldwood with Ethan, Kenzie, Grimalkin, and Kierran took me back in time, to a place I once imagined could be my home. I know we're supposed to be afraid of Them, but I could get lost in Nevernever and never return. I'd probably end up owing so many promises and favors to Them, I'd never be allowed to leave, though I wonder if I would ever want to.
My name is Ethan Chase.
And I doubt I'll live to see my eighteenth birthday.
Ethan Chase, brother of the Iron Queen - Megan Chase, has quite a history with the Fae. Unfortunately, he was born with "the sight." He can see the creatures lurking in the park, skirting around the edges of the playgrounds, reeking havoc on the unsuspecting. As a young child the Fae kidnapped him and held him hostage, coaxing his sister into a land she never knew existed. The long lost daughter of Oberon, King of the Summer Court, had a destiny no one could have predicted. Along with Puck (AKA Robin Goodfellow - yes, that prankster), Megan rescued her brother, racking up debt after debt from the Fae...not something anyone wants to do. Eventually, Megan became the Queen of the Iron Fae, a race born from the technology of humans, after all - Fae can't exist if humans don't believe.

Thirteen years later, Ethan is still dealing with the repercussions of his birth gift. He's been tossed out of school after school, accused of setting fire to a library, and now, a new breed of monsters haunts Ethan. The one thing Ethan never thought he would do is use the coin Meghan gave him, assuring him a safe passage to her one time. Only under the most dyer of circumstances is he to call in this favor and the time has come.
The swords flashed silver in the dim light, fluid and flexible, almost liquid. There was no block or strike, dodge or parry--the dance was all of these things, and none, all at once.
I admit, I wanted to read The Lost Prince to catch a glimpse of how Meghan, Ash, and Puck were doing in and around the Iron Realm. Ash is my hero and Puck will always have a special part of my heart. The one thing I was unprepared for is how much Ethan despised Ash for taking Meghan away. The words he remembered from his childhood could only leave that impression in Ethan's mind. The brief amount of time Ethan spent near his sister left my completely unsatisfied, but I'm hoping for more in future books. I just want to know how they are doing, that's all I'm asking. :-)

Ethan has found his own way to try to protect the people he cares about. He avoids interaction as much as possible, portraying the brooding male perfectly. The few words he speaks are typically to send people skittering in the opposite direction. However, Ethan has something in common with Meghan besides genetics. He cares about humankind and defends those who are unable to help themselves. He has studied kali,  a form of karate that uses sticks and swords, for years. His skills are remarkable, at least in the human world. When Ethan tried to warn Kenzie away and she continued to dig, she ends up getting tossed into a world she refused  to acknowledge. A world any sane person would refuse to acknowledge.
"Kenzie," I said, taking her hand as the clicking around us grew very loud in my ears, "do you believe in faeries?"

"What?" She blinked at me, looking confused and almost angry that I'd brought up something so ridiculous. "Do I... no! Of course not, that's crazy."

I closed my eyes. "Then, I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't want to do this. But try not to freak out when we get there."

"Get... where?"
Prince Kierran was a surprise and I cannot wait for everyone to meet him. I have a feeling his and Ethan's friendship will be as epic as Puck's and Ash's. Obviously the two of them will be tossing out secret after secret, and taking all sorts of twisting, winding roads, but Kenzie's fate promises to be heart-wrenching.

So, yes, I'm quite certain this review needs some organizing and probably seems as if I'm rambling, which I am because I'm fangirling just a bit over the new Fae world Julie has so creatively weaved. The Iron Knight ranks high on my favorites list and I'm certain several books in The Call of the Forgotten will find their way onto this list and into my heart. After all, Julie Kagawa is the queen of intricately weaved Fae lore and complex worlds. Her characters are complex, shifting from courageous and magnanimous one moment, to soft and broken the next - the true reality of being a young adult.

A perfect start to another amazing series by Julie Kagawa!

*The Lost Prince was received from HarlequinTeen via NetGalley, free of charge, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Friday, September 28, 2012

{Cover Reveal} Release by M.R. Merrick

So, M.R. Merrick's new cover for Release is amazing. Honestly, one of the most beautiful covers I've seen in quite sometime. The colors are catchy, and while there is a lot going on, it doesn't go overboard. But...I'm a sucker for a good storm, an old castle, and the color purple. So, in my opinion, there's nothing NOT to love.
 

RELEASE SYNOPSIS
(October 10, 2012)

After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.

Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father.  Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.

Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna.
One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.
Links:
So...what do you think about this cover? Have you read Exiled and Shift? If so, what did you think? 
Please be sure to leave me a lovely comment with a link back to your blog, so I can stop by and say hi! We at Better Read Than Dead love nothing more than some witty, thought-provoking comments. We'd love to get to know you a little better! And I can tell you...nothing makes a blogger happier than a little comment love!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

{#Giveaway Hop} Banned Book Week

I love the fall for multiple reasons. Cooler weather, football, Halloween, and Banned Book Week. Ask anyone who knows me, I love to talk about Banned Books, protest the challenging or banning of books, and buy as many of them as I can. I'd like to say thank you to I Read Banned Books and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for sponsoring this completely amazing giveaway hop.


The top 10 Banned or Challenged Book for 2011 are:
(According to the American Library Association)
  1. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
    Reasons: offensive language; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
  2. The Color of Earth (series), by Kim Dong Hwa
    Reasons: nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
  3. The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins
    Reasons: anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence
  4. My Mom's Having A Baby! A Kid's Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy, by Dori Hillestad Butler
    Reasons: nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
  5. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
    Reasons: offensive language; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
  6. Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
    Reasons: nudity; offensive language; religious viewpoint
  7. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
    Reasons: insensitivity; nudity; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit
  8. What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones
    Reasons: nudity; offensive language; sexually explicit
  9. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily Von Ziegesar
    Reasons: drugs; offensive language; sexually explicit
  10. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
    Reasons: offensive language; racism
For this giveaway, I am giving away ANY banned or challenged book you would like to own. The 10 above are the MOST challenged of 2011. Other popular banned or challenged books include the Harry Potter Series, the Twilight Saga, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, and so many others. 

If you happen to win and have a question about any book you think you would like, just let me know and I can give it a look-see. For information on Banned or Challenged Book, just click the link. Do a little research. Know why the books are banned or challenged. And remember...this blog believes in parental censorship, not governmental censorship...ever. Period. Keep reading, keep learning, keep growing!

Look for some special events coming this week. I'm going to review a couple books frequently challenged, and maybe even do a reading.

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Be sure to keep hopping! Just press see more!

{#Giveaway} Blaze by Kaitlyn Davis

Kaitlyn Davis is one of my favorite self-published authors out there. I've read every book she's written, with the exception of BLAZE, which I will be reading as soon as humanly possible. However, since I'll be at the dentist while you're glancing at this amazing cover, it may have to wait. Abscessed teeth have a way of handicapping my reading abilities and making me want to sleep.
 
Anywho...check out the pretty pretty cover, read the blurb, and enter the giveaway!
Amazon   Smashwords


Blurb:

“Kira gulped, unable to stop the growing sense that everything in her world was about to change.”

With Aldrich’s note burning a hole in her pocket, Kira is off to England to finally reunite with her birth mother. But what begins as a dream quickly turns to a nightmare and Kira is left questioning everything she has ever known. Can she be the conduit Luke wants her to be? Can she be the rebel Tristan needs her to be? Or is she something else? Something no one, not even Aldrich, ever saw coming…

Blaze is the third book in the thrilling Midnight Fire Series. It is approximately 65,000 words.

Amazon

Synopsis:

"With one last look, one final search of the lines of his face for some sign, Kira turned and ran away from the sound of the man she loved laughing in the face of her death."

When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they're keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan's lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heartbreaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.



Amazon

Synopsis:

"Slowly, like a whisper almost blown away in the wind, two words streaked across her mind: 'Kiss me.'"

Kira may have survived the eclipse, but her troubles are far from over. She's headed to Sonnyville with one goal in mind: to learn more about her parents. But with Luke and Tristan competing for her heart and Diana gunning for her head, time is running out on the search for her mother. And the closer Kira gets to answers, the more terrified she becomes. The conduits fear her, the vampires fear her, and Kira is starting to wonder if maybe they're right...

Simmer is the second book in the thrilling Midnight Fire Series. It is approximately 65,000 words.




Author Info:

Kaitlyn Davis graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars. She's been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to finally share her work with the world. She currently lives in New York City and dreams of having a cockapoo puppy of her own.


Blog       Facebook       Twitter

Pinterest       Goodreads      Amazon






Giveaway Terms and Conditions
- One month long giveaway lasting from Sep 27-Oct 27
- Ten winners of e-copies of Ignite and Simmer, One winner of the paranormal package, One winner of the dystopian package, and One winner of the angels, demons & magic package. 
- Winners will be notified on Oct 28th and will have five business days to respond before the prize is forfeit
- International entries are welcome, but if you live outside of Canada/US, you are only eligible to win e-copies of Ignite and Simmer


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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

{Waiting on Wednesday} Double Edition


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, it spotlights upcoming releases that we are dying to read


Title: A Fractured Light
Series: A Beautiful Dark #2
Author: Jocelyn Davies
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: 25 September 2012

Goodreads
Synopsis:

When she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, Skye knows something terrible has happened to her. It's not until she hears Asher, the dark, rebellious angel she fell in love with, that the memories come flooding back. She tries to put the past behind her, but she knows she'll be forever haunted by the ruthless betrayal that almost took her life.

Skye returns home, but with the knowledge of who she really is, nothing can ever be the same. As she tests the limits of her newfound powers, Skye discovers that she's capable of far more than anyone could have imagined. Both the Order and the Rebellion want her for their side as war between the factions looms. She can't forget the terrifying truth she now knows about the Order, but something holds her back from embracing the Rebellion.

"A Fractured Light" picks up right after "A Beautiful Dark"'s shocking cliffhanger ending and is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's "Fallen" and Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush saga.



Title: The Evolution of Mara Dyer
Series: Mara Dyer #2
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: Simon & Shuster
Release Date: 23 October 2012
Goodreads


Synopsis:

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?



{Blog Tour & Review} Brightest Kind of Darkness by P. T. Michelle


Welcome to day 3 of the Brightest Kind of Darkness Tour. I'm extremely obliged to Dani at Refracted Light for allowing me to join in on such an awesome tour. Brightest Kind of Darkness rocked! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the page, so you can have a chance to win some really fun prizes! And just in case you've missed one or two stops, find the whole tour HERE.



Title: Brightest Kind of Darkness
Series: Brightest Kind of Darkness #1
Author: P.T. Michelle
Self-Published
June 27, 2011

Synopsis:

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

Read an excerpt

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 
What can I say? Brightest Kind of Darkness is one of the most unique and beautifully written books I've read in a very long while. I'm a sucker for stories revolving around fate and destiny and, on a highly philosophical level, if either can be altered. I've read shelves full of books on the subject, but few capture the essence quite so perfectly.

Nara is in possession of a unique talent: she sees the next day of her life, dawn until dusk, every night in her dreams. This skill has allowed her to be Queen Goalie of the girls' soccer team, an exceptional student, and allows her to prepare for all the drama that comes from being a teenage girl. She avoided situations that might cause her discomfort, but she had never tried to interfere with fate until the day she dreams something that could possibly kill several students at her school...and thus begins the rollercoaster that loops, twists, and turns you on your head for the rest of the ride.

Ethan, the all too misunderstood bad-boy, and Nara share something in common. They both have a hero complex, a need to save the world. Wait, wait, wait...I know what you're going to say if you've already read Brightest Kind of Darkness. But consider for one moment what the world might represent. To one person, it might be the literal meaning, everyone and everything. To another, the world might be a single person. While Nara dreams of saving all her friends and family from harm, Ethan strives to keep Nara safe from Fate. And the more she alters fate, the more she has to fear from Fate.

Ethan has a curse. He absorbs people's negative energy, filling his nights with dreams of monsters and blood. But once he moved to Nara's little town, Ethan's once dark world lightens. He and Nara have a plan and are making Fate their bitch. If only Fate would just shrivel up and die, life would be much easier, but then the story would suck.

I loved this story for so many reasons. Nara is a kick-ass girl, who always attempts to do the right thing, even if it's completely wrong. She's loyal to her family and friends, with one exception and I'm not sure her father deserves her loyalty, so I'm completely fine with Nara giving him a one-fingered salute and never looking back - although, I should mention, Nara's dad may redeem himself in Lucid. We'll see. Ethan's everything Nara deserves. He's kind, trustworthy, and he loves her. Not to mention, I wanted to fall into his deep blue eyes every time he touched Nara.

I also love the mythology woven into the story. For some reason, I have a somewhat sick fascination with the lore behind Ravens. They've been known to do everything from predict the weather to being carriers of death. They are said to be highly intelligent, even trainable. Authors across time have used Ravens to depict different aspects in their books. Shakespeare used Ravens as messengers, Edgar Allen Poe's alludes to the birds in relations of love, loss, and despair in one of his most famous works, simply titled The Raven. The predatory birds have been accused of being witches' familiars. For more Raven Lore, click the link and learn some interesting facts. The day can't be over until you learn something new, so go do it...well, when you're done with this review.

And, as I've already mentioned, I love the philosophy and all the what-ifs surrounding Fate. Is there such a thing as fate? If so, can fate be altered? If fate is altered, does fate still extract its revenge? Does the balance of nature shift, demanding consequences? Yeah, a little to deep for a silly little book review, but this one left me questioning life in general and when a books does that, it's a keeper!

*I received a free eBook from the author in exchange for my unbiased and honest review. No money changed hands.

ABOUT P.T. MICHELLE

P.T. Michelle is author of the young adult series BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS. When P.T. isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading or taking pictures of landscapes, sunsets and anything beautiful or odd in nature.

LINKS: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Newsletter







LUCID: BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS, BOOK 2

Once Nara combines her prophetic ability with Ethan’s power to outsmart Fate at his own deadly cat-and-mouse game, she’s more determined than ever to help Ethan learn the meaning behind the raven sword tattoo that suddenly appeared on his back after their confrontation with Fate.

During her quest to uncover the tattoo’s secrets, Nara enlists the help of some new friends and discovers her own surprising connection to Ethan.

While Nara digs deeper into the mystery, her desire for answers leads her down a dangerous path full of powerful and ruthless enemies. Swept into an age-old battle, Nara quickly learns that keeping one’s enemies close can be a necessary evil, making an intangible enemy she can control far more preferable to the human enemies she can’t.

Read an excerpt


Amazon | Barnes and Noble

One quick question before you enter. What is your take on Fate and Destiny? Feel free to leave me a comment telling me your theory!

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

{A Kelly M Review}: Eve by Anna Carey

Title: Eve
Series: Eve #1
Author: Anna Carey
Genre: YA Dystopian
Publisher: HarperTeen

Synopsis: 

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.





Have you ever walked around in a bookstore and then just the way the name is displayed on a certain book grabs your attention? Well that is what happened to me with Eve. I love the cover, it just looks so awesome and it just shows you that this story is going to be guy-in-death-metal-band hardcore. And it was. A dystopian novel focuses on the depressing side of things. So if you do not want to feel a wave of despair crawling over you when reading a book, I suggest you steer clear. I on the other hand, love dystopian novels and depression they create when reading. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few happy moments present but then it gets sucker punched by a scene that isn’t all unicorns and rainbows.
It starts off where we meet Eve, the main character, at one of the government schools of the New America. It is called this because a deadly plague wiped out most of the world population and they are trying to rebuild. These schools are only for girls though and they teach these girls that all men are bad. That men just want to use and abuse you, that they are liars and deceitful people and only want sex from women. These girls, all of them orphans, believe their teachers because it is all they know. They teach them that there is no such thing as love between a man and a woman, the women love but the men use their love to their advantage. Hectic right? This was honestly the weirdest part for me of the book. They even used Romeo and Juliette, not as the tragic love story that it is known for, but as a symbol of how men can manipulate women and isolate them from their families and that is why Juliette ended up killing herself. Not because the love of her life was dead, but because she was all alone and no one to turn to. By then I was in such a WTF mode that I had to finish this book pronto because I needed Eve to figure out that this was not the truth, that it was lies that a pathological liar would be proud of.
Things take a turn on the night before graduation. She comes across Arden, a girl in her grade, who is trying to escape. She succeeds, but before she leaves she tells Eve that the school isn’t what she thinks it is. That the girls don’t graduate to go to the Graduates Buliding to become doctors, artists, lawyers, etc, but instead something more sinister and disgusting. Eve of course refuses to believe this, as any girl of eighteen would, but during the course of the night she becomes restless and decides to go investigate. What Arden said turned out to be true and she hatches a plan to escape, until a teacher catches her. Luckily for her the teacher helps her escape.
She meets up with Arden after a few days and that is when they meet Caleb. He saves Eve from a bear attack. She, of course after all her schooling, doesn’t trust him at all even though he saved her. According to this silly girl he must have an ulterior motive. She voices that she knows he saved her just to have sex with her. This is where I literally hit myself in the face with the book. I mean honestly, so what if he wants to have sex with you (he didn’t though), the dude has dreadlocks, the body of a god and the prettiest eyes ever. If he wants to do the hanky-panky, you nod your head and just go with the flow *cough cough*. In books is the only place where this can happen so I thought it is a valid observation.
Caleb takes them to where he lives but promises to help them get to Califia, a safe haven for outsiders, as soon as they are able to. Eve also finds out that the King of the New America is personally searching for her so they need to stay hidden at all times and during that time they develop a very new sort of love, since none of them have actually experienced it before so it was quite cute.
Eve’s character starts of as very naive and infuriating and most of the time I just wanted to shake her and knock some sense into her, but at the same time I understood why she was like this. Her education gave her very few other choices. Luckily during the story she starts to develop as her own person and gets her own beliefs. I loved this story because you can actually vividly see the change in the character and it was so refreshing. Then there’s Caleb who was completely drool worthy but he did act a little childish some of the times and when that occurred bad things tended to happen to Eve.  
Anna Carey has a way of sucking you right into her story. Some of the times I actually felt like I was Eve. Not many authors can do that for me and I enjoy it immensely to get completely lost in a book. This is definitely recommended. The ending will leave you with a “huh????” feeling though. Stay tuned for my review on the sequel, Once coming soon.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

{Blog Tour, Review, Excerpt, & #Giveaway} Empty Net by Toni Aleo

Photobucket


Title: Empty Net
Series: The Assassins #3
Author: Toni Aleo
Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance
September 3, 2012

Buy Links


Synopsis:

Definition of an Empty Net: When a team pulls the goalie for an extra attacker, desperately seeking a goal.

Audrey Parker was in a horrible place.
She hated her job, her sister was getting married and moving out, but worst of all, she was in love with a total jerk. No matter what she did, every guy she met hurt her. All she wanted was her happily ever after. Her Prince Charming. Her Lucas Brooks! She didn’t know how to change her life but she knew she needed too.
Feeling like she was about to hit rock bottom, Audrey wakes up next to Tate Odder.

Tate Odder had lost everything.

After being brought up from the Assassins’ farm team, the Florida Rays to the Nashville Assassins, Tate hopes he’ll forget everything he has lost. He doesn’t. Each day gets harder to live in a place he doesn’t know. Even being the first rookie goalie to shut out an opposing team three times during the Lord Stanly Cup Finals, he still felt empty. With the loss of his parents and sister still heavy on his heart, Tate isn’t sure how to live like everything is okay.

But when he wakes up beside Audrey Parker, things start to change. She turns his life upside down with her kooky sense of humor and her bright clothing. She is intelligent and beautiful, and for once, he doesn’t feel empty.

Will Audrey be the person to fill the holes in Tate’s heart, making him whole again?
Or will another player ruin everything, leaving him feeling forever like an empty net?


**********************************************************************************
Review:

Okay...Toni, you need to come over and take out my trash which is filled with tons of damp and snotty Kleenex's. I cried during the entire ending of the book.

All the good things:
Yes, I'm a fiend for sport romances, and Toni Aleo did not disappoint. Aubrey's and Tate's story isn't at all what I thought it might be in the beginning. Both are broken, just trying to survive in an unfair world. And...just when I thought all the cards were on the table, Ms. Aleo pulled another from her pocket. Truly a good thing she wasn't playing poke, because that's just plain ol' cheating in my book. But extremely well played, Toni. Well. Freaking, Played. 

Aubrey, they slightly younger sister of Fallon, is heart-broken and drunk. Two things you should never mix, especially when a tall, buff, Swedish dude is willing to take you home and pleasure you in ways you could only imagine. Aubrey never got his name, nor did she give him hers. She just went to her hotel room, had some pretty raunchy sex, and left. 

Levi's a douche in every way possible. He's manipulative. Cocky. And heartless. Always telling Aubrey that she's fat, ugly, and nothing without him. One minute he's telling her he loves her and the next he's saying "Hey, thanks for the lay." His verbal abuse irritated me and the fact that Aubrey felt that she loved him and owed him something made me want to slap her into the Zombie Apocalypse. I probably would have put down the book the second time she let Levi back into her life, if she hadn't finally told him off. 

Tate is a hot-shot goalie, playing for the Assassins. His best friend, Luca, is also Fallon's husband and Aubrey's brother-in-law. But most importantly, he's in love with Aubrey. Now, I haven't read the first two books in the Assassins series, but Luca has to be one of the sweetest men ever written about. He takes his family responsibilities import, including: his wife, his son, his sister-in-law, and his team. Tate appreciates Lucas' friendship, even when he calls him on his stupid shit. A definite bro-mance.

Fallon, loves her job at the family business, but she loves her husband, son, and sister more. There's literally not a thing she wouldn't do to protect any of them. I love seeing sisters so close and so caring. It makes my heart pitter-patter. And, I'm telling you, Fallon's not afraid to tell people how it is. She's loyal and she'll protect those she loves with a voraciousness I wish I possessed.

Sure this is an romance, peppered with bits of erotica, but the fourth quarter had a great deal of suspense, filled with so many OMG moments, I can't even begin to tell you. The unfathomable twists, slamming against the car door turns, and pot-hole littered path of these two lovers drew me in, and kept me rooting them on. I laughed, I cried, I sighed. 

Just one or two "not perferct" things:
Tate's and Aubrey's story rocked my world. With that being said, nothing in life is perfect. I felt like the beginning of the book dragged for me. I was a little put out with Aubrey's poor me attitude until she finally kicked Levi to the curb, and accepted that Tate loved her, no matter their differences.

My Reccomendation:
If you are a fan of romance erotica revolving around athletes, the Assassin's series is for you, so go download it, or better yet, enter the giveaway below. Empty Net throws hurdle after hurdle at all the characters, and each coped and came out stronger for it.


Excerpt:

“I have to tell you,” she said with a shy grin, “It’s usually not this easy.”

He looked down at her questionably, “Easy how?”

“This easy to pick me up. I usually make guys work for it.”

He grinned and her smiled grew more, “So you want me too?”

She eyed him, her face bright with excitement. He may have been a little too forward but he was a blunt person, and hardly ever hid his feelings from anyone.

She moved closer, her eyes bright with lust as she said, “I do and I don’t even know you’re name.”

“Do you want to know it?” he asked with a cocky grin.

“I have to tell you,” she said with a shy grin, “It’s usually not this easy.”

He looked down at her questionably, “Easy how?”

“This easy to pick me up. I usually make guys work for it.”

He grinned and her smiled grew more, “So you want me too?”

She eyed him, her face bright with excitement. He may have been a little too forward but he was a blunt person, and hardly ever hid his feelings from anyone.

She moved closer, her eyes bright with lust as she said, “I do and I don’t even know you’re name.”

“Do you want to know it?” he asked with a cocky grin.

She moved in close, her wide brown eyes locked with his, “All I want to know is when you can leave? I have a room not even a mile from here.” 

 
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Author Bio

I am a wife, mother, and hopeless romantic.

I have been told I have anger issues, but I think it’s cause of my intense love for hockey!

I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!

When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughters dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, and reading the latest romance novel.

I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, and did I mention I love hockey?

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