The Write Stuff by Tiffany King.

Goodreads Summary:

            Twenty-two-year-old historical romance writer Nicole Blake, or N.S. Blake to her readers, hasn't taken an official poll, mind you, but she is convinced she may be the only romance author on the planet who is still a card-carrying member of the virgin club.Not that she hasn't tried to end her membership. Life just keeps finding pesky ways to interfere. With no prospects on the horizon, Nicole begins to feel like the closest she will ever get to experiencing a man is within her own stories.

            Opportunity presents itself in the form of hot-as-sin-on-a-lollipop-stick bartender/premed student Alec Petropoulos, who agrees to be the cover model for her upcoming book. Sparks fly instantly between them, and Nicole begins to entertain the possibility that she's finally found the right guy to hand over her tattered V-card. Alec has all the makings for a perfect one-night-stand candidate except, much to Nicole's surprise, he seems to be the only man in existence not interested in bagging a virgin.

            Stuck between a rock and a stubborn male, what's a virgin to do? Seduce him, of course. How hard could it be? If it works for the characters in her stories, why wouldn't it work for her? After all, what happens under the cover…stays under the cover.

 

Gabrielle's Review:

            I am still new to Tiffany King's books. I read her No Attachments, Misunderstandings and now, The Write Stuff. I have to say that so far The Write Stuff is my favorite. It's fun, cute, and sexy.

            It starts off with Nicole writing like a maniac. She is a self published author who is still trying to get her name out into the world. Her best friend calls her and begs her to stop writing and to come to the photo shoot for Nicole's newest book cover. When Nicole finally agrees, she doesn't shower, brush her hair, change, or even try to make herself look decent. So - when she arrives at the photo shoot and sees the uber sexy male cover model, she instantly regrets not showering. The chemistry between them is instant and who knew that under all his sexiness was a smart and caring man.

            Tiffany King does a wonderful job at creating lovable characters (including Nicole's overbearing family). I especially enjoyed getting into the mindset of a writer. I asked Tiffany if some of the thoughts and writing habits came from personal experience and she said, "A lot of it was pulled from personal experience." But she made sure to specify that the scene where Nicole showed up like a wreck embarrassing herself in front of the sexy cover model was NOT from personal experience. (I laughed at that.)

            Tiffany did well with making sure the book wasn't too "sexy" but it was just enough if you like that kind of thing. I have read some New Adult books where it was almost erotica with absolutely no plot but The Write Stuff had a cute plot with lovable characters, and yes a little sexiness.

            My only complaint is how hard Nicole wanted to throw her virginity away. Girls should hold that close until they find someone they love but Nicole is 22 years old and feels like she's missing out.

            If you are under the age of 18 I wouldn't recommend it unless you are allowed to read New Adult books. That's my small warning for parents but it honestly isn't as "sexy" as other books. Just enough, though.

Meeting C.C Hunter at Another Anime Convention in Manchester, NH

C.C Hunter visited New Hampshire and attended Another Anime Convention. She had two panels I attended. When she spotted me, she recognized me went out of her way to talk to me. She is one of the nicest authors I have met. She took a bunch of time out of her busy day just to talk to me. She asked about me and showed a genuine interest.
Her newest series is Shadow Falls: After dark. I posted reviews about both the books in the series that are out. Check her out!

Shadow Falls: After Dark. Eternal.

            Eternal is the second book in the Shadow Falls: After Dark series. And as usual, C.C. Hunter does NOT disappoint. Della, on the outside, is a snarky and sarcastic person, but she is one of the nicest people (or vampire!) ever. She's loyal, passionate, and caring. After being reborn, she is able to see and communicate with ghosts. She is visited by a ghost that doesn't communicate very well and is thrown into visions. She learns of two newly turned vampires, dying and trapped. Even though everyone says they are dead, she is determined to save the two kids and prove everyone wrong. Even though everything is working against her, she never gives up. Her heart breaks, and she has many of her own problems but she shoves everything aside to focus on helping two complete strangers. Even as her heart battles between loving Steve and Chase, she never wavers in her mission. THAT is a protagonist I would want my daughter to look up to.

            Della is someone that I can follow and love. She's not a typical teenaged girl who will wallow in self pity over nonsense issues. She is a true hero, even if she sometimes views herself as a monster.

            Even though I am upset about the cliff-hanger ending (and about certain people leaving), I CAN'T wait for the next book. C.C. Hunter is very talented and knows how to weave a story that almost anyone can love.

            Even if you haven't read her Shadow Falls Series, you can still read Della's story, BUT I HIGHLY recommend you read Shadow Falls first. Reborn is the first book in Shadow Falls: After Dark. If you haven't read it yet, you should because Della is a protagonist worth rooting for.

Shadow Falls: After Dark Series. Reborn.

I want to start off by saying how much I love all of C.C. Hunter’s books. Ever since the first book I read of hers (Born at Midnight), I have been hooked. I devoured every book so far and can’t wait for Eternal (Shadow Falls: After Dark Book #2).

Reborn is the first novel in Shadow Falls: After Dark. Shadow Falls: After dark follows Della, the best friend of Kylie Galen (the main protagonist in Shadow Falls Series). Shadow Falls is a camp for paranormal teenagers (Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, faes). All the main characters from Shadow Falls Series is still in the books (Kylie, Miranda, Derek, Lucas). 

Della is a vampire whose only relative knows the truth about her has somehow disappeared, causing Della to dives further into her family’s heritage and tries to find more relatives that may be vampire. A mysterious vampire named Chase shows up at Shadow Falls and vies for her attention. Steve, a shapeshifter, has been trying for a long time to gain Della’s trust and claim her as his girlfriend. But when Della’s life is at risk and the only way to save her may destroy Steve’s chances with her, he still determinedly tries to save her, even if it means losing her. But as always, C.C. Hunter finds a way to keep the love triangle going and Della still has feelings for Steve. (Even if she tries to deny them.)

I can’t wait for Eternal, the second book in the Shadow Falls: After Dark Series.

As usual, C.C. Hunter rocked this book and I am still counting down the days until Eternal. (12 days!)

-Gabrielle

Review for Amy Finnegan's NOT IN THE SCRIPT

I was a little wary at first when I began to read Not in the Script, by Amy Finnegan, because I wasn't sure if I would be able to connect with Hollywood movie stars. I am glad that I did, though. It's the kind of book that keeps you smiling, and rooting for the characters.
One of my favorite lines was: "I'm being replaced by two lizards who eat bugs, can't talk, and lose a limb whenever you frighten them." I laughed out loud while in a public place and people glanced at me with curious looks.
I was able to imagine actually being on the set of Coyote Hills with Emma, Jake, Brett, and Kimmi. Each actor was different in their own unique way. All of the characters evolve, even the relationships do. I loved the fact that Emma was extremely relatable even though she was a famous movie star. She wasn't conceited, and truly cared about all the people in her life. She tried keeping her high maintenance best friend happy even though she didn't appreciate Emma's help. Emma even founded a charity when most kids her age would rather party, drink, and do drugs.
My favorite character was Jake. He started off as a model, then went into acting. You would think a guy called "the bod" would be full of himself and use girls as if they were disposable. But NO, he took the acting gig to help pay for his disabled mother's medical bills. (What kind of girl would pass a guy like that up?)
It was easy to fall in love with the main characters of Not in the Script. Amy Finnegan knows how to work her magic with weaving a beautifully written and cute romance. You could tell that Amy did her research on the film industry, and I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves YA Contemporary Romance. I can't wait for more books by this author!

J. Lynn's STAY With Me

Today is the release day for J. Lynn's STAY with me. Linked is the teaser for it and a giveaway! http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/stay-with-me-release-day/ This series is one of the best I have ever read. It has romance, suspense, and characters you can relate to! Everything you want in a book.

Meeting James Dashner!

           This past June, I attended WIFYR (Writing and Illustrating For Young Readers). James Dashner spoke to us about his novels and his upcoming movie based on The Maze Runner. (I can't believe that The Maze Runner is now in theatres!) Anyone that I spoke to at the conference that knew him more than just the author of The Maze Runner, only had wonderful things to say about him. He proved them right during his speech. He was funny, intelligent, and certainly wasn't boring. There wasn't a dull moment during his speech. Everyone either laughed or went, "Awww!"

          His books include: The Jimmy Fincher Series, The 13th Reality Series, The Infinity Ring Series, The Maze Runner Series, and Eye of the Minds.

 

          I will post my review of The Maze Runner (book & movie) soon!

 

 

                        -Gabrielle