Blog Tour: Illusion (The Heirs of Watson Island #3) by Martina Boone @MartinaABoone @irish_banana

 

ABOUT ILLUSION: Barrie must rescue her beloved and her family from evil spirits in the masterful conclusion to the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy. Caged by secrets all around her and haunted by mistakes that have estranged her from Eight Beaufort, Barrie Watson is desperate to break the curse that puts her family in danger—without breaking the beautiful magic that protects Watson’s Landing. To do that, she must heal the rifts that have split the families of the island apart for three hundred years, unravel the mystery of the Fire Carrier and the spirits he guards, and take control of forces so deadly and awe-inspiring they threaten to overwhelm her. With the spirits that cursed Watson Island centuries ago awake and more dangerous than ever, she finds an unlikely ally in the haunting and enigmatic Obadiah, whose motivations and power she still can’t read—or trust. His help comes at a price, however, plunging Barrie into a deadly maze of magic and wonder, mystery and intrigue that leads through history to places she never imagined she could go.
 LINKS: Amazon | B&N

Brooke's Review:

I want to thank Simon Pulse for providing me with an ARC of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

If you haven't read the first or second book in this series, what are you waiting for? Need something totally different? A paranormal thats just a bit off the beaten path? A ghostly story that also has a the feel witchy powers? This is the series for you! But if you haven't read the first two books, I can't promise there won't be spoilers from those in this review, as they really do need to be read before you can understand what's going on with this one! So GO BACK!

I will say, writing a review for a third book in a series without giving any major plot twists away is hard! But, suffice it to say, I think I can give you a nice overview of my thoughts without letting you know exactly what you're in for with this conclusion.

Of course the story picks up where Persuasion left off. Eight has isolated himself from Barrie for her keeping his secret and neither seems to be able to escape their curse of being bound to their respective homes. Which also means they are destined to be apart, or are they? Their only hope is Obediah but can he be trusted?

I will say having trust in a 100+ year old man was hard for me and has been since he was introduced. His agenda was never very clear. Which I know was what Boone intended. I'm pretty sure she wanted you to feel unsure of just where his loyalties stood. And you could feel this rift in Barrie, and especially in those friends and family surrounding her who love her and don't want to see her, or anyone else, get hurt.

We see the return of all our favorite characters with this book: Berg, Eight, Seven, Pru, Mary, Daphne. And some we're not sure we can love so much: Cassie, Obediah. We even see the some characters who we might not have been expecting to see! But we don't see anyone new introduced. It was nice to see the wrap up happen for all these characters. The conclusion to their unexpectedly magical and scary summer!

The book continues with it's southern gothic charm. Boone absolutely did her research when writing these books. While it takes place in North Carolina, I get this Lousiana feel when I read it. Maybe because Obediah almost reminds me of all those shows I've watch on TV with the "voo doo" men and women! Either way, Boone definitely transports you to a world outside of where you are.

Eight and Barrie continue to have that push and pull romance that I have come to adore with this series. It's not over the top love at first site but more of a longing and need and pull to be together because there is just no way they can be apart. But is this even possible with their curse and bindings? Well, I guess you'll just have to read the conclusion to find out!

Boone does a nice job of wrapping up all the story lines in this series. I wasn't left worrying about anyone and what was happening to them. The mysteries of the island come to a head and the explanation of the Fire Carrier and the bindings is revealed.  A perfect finale for this series! 

ABOUT MARTINA BOONE: Martina Boone was born in Prague and spoke several languages before learning English. Her first teacher in the U.S. made fun of her for not pronouncing the "wh" sound right, so she set out to master "all the words”—she's still working on that! In the meantime she’s writing contemporary fantasy set in the kinds of magical places she'd love to visit. If you like romance steeped in mystery, mayhem, Spanish moss, and a bit of magic, she hopes you'll look forward to meeting Barrie, Eight, Cassie, Pru, Seven and the other characters of Watson Island.
 LINKS:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

10/3: Reading Teen – Setting Inspirations

10/4: Please Feed the Bookworm – Review

10/5: Who RU Blog – Review

10/6: YA Bibliophile – Review

10/7: Adventures of a Book Junkie – Q&A

Week 2:

10/10: Mundie Moms – Review

10/11: The Cover Contessa - Review 

10/12: Fiction Fare – Review 

10/13: Lisa Loves Literature – Review

10/14: The Irish Banana Review – Q&A

Blog Tour: The Swan Riders by Erin Bow @erinbowbooks

Greta Stuart had always known her future: die young. She was her country's crown princess, and also its hostage, destined to be the first casualty in an inevitable war. But when the war came it broke all the rules, and Greta forged a different path.

She is no longer princess. No longer hostage. No longer human. Greta Stuart has become an AI.

If she can survive the transition, Greta will earn a place alongside Talis, the AI who rules the world. Talis is a big believer in peace through superior firepower. But some problems are too personal to obliterate from orbit, and for those there are the Swan Riders: a small band of humans who serve the AIs as part army, part cult.

Now two of the Swan Riders are escorting Talis and Greta across post-apocalyptic Saskatchewan. But Greta’s fate has stirred her nation into open rebellion, and the dry grassland may hide insurgents who want to rescue her – or see her killed. Including Elian, the boy she saved—the boy who wants to change the world, with a knife if necessary. Even the infinitely loyal Swan Riders may not be everything they seem.

Greta’s fate—and the fate of her world—are balanced on the edge of a knife in this smart, sly, electrifying adventure. 

LINKS: Amazon | B&N

Last book you read:

An advanced copy of THE BEAST IS AN ANIMAL by Peternelle van Arsdale

Last trip you took:

A very dull jaunt to Michigan to see my uncle and teach my kids to body surf.  We had fun but the most exotic part of the whole thing was the coconut cream milkshake from the Sonic beside the somewhat skeevy hotel (instead of a “what to do in MICHGAN” magazine they had “What To Do If the Sirens Go Off At the Nuclear Power Plant Next Door” flyer.). 

On the other hand, last year I was on 33 airplanes, including the six you have to take to go backpacking in Mongolia.

Last thing that made you smile:

The rainstorm this afternoon.  I love thunder. 

Favorite quote:

That’s hard to narrow down.  Maybe this, which is part of the baptism speech for the twins in Kurt Vonnegut’s GOD BLESS YOU MR. ROSEWATER:

Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”

Favorite memory:

So not sharable. 

Handy substitutes:  getting down on one knee to propose to my boyfriend at an airport.   Letting my infant sleep on my chest.  Eating hot spicy crawfish in Hong Kong.  Bringing a puppy home to surprise my kids.   Flying a hunting eagle for the first time. 

Best moment as an author:

I sold my first novel on election day in 2008, the day Obama got elected.  I’d been a campaign volunteer; it was a heady day.  I remember leaving my horrible, horrible job to have lunch with my family and sneak a glass of champagne.  My three-year-old didn’t get why I was so excited, what was so special about the day.  I told her that a good man had been elected president, and that I had sold my book for a lot of money, and therefore we could change the way we lived, and be happier.  It would be a better world.

She thought for a moment then asked:  “Can all my jellybeans be red?” 

Last thing you treated yourself to:

A new notebook: moleskin soft cover with dotted paper, in turquoise.  I use a fountain pen too – I do a lot of writing long hand. 

Favorite place in the world:

My friend has a game she calls magic doors, where your apartment has five magic doors that open onto any neighbourhood in the world.  I could never narrow it down.  BUT, I do have a pretty awesome writing shed to put the magic doors in.  (See attached photo.) 

Last emoticon you used:

I RARELY use emoticons of any kind, but this morning we ran out of coffee.  I sent this FB message to my husband.  FB does not have mushroom cloud mushroom cloud skull, which is what I wanted, so I went with this.  Somehow even though it’s less dramatic, it’s way more threatening.  In my defense, we were out of coffee. 

Hi!  My name is Erin Bow -- physicist turned poet turned author of young adult novels that will make you cry on the bus. I'm a white girl, forty-something, feminist, geeky enough to do the Vulcan salute with both hands -- in public.  I live in Canada.  I love to cook, hate to clean, and yes, I do own a cat.  

In the beginning, I was a city girl from farm country—born in Des Moines and raised in Omaha—where I was fond of tromping through wood lots and reading books by flashlight. In high school I captained the debate team, founded the math club, and didn’t date much.

In university I studied particle physics, and worked briefly at the European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva, Switzerland. Physics was awesome, but graduate school kind of sucked, and at some point I remembered that I wanted to write books.  

Books:  I have six of them — three novels, and two volumes of poetry and a memoir (the poetry under my maiden name, Erin Noteboom). My poetry has won the CBC Canadian Literary Award, and several other awards. My two novels, Plain Kate and Sorrow's Knot, also have a fistful of awards, including Canada's top award for children's literature, the TD.   The third novel, The Scorpion Rules, still faces its award season. No one read the memoir.  

Right now I'm looking forward to the publication of my fourth novel,  a companion piece to The Scorpion Rules called The Swan Riders, which will be out September 20 from Simon & Schuster.  I'm at work on an new an entirely different novel, and a book of poetry about science. 

Did you notice I got to Canada in there somewhere?   Yeah, that was true love.  I'm married to a Canadian boy, James Bow, who also writes young adult novels.  We have two small daughters, both of whom want to be scientists.  

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram

Giveaway: 3 Finished Copies of THE SWAN RIDERS (US Only) Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

9/12: Fangs and Fur Fantasy Book Review - Review

9/13: The Cover Contessa - Guest Post

9/14: Live to Read - Review

9/15: Such A Novel Idea - Q&A

9/16: Intellectual Recreation - Review

Week 2:

9/19: Novel Ink - Q&A

9/20: The Story Sanctuary - Review

9/21: Book Stacks Amber - Playlist

9/22: Lisa Loves Literature - Review

9/23: A Backwards Story - Q&A

Release Blast: Unknown by Wendy Higgins @Wendy_Higgins @irish_banana

Amber Tate believes the worst thing she’ll suffer in life is dealing with the unrequited love she feels for her brother’s best friend, Rylen Fite. She also believes war is something unfortunate that happens places far, far away from her rural Nevada town. She’s wrong on both counts.

When an unknown organization meticulously bombs major cities in the United States and across the globe, a trickle-down effect spreads to remaining towns at an alarming speed—everything from food and water sources to technology and communications are compromised. Without leadership, the nation is split between paralysis and panic, but Amber isn’t one to hide or watch helplessly. She’s determined to put her nursing skills to use, despite the danger, even if it means working alongside the man she can never have. 

In this first installment of NY Times bestselling author, Wendy Higgins’s debut New Adult series, a frighteningly realistic apocalyptic America is brought to life, entwined with searing romantic tension that will leave you eager for more.

Kindle: https://goo.gl/KEKn2D
iTunes: https://goo.gl/R9nav8
Kobo: https://goo.gl/XiYj6g

Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NY Times bestselling author of the SWEET EVIL series from HarperTeen, the high fantasy duology THE GREAT HUNT, and her independently published Irish Fantasy SEE ME.
After earning a Creative Writing degree from George Mason University and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until achieving her dream job as a full-time writer.
Wend lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her husband, daughter, son, and little doggie Rue.

Giveaway:

Open International:

Grand Prize: Signed Paperback copy of Unknown with Poster, bookplate stickers, and bookmarks

1st & 2nd Prize: digital copies of Unknown (has to be B&N or Amazon user - will be gifted via their email address) plus signed bookmarks and bookplate stickers

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Blog Tour: You Before Anyone Else by Julie Cross and Mark Perini @Juliecross1980 @MarkTPerini @irish_banana

 

Model Finley needs someone to help her shed her "good girl" persona, so she'll try Eddie on for size.

New York City model Finley is fed up with hearing the same feedback at castings: she needs to take some serious action to wipe the "good girl" stamp from her resume if she wants to launch to stardom.

Enter Eddie Wells. He's shallow, predictable…and just as lost as Finley feels. Deep down, Finley is drawn to Eddie's bravado, his intensity. Except Eddie is hiding something. A big something. And when it surfaces, both loving and leaving Finley will become so much harder.

LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

Brooke's Review:

I want to thank Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

I really loved the first installment in this series. It was so different. I know nothing of the modeling world, so it opened my eyes to so much. I figured this one would go in a similar direction as the first but I was surprised to see that it actually did not. What I loved most about this book is that the two main characters are really just ordinary people trying to make some money so they can pursue their dreams. It's not just about modeling and if they can make it, it's about how they can make fast money to use where they need it most. And interesting take on this industry for sure.

The book is written in dual POV: first person from Finley and third from Eddie. This was an interesting choice by the authors. I'm not sure why they chose to do it this way. I often see this done because one of the characters needs to be fleshed out from an outside perspective and being inside their head this can't happen. But I didn't feel that was necessarily needed in this book. At the same time, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book or from how I connected with the characters, which is obviously important to the story line.

Finely is a good girl. She's labeled that way in the industry, as well. And she's itching to break out into some kind of rebel. Even her father tells her to go for it. But it's hard for her to alter her normal persona and try to become something she really isn't. She's fairly innocent and while she attempts to change that, it's hard for her because that's really not the direction she seems to want to go. She cares about her loved ones and is loyal.

Then there's Eddie. He's hiding a secret. I was pretty sure I knew what it was from the start. And I knew I wasn't going to be particularly happy about it when it was finally revealed. Of course I was right. But I did like Eddie. He had a head on his shoulders and, despite his messed up family life from which he was running, he was trying his hardest to make his past mistakes right. He was sweet and caring, as well. But I still wasn't thrilled with the scenario.

Of course the complicated story line really had me wondering what would happen. These kids are young but thrown into situations where they grow up so fast. There is a ton of character development throughout the story, which made it very enjoyable. I like to see characters who really take shape and form and grow and change. I find that to be so important and it certainly makes a story much less stagnant.

Overall, I enjoyed the story line. I wasn't sure if I would like the ending, and I do think that it ended a bit too neatly for what it was, but who's to say things don't happen this way in real life? I know I can't since I've not been in such a situation before.

If you're looking for a romantic read that touches on some deep topics, this is the book for you. Light in areas and heavy in others, it will leave you thinking about what might be and what could have been.

ABOUT JULIE CROSS:

Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin's Press). She's also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!

Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She's a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA. She's a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. 

Outside of her reading and writing credibility's, Julie Cross is a committed--but not talented--long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook

ABOUT MARK PERNINI:

Mark Perini, is a New York City based author debuting his first YA novel, Halfway Perfect. Additionally, Mark is a featured author in the upcoming anthology, 50 First Times.

Mark began his career as an international fashion model 8 years ago, while simultaneously obtaining a business degree from Seton Hall University. He has a passion for traveling the world, and he's made a blood pact with friends to see all seven ancient wonders of the world before he's thirty. Four down three to go.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram

Giveaway: 3 Finished Copies of YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE (US Only) Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

7/25: kimberlyfaye reads - Review

7/26: Lost In Lit - Bookish Inspirations

7/27: The Cover Contessa - Review

7/28: In Wonderland - Top 10

7/29: Lekeisha the Booknerd - Review

Week 2:

8/1: Mary Had A Little Book Blog - Fancast

8/2: Reed's Reads and Reviews - Review

8/3: Bookish Wanderlove - Gust Post

8/4: Dani Reviews Things - Review

8/5: A Book & A Latte - Q&A

Blog Tour: Gemini by Sonya Mukherjee @sonyamukherjee @irish_banana

In a powerful and daring debut novel, Sonya Mukherjee shares the story of sisters Clara and Hailey, conjoined twins who are learning what it means to be truly extraordinary.

Seventeen-year-old conjoined twins Clara and Hailey have lived in the same small town their entire lives—no one stares at them anymore. But there are cracks in their quiet existence, and they’re slowly becoming more apparent. Clara and Hailey are at a crossroads. Clara wants to stay close to home, avoid all attention, and study the night sky. Hailey wants to travel the world, learn from great artists, and dance with mysterious boys. As high school graduation approaches, each twin must untangle her dreams from her sister’s, and figure out what it means to be her own person.

Told in alternating perspectives, this unconventional coming-of-age tale shows how dreams can break your heart—but the love between sisters can mend it.

LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository


Playlist

Gemini has two protagonists – Clara and Hailey, identical twins who are conjoined, but who have very different interests and personalities. When I thought about putting together a playlist for the book, I realized that it didn’t make sense to try to squeeze both girls into one list. They each needed their own.

Clara loves astronomy and stargazing, and that’s what this playlist is all about. I looked for songs that not only related to those topics, but also shared a certain mellow mood – the kind of music that Clara would want to listen to while leaning her head back against Hailey’s and gazing up at the late-night sky.

“Under the Milky Way,” The Church

This is one of my all-time favorite songs. Sure, Clara might quibble about the fact that we’re really in the Milky Way, not under it, but I think she would agree that this music perfectly evokes the tranquil beauty of looking up into a clear night sky, far away from any city lights, and allowing yourself to be awed by that incredible view of our galaxy.

“Bright,” Echosmith

The first time I heard “Bright” on the radio, I immediately thought of Clara and Max, the cute new boy at school who shares Clara’s interest in astronomy. After all, it’s a love song about seeing shooting stars and being dazzled by constellations together. That’s Clara’s love language.

“Across the Universe,” The Beatles

One of the great Beatles songs. Not only does it touch on the theme of traveling through the universe (albeit abstractly), but there’s that refrain of “nothing’s gonna change my world,” which sounds so certain, but can never really be true for anyone. I can almost imagine Clara clinging to this line as Hailey tries to convince her to change almost everything about the world they share.

“Starlight,” Muse 

The lyrics were probably intended metaphorically, but if you take them literally, this could be a song about traveling far into outer space, perhaps toward a distant planet, and far from everything and everyone you’ve ever known – what Clara most longs for, and what she most dreads.

“(Let’s Kiss) While All the Stars Are Falling Down,” Hammock 

I mean, obviously, yes. Let’s do that.

“Walking on the Moon,” The Police

Clara dreams of seeing the Earth from space, making contact with life on another planet, and yes, walking on the moon. You think the lyrics are really about how it feels to fall in love? Well, how do you think it would feel to fall in love while also walking on the actual, literal moon?

“Meteorites,” LIGHTS 

It’s about meteorites, which are among Clara’s passions, and it’s also about seeing greater heights. Clara might fear that, but she wants it, too.

“I Wish I Was the Moon,” Neko Case 

This is a sad song, but it also has a lovely wistful feeling. I can imagine Clara listening to it while she looks up at the full moon, connecting with it so strongly that she can even imagine being the moon.

“Leave the Planet,” Galaxie 500 

Impromptu trip to outer space? Yes! Sounds like an ideal Friday night date.

“Underneath the Stars,” The Cure 

You could get lost in the stars while listening to this song, couldn’t you? It’s romantic and dreamy, like something you could float away on.

“I Took a Ship on a Gemini Spaceship,” David Bowie 

OK, this one doesn’t quite fit with the other songs, but it’s about a GEMINI SPACESHIP. I could not pass that up.

ABOUT SONYA MUKHERJEE:

I grew up in California’s Gold Country, where I spent a lot of time sitting in trees, reading books and writing stories in my head. Now I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I spend a lot of time sitting in coffee shops, reading books and writing stories on my laptop. I like to play board games with my husband and kids, watch the kids' soccer games, and scare them with my terrible dancing. 

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway: 3 Finished Copies of GEMINI (US Only)  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

7/18: YA Reads - Q&A

7/19: Book Stacks Amber - Review

7/20: Arctic Books - Hailey's Playlist

7/21: It Starts At Midnight - Review

7/22: Readwritelove28 - Top 10

Week 2:

7/25: Such a Novel Idea - Review

7/26: The Cover Contessa - Clara's Playlist

7/27: Fangirl Confessions - Review

7/28: Princessica of Books - Q&A

7/29: Gabriella M Reads - Review

Blog Tour: Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan @SoVerySophie @irish_banana

 

ABOUT HELL BREAKS LOOSE:

Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath.

LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

I want to thank Avon for supplying me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

I was anxiously awaiting the next book in this series. As you can imagine, watching a series where criminals are the main characters is completely enthralling. I am loving every minute of seeing how their stories play out. Just when I think there is no way they could possibly get out of a situation, they do. Just when I think they could not possibly find love, they do. Just when I think Jordan can't come up with another twist, she does! How does she do that?

If you haven't read the first book in this series, I cannot promise there won't be some spoilers about the main character from that book. It's nothing you won't learn fairly quickly in that book, but still...if you don't want to know it, stop here!

This is Reid's story. If you read the first book in the Devi's Rock series, you'll remember Reid as the man who friended Knox and North when they went into prison. And also as the man who vowed to look after Reid once Knox was paroled. And Reid is nothing if not a man of his word. So when given the chance to try and set some wrongs right, but not being able to keep his word to Knox, he's torn, but takes his chances. I love Reid's hard edges. He's a man who hasn't had a chance to experience life since he was put in the pen at such a young age. He's spent eleven years not knowing what it's like to be free and is set to spend the rest of his life under the same circumstances. I won't tell you how he gets a chance at this freedom, just know that it comes at a price and he puts himself in a position to surely pay for it. I love the mysteriousness of Reid. You don't really know his story and he's not really willing to give away any details. It kept me riveted to the story for sure.

Grace is the president's daughter. Always under surveillance. Always escorted. Never able to lead a regular life. She wants for nothing but it's not enough. She yearns for freedom, even if it's just one night to be on her own and not worry about what everyone else thinks or how she has to act or who has to follow her around. But when she takes that once night of freedom it comes at a price, and that price might just be her life. Grace is shy and awkward and does what she's told. She's not a strong woman when we meet her. But all this changes when she is put in the position where her life might be on the line.

Throw together a hardened criminal and a shy first daughter and it's surprising how fast the sparks fly. I love that Jordan starts the book off with a bang. There's no censure, but just pure raw emotion and chemistry between these two. And though you might find the plot a little odd, it actually works well. I wasn't sure it would. I mean, how could it, right? But Jordan really develops such a great bond between these two. And it's not Stockholm Syndrome, though I had my doubts at first. It really is an emotionally charged connection that holds these two together.

And there is the right amount of steamy thrown in, of course. Passion and lust surely play a role, but you see tenderness in the relationship and there's also a bit of humor which I loved. There is so much intensity in how they relate it's hard not to love them together.

The plot of this story is interesting and certainly keeps you on your toes. There are a few instances I was sure neither character would survive the situation! Jordan kept me on my toes! And the pacing was pretty perfect. I wasn't sure Jordan would be able to keep me interested with the direction she took (let's just say a large portion of the story only involves the two characters and no one else) but it really worked!

I cannot wait to see where the rest of this series goes. Jordan never disappoints me with her unique story lines and intricate and interesting plots! Who would have thoughts inmates as heroes would have hit home!

ABOUT SOPHIE JORDAN:

Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.

In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

7/18: Ex Libris - Review

7/19: Pretty Sassy Cool - Top 10

7/20: The Cover Contessa - Review

7/21: Take Me Away to a Great Read - Mood Board

7/22: Stuck In Books - Review

Week 2:

7/25: The Irish Banana Review - Review

7/26: Krista's Dust Jacket - Review

7/27: I Heart Romance & YA - Clothing Inspirations

7/28: The Book Cellar - Review

7/29: Reads All the Books - Review