VBB Weekly – 11.09.2015
This week I tackled 824 pages of one of my most highly anticipated books of the year—Winter by Marissa Meyer. This is the final book in the epic YA fantasy series, The Lunar Chronicles—a fresh, futuristic take on classic fairytales. I had high expectations for this finale and I’m so happy it delivered all the action and romance I hoped it would! Read my review.
*Note that Fairest is an optional novella focused on Queen Levana’s past.
There are some epic new releases this week, but I’m finally jumping ahead to early 2016 reads. I can’t wait until Thanksgiving too, when I’ll have some time off to do lots and lots of reading. Lastly, I’ve been listening to the Premonition Series by Amy A. Bartol, and I can’t get over how AMAZING this series is. If you haven’t read these books yet, get the scoop here so you can start reading now… especially as we count down the days until the series finale, Iniquity.
Lastly, I am so happy to debut my brand-new website homepage. For over a year I have been wanting to shift towards a magazine style layout where you can visit the page more often, seeing which posts are being read the most, browsing through recent reviews and the latest recommendations, as well as exploring fun recommendation lists. I haven’t seen anyone else format this way, and I’m so excited to hear what you think! Make sure you bookmark the page, I’ll be refreshing content pretty much daily!
Have a great week and happy reading! ♥
Highlights
- Exclusive Excerpt: All I Want by Jill Shalvis
- Exclusive Excerpt + Giveaway: When I Was Yours by Samantha Towle
- Recommended Read [Love In Suspense – USA Today]: Winter by Marissa Meyer
Currently Reading:
Listening To:
Up Next:
New Reviews
- Winter by Marissa Meyer (YA Fantasy/Retelling)
- Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick (YA Suspense)
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Release Recap
(Click cover to order)
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Releasing This Week
Soundless by Richelle Mead (Nov 10) – (YA Fantasy) – Read my review
Read my review For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.
When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.
But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.
Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever….
Standalone YA fantasy novel.
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Easy Melody (Boudreaux Brothers) by Kristen Proby (Nov 10)
The Boudreaux Series: Sexy. Intriguing. Easy.
Callie Mills never intended to return to New Orleans and the life she left behind more than a decade ago. There was no need to open old wounds when she had the life she’d worked hard for in Denver. But when she’s fired from her awesome job in Colorado and her father dies, she has no choice but to return home to run the derelict bar left to her in the heart of the French Quarter. Callie must not only face bad memories but turn The Odyssey into something she can be proud of.
And who better to help bring in crowds of people than Declan Boudreaux?
Declan is a sought-after musician who knows he’s good at what he does and loves doing it. Known to pack the house, he also loves women and doesn’t expect to be knocked back a step by the beautiful new owner of The Odyssey. Callie is sharp, gorgeous and funny, and makes him yearn for something he never has before… Commitment.
But when Callie’s able to turn the business around with renovations, making it one of the hottest bars in the Quarter, will she sell out and leave her past behind once and for all, or will Declan be able to convince her that’s she’s where she needed to be all along…in his arms.
Can be read as standalone novel.
Reading Order: Easy Love | Easy Charm | Easy Melody
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November 9 by Colleen Hoover (Nov 10) – Read my review | Interview
Top Recommendation
#1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.
Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.
Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?
Standalone novel.
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Unforgiven (Fallen) by Lauren Kate (Nov 10) – (YA PNR)
It’s the book FALLEN fans have been waiting for: Cam’s story, the brooding, bad-boy dark angel readers love.
High school can be hell.
Cam knows what it’s like to be haunted. He’s spent more time in Hell than any angel ever should. And his freshest Hell is high school, where Lilith, the girl he can’t stop loving, is serving out a punishment for his crimes.
Cam made a bet with Lucifer: he has fifteen days to convince the only girl who really matters to him to love him again. If he succeeds, Lilith will be allowed back into the world, and they can live their lives together. But if he fails . . . there’s a special place in Hell just for him.
Tick-tock.
Spread your wings and cry as bad boy dark angel Cam finally reveals his anguished heart in the epic new FALLEN novel, UNFORGIVEN.
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When I Was Yours by Samantha Towle (Nov 10)
Recommended Second Chance Romance
“Marry me.”
“What?” I stared back at him, unblinking.
He moved closer, taking my face in his hands. “I love you, Evie. I look into the future, and the only thing I see clearly is you. Marry me.”
What’s an eighteen-year-old girl who was madly in love with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend say?
Of course, I said yes.
Twenty-four hours later, I married Adam Gunner at a Vegas chapel to the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Not the best omen. I get that now.
Then, exactly one week later, I left him. I walked out, leaving behind my wedding ring, annulment papers, and my heart, and he never knew why.
I haven’t seen him since. Not in ten long years.
Now, he’s here, standing before me. Looking at me with nothing but hurt and hatred in his eyes, he wants answers.
Answers I can’t give.
Standalone novel.
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The Straw King by Danielle Paige (Nov 10)
Once upon a time, the Scarecrow’s only wish was to have a brain. This digital original novella is the fifth installment in the prequel arc to the edgy and thrilling New York Times bestsellers Dorothy Must Die and The Wicked Will Rise and follows the Scarecrow after he finally gets his wish.
In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow received the gift of a brain from the Wizard and was appointed the new ruler of Oz. In The Straw King, the Scarecrow’s tale takes a crooked turn when his reign is threatened. With faith in his newfound wisdom shaken, the Scarecrow will turn to anyone who can help—even if others have their own interests at heart.
The Straw King by Danielle Paige is a dark and compelling reimagining of a beloved classic and is perfect for fans of Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Beastly by Alex Flinn, and Wicked by Gregory Maguire.
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Reap (Scarred Souls) by Tillie Cole (Nov 10)
Raised as a prototype for the Georgian Bratva’s obedience drug, 221 fails to think, act, or live for himself; he’s his master’s perfectly-crafted killing puppet. Standing at six-foot-six, weighing two-hundred-and-fifty pounds, and unrivaled in to-the-death combat, 221 successfully secures business for the Georgian Mafiya Boss of NYC, who rules the dark world of the criminal underground. Until his enemies capture him.
Talia Tolstaia dreams to break from the heavy clutches of Bratva life. She dreams of another life–away from the stifling leash of her Russian Bratva Boss father and from the brutality of her work at The Dungeon, her criminal family’s underground death-match enterprise. But when she stumbles upon her family’s captive who is more monster than man, she starts to see the man underneath. A powerful, beautiful, damaged man whose heart calls to hers. But sacrifices must be made–blood for blood…life for life…souls for scarred souls…
Can be read as a standalone.
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Reaper’s Fall (Reapers Motorcycle Club) by Joanna Wylde (Nov 10)
The New York Times bestselling author of Reaper’s Stand is back in her “uber-alpha rough world of MCs”* as one woman’s future is rocked by the man whose hardcore past could destroy her…
He never meant to hurt her.
Levi “Painter” Brooks was nothing before he joined the Reapers motorcycle club. The day he patched in, they became his brothers and his life. All they asked in return was a strong arm and unconditional loyalty—a loyalty that’s tested when he’s caught and sentenced to prison for a crime committed on their behalf.
Melanie Tucker may have had a rough start, but along the way she’s learned to fight for her future. She’s escaped from hell and started a new life, yet every night she dreams of a biker whose touch she can’t forget. It all started out so innocently—just a series of letters to a lonely man in prison. Friendly. Harmless. Safe.
Now Painter Brooks is coming home… and Melanie’s about to learn that there’s no room for innocence in the Reapers MC.
Reading Order: Reaper’s Property | Reaper’s Legacy | Devil’s Game | Reapers and Bastards (novella) | Reaper’s Stand |
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Kiss The Flame: A Desire Exchange Novella (1001 Dark Nights) by Christopher Rice (Nov 10)
The mind-bending conclusion to the Twinmaker series, perfect for fans of the Uglies series, from #1New York Times bestselling author Sean Williams.
n a standalone novella that combines the worlds of THE FLAME and his novel, THE SURRENDER GATE, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice returns you to a mysterious candle shop in the New Orleans French Quarter where the scents of passion provide the courage to embrace your heart’s desire.
Are some risks worth taking?
Laney Foley is the first woman from her hard working family to attend college. That’s why she can’t act on her powerful attraction to one of the gorgeous teaching assistants in her Introduction to Art History course. Getting involved with a man who has control over her final grade is just too risky. But ever since he first laid eyes on her, Michael Brouchard seems to think about little else but the two of them together. And it’s become harder for Laney to ignore his intelligence and his charm.
During a walk through the French Quarter, an intoxicating scent that reminds Laney of her not-so-secret admirer draws her into an elegant scented candle shop. The shop’s charming and mysterious owner seems to have stepped out of another time, and he offers Laney a gift that could break down the walls of her fear in a way that can only be described as magic. But will she accept it?
Light this flame at the scene of your greatest passion and all your desires will be yours…
Lilliane Williams is a radiant, a supernatural being with the power to make your deepest sexual fantasy take shape around you with just a gentle press of her lips to yours. But her gifts came at a price. Decades ago, she set foot inside what she thought was an ordinary scented candle shop in the French Quarter. When she resisted the magical gift offered to her inside, Lilliane was endowed with eternal youth and startling supernatural powers, but the ability to experience and receive romantic love was removed from her forever. When Lilliane meets a young woman who seems poised to make the same mistake she did years before, she becomes determined to stop her, but that will mean revealing her truth to a stranger. Will Lilliane’s story provide Laney with the courage she needs to open her heart to the kind of true love only magic can reveal?
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Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick (Nov 10) – (YA Suspense)
A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.
Stella Gordon’s life is a lie.
She does not belong in Thunder Basin, Nebraska. As the star witness in a murder trial against a drug dealer, Stella is now in the Witness Protection Program. The small town locals can never know who she really is. Not even Chet Falconer, the one boy who makes her want to reveal her true self. She knows that telling the truth will only bring violence to this safe haven.
Despite how hard Stella tries to stay under the radar, danger is fast-approaching. Criminals have a way of getting rid of witnesses, and Stella may have made the one mistake that could lead the cold-blooded men hunting for her right to her doorstep.
Standalone novel.
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For The Record by Charlotte Huang (Nov 10) – (YA Fiction)
“Welcome to your new obsession,” says Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, about this raw, honest YA debut celebrating music, friendship, romance, and life on the road.
Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like . . . until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything
Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.
Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule . . . Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?
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Winter (Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer (Nov 10) – (YA Fantasy) – Read my review
Recommended Series
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer’s national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.
Final book in the series.
Reading Order: Cinder $2.99 | Scarlet $2.99 | Cress | Winter
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Da Vinci’s Tiger by L.M. Elliott (Nov 03) – (YA)
For fans of rich and complex historical novels like Girl with a Pearl Earring or Code Name Verity, Laura Malone Elliott delivers the stunning tale of real-life Renaissance woman Ginevra de’ Benci, the inspiration for one of Leonardo da Vinci’s earliest masterpieces.
The young and beautiful daughter of a wealthy family, Ginevra longs to share her poetry and participate in the artistic ferment of Renaissance Florence but is trapped in an arranged marriage in a society dictated by men. The arrival of the charismatic Venetian ambassador, Bernardo Bembo, introduces Ginevra to a dazzling circle of patrons, artists, and philosophers. Bembo chooses Ginevra as his Platonic muse and commissions a portrait of her by a young Leonardo da Vinci. Posing for the brilliant painter inspires an intimate connection between them, one Ginevra only begins to understand. In a rich and vivid world of exquisite art with a dangerous underbelly of deadly political feuds, Ginevra faces many challenges to discover her voice and artistic companionship—and to find love.
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Tryst by S.L. Jennings (Nov 10)
My name is Heidi DuCane. I might seem like your average happily married woman with average desires. But don’t let looks fool you. I have needs that are begging to be satisfied. So what do I want more than anything else?
I want my most secret fantasy fulfilled.
Have I got your interest now? Are you wondering what my most illicit, dark fantasy involves?
I want my husband, Tucker, to watch while another man brings me to pleasure.
While I do love Tucker, I’ve always suspected there’s much more out there waiting for me to explore. And my hunch was proven when I met rock superstar Ransom Reed—every woman’s wet dream. I would’ve been insane not to take him up on his offer to share one wild night with him…and Tucker. The sex was mind-blowing! And Tucker enjoyed himself as much as I did. But here’s the catch.
The sex was so good that one night wasn’t enough.
Neither Tucker nor I can stop thinking about that scorching hot night. My husband loves me so much that he’ll do anything to please me—including helping me reach staggering heights of ecstasy with another man. But it wasn’t just the sex that was enticing. I felt something come alive in me, and I felt so deliciously satisfied and loved by both men.
Now that Tucker and Ransom have made my most forbidden fantasies come true, I’ve learned an important lesson.
I can never go back to the way things were before….
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If You Dare by A.E. Torre (Nov 10)
Equal parts Dexter and 50 Shades, this is the eagerly awaited new novel from A. R. Torre, author of the award winning erotic thriller, The Girl in 6E.
The rules are the same. I can’t open the door. I can’t leave. I can’t kill anyone.
The only difference is, I don’t set the rules anymore. Guards in grey uniforms do. It is everything I never wanted and everything I always deserved. I write to you now, from a prison cell. My home for the next twenty to thirty years.
That’s the going term for murder.
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Anywhere With You by Britney King (Nov 11)
They say opposites attract. For Jack and Amelie, that statement is about as close to the truth as it gets.
She runs from anything that so much smells like love. And, well, as for Jack, he’s always been a fan of the chase. Especially where she’s concerned.
Which is exactly what happens when he proposes… to accompany her on a cross-country road trip.
A bet is made. True to form, Jack puts everything on the table—while Amelie keeps her cards tucked close to her heart.
The question remaining when it all shakes out—is whether it’s possible they can both win?
Will a road trip across the country finally teach them to meet in the middle? Or simply drive them further apart?
This is the continuation of a love story that (like many) was never really over.
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Quiet Lies by R.L. Griffin (Nov 12)
I was broken before I met Sebastian Pryor, but he decimated me. I swept the ashes of myself into a pile that I kept safe for thirteen years. Believe me it wasn’t pretty, oh but people thought we were perfect. I hate myself most days. I hate that I feel for him as much as I loathe who I’ve become with him. This story is hard to hear. You know what the worst part is? You’ll see part of you in me. You’ll hate that. You won’t tell anyone.
My story is about cracks. A description or telling of how cracks in a marriage, a life, a personality, a heart and a mind begin and continue for years without anyone knowing. You don’t always see what causes the fissure, but you feel it. Can you remember who you were before all of this started, before your life became a jumble of deceit, longing and regret?
This book isn’t for anyone who needs a happily ever after.
This book isn’t for anyone who needs a fun time out from their life.
This book isn’t for anyone, but me.
This is my story. I won’t apologize for it.
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Thunder Rolls: Episode 8 (Rising Storm) by Dee Davis (Nov 12)
Secrets, Sex and Scandals …
Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.
In the season finale …
As Hannah Grossman grapples with the very real possibility that she is dating one Johnson brother while secretly in love with another, the entire town prepares for Founders Day. The building tempest threatens not just Hannah’s relationship with Tucker and Tate, but everyone in Storm as dire revelations threaten to tear the town apart.
Reading Order: Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8
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Tethered Bond (Holly Woods Files) by Emma Hart (Nov 13) – 99¢
Detective Drake Nash: hot, alpha, bossy, and… mine.
Now, if someone could tell his ex that… I don’t care if the summer fair is coming to Holly Woods and she’s on the planning committee. What I do care about is sugar-filled food, bright lights, late nights… and danger. The type that won’t come in the form of Nonna’s new cantankerous British parrot, Gio. (Please see the damage done to Mom’s new curtains.)
Unfortunately, when the danger comes, it comes in the form of something Holly Woods has never seen. The town is rocked to its core, and once again, I’m in danger. Only this time, it isn’t because of my clients—this time, I’m in danger because of who I am… Because of my heritage.
And despite the HWPD’s best efforts, the bodies keep on piling up.
Drake’s determined to protect me. I’m determined that I can do it myself.
Danger. Mystery. Darkness. Malice.
It’ll be a miracle if any of us make it out of this with guns unfired, cupcakes still frosted, and hearts intact…
Reading Order: Twisted Bond 99¢ | Tangled Bond 99¢ | Tethered Bond 99¢
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Pre-Orders
(Click images to buy or for more info)
★ Visit THIS PAGE for the full list of releases ★
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Current sales list for Amazon U.S. Click on image to purchase; click here to search my reviews.
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Young Adult
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New Adult and Adult
![TRUST IN ME cover[3]](https://i0.wp.com/vilmairis.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/TRUST-IN-ME-cover3.jpg?w=309&h=499&ssl=1 "TRUST IN ME cover[3]")
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