Blog Tour: Scared to Death, by C.S. Latu

Title: Scared To Death

Author: CS Latu

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 9. 2014

Synopsis

You don't always get a choice in life. You can't control who dies. You can't control who you love and you can't stop change. But you can make a mess of it. 

For Ruby Green, life is about loss. Everyone she has ever loved has died, save one. Her best friend from childhood. He has always been her saving grace. When things change between them, Ruby finds herself lost in a maelstrom of emotions. She's not ready to lose him in order to have him. 

Noah Carrington believes in living. Even if the road is dark, the fear makes you feel alive. Life is too short and regret is a wound that festers. He always saw his best friend, Ruby, in his future, she would be just around the corner in the next room until he started seeing her in his arms.

They both know that being scared to death means you have something to lose. The question is, will they learn that it means you have something to gain too?

My review and rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scared To Death by C.S. Latu is a standalone contemporary romance (new adult) novel about Ruby and Noah, best friends since childhood, who have to deal with issues of confusion, misunderstanding and fear of loss when lust and physical attraction start to weave their way into their friendship. Psychological and emotional issues take their toll as we witness the characters evolve through their young adult lives. You can't help but root for them throughout the story. It's one of those deep seated friendships that you don't want to see end.

I stayed up way too late one night while reading Scared To Death because I just HAD to know what was going to happen next. That feeling of not wanting to put the book down hadn't happened to me in a while. I loved the friendship between the 2 main characters. The secondary characters are loveable and the last chapter gives off the impression that one of them might end up with his own novel. 

The eccentric backdrop to this story is unusual and refreshing. Noah is into the art of the macabre, with a passion for making frightful masks and costumes and a good part of the story unfolds in an old house that is home to a wax museum.

Ruby is a very smart young woman and Noah is extremely sexy and sweet. This being said, you do, at one time or another want to slap both of them in the back of the head (but I love them nonetheless!).

A really smart, emotional, quirky, sexy, sad-but-happy book with a good balance of lightheartedness and drama, with unconventional characters that stand out from your traditional romance novel. I love the way C.S. Latu brings her story to life. Very well written.

Technical info: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance. Contains mature content (language, violence and descriptive sexuality). Told alternately from Ruby and Noah's point of view. Characters in their 20's.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Buy The Book

Amazon | Barnes And Noble

About The Author

I was born on a cold day in January. They said I was the only baby in the hospital. They also said that I picked my head up twice to turn away from people who came to see me after I was born (Who wants strangers looking at you after such a life altering event while you are naked?). Not much has changed. That cold day was 30 years ago in South Carolina. Needless to say, I got the twang! At the ripe age of 22, I married my man bear pig hubby who happens to be from Chicago. I learned that there are people who do not have accents, who sound like they have accents because they don't have accents. Mind blowing there. Our love story is pretty nifty. I met him online when I was 15 and chatted with him for four years, on and off as friends, until we met and I showed him some southern charm and BAM! Here we are ten years later with eight years of marriage and several fur persons rounding out the family thus far! My writing started as a child when I tried to write about three pewter statues of wizards coming to life. Books and words have always been a passion for me. My mind is incredibly random, if you talk to me for more than ten minutes, it becomes painfully obvious. I draw inspiration from absolutely anything and everything I come in contact with, with particular emphasis on music, pictures and the crazy situations in life. It is my hope one day to have a small hot air balloon tied to my chimney so I can write by starlight. I am pretty sure I would find that most inspiring.

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Email

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway    

Second Chances, by H.M. Ward and Stacey Mosteller

Second Chances by H.M. Ward and Stacey Mosteller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I found out that H.M. Ward and Stacey Mosteller were going to coauthor a book together, I lost my sh**. Actually, I fainted first and then I lost my sh**. Seriously though, I was ecstatic! 2 of my favourite authors (and favourite people) working together on the same book? It was unbelievable news! Now that I have this e-book (ARC) in my hot little hands, I'm close to cradling it to my heart and calling it "my precious".

OK, enough with the gushing and on to actual reviewing.

I love a good tear jerker once in a while and this one really hits the spot. It was ugly, loud, sobbing tears, right in the middle of the local coffee shop, making a couple patrons quite uncomfortable to be sitting close to me. Yes, there was the obvious sadness from the beginning of the story, which I kind of expected, but what floored me was the wave of emotions that overtook me when I started remembering my own feelings of loss and mourning that I felt a couple years back, remembering a dear friend that is no longer. Once the tears stopped, it was great to remember the good times, bringing the memories back to mind.

Tear inducing moments aside, this story is funny, sexy and heartfelt. It's filled with loveable characters and relatable situations! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to hire a lawn boy... because, really, every woman needs her own Daniel!

As for coauthoring, I know these 2 authors' writing styles so well and they blended together seamlessly. Every once in a while I'd smile because I'd recognize a trademark comment by one or the other but, other than those little moments, it was impossible to tell who wrote what. What a kickass team!!!

This is a stand alone novel (for H.M. Ward fans, THIS IS NOT A FERRO story although I've read on her FB page that there is supposed to be a Ferro appearance in the official version... it was purposefully omitted in the ARC version for more suspense!)

View all my reviews

Video teaser:

Post by H.M. Ward.

Rush Too Far, by Abbi Glines

Synopsis

Fallen Too Far was Blaire's story. Now it's time for Rush to share his side.

Everyone in Rosemary Beach thinks they know how Rush Finlay and Blaire Wynn fell in love. But Rush is back to tell his side of the story...

Rush has earned every bit of his bad-boy reputation. The three-story beach house, luxury car, and line of girls begging for time between his sheets are the envy of every guy in Rosemary Beach, and Rush handles it all with the laid-back cool of a rock star’s son. All he needs are his best friend, Grant, and his sister, Nan.

Until Blaire Wynn drives into town in her beat-up pickup truck with a pistol under her seat. The Alabama farm girl instantly captures Rush’s attention once he discovers that the angelic beauty is his new stepsister, but he vows to keep his distance. Even if she needs his help. Even if he craves her.

Because Rush knows why Blaire is all alone in the world, forced to ask for help from the father who abandoned her three years ago. And he knows if he gets too close it will destroy Nan, who has a secret connection to Blaire.

He has every reason in the world to stay away from her. Find out why he doesn’t.

My Review: 4 of 5 stars

Ah Rush Finlay! Such sexiness and caveman possessiveness (in case he doesn't make it clear enough in this book, Blaire is HIS! LOL!). It was great fun to read the events of Fallen Too Far from Rush's POV. I really enjoyed this read! This is the exact same story as "Fallen Too Far" (book 1) but told from Rush's point of view (Fallen Too Far is told exclusively from Blaire's point of view). 

This book is book boyfriend brain candy for Rush fans. We witness first hand the inner turmoil he goes through from the moment he meets Blaire to the dramatic ending that leads us into "Never Too Far".

Never Too Far and Forever Too Far (books 2 and 3) are told alternately from both Blaire and Rush's points of view. 

When I first read "Fallen Too Far" I cried! When I read it again, I cried! When I read Rush Too Far, I didn't cry BUT I did swoon! Knowing the story of the book, I wasn't in a rush (no pun intended) to finish it in one sitting, although the new parts (the parts that aren't included in Fallen Too Far because they are scenes that Blaire wasn't a witness to) had me hooked. His possessiveness towards Blaire was a little bit over the top at times and broke my concentration but hey! It's Rush! (I stopped counting the amount of times he said or thought "MINE" in regards to Blaire).

Abbi Glines knows how to write sexy men and vulnerable innocent girls. If you liked Fallen Too Far, I recommend reading Rush Too Far to get the other side of the story. For the newbie reader, I suggest starting with Blaire's POV view first (Fallen Too Far). 

New Adult Contemporary Romance with sexually explicit content and language.

Books in the Rosemary Beach Series (and reading order):

Rush and Blaire: 

- Fallen Too Far / Rush Too Far

- Never Too Far

- Forever Too Far

Woods and Della:

- Twisted Perfection

- Simple Perfection

Grant and Harlow:

- Take a Chance

- One More Chance (not yet released)

Tripp and Bethy:

- You Were Mine (not yet released

Mase Manning (Harlow's half brother)

- When I'm Gone (not yet released)

View all my reviews

Everything I Shouldn't by Stacey Mosteller

Title: Everything I Shouldn’t (Nashville Nights #2)

Author: Stacey Mosteller

Genre: Contemporary/NA Romance

Release Date: June 26, 2014

   

Everything I Shouldn’t

It’s been eight days, sixteen hours and forty-seven minutes since life as I know it ended. I know, it sounds so melodramatic and teen-soap worthy, but it’s the truth. Eight days, sixteen hours and forty-seven minutes since David found out. Since he kicked Jeremy out, ended their friendship and told me I could never see him again. I didn’t plan on David getting suspicious, and I definitely didn’t plan on getting caught. My selfishness has cost Jeremy everything, my brother won’t even look at me, Lyric must hate me for practically blackmailing her to keep silent and my best friend is barely speaking to me. Now my life is full of secrets and lies. The people around me have been affected by the choices I’ve made and the lies I’ve told. But what will they do when they discover the biggest secret of them all? Jeremy is everything I shouldn't want, and the person I can't live without. 

Everything I Shouldn’t (Nashville Nights #2)

Amazon US |Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

My Review

5 of 5 stars

This is SarahBeth and Jeremy's backstory, prior to the events of Save Me from Myself. This story helped me understand why things went down the way they did and made me love SB's character (because, let's face it, in SMFM, she's a bit of a Queen Bee!). Now that we are up to speed with SMFM, I can't wait to see how everything gets resolved in their second book! The cliffy end does go a bit beyond SMFM and it left me with my mouth gaping. The book made me laugh, cry, s
woon, not to mention got me hot and bothered at times! These Nashville Nights peeps are starting to feel like family to me!

Ok, now, down to the nitty gritty. Jeremy??? HOOOOOOOT! I love his character. Not what I was expecting AT ALL from him, based on what little we'd read from him in SMFM! After having read about his best friend David, who was so sweet and gentle in SMFM, here comes Jeremy. Whoah! He is sexy and knows how to talk smut, I tell you! He is a dirty, dirty man and I love him all the more for it! LOL!

Most of the book occurs over the span of 5 or 6 years, from the moment tragedy hits and SB and Dave lose their parents in a car accident up to the emotional events at the end of Save Me from Myself. During those years, you see SB grow from a teenager to a young woman and better understand her motives for being the not so likeable character we met in book 1 of the Nashville Nights series. As for Jeremy, we see how a man's protective, big-brotherly type love for her grows into something so much more over the passing years. We also learn a lot more about his personnal issues.

Nashville Nights: SB & Jer's story is told in 2 books (this is number 1). The Nashville Nights books are individual stories that intertwine focusing on different characters from one to the next. They can be read seperately (except for Everything I Shouldn't, which is a 2 book story). New adult romance with language and descriptive sexual content.

View all my reviews

Excerpt from Everything I Shouldn't

Mel’s eyes narrow and she stalks over towards her. “I hope you’re happy,” she says, pointing a finger at SB’s chest. 

SB stops dead in the middle of the room and her eyes widen when she sees Mel’s tear-stained face. “Um, I’m sorry?” She looks between us both, her brow furrowing in confusion. “What’s going on?”

“What’s going on?” Mel laughs, but it’s humorless. “You want to know what’s going on? That’s rich. I was hoping you could tell me!” Her voice rises as she speaks, and she looks a little scary. I can’t blame SarahBeth for moving away from her slowly. It doesn’t stop Mel though, she just follows her as she rages. “We’ve been together for three years, and suddenly, he tells me that we can’t be together any longer.” I didn’t think it was possible, but SarahBeth’s eyes get even wider. “I can’t help but think that it has something to do with you, SarahBeth.”

“I…I….” SarahBeth stutters, completely stunned. The bags she was carrying when she walked into the room have long since fallen to the floor as she tries to process what’s going on here.

She looks to me for guidance and I shake my head before returning my attention to Mel. “Melanie, this has nothing to do with SarahBeth. I told you, I just don’t want to be in a relationship right now.” The excuse sounds lame even to my ears so I’m fairly certain that Melanie won’t buy it either.

“Right, Jeremy. Nothing at all to do with her, huh?” Her eyes narrow as she holds my gaze, but I won’t be the first to crack. I stare silently back at her, unwilling to acknowledge her concerns, until finally she huffs and turns away. “Whatever. I’m sure as hell not going to stand here and argue with you about it. I have more self-respect for myself than that.” Then, turning to SarahBeth, she says, “If there truly isn’t anything going on here, then I’m sorry for bringing you into our argument. Somehow though, I really doubt that that’s the case.” With those words, she gives me one last glare before leaving the room and slamming the front door behind her.

Playlist

      

Purchase the Series 

Never Wanted More (Nashville Nights #0.5)
Originally released as part of the Southern Seduction Box Set
Peyton Williams is spoiled, entitled and a little too stuck up. The daughter of an influential Mayor and a socialite mother, she's trying to get through college and make her own path. She's perfectly happy being a loner until Spring semester when she gets not only a roommate, but a math tutor.
Wyatt Parker is the boy from the wrong side of town. Known as the son of the town tramp, he jumps at the scholarship to play basketball in Nashville where no one knows his roots. Spending this semester tutoring a friend's snobby roommate wasn't what he envisioned, but Peyton quickly gets under his skin.

Peyton never wanted more until she met Wyatt, but is she willing to be what he needs?

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Goodreads

 

Save Me From Myself (Nashville Nights #1)
Lyric Hayes spent the first 22 years of her life trying to be the perfect daughter and the perfect girlfriend. After a tragedy and her fiance’s betrayal, she's running. Starting over far away from the person she used to be.
She's made herself a vow - no relationships. She's trying to heal, not complicate her life further.
David Pearson has it all. Confidence, awesome friends, successful business. But, David's dealt with loss too. He knows better than anyone not to judge by what's on the surface.
Drawn to Lyric despite her inability to trust, he'll do anything to own her heart.
Will secrets and misunderstandings send Lyric running again? Or will David finally save her from herself?

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Goodreads

 

Everything I Shouldn’t (Nashville Nights #2)
It’s been eight days, sixteen hours and forty-seven minutes since life as I know it ended. I know, it sounds so melodramatic and teen-soap worthy, but it’s the truth. Eight days, sixteen hours and forty-seven minutes since David found out. Since he kicked Jeremy out, ended their friendship and told me I could never see him again. I didn’t plan on David getting suspicious, and I definitely didn’t plan on getting caught. My selfishness has cost Jeremy everything, my brother won’t even look at me, Lyric must hate me for practically blackmailing her to keep silent and my best friend is barely speaking to me. Now my life is full of secrets and lies. The people around me have been affected by the choices I’ve made and the lies I’ve told. But what will they do when they discover the biggest secret of them all? Jeremy is everything I shouldn't want, and the person I can't live without. 

Amazon US |Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

    

About Stacey

Stacey is a wife, reader, author and mother to 3 boys, ages 15, 14, and 8 – not necessarily in that order! After spending the first half of her life in a small town outside of Philadelphia, PA, her parents moved to another small town in North Carolina. She married her husband after dating a total of three months and knowing each other for six! People thought they were crazy, but 2014 marks their 10 year anniversary, so it obviously worked out! She loves to read and can usually be found curled up with her iPad when she’s supposed to be writing or creating playlists on Spotify!   

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

 

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway