Book Review - Tragic

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you've all had a good week so far. Mine keeps getting better and better as this cold makes its way out. Today, we're doing a book review! I know how much you love those. I also have a couple of deals to share with you at the end of the post. Stay with me! Before I get to the juicy stuff, I'm going to take a moment and pop out my reading list for 2014 once again.

This list is for the Indie Fever 2014 reading challenge. You can join in the fun here. Just add your name to the linky, grab the badge from the left sidebar, and you're in!

Here are the books in my list:
Rebecca Trogner The Last Keeper's Daughter Amazon Kindle $7.99
Scott Marlowe The Five Elements Amazon Kindle $2.99
L.K. Evans Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1 Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sarah Mäkelä The Witch Who Cried Wolf Amazon Kindle $0.99
Felicia Tatum Masked Encounters Amazon Kindle $0.99
Peprah Boasiako The Hitman Amazon Kindle $0.9
David T Griffith The Bestiarum Vocabulum Amazon Kindle $3.99
C. S. Janey Surrender To You Amazon Kindle $2.51
Thaddeus White Sir Edric's Temple REVIEW HERE
Gloria Piper Finnegan's Quest Amazon Kindle $4.99
Elle Todd The Elect Amazon Kindle $2.99
Heather Topham Wood The Memory Witch Amazon Kindle $7.99
N. L. Greene Illusions Begin (I have an ARC)
J. A. Huss Tragic REVIEW BELOW
Morgan Wylie Silent Orchids Amazon Kindle **FREE**
Laura Howard The Forgotten Ones Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pauline Creeden Sanctuary Amazon Kindle $0.99
Casey Bond Winter Shadows Amazon Kindle $7.99
Casey Bond Devil Creek REVIEW HERE
Skylar Hamilton Burris The Strange Marriage of Anne de Bourgh Amazon Kindle $2.99
Christina Marie Morales Ambience Amazon Kindle $0.99
Tamar Hela Feast Island Amazon Kindle $2.99
Molly Taggart Off Target Amazon Kindle $2.99
S. G. Daniels The Druid's Doorway Amazon Kindle $3.99

A number of these books have now been read and the review not written yet. I'll get there!

So make sure you keep coming back for more great reads in 2014.

About the book on the butcher block today:

Title: Tragic (Rook and Ronin #1)
Author: J. A. Huss
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length (print):  282 Pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $0.99 Paperback $11.69

Synopsis:
Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far - just sucks. Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky...

Rook got a second chance.

And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone - you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she's got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.

Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he's everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn't. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine's camera.

Rook's luck changes in an instant and suddenly she's the darling of the modeling world. It's a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there's always a price to pay - and Rook is about to get the bill.

***New Adult Contemporary Romance *Mature Content* Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language usage.***

I picked up this book during a free promotion on Amazon because the cover was intriguing, and I'm a huge lover of great photography. While the image is striking, I think the type could use some work at the top and bottom because it gets lost in the reddish and white background. I try to review all books I pick up for free as a thank you to the author. Now that you know why I grabbed it, I'll move on with my review.

From a Reader's Perspective:
Rook is one of those girls. You never know what she's gonna do next. One minute she's shaking with memories of her past, the next, she's diving headlong into a situation you're wanting to slap her for even considering. Money is a huge motivator for a lot of people and Rook is no different. If you've never been completely broke and wondering where your next meal might come from, you probably wouldn't connect with the character in general. I think J. A. Huss did a fantastic job of showing exactly what someone in Rook's situation might think/do when an opportunity to never have to worry about money again presents itself. That being said, I could identify with Rook and her situation (all but the abusive husband).

Writing the story from both Rook and Ronin's POV was a smart move. If I'd just seen Ronin through Rook's eyes, I might have thought him a complete cad. He still wasn't my favorite character, but I could tell he wasn't out to destroy her. He's just really confused. Language is strong but the scenes aren't pornographic in the bedroom. Leadups are tastefully written and everything beyond is left to the imagination. It was well done. Kudos to the author for not falling into the trap of laying out the entire scene blow by blow. Does the author go into detail when it's not about the sex, but about the emotions and reactions Rook has to touches during the photo shoots? Yes. But that's when it matters.

My problem with the story was: I kept waiting for something to happen. It never did. I don't know if that was done purposely because it's book one of a trilogy, but it irritated me to no end. Give me something to keep me reading.

From an Editor's Perspective:
This book needs a major overhaul. Sentence construction issues, punctuation problems, and incorrect details run amok. While I usually limit the editing to one star, it bled over into the storyline and will be given a heavier weight. Example: He grabs two lime wedges from a little silver bucket in the ice, and shoves down the neck of each beer. Errors like that could be eradicated with a good editor. As an aside, Corona caps don't twist off. A long time lover of that particular brand, I caught that oops where others may not have.

Rating:
1 Star for giving me a believably naive character in Rook
1 Star for showing what some will do when truly down and out
1 Star for not feeling the need to go into every bedroom detail
-.5 Star for not giving me anything in the way of Rook's career
-1.5 Stars for editing
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars. A book with a great plot and wonderful characters that's lacking in the editing department. Recommended to those who don't mind a couple of errors and like romance that's left to the imagination.

Now it's time to tell you all about those deals I promised!
For a limited time, you can pick up The Druid's Doorway by S. G. Daniels for just $0.99 over on Amazon.
Through the 17th, you can grab a copy of Devil Creek by Casey Bond totally free on Amazon.

So get out there and click, click, click! Don't forget to share your purchase with the world! Amazon makes it easy and the authors will love you for it.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Have you read Tragic? What were your thoughts?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

A Guest Post by Casey L. Bond

Happy Monday once again, good people of the blogosphere! I'm pleased to welcome you all back for a guest post by my featured author, Casey L. Bond. She's whipped up some alien goodness for you all to dive into today. I do hope you enjoy the tale. In case you missed it, her author interview was pretty stinkin' awesome, too. Check that out here. Casey is one of the ladies who'll be attending UtopYA Con 2014. It's coming up mid-June, so if you don't have your tickets yet, I urge you to get out there and buy them! Price goes up in February. Enough of my rambling, enjoy the show!

Gravity

by Casey L. Bond

The candy-sweet scent of the Red Bull I just cracked open fills the air. I chug it for dear life. No sleep for three days makes a chick a little psycho, and paranoid. Every sound makes me jump. Of course, it could be the energy drink my insides are currently bathing in. This is my fourth can in the past hour. Gotta keep moving. I’m almost there.

I know they’ll find me the second I step out onto the sand. It’s too open. Nothing to hide behind there. But, I’m gonna get caught eventually, and I have to see the ocean once before I die. I chug the rest of my drink and throw the can over my shoulder. Maybe if we pollute the planet more, they’ll leave. I sling my backpack on again and take off into the night, crouching around trees, abandoned cars and houses, inching my way to the coast. I’ve made it this far on foot. The days have blurred together, but I think I’ve been off the grid for three weeks now. They think their technology is flawless. Well, think again jerks! I found a loophole and climbed through that mother feet first, slipped away in the night and never looked back. I’m gonna freaking make it!

Blood pumps fast through my veins and my heart is thumping with excitement. I can see the last row of houses that sit perched against the dunes. It’s almost dawn. The bastards can’t see so well at night. But, I am going to see the sunrise if it kills me—if they kill me. Maybe I can drink the rest of the case of Red Bull and see if my heart will explode before giving them the satisfaction of catching up with me again. Death by energy drink? Doesn’t sound like such a bad way to go. Death by alien a-hole? Much worse.

I run across the deserted street, ducking around the abandoned house. My fingertips graze the peeling white paint on the clapboards at my back. When I ran for it, I had nothing and had gained little along the way. I’d found a few energy bars and plucked a few apples off a tree that was rooted next to an abandoned swing set. The swings moved to and fro by the wind in lieu of children. No innocent laughter would be heard there again.

A chill runs down my arms, pebbling my skin. Most everyone left alive from the initial attacks had been rounded up and put in ‘containment’. In only a matter of hours, humans had moved down a notch on the proverbial food chain. It was from a containment facility, that I discovered a section of fencing that was dead. The section was small and a portion of the grid-like fencing had been peeled back. It was just large enough that I could squeeze through.

I wish there was something else I could do, somewhere else to go. But, when aliens land on your planet, they pretty much destroy everything in their path. We’d learned that the hard way. When the attacks started, everyone went crazy. Many were killed, others looted the stores and homes in an effort to survive. Now, nothing was left. I couldn’t live without food and fresh water. After the Red Bull was gone, I would have neither. All of the stores and homes that I’d stopped at along the way had been ransacked, looted or just destroyed completely. So, the cockroaches can find me and do whatever they do with people who escape from their prisons. But, I’m at least gonna walk in the surf, maybe even swim for a bit.
The sky is streaked with vibrant yellows, purples and blues. Billowy white clouds dot the sky, illuminated by the sun that is almost breaching the horizon. Show time. I kick off my Chuck’s and throw my socks over my shoulders one at a time as I rip them off my feet. All but skipping, I drop the backpack and then my shorts and tug my shirt over my head. Screw breadcrumbs, I’ve left a trail of clothing from the houses to the shore. Come and get me, douches!

The water is perfect. Early July is hot and it feels like I’ve just stepped into a freaking bath! So amazing! The waves crash into my knees, thighs and then stomach. I’ve never been a swimmer, so when a couple crash over my head, I reel myself in a bit. The salt water stings my eyes and nose, but it’s the most glorious feeling in the world. Reveling in the feeling of freedom, I wash out my greasy hair and forget all about time.

Unfortunately, I forgot to watch my back, too.

A throat clears behind me. Right behind me. I whip around as a wave crests over my shoulders. Oh, crap. That was fast. I’ll never get over how much they look human. Everything but the eyes. The eyes are like molten gold. His are no exception, and they are beautifully set within thick, black lashes that no man should have. “Come with me,” he orders.

“Nah. I think I’ll stay in for a bit. I’m on vacation.” He’s at least a foot taller than me and I’m five foot five, and beneath the fitted white t-shirt and jeans that are now soaked through, rippled muscles sculpt his arms, chest and stomach. Yummy alien. 

“Vacation?” He ticks his head to the side and stares at me unblinking. Weird. 

“Yep. Enjoying a nice day at the beach. You know, vacation.” I go back to washing my hair out with sand. It’s all I’ve got and the grit should take away the dirt, right. Clean dirt with dirt?

“You are number 2278950.” He looks me over and I realize I’m in only my dirty hot pink bra and panties. Covering what I can, I splash at him. I’m sure that my face and chest are flushed after that ogling. Diversion!

“Hey, eyes up here, E.T.”

“E.T.?”

“Yeah. Extra. Terrestrial. Never seen the movie? Well, you should really do more research on your subjects. Anywho, my name is Ashlynn. Not 22—whatever. Got it.”

He moves fast. Without even disturbing the water, he’s in front of me. “Ashlynn.” My name sounds strange on his tongue, it’s as if he’s tasting it. “You must exit the water, dress and come with me. I’ve been sent to collect you. You will return to containment immediately.”

“Um, no. I really didn’t like it there. No offense. It was…No. It really wasn’t nice at all. I don’t think I’ll go back again.” Before my smart mouth can even close, I’m on the shore. His hands are on my upper arms. “How?” That’s all I can squeeze out.

“Do not test me, Ashlynn. I am offering to take you without using force.”

“Maybe I like the use of force. Hmmm? Ever thought of that?”

His eyebrows knit together. “Hey, why do you look like us? Why not look like you? What do you really look like, anyway?”

A crooked smile stretches over his face. My freaking weakness. Seriously? They’ve sent in the big guns to drag me back to hell. “I can show you.” His voice is like butter and before I even realize he’s moved, his lips are pressed hard against mine and he’s pushing me hard against him. Softness and mint glides over my mouth and moves ever so slowly and deliciously until I sigh and open up for him. His tongue and mine collide and my brain pretty much turns to mush, like the rest of my body that’s collapsing into him. He pulls back, breaking the kiss. It must be their secret weapon. Compliance by hot alien kisses. He didn’t even need cuffs, or whatever they use.

“See. This is what I really look like. We come from a planet much like your Earth. We look very much like you on the outside, although our brains function at a much higher level.”

“Why did you kiss me, then?”

“Your lips looked delicious. I couldn’t resist.” His lips claim mine again and I realize that I’m so screwed. I pull away and run toward my backpack. He doesn’t chase after me, of course, when you’re alien-fast you don’t have to worry about keeping up, I guess. Riffling around in my bag, I pull out another can of Red Bull. Within a blink of an eye, he’s five feet away from me. “Your weapons will not hurt us. Not for long, anyway.”

“What’s that?” I point toward the waves again. He turns his head to look and I launch the can at him. It pegs him in the side of the head and he turns around. Anger flashes in his golden eyes. Oh, crap. Now I’m really in trouble. He’s become the bull and I’m the red. I take off running away from the shore. I can see the house in sight, but don’t make it. I land in a heap, gritty sand all over my skin. Something heavy lands on top of me, squeezing out my breath.

“Wrong move, Ashlynn,” he grins again, just before covering my mouth with his. The sandy stubble along his jaw lightly and deliciously scrapes along my skin. Yummy alien. Le sigh.

 ^^^Spacey Casey ^^^

While you're all here and in the mood to follow this awesome author, why not check her out on her blog or over on Goodreads? Her book, Devil Creek, will be FREE on Amazon through the 17th! Click here to get yours now!

Don't forget! Today's the last day to grab a copy of I, Zombie free! It has 19 reviews with a 4.5* average! Folks are loving it! Get one here!

If you loved the short story above or have questions for Casey, drop a note into the comments section!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Casey Bond Author Interview

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Sorry I haven't been around. I took a little vacation during which time The Best Boyfriend in the World became The Best Fiance in the World. I'll be telling you more tomorrow! In keeping with my Monday posts through June, 2014, I bring you another UtopYA Con 2014 unofficial author interview. Yeah to awesomeness! If you haven’t picked up your tickets for the event yet, click the name to grab yours today. It’s being held at the Millennium Maxwell House in Nashville, Tennessee. We’re looking forward to meeting fans of YA and NA books!

Let’s get this party started! Snuggle down into your footed jammies (because it's freaking cold!), relax on your couch, and meet author Casey L. Bond!

Jo: Welcome to the blog, Casey! Soooo good to have you here for this interview.
Casey: Thanks for having me, Jo!

Jo: I’m not gonna beat around the bush here, my readers want the juicy stuff and it doesn’t do to hold the red meat outside the cage when they’re feeling like tigers. Tell me about publishing with Tate Publishing. How did you get in, what you like, what challenges you’ve faced.
Casey: *Grins* As with most things in life, it’s a weird story. I wrote Winter Shadows in the last trimester of my second pregnancy when I couldn’t sleep, edited it as best I could and sent it out into the world. Several agents replied that the story was interesting but not for them. My uncle bought my oldest daughter a children’s book at a signing near his home and sent it to her. He had included a bookmark from Tate Publishing, so I decided to check them out online. When it said they were open to submissions, I uploaded the manuscript and sent it away into cyber land. A month later, when I had forgotten about the submission, I received a phone call from their acquisitions department saying that they wanted the book in their 2013 catalog and would like to offer me a contract. After discussing with the hubs, we decided to go for it. The rest is history.

Tate designed the cover (with my direction), edited and is currently marketing the book along with me. Winter Shadows just released on 10.29.2013 so I haven’t even seen my sales yet (*ducks head*). They will send a report every quarter. Until then, I guess I’ll just keep chewing my nails. Everyone at Tate has been extremely nice and professional. I love the cover. A couple of challenges have arisen with working with Tate. One is that a few typos that apparently slipped through the cracks. Once Tate publishes, there’s no going back to correct those, so that’s a bummer. I’m a bit of a perfectionist :) Another, is that I can’t control my own pricing. I wish I had more say in my e-book price especially, but I have zero control over it. Sorry y’all :)

Jo: Well, congratulations! Sounds like an adventure! What’s the skinny on the book you have planned for Spring 2014? Title and blurb, please!!
Casey: *Smiles* Well, since you’re special, I’ll give ya a taste. It’s a YA Fantasy entitled Pariah. Here is the blurb, which is still subject to change….

Pariah

The New Covenant Series

by Casey L. Bond

What are the things that you need most in life—the things you crave? Solara longs for freedom. Having been raised under the Kingdom’s lock and key since the age of two, she wants to see the world. Upon turning seventeen and receiving no mark from the Lord, she believes freedom is finally within her grasp. Unfortunately, she is wrong. The Kingdom has been fooled. She is marked by an angel of light and one of the fallen dark ones. Solara is God’s chosen, and with her birth, the new covenant made with mankind is made manifest.

Solara doesn’t want to be the Chosen. She longs for love, strong enough to last a lifetime, and beyond. Riven loves her. But he is one of the fallen, prophesied to betray her. Can she trust him? Love him? Prophecy states that she is the key. The fate of humanity rests with her decision, as she holds the ability to open either the doors of Heaven or the gates of Hell upon the Earth.

But how can a normal girl, who has been raised with no knowledge of either side, make such a decision? And how can she turn away from finally tasting those things for which she has craved so long. Still rough :)

Jo: WOW. I can't wait! You must let me know when it comes out. I do enjoy my "special" status. *grin* Tell me about West Virginia. Did you grow up there? What do you love/hate about the area?
Casey: I grew up in Hurricane, WV and now live about seven miles away in Milton! I love the rugged beauty of the area. I’m an outdoors kind-of-girl and our state is amazing. I’ve traveled quite a bit and love our hills and mountains. We are a bit remote and it’s expensive to fly just about anywhere, but it’s worth it. As much as I enjoy seeing the world, I love coming home even more. In WV, every mile is a country mile.

Jo: I'm from Tennessee but grew up in Louisiana. I know know my marsh from my mountains anymore. WV is somewhere I intend to visit soon. I see you have Pinterest boards dedicated to your books. What’s the reason behind that, what made you start, and how has it helped you?
Casey: Hello. My name is Casey. I’m a Pinterest addict. I’ve been pinning for a while now and looooove it. I have boards for each of my books and works under construction. There’s also a huge board for Writing Inspiration and y’all are more than welcome to follow along. When I write, I have an image in my head. Sometimes, I can find something similar on Pinterest and share my vision with readers. Pretty darn spectacular, if you ask me! :)

Jo: Oh my... You may need PA :P You wrote a review for I, Zombie recently. I have to say thank you (y’all can see it here)!! It was an awesome review. What are your favorite genres to read and have you ever considered writing about those particular topics? Why/why not?
Casey: *giggles* Weeeeeeeeeeellll. I am quite eclectic in my reading tastes. I love dystopian. Winter Shadows fits that bill and I’m working on a new dystopian book that I am extremely excited about. I think it’s my best idea yet and I’m really thrilled about this one! I read a lot of YA and NA romance. Devil Creek falls in the NA category and I hope you all love it  :) I also like paranormal, hot cowboys and highlanders, and anything sci-fi that is interesting…..think Mortal Instruments. I don’t know if I’ll branch out more one of these days. I just work on what inspires me at the time. I’m super stoked about the dystopian project I’m working on now (between edits of Pariah). Did I mention that? *grins*

Jo: I like all genres except autobiographies. Hey, can't be a hater. Hehe I read that you spent a summer studying in Europe. First of all, please share with my readers what your degree is in (I know this but they don’t). Then, tell us what your favorite place was that you visited while traipsing all over the country!
Casey: I graduated in 2003 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice (emphasis on Legal Studies) from Marshall University, home of The Thundering Herd! Who’s got a HERD on? Yep. I just said that. I lived in Lyon, France with a French family. They were spectacular and I loved them, by the way. I did attend school there at the Université Catholique de Lyon in French Language and Culture. In France, my friends and I traveled to Cannes, Nice, Monaco (yes, we went to the Monte Carlo Casino), Paris, and Annecy. I got to walk through lavender fields, go to amazing vineyards and walk through castles! We also went to Geneva, Switzerland and Rome, Italy. My favorite was old Paris. It was so breathtakingly beautiful. I want to take my family with me and go back sometime when the girls get bigger.

Jo: I'm left wondering if you'll ever write legal thrillers... *gets jealous of travels* One day, I'll get to see Stratford on Avon :) Quick, what’s your favorite drink?
Casey: Tie. Diet coke or Diet Sunkist. Nectars of the gods.

Jo: I can't do diet anything. The aspartame feels like fuzz in my mouth. LOL Favorite snack?
Casey: Chips & salsa.

Jo: YUM! I like Pace :) Now, I have to ask, why Christian Fiction for Winter Shadows? I haven’t read it yet (Casey sent me a signed copy! *sticks tongue out at readers*) but I intend to. It’s an interesting genre choice. What difficulties have you faced?
Casey: When I wrote the book, I never thought about the genre. The story just flowed. I didn’t make the book to be preachy at all. Claire, the main character is sheltered. She grew up in a small community with an overprotective, very devout father. She had been raised a Christian and had lost her faith after her mother died from cancer. But, her faith is only one part of Claire and the story itself. It’s a dystopian YA. The government declares a pandemic. Claire’s dad doesn’t buy it. He and some other families from their community decide to go ‘off the grid’ and live in a cave system in rural WV. It’s about survival. Claire finds her strength and fortitude. She battles with herself over feelings she harbors for her best friend Ethan and outsider Colin, who is a breath of fresh air. I hope ya like it :)

Jo: Makes sense. I'm sure I'll love it. Time for the alien question of the interview! UtopYA Con 2014 is centered around aliens, the general them being “Take Me to Your Reader” so I’ve been doing this with everyone. Do you believe aliens exist? Why/why not?
Casey: *Laughs* I’ve never seen one. But, who knows. It’s a big universe out there.

Jo: *nods sagely* Agreed. Do you ever say, “Bond, Casey Bond,” when introducing yourself to someone? If yes, what is the usual reaction? If no, why the heck not?
Casey: Heck yes! This is my married name, so I didn’t grow up being taunted with it. I’m using the heck out of that line !!!!

Jo: I freaking love that. How awesome! I see you married your high-school sweetheart (how sweet is that?). Tell us three of your favorite things about your husband.
Casey: He is extremely funny, somewhat quiet and an awesome dad!

Jo: He sounds great. Gotta love the humor! Now tell us about your featured book of the week! Why did you write it, what was the most difficult thing about getting it done, and were you nervous about publishing it?
Casey: Devil Creek * ominous music * is a new adult romance set in my home state of WV. I wrote it because the characters in my head wouldn’t shut up. The most difficult thing about getting it done was finding time to do it. Two kiddos keep me busy. I write during nap and bedtime, but try to do a few things in between. Also, wading through the self-pubbing process feels like trudging through mud. I’m new to all this, so everything takes longer than it probably will in the future, when I get the hang of it all. I am nervous about this one. I’ve never written in this genre before, though I read a lot of NA. I love the book and hope you all will, too :)

Jo: I totally read it and I loved it! Y'all can see the review here. Anything I didn’t ask that you wished I had?
Casey: What’s my favorite color? Teal. One weird thing about me? I hate to open biscuits from a pop-open can. It scares me and I flinch every dang time. :)

Jo: Those scare me, too! LOL! That’s all the time we have for today! Thanks for joining me here on the blog, Casey. This was fun. I hope I didn’t creep you out too much with my cyber stalking of your author self. I can’t wait to meet you at UtopYA.
Casey: Stalk away, people. Stalk away. I can’t wait to meet you there, too! And, that goes for all my UtopYA peeps! Can’t wait to see y’all!

Okay, everyone, time for the skinny on Casey’s featured book of the week:

Title: Devil Creek
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: NA Romance
Print Length: 185 Pages
Purchase Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis: What is your greatest fear? For Aislin, it is the fear of being alone. She grew up in and out of foster care along with her brother, Declan. When he is killed by an IED blast while serving in Afghanistan, she leans on her brother's best friend, Gabriel. The two become inseparable.

When she catches her fiancée in bed with another girl? She isn’t even that upset. Mad as hell? Yes. As angry as she should be? No. That's the moment she realizes that she isn't in love with her fiancée. She is in love with her best friend, Gabriel. The only problem is that Gabe doesn't think he should cross the boundary between friend and lover with his dead best friend's sister. He wants her. He just doesn't want to want her. And, therein lies the problem.

After Aislin is attacked by a man she tried to love with her head in an attempt to heal her heart from rejection, she and Gabriel have one night of bliss together. Only one though. Gabriel gets spooked and runs. He is afraid. Afraid that Aislin will hate him for taking advantage of her vulnerability. Three years and nine months later, Gabe comes home to find Aislin with a dark-haired wanna-be rock star and a three year old little girl with familiar blue eyes. Seeing her with Jude, makes his blood boil. But does Gabriel deserve her? No. Does he want her? With every fiber of his being. He will do anything it takes to win her heart. He wants a place in her life and in the life of her daughter.

What is in the cards for Gabriel and Aislin? Can love survive without trust? Welcome to Devil Creek.

Thanks for hanging around the blog today and meeting author Casey L. Bond! While you’re still clicking from your purchase above, why not give her a follow on social media AND enter her great giveaway?

Facebook: Author Casey Bond
Twitter: @authorcaseybond
Pinterest: CaseyB007

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Got questions? Ask them in the comments below!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Review Devil Creek

Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I bring you a book review of Devil Creek by Casey L. Bond. If you remember from day twelve of the Christmas party, you'll see this title on the list. I have the very great pleasure of interviewing Ms. Bond for one of my special Monday spots on the blog in January as well. So grab your comfy slippers, a warm drink (because it's freaking cold outside), sit back, and read on!

As always, I'll start with information for the book on the chopping block today:

Title: Devil Creek
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: New Adult Romance
Length (print): aprox. 199 pages
Link to purchase: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:
What is your greatest fear? For Aislin, it is the fear of being alone. She grew up in and out of foster care along with her brother, Declan. When he is killed by an IED blast while serving in Afghanistan, she leans on her brother's best friend, Gabriel. The two become inseparable.

When she catches her fiancée in bed with another girl? She isn’t even that upset. Mad as hell? Yes. As angry as she should be? No. That's the moment she realizes that she isn't in love with her fiancée. She is in love with her best friend, Gabriel. The only problem is that Gabe doesn't think he should cross the boundary between friend and lover with his dead best friend's sister. He wants her. He just doesn't want to want her. And, therein lies the problem.

After Aislin is attacked by a man she tried to love with her head in an attempt to heal her heart from rejection, she and Gabriel have one night of bliss together. Only one though. Gabriel gets spooked and runs. He is afraid. Afraid that Aislin will hate him for taking advantage of her vulnerability. Three years and nine months later, Gabe comes home to find Aislin with a dark-haired wanna-be rockstar and a three year old little girl with familiar blue eyes. Seeing her with Jude, makes his blood boil. But does Gabriel deserve her? No. Does he want her? With every fiber of his being. He will do anything it takes to win her heart. He wants a place in her life and in the life of her daughter. What is in the cards for Gabriel and Aislin? Can love survive without trust? Welcome to Devil Creek.

***Must be 18 to order due to adult language/situations.***

Will not appear in final review: I love the cover for this book. It's very captivating and pulls you right in. Lovely color choices on the designer's part. I also appreciate how large the author's name is. This is a chance for that name to shine and the cover artist did a great job of calling the name out.

Let's move on to why you're reading this, shall we?

I received an ARC from the author because I was one of the beta-readers for this book. I can assure you, all opinions are my own and honest. I'm not usually a fan of romance, but this book reads a lot like a coming-of-age story for the MC so I got into it. Enough rambling, let's get to the good stuff!

From a Reader's Perspective:
Devil Creek is told from two viewpoints: Aislin, the main female, and Gabe, the main male. Ms. Bond was wise to write it this way, because you get a deeper insight into what each character is thinking. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to reach into the pages and give them both a good shake. But making me care that much about the characters and their eventual outcome is something a good story does. I could connect with Aislin and wondered how many freaking men would have to betray her before she gave up on the gender for good. I was pulled into her world and felt what she felt as the tale moved forward. There are no loose ties left hanging at the end and that was something I appreciated a lot. Plot-wise, it was a brilliant tale and the pacing was really great. I sped through it in no time. There's no insta-love in this book. If that's what you're looking for, this isn't a story for you.

From an Editor's Perspective:
I have to say, I would've read a lot faster if not for the need for one more round of edits. It needs contractions, comma attention, and pronoun checks (I also found a couple of spelling errors - wrong word or wrong tense of word used). Because of those, I did get dissuaded a time or two. But they weren't so bad I couldn't read the book and the quality of the story outweighed these errors.

Rating:
1 Star for making me cringe at some of Aislin's situations
1 Star for a heartbreaking tale
1 Star for making me want to slap both of the MCs
1 Star for tying up all loose ends and lack of insta-love scenarios
-1 Star for the need for an editor
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars! Recommended for those who love romance or coming-of-age tales that make you want to choke men in general.

I do hope you all get a chance to check out Devil Creek.

Remember to come on back for my interview with Casey in just a couple of short weeks.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Cover Reveal - Devil Creek

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have a great cover reveal to share with you all! Tomorrow, we go back to our regularly scheduled program of writing tips and loveliness until Friday. I have an awesome surprise for you all next week (especially you authors) but I don't want to give anything away too soon. You know how I get around the holidays. Let's see how many days I can keep it a secret before I start singing like a canary. Yeah, I'm filling space here at the top of the blog right now to shove the images down under the fold so you have to work for them. Haha! Gotcha! Enough of my rambling, we have a cover to reveal! So grab your comfy chair and a cuppa and let's get going!

Cover Reveal - Devil Creek

by Casey L. Bond

Before we get to the awesome imagery, here's a little bit of info about the book:

Title: Devil Creek
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: NA Romance
Length: Around 65K words

I have to tell you, I read it as a beta-reader. I was left with my mouth hanging open. All I can say is, you're in for a treat!

I know, I know, you're all ready to see the cover, huh?

What fun would it be if I just plastered it all over the first few lines of the blog? Bo-ring.

No? Not boring?

Okay! You win! Here it is:

Synopsis:
What is your greatest fear? For Aislin, it is the fear of being alone. She grew up in and out of foster care along with her brother, Declan. When he is killed by an IED blast while serving in Afghanistan, she leans on her brother's best friend, Gabriel. The two become inseparable.

When she catches her fiancée in bed with another girl? She isn’t even that upset. Mad as hell? Yes. As angry as she should be? No. That's the moment she realizes that she isn't in love with her fiancée. She is in love with her best friend, Gabriel. The only problem is that Gabe doesn't think he should cross the boundary between friend and lover with his dead best friend's sister. He wants her. He just doesn't want to want her. And, therein lies the problem.

After Aislin is attacked by a man she tried to love with her head in an attempt to heal her heart from rejection, she and Gabriel have one night of bliss together. Only one though. Gabriel gets spooked and runs. He is afraid. Afraid that Aislin will hate him for taking advantage of her vulnerability. Three years and nine months later, Gabe comes home to find Aislin with a dark-haired wanna-be rockstar and a three year old little girl with familiar blue eyes. Seeing her with Jude, makes his blood boil. But does Gabriel deserve her? No. Does he want her? With every fiber of his being. He will do anything it takes to win her heart and prove his love. He wants a place in her life and in the life of her daughter. What is in the cards for Gabriel and Aislin? Welcome to Devil Creek.

And, here's the full wrap cover!

Yes! Bonus!

Pretty, isn't it?

I'll be writing a review for this book once Ms. Bond is done editing it. I do hope you'll all come on back for that!

What do you think of the cover? Does it look/sound like something you'd read?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo