June Top Reads

With summer not too far off and the weather getting warmer, I thought it would be a great time to start my Top Reads.

I read a lot of books and when they are released has very little bearing on my choices for these.

The beginning of every month I'm going to throw your way some books I personally LOVE and perhaps it can help you with your beach reading, snuggling up on the couch time, whatever.

So here are some suggestions (You really just need to trust me) for the month of June:


Floodgates by Mary Calmes

Tracy Brandt considers himself a lucky man. He has a wonderful family, good friends, and a dependable job. His love life, however, features a cheating ex who, though out of the house, is not yet out of the picture—with a past that just might get Tracy killed.

Homicide inspector Cord Nolan wants nothing more than to show his best friend’s little brother that he’s a reliable man, but to do that he’ll have to get Tracy to look past the player he used to be. It'll be a tough sell; reputation is everything, and Cord's is tarnished by his past indiscretions.

Tracy and Cord have spent five years trying to suffocate their fiery attraction under a blanket of grudging antagonism. When Tracy finds himself with a target on his back, Cord finally has the chance to ride to the rescue and break through the dam of Tracy's reserve. But he’d better be careful: if Cord is breaking the floodgates to wash away the past, he's going to have to hold tight to Tracy to make sure they're still standing when the tumult recedes

Once again Mary Calmes writes a character I want to personally know! Tracy is phenomenal and I just adored this story. It's not heavy but it's far from fluff. I liked it when I didn't want to cry, I wanted to laugh and enjoy a little mystery. 

Buy Links:
Amazon 
Dreamspinner 


See Jayne Play by Jami Denise

Jayne King lived in a world of players. She’d been groomed by her father to win, taking no prisoners in her quest to reach the top.

But, it was never enough. She wanted out, and just when she finds her escape, she’s pulled back into the underground crime world of Las Vegas. One phone call spins her life out of control, and she once again has to live her life behind a mask of lies.

Her body is for sale, but her heart is off limits. Flynn Maguire, professional gambler and notorious ladies’ man, always wins. Always. As the son of the heir to the Emerald Hotel and Casino fortune, he’s always had his desires delivered on a silver platter. When he crosses paths with Jayne King, he will stop at nothing to have her.

Nothing has ever stood between him and what he wanted, and there wasn't an amount of money too high to pay to own her. He realizes too late, that money can’t buy her heart, and he finds himself in a place he never he’d be. In love.

I loved this book because Jami created a STRONG female character. Human and raw and just take no BS. I admired Jayne in this book A LOT... There is a book 2 to this series, Queen of Hearts, and if you are looking for a fire me up hard to breathe roller coaster ride of passion and suspense then I'd start here.

Buy Links:
Amazon 
Kobo 


Queers by AJ Rose

 
 Within her walls are stories. Love. Laughter. Tears. Lives lived to the fullest, and sometimes cut short before they really get started. She’s seen it all, from homelessness to super-stardom, boys dressed as girls, girls dressed as lamps, and boy, does she have secrets she could tell. Her one truth is that everyone who darkens her doors is accepted with open arms and a song.

Her name is Queers, and for one of L.A.’s few dueling piano bars, she has a lot of heart. On her stage, the beautiful voice of Duff McKinley rings so true he captures the shattered heart of his boss, Brad Mosely, who checked out of life three years ago. But even lifelong dreams have untold consequences.

Duff came to L.A. to chase his musical aspirations, but his best friend Garrett Slater accompanied him to chase a wish of his own: finding The One, his white knight. He believes Landon Kennedy fits the bill. Suave, handsome, and powerful in the music industry, Landon can show Garrett a life he's only seen in movies. But even as Landon helps Duff realize his dreams, he brings Garrett into a nightmare he may never leave, one from which Garrett's roommate, Jackson Moriarty, is determined to rescue him. If Garrett repays Jackson by seeing his own charms, so much the better.

Yes, within her walls, Queers has long history. Unrequited love, sinister intentions, fame, fortune, and a group of friends and lovers who would do anything for each other no matter the cost.

If you are in the mood for HEAVY, Angst and romance then this is for you. AJ is quite possibly one of the bravest authors out there. He tackles issues with an amazing amount of respect. I wanted to shove Garrett in my pocket and protect him and I wanted to steal Brad and call him mine! This is quite an ensemble AJ has created and just breathtaking. Put on your big girl/boy pants and dig in.

Buy Links
Amazon 
ARe 

Shattered Glass by Dani Alexander

A male prostitute, a mangy cat, a murder and a maniacal mix-up that threatens his career, his impending marriage and his life. Nothing is going as planned for Austin Glass.

Austin — seems to have it all. At least on the surface. A loving fiancee. A future with the FBI and a healthy sized trust fund. He also has a grin and a wisecrack for every situation. But the smile he presents to everyone hides a painful past he’s buried too deeply to remember. And his quips mask bitterness and insecurity. Austin has himself and most of the whole world fooled. Until he meets someone who immediately sees him better than he sees himself.

As events unfold and Austin’s world unravels, he finds himself pushed into making quick life-changing decisions. But can he trust Peter or what’s happening between them when each meeting seems to be just a series of volatile reactions?

I won this book in a contest and I have to say, I would have paid for it easily. This was truly a fabulous book. I laughed, and wanted to pull my hair out. Peter and Austin are in a pinwheel relationship. They spin and spin and spin and do it all in the midst of trying to stay alive, figure what they are and solve a mystery. 

Buy Links:
Amazon 
ARe 


Into the Storm by Melanie Moreland

She is a woman on the run. Pain, loneliness and terror are what she is leaving. Where she is headed doesn’t matter as long as it’s away from the hell her life has become.

Joshua Bennett is trapped in a prison of his own making by the memories of his past. Traumatized and isolated, he is a reclusive writer, living a quiet, lonely life, his only companion his dog, Bear. It is what he knows, what he has accepted to be his life.

One dark night, one huge storm, and one ice patch brings them together. He finds himself with an unexpected houseguest with no memory. She wakes up a stranger to herself and the man watching her. Even more mysterious is the lack of any sort of identification with her or in her car. She is an enigma to both of them.

Trapped by the storm and isolated from the outside world, they slowly open up, learning to trust and love, until the world once again shows up, threatening the fragile peace of their newly discovered world, and tearing them apart.

There are many twists and turns as they struggle to find each other, overcoming both the mental and physical elements that keep them apart.

A story about overcoming our fears, finding love and learning to live again.

If you are looking for a deep and emotional book this is what you want. Melanie connected to the characters feeling perfectly. You are entertained and curious all the while swept up in the moments and emotions. 

Buy Links:
Amazon 
B&N 



So there you have 5 books that should keep you busy for June. I know there is a genre mixture in this, but I've said it once, made the blog name for it... I AM DIVERSE. Read the blurb and you will easily see if it's what you're looking for. 

What EVER will I have for July? Who knows!!!  

  

Author Saturday Spotlight: Jami Denise *Interview and Giveaway*

Jami Denise is a Contemporary, romance, erotica writer. Every Saturday I spotlight an author, no matter the genre, that I feel is talented, writes wonderful books and I believe will push forth in the literary world. Jami Denise is one of those people.

Her series is called The Jayne Series, and book 2 is going to be available on May 13th! Jami is going to give one lucky reader a free copy of Queen of Hearts (Book 2)!! But first for those who may not know about this author and this series, let's start from the beginning.

Book One of this series is called See Jayne Play:

Synposis:

Jayne King lived in a world of players. She’d been groomed by her father to win, taking no prisoners in her quest to reach the top. But, it was never enough. She wanted out, and just when she finds her escape, she’s pulled back into the underground crime world of Las Vegas. One phone call spins her life out of control and she once again has to live her life behind a mask of lies.

Her body is for sale, but her heart is off limits.

Flynn Maguire, professional gambler and notorious ladies’ man always wins. Always. As the heir to the Maguire Grand Hotel and Casino fortune, he’s always had his desires delivered on a silver platter. When he crosses paths with Jayne King, he will stop at nothing to have her. Nothing has ever stood between him and what he wanted, and there wasn’t any amount of money too high to pay to own her. He realizes too late that money can’t buy her heart and finds himself in a place he never thought he’d be. Out of luck.

For those who follow me on Goodreads you would have read my review of the book... If you missed it here you go: 

WOW! So this book had my pulse racing! I read it in a day and I can still feel my skin vibrating. Jami has written one hell of a strong female character in Jayne. She is a no nonsense bitch. I loved her hard! Flynn is a sex God and a bastard and I gotta tell you when those two get together it's like fire and gasoline... BOOM! From page one I was pulled in and when I finished it was hard to let go! This being my first Jami Denise book I can't imagine not reading anything she writes. I am so excited for book 2 and whatever else this writer has to publish! HIGHLY RECOMMEND! 

I had never read anything Jami Denise had written before. She's one of those authors that you say, "Where have they been all my life." She has something to say and she says it loudly! Much like Jayne ;)

You very much want to buy this book! VERY MUCH! Especially if you want in on book 2! So here are the links:

AMAZON 

KOBO 

B&N 

iTunes 

Now before we talk about Book 2 AND TODAY'S GIVEAWAY! Let's get to know Jami Denise a bit, shall we...

Bio:

Jami Denise is an up and coming writer from Southern California.

She writes Contemporary Romance, Suspense, and Erotica.

She has always had a strong desire to write. From a very young age, books became her escape. She loves the freedom to express herself through her stories and share them with others.

Her books are always on the spicy side with a little bit of sweet to make you swoon. Her feisty kittens always give the bad boys a run for their money. She likes taking risks, pushing her characters into directions that challenge the reader and take them out of their element. You'll usually find the unexpected to happen in her stories. Life isn't always pretty, and she likes to layer her words with true grit.

She is a self professed cat lady, addicted to coffee and Monster, cupcake lip balm, and loves all things old, grungy, and fast. She's well versed in sarcasm, and the F-word is her favorite adjective.

When she doesn't have her nose in a book, or fingers on a keyboard, she's spending time with family and friends, watching old movies, and waiting for the next felon to come sweep her off her feet.

INTERVIEW:

1. I love how you write characters. Jayne is fierce and strong and a real role model to women. Is she inspired by someone, maybe she's even you?

 She’s not really inspired by someone specific, but I like strong heroines. I’m a smart ass to the extreme, so that definitely comes out in my characters. Sweet and meek is not my style, so it’s rare that any of my characters are quiet or doormats. Men need a kick in the balls, and I’m always glad to write it out J

2. Which actor/actress would you like to see playing Jayne and Flynn from your book? 

 Flynn is sort of the hard one. He’s a cross between a few people, so this is the hardest to pick! I do like Christian Jorgensen for him, with a little darker hair and darker eyes. Jayne is easy. Jessica Jane Clement. She’s got an exotic look, very sexy but a little sweet and curves. Curves for days.

3. What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

 I have been writing for about six years. I started posting my work online about five years ago. A friend and I kind of talked each other into taking the plunge to branch out and actually publish. I am lucky to have a pretty sturdy and encouraging support system, so they gave me the nudge as well. I was asked to collaborate with some other authors and that helped me get the ball rolling also. I think it was the combination of all these things, as well as having an actual real life copy of my own book in my hands that motivated me.

4. For you what is the easiest and what is the hardest thing about writing a book? 

 The easiest part for me is getting the ideas. I have countless notebooks full of ideas. The hardest part is everything else! Finding the time to actually write, organizing my thoughts to get the words onto paper, the editing, the marketing, and especially the courage to put it out there.

5. Your covers are stunning! Who designed them?

  All my covers are designed by my amazingly talented friend L.J. Anderson. Mayhem Cover Creations is her company. Everything she makes is gold in my opinion. I think my covers are pretty kick ass myself! I always get so excited when I see what she’s done with one simple photo. I feel very fortunate to have her as a designer!

6. Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad? 

I read a couple when I first published the book, mostly the ones written by book blogs on the blog tours. I always respond to them, thank them for their time and kindness because they are ultimately giving me their time on a silver platter. This is out of a love for books, and it’s truly a gift to the writers they review for. I completely ignore Amazon and Goodreads. I do have a couple of great friends that will tell me when I have a great review, which is always awesome, but I also know there are a lot of people out there that review just to be assholes. I lived this firsthand while posting my work online for years. There’s always the good with the bad, and I don’t expect everyone to like my story or my characters or my writing, but I also can’t let myself get sucked into that vortex. My focus is on writing and interacting with readers that do like/love my work. They are ultimately who I write for, not the people that don’t enjoy it. If that makes sense. Lol! It’s too easy to get tied up in the negativity. I don’t want to let someone’s opinion influence me or my style. Negativity has no place in my creative process. I’m just grateful to the kind words and focus on those.

7. Can you tell us about future projects you have in the works?

  Oh boy. Yikes. As I said, I have a bazillion notebooks full of crap to hash out. At the moment, I will be focusing on writing the third book in the Jayne Series, which will be centered around Vince’s character. After that, I have a novella planned for late summer, and then a series of books I will start to publish around the first of the year. These books will be about a group of blue collar men and the women that drive them nuts. One of the books will be a re-write of a fanfiction I wrote about three years ago, and another is a spin off from a short story I wrote for an anthology last year. So we’ll have roofers, plumbers, auto mechanics, and bartenders. All bad ass, and all lovably arrogant. I’m pretty excited to get that ball rolling.

8. Who or what inspires you?

  A lot of things inspire me. My son, first and foremost. I want to be someone that inspires him to go for it. I don’t want him to be like me—wait until you’re forty and finally do what you want. I want him to see that it’s okay to take risks and do scary things. I’m also inspired by my friends. They are wonderful women, juggling and struggling and trying to fucking make it. They raise amazing kids and they hold each other up. That’s inspiring. And of course, I am inspired by my parents. My dad has been gone over ten years, but every thing I do is to make him proud. He always knew I’d so… something. I’m glad I was able to do something that made me happy even though it was scary. He inspires me to be brave. My mom is just kind and soft and I want her to know that all the crap she gave up to raise all of her asshole kids wasn’t for nothing. She did it for us, so I do it for her.

9. Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others? Love? Action? Racy?

  Hands down—racy scenes. It takes me about three times longer to write the smut than it does to write the rest of the scenes. I’m in no way uncomfortable with them, I just need to be in the right state of mind to write it. It doesn’t help that I usually have four hundred people up in my business while I try to write. It squicks me out when someone is around me while I write.

Meet Jayne and Flynn

GORGEOUS, Aren't they?

To follow Jami Denise in all social media walks of life, here you go:

Social Media Contact:

Email: jamideniseo@gmail.com

Website: http://jamidenise.weebly.com/blog.html

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6952112.Jami_Denise

Google + https://plus.google.com/+JamiDenise/posts

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/JamiDeniseO/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamiDeniseO

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jami-Denise/e/B00GJ8O080

She's everywhere! 

Now let's talk GIVEAWAY! Book 2 of this outstanding series is called Queen Of Hearts...

Synopsis :

“He ruled the strip, but she ruled his heart.”

With a broken heart and nothing left to lose, Jayne King leaves Las Vegas, running from the only man she ever loved. He used her. Lied. Got her father killed. He cost her everything. All she wants is to start over somewhere new and escape her past. She finally finds a place to plant some roots, and someone she can trust. She should’ve known that when Flynn said he’d never give up on her, he meant it. Just when she thinks she’s safe, the past catches up with her and she finds out that nothing is as it seems.

Once again, she’s caught up in a game—but this time, she intends on winning.

After all, the queen always beats a spade.

Flynn Maguire always got what he wanted, until he fell in love with Jayne King. He has no intentions of letting her get away, but with a woman like Jayne, he knows the only way to win her back is playing his cards right. He had no choice but to watch her walk out of his life once, but this time, he will get her back no matter the cost. He will take down anyone that gets in his way, including his own father.

He soon finds out there is nothing more dangerous than a woman scorned.

Say it with me EEEEEEEEEEEP! For real! I just OMG! I CAN'T!

With this book not yet released I don't want to give a full on review, but I can tell you this much without giving too much away! If you thought Jayne was fierce in book 1, you ain't seen nothin yet! Seriously! This is one of if not the strongest female character I've read in a long time. I feel like strapping a knife to my garter belt and take on the world! DON'T JUDGE ME! It's empowering to a degree. We need that! Men and women alike will adore this book. Have alcohol at the ready... JUST SAYIN!

It really has been fun and a great honor to spotlight Jami Denise today! I hope you all will purchase her books and good luck to you all! The giveaway will run until Friday, May  16th. Winner will be emailed and you will have 48 hours to respond. Enjoy all!

 

 

 

 

  

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