If I Stay by Evan Reeves

Summary from Goodreads:
Breakups suck. Gemma Davies, at twenty-two, has just learned this. It was also not what she had expected from her long-time and only boyfriend - ever. So when her best friend and roommate drags her out in hopes to help Gemma come alive again, the last thing she expects is to meet someone who manages to do just that. In a passionate night (on so many levels) that leaves her rattled long after she sneaks out of his hotel room.

But because nothing in Gemma's whirl-wind life can ever go seamlessly, she soon runs into the man that she'd left naked and in bed just the evening before...in the most unexpected of places. The classroom. As her Professor.

...if only the surprises stopped there.

The Weight of Souls

Goodreads Summary:
Sixteen year old Taylor Oh is cursed: if she is touched by the ghost of a murder victim then they pass a mark beneath her skin. She has three weeks to find their murderer and pass the mark to them – letting justice take place and sending them into the Darkness. And if she doesn’t make it in time? The Darkness will come for her…

She spends her life trying to avoid ghosts, make it through school where she’s bullied by popular Justin and his cronies, keep her one remaining friend, and persuade her father that this is real and that she’s not going crazy.

But then Justin is murdered and everything gets a whole lot worse. Justin doesn’t know who killed him, so there’s no obvious person for Taylor to go after. The clues she has led her to the V Club, a vicious secret society at her school where no one is allowed to leave… and where Justin was dared to do the stunt which led to his death.

Can she find out who was responsible for his murder before the Darkness comes for her? Can she put aside her hatred for her former bully to truly help him?
And what happens if she starts to fall for him?

First off, I just have to say, reading The Weight of Souls really made me feel at home. I don’t know what it is about British English and the London setting—okay, maybe I do ;) –but I could just wrap myself up with this novel and cuddle it for life. I’m so in love with it!

Of course, that’s not the only reason I gave The Weight of Souls 5 Stars. The character, the plotline, it’s all amazingly written!

At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of Taylor. I did feel bad about everything she had to put with, but in a way, I also felt she was causing a lot of her own problems with her stubbornness and put-offish attitude. And Justin wasn’t much better. Though very attractive from when he’s first introduced, he was kind of a twit, especially to Taylor. However, when they were finally forced to work with each other to solve his murder, I really saw how the two of them grew by leaps and bounds from the experience.

The other thing I loved about this book is the background story. Okay, I will admit, there are too many flashbacks of Taylor’s life, but I loved the tale of her ancestor in Egypt and how Anubis’s curse all began. It was weaved so beautifully into the story.

The one and only thing that threw me off while reading The Weight of Souls was the high quantity of space breaks between scenes. A lot of them seemed like they could have run smoothly together, without the interruption. Many, in fact, picked up right where the previous paragraph before the break left off. So I’m not exactly sure why the author or publisher did this. It was kind of unnecessary, in my opinion.

Overall, I’m so thrilled I picked this novel up off the shelf. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there will be sequel, because with that ending, they can’t just leave me hanging like that! Not with Anubis’s curse hovering over their heads! But even so, I would definitely recommend this novel. It’s totally one of the best reads of 2013!

Spotlight on Take Me Now by Faith Sullivan

How do you survive the internship from hell?

Don't fall in love.

Ivy thought being a reporter-in-training at the Independent Gazette would be her dream summer job. Little did she know, interviewing Eric, a landscaper with a heart of gold, would derail her plans. It turns out Ivy's boss, Lauren, has been eying his chiseled physique for quite some time.

But at twenty-four, Eric already has a tragic past, one that he is still reeling from. Even though his ordeal turned him into some sort of local celebrity, it's been a while since he's shared his bed with anyone. When he comes to Ivy's rescue out of the blue, it's not long before the two of them start seeing each other behind Lauren's back. When they get caught, Ivy's journey toward a college degree is jeopardized and her relationship with Eric is severely put to the test.

Career versus love? In the end, a shocking turn of events provides Ivy with a revelation she never saw coming.

I fell for both Ivy and Eric because they are both damaged. Ivy is in love with Will, and has been for years. Yet Will won't give her the time of day. Eric is in love with the memory of his fiance and their unborn child. He hasn't gotten over losing them and can't love anyone else because of it. So when these two meet and can't deny the attraction, you know things are going to get good.

As if their emotional baggage isn't enough to make the road difficult for these two, Ivy works for a bitchy boss who has her eye on Eric. Lauren won't stop until she gets what she wants, and she'll abuse Ivy every way possible to get her away from Eric.

But the big twist that surprised me had to do with Ivy's best friend. I'm not giving spoilers, so you'll have to read the book to find out what I mean. ;)

As always with Sullivan's books, you're in for a great read with Take Me Now.

Keeper of the Lost Souls by Kristy Centeno

Summary from Goodreads:
Bryn McCaskey is young, naïve, and can talk to ghosts. Like her mother and grandmother, Bryn is part of a breed of witches called The Keepers of the Lost Souls, whose main purpose is to guard those spirits which are permanently or temporarily grounded in the world of the living.

Because Bryn is a witch, she’s fairly comfortable dealing with all sorts of threats, which she does with ease and confidence. Handling supernatural creatures is as easy to her as baking a pie. Dealing with people however, is something she is yet to learn how to handle.


Unfortunately, as her 18th birthday approaches, and the time for her to take on her first assignment finally arrives, Bryn is forced to confront her inability to communicate with others in an effort to save the one soul that can mean the difference between life and death for mankind.
Johnny Shaw is a lost soul with a personal vendetta against witches. A vendetta he has carried on even after death. However, as much as he might hate them, in order to stop a century old threat, he must join forces with one. When fate brings them together, not only will they be forced to learn how to work as a team, but they will have to depend on each other to stop an evil witch carrying a six hundred year grudge.

I’ve always had a passion for writing but never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options I realized that writing was what I loved the most so when I found myself with some free time on my hands, I decided to give it a shot. As it turned out, my very active imagination helped me achieve my goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that helped the stories move along in one way or another.

As I keep moving along in achieving my dreams of becoming a published author, I divide my time in between my four children and my very understanding husband.​

Flat Out Giddy

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the steamy button above and share it on your blog. We want to know!

We're back at it again, swooning over our favorite book boyfriends and the moments that flat out made us giddy when we read them. So sit back, enjoy, and then play along by leaving YOUR favorite swoon worthy moments this week in the comments!

As always, remember to check the comments where our lovely readers share links to their favorite swoony scenes, too!

Angles of the Knight series by Valerie Zambito

Angels of the Knights - Fallon
(Angels of the Knights #1)
by Valerie Zambito

Summary from Goodreads:
When Fallon Angell died at the age of sixteen, her life changed forever.

The hallowed world of Emperica is everything she had ever hoped for as a mortal—immeasurable beauty, unconditional love and light. But, with affection for humankind still burning within her, she joins the Knight Caste to train as an angel warrior. As a Knight, she will give up her wings and return to the place that killed her to use her unique powers to search out and destroy the evil Kjin that roam the earth. As a Knight, she will stop at nothing to protect the mortals in her care.

The elders warn her that the path she chose will be a solitary one. That she will not have the same bond with humans as she once did. But, as far as she knows, the elders had never met Kade Royce.

When her duties place her in the path of this handsome former cop, emotions buried long ago rise to the surface and she is powerless to ignore the depth of her feelings for this young man. She knows instinctively that she has found what most people search their entire lives for.

Ignoring the risks, she invites him into her world of danger, but soon their lives collide with explosive consequence. As a result, Fallon realizes with heartbreaking despair that she can no longer hide from the painful truth. In order for Kade to live, she must destroy him.

Angels of the Knights - Blane
(Angels of the Knights #2)
by Valerie Zambito

Summary from Goodreads:
Once the hunter, now the hunted. As the war with the Kjin rages, Blane Romero must lead the Paladin Knights against their mortal enemy while trying to protect the young, Juliet Hunter, who unwittingly finds herself entangled in their sinister schemes. Juliet cares only about shielding her young sisters from harm, but finds herself drawn to the enigmatic man who offers her much more than either he or she was prepared for.

Ostracized by the families they loved, Blane and Juliet find they have more in common than they thought as they battle demons both real and personal to stay together. But, will it be enough when the powerful Cesar Grant decides he wants Juliet for his own?

Book Two in the Angels of the Knights paranormal fantasy series.

The Liberator by Victoria Scott

Summary from Goodreads:
The official book blurb will be revealed April 2013. In the meantime, here's a note from Author Victoria Scott:

Hey guys! While I can't reveal many details yet, I will say this book was enormously emotional to write. More action, new characters, higher stakes, and a whole lot of sexy. I hope you enjoy reading the next chapter of Dante Walker's story!

By the way, Dante wants me to tell you..."Things only get darker from here, doll. Might want to hold my hand for this."