Pimpin' The Indies and Guest Blogger Monday!!

Ahhh!! SO excited to not only Pimp out one of our favorite Indies, but we have our first ever guest Blogger!

Well lets get this party started! E.L. Montes and her debut novel Disastrous, which is on sale right now, for all of $0.99 on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble! How great is that right?!

Amazon $0.99 This week only!

B&N $0.99 This week only!

Add to your Goodreads!










Lets start everyone off with our wonderful guest Blogger Kathy Womack of Romantic Reading Escapes (be sure to check out her blog!). She has a wonderful review of Disastrous, and here it is:

4.5 stars! E.L. Montes has just reminded me why I love Indie authors so much! I don't know if it was the white-knuckling I did to my iPad while reading the prologue...yes, white-knuckling at the proglogue, people!... or because I love all things mafia and romance, and Disastrous combined both to give me an exciting reading experience. This book has it all...drama, romance, secrets, mystery, betrayal, angst, and twists that will have you pulling your hair out by chunks. 

Mia has lost everyone she ever loved. She only has one friend, Jeremy. This girl breaks my heart and sends it into the wood chipper to grind it into sawdust! BUT...she is one tough and smart chicka, attending law school and making lemonade from the lemons she was dished at a young age. She can hold her own and speaks what she feels with no holds barred, even when it comes to Marcus.

"F*%k you! You want to know who I am, Marcus. Well here it goes! I am temperamental, over-sensitive, and outspoken. I’m honest! I cry at stupid love movies, and I'm a sucker for a romantic novel. I don’t allow people to walk all over me, I have trust issues, and I have insecurities. I’ve slept with four men in my entire life! And the one thing I don’t do is take sh#t from men who try to act like they’re better than me as if they don’t have any hidden skeletons! I’m not keeping sh*t hidden, how ‘bout you? You can f*%k off. I'll find my own way home. Have a nice f*%king life!"

Marcus DeLuca is nothing short of Marcus Delectable! I drool heavily over this man! He is young, successful, gorgeous, and has it all. Did I mention gorgeous? But, he only has eyes for one girl...Mia. He doesn't really know how to have a relationship with anyone, because he's never dated before...until Mia. When they are on, Mia and Marcus light the pages on fire. When they are off, they are the most dysfunctional mess that sucks all the life energy from your body. It's like an 18-wheeler barreling down the road headed straight for the runaway baby carriage! I was exhausted! Mia was so right...being with Marcus even drained me! 

"Being with Marcus DeLuca was draining, frustrating, confusing, and extraordinary all at the same time."

But, he was all kinds of sexy and swoon worthy. *sigh* 

Letting out a deep breath, he pressed his forehead down to mine. With his eyes closed, he whispered, "That’s what love is … It’s scary not knowing what’s expected, but I know it’ll be the best frightening love we've ever had."

What makes this book really stand out for me is the story. Not the sex. Not the angst. Not the secrets or betrayal. Albeit, I love all of those things in a book, but the story of Mia and Marcus, itself, is beautiful. The lines are romantic, the story is realistic, and the characters are grand. Disastrous, the book, is defined as a mix of all my emotions thrown into a cement mixer and then poured out to see which ones are shredded and which are salvageable. E.L. Montes has given the world something special with Disastrous, and it's only the beginning. I look forward to Cautious, the sequel to this beautiful book, coming in May, 2013.

What an amazing review! I think it is time for me to curl up with a glass of wine and get acquainted with Mr. Marcus DeLuca. I have yet to read this book ( Bella a.k.a Cheap Cab. --C.C. for short :P ), I know shame on me. Well Babes, In honor of Disastrous, and of course our friend Ms. Montes, I will be personally be gifting two e-copies! Just simply leave a comment on this blog post! Good Luck Babes!! 

Join us on the Collide Event Page!

Join us HERE for converstion with us and with Gail!!

Last Stop on the Collide Blog Tour!!!

Welcome Babes! We are so excited to be the last stop on this amazing tour. We are giddy with excitement at the thought of all of you having your very own copy of Collide by Gail McHugh. She is a wonderfully talented author, and she sure did show it in her debut release! We want to make sure you know how to find one of our favorite Indies, so here is her info below. 

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Please Join us at Noon EST for  some fun trivia and prizes!!

Here is Mel's (a.k.a Books) Review:

I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review...


Attracting, compelling, colliding, their chemistry-to say the least-was explosive. 

Where to begin? 

Emily Cooper is a beautiful young woman who is as unmistakably genuine as she is decidedly naive...

Emily


She has just lost her mother to cancer and is moving away from her small town to join her boyfriend, Dillon Parker, in New York. Dillon has been there for her in every way imaginable when it came to her mother's illness. Flying back and forth with her without complaint, comforting her during her loss, and even helping with the funeral arrangements and costs...

Dillon


She's now graduated college and is looking for a job in her field, enjoying the culture and life of the big city... That is, until, she runs into Gavin Blake...

Gavin


(At this moment I would just like to say that Mr. Gavin Blake is definitely one of my top book boys! DEFINITELY...) And here is why...

"Jesus!" she let out louder than anticipated.
"No, it's Gavin. Gavin Blake," he deadpanned, reaching for a beer from a six-pack on the floor. "Although, in certain private one-on-one situations, I've been referred to as God," he laughed."

Gavin is a charmer. He's rich, handsome, and confident. They usually are right? However, there was something different about Gavin. Anytime he was in the story, I found that I was smiling like a chesire cat. He's just an all around loveable guy...


Emily now has a boyfriend whom she loves and this handsome stranger who will stop at nothing to get to know her. She knows where she stands though, she is not one to be dishonest to the very man who was there for her in her most trying time...

As luck would have it, Emily does in fact get to know Gavin and be in his life. Not because she chose to, but because mutual friends make themselves known...Their chemistry and banter was definitely laugh out loud worthy and some of the moments they shared as friends just left you swooning even more over Gavin... Especially when they play their little game out on the porch one night and it turns into a "thing" for them..Every time I see a beer bottle cap now, it holds a very special place in my heart...



What happens though, when the choices you make turn out to be so completely life altering, you're not sure if your original plan was the path you were supposed to follow?

That kiss had been devastating, painful, euphoric, and everything else she had imagined it would be-all wrapped into one. 



Emily, Dillon and Gavin's story was an interesting one. With twists and turns throughout up until the end. I'm not going to lie, sometimes I wanted to slap Emily for her choices (or lack thereof) and sometimes I wanted to tell her to just go for it. Other times, I wanted to punch Dillon in the face. Literally. Punch. Him. In. The. Face...



HOWEVER, I embraced all of the characters and their flaws, even the ones I could definitely do without...

Sometimes being in a relationship because it seems like the "right thing" to do, doesn't always make it the healthiest choice. Emily had some decisions to make concerning her happiness and what she thought her happiness entailed...

Life and love isn't always simple. Often it's beyond complicated. Emily's story was about finding a balance, believing in herself, and knowing when to say enough is enough. She had the help of great friends and a very loving sister...

This book had a little bit of everything to keep you wanting more and be forewarned, you will not see a resolution to the story by the end..with that said, it's so worth the read! 4.5 stars from me for a job well done!

Emily's life went from simple to chaotic in no time flat. She doubts herself and feels, at times, like her world is crumbling apart because of the decisions she's made. I loved the advice her best friend gave her, letting her know that even though things aren't always black and white, it doesn't mean that it needs to get the best of you and make you doubt your self worth...

..."Sometimes bad choices bring us to the right people, Emily."...

Review by ~Books~ (Mel) "Disastrous" by E. L. Montes

Disastrous by E.L. Montes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Marcus DeLuca had to be a dangerous man because I was caving in too soon; it was just too soon to feel this attachment, to feel and want him so desperately. When something seems to good to be true, it's exactly that.

...Mia didn't stand a chance against Marcus' charms. Lesbehonest...

Mia Sullivan is a first year law student at Harvard who has worked hard to be at the top of her class. She is a loner whose mother walked out on her when she was a baby and whose brother and father have both passed. She is strong willed, beautiful, smart, and responsible. She has an amazing roommate, Jeremy, who is a very charming playboy, but also the best and only friend she has. Finishing her first year, her professor has put in an application for her to extern at one of the top law firms in the city...

It happens to be the DeLuca firm...She and Marcus meet as a happenstance at a club and the rest is basically history...There is something so intoxicating about Mia to Marcus, she is unlike any of the women who throw themselves at him normally; she is basically a breath of fresh air..

"You see, Mia, for a long time I haven't had anything like that: honesty, innocence, and pureness. After seeing it through your eyes, I never wanted or needed it more in my life."

I loved the dynamics of their relationship, they were quickly and helplessly drawn to each other... But there is a side of Marcus that Mia is kept from. A dark and dangerous secret that he constantly keeps hidden from her. She becomes aware of changes in his behavior, him leaving at late hours, sometimes cancelling and often agitated upon his return. It takes a lot for her to get him to open up, but he doesn't completely...

The prologue was intense, the story was interesting, and it had moments that practically broke my heart. I cried at things that were revealed and devastated at the outcome of said revelations. I read this book in almost one sitting because I couldn't put it down! I was gripped with their story and was also rooting for their happily ever after. There were characters I loved (his family, was amazing), and characters I loathed and made no secret about wanting very bad things to happen to them...

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it! Passion, heartache, laughter, tears, drama, intrigue. Disastrous had it ALL..and left you wanting more. This book leaves you with a cliffhanger and I am anxiously awaiting the sequel!

4.5 solid stars from me! Can love conquer all? Can the amount of love you have for someone take place of everything that seems to be trying to keep you apart? No matter how frightening it is to take that leap, would you take that leap for the one you love? I loved that Marcus was new to whole idea of love, but made no qualms about letting Mia know just how special she was:

Marcus and Mia




"That's what love is....It's scary not knowing what's expected, but I know it'll be the best frightening love we've ever had."

View all my reviews

Pimpin' the Indies Monday! Author Ashley Wilcox

Today we will be pimping out Ashley Wilcox and her book Planning on Forever.

Synopsis:

Collin and Alexa are the perfect couple; gorgeous, popular and hopelessly in love. With graduation day nearing and college life on the horizon, Collin flirts with infidelity and loses everything he has with Alexa.

Brokenhearted and single, Alexa meets sexy Nolan Pratt. She can’t deny the attraction and pull that he has over her.

Not being able to accept the fact that he has lost Alexa forever, Collin focuses all his attention on his second love, football, in an attempt to move on.

Will Collin be able to win Alexa’s heart back or will he find that his first love isn't the love of his life?

Sounds like a sweet and sexy read! Don't miss out it on sale right now,
this read can be yours for the very special price of $0.99 on Amazon! Here is your link: Planning on Forever

Review by Bella: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

WARNING: May contain spoilers!(Maybe :P)


Sometimes you stumble upon a book that makes you really take a look at your life. This my friends was one of them. We've all had those people in our lives that have done something to hurt us, and we all have to decide what to do with that hurt. 

K.A. Tucker really showed her readers what the stages of grief can really look like. True hurt, anger, rage, hopelessness....

Ten Tiny Breaths follows Kacey Cleary as she tries to piece her life back together after a tragic accident takes her mom, dad, boyfriend and best-friend. She is left in the care of her aunt and uncle, along with her younger sister, Livie. That is until... well, lets just say that arrangement isn't going to work anymore.

Kace is a really just a shell of her former self....

"Nothing but ten tiny breaths holds the rest of me together."



You can really feel the anger, the grief, Her rage. She is "comfortably" numb, and is determined to stay that way. To pretty much reject any new relationship, to keep the iron walls around her heart...

 

Life, of course has a different plan for Kacey. She met her angels in the form of a Storm and her little girl Mia, and maybe a hot boy by the name of Trent. *le sigh* Although, she really didn't know, or even want to think about getting close to anyone. They all finagle themselves into places Kacey thought where long gone and dead four years before. 

Trent seems to ignite the very deep corners of Kacey's heart that she thought were gone. She doesn't understand why she wants him to touch her.... to hold her hand and never let go. This unnerves her... he unravels her... 

"Let me make you smile..."



I could review the crap out of this read, but I fear I've given too much away already. Just go get this book NOW, and make it the next thing you read. It will be one of your favorites for sure. It is such a beautiful journey you won't regret. 

Collide BLOG-TOUR!!

We are so excited to be a part of this Blog tour! Gail Mchugh's Collide will be released on January 21, 2013!! The blog tour will make it's final stop here at BBCC, so don't miss out on the fun and prizes!

New Reads!

The first new read that I would like to introduce is Miss Me Not by Tiffany King.

Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

They had a pact. 
Leave the world behind much as they had lived it.
No one would miss them. No harm, no foul.
Their personal demons would be left behind once and for all. 
It was the only thing they could count on. 
It was all she had.

Madison Hanson has spent the last four years being a "shadow." Her parents ignore her. The students at her school stopped talking to her years ago, and the majority of her teachers forget she's even there. In her desperate yearning to leave her invisible life behind, Madison makes a pact with her only friend, James Garrison, to end their lives as inconspicuously as they live them. No fuss, no muss. No one would miss her and she would miss no one. Their plan is set, and it's all she can count on. That is, until fellow student, Mitch Peterson, beats them to the punch. Everything Madison believed in is shaken to the core when she watches the aftermath of Mitch's death unfold. By taking his own life, Mitch unwittingly saves hers. What a selfish prick. 

She is now left with the daunting task of living. Trying to bury her demons once and for all, and finally trusting someone with her fragile existence. 

Living is hell.
Death would have been so much easier.


It is now on sale on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for only $0.99! Here are your links, don't miss out on this great deal!!

Amazon: Miss Me Not
Barnes and Noble: Miss Me Not


And the second author is Melissa Brown. Her second book, Champagne Toast, was released today!

Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)

Kate Armour and Evan Maxwell fell hard and fast for each other while attending college. Their once passionate and loving relationship ended when old scars eventually tore them apart. Two years after their breakup, they're each struggling to piece together what went wrong in an attempt to move forward.

Kate, a no-nonsense bartender, must face her past while attempting to focus on her future.

Evan is stifled by his bitter heart, which threatens each and every relationship he attempts after walking away from Kate.

Will life offer them a second chance at love or are old patterns simply too hard to break?

This is the highly anticipated spin off of Melissa Brown's, Bouquet Toss. Now go buy them!! :) Here are your links!

Amazon: 
Bouquet Toss
Champagne Toast

Review by Mel: On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

Now also available on Paperback!!

Jesus C!


Braden Carmichael has got to be one of the hottest book boys I've read since Kellan Kyle AND Christian Grey. Yes. You read that correctly. Braden Carmichael had my "knickers" in a twist from the moment his sexy Scottish accent entered my life... 

"Most women would be taking advantage of my imprisonment in the taxi with them-chew my ear off, shove their phone number in my face...as well as other things."
"Wow, you really think a lot of yourself."
He grinned back at me, his teeth white but imperfect and his crooked smile sent an unfamiliar shot of feeling across my chest."I'm just speaking from experience."

Knickers. Twisted.

Jocelyn "Joss" Butler is trying to escape a tragic past. She is private, she doesn't get close to people, she doesn't speak about her family or friends, and is perfectly fine keeping it that way. 

Joss needs to find a new place and as luck would have it, she answers an ad for a place on Dublin Street which brings her to Ellie. Ellie is fun, beautiful, kindhearted, eccentric and easy to get along with. I personally fell in love with Ellie upon meeting her. 

"It's not about her strength. Maybe it's the way she looks or talks that fools people into thinking Ellie's fragile. I know different. Ellie can take the bad stuff and bounce back better than anyone I know."

As happenstance would have it, Ellie is Braden's younger sister. Of all the dumb luck. You think you run into a hottie and are done with it? Not for good old Joss.

Throughout the book, we are taken back and forth through Joss' inner turmoil of her past and how it has affected her. We also have a very perceptive Braden who seems to be able to read her very well and call her out on her bullshit. It is definitely not what she bargained for...

"But you...I think you've made an art form out of deflection and self-possession."

She wants simple, unattached, uncomplicated. Braden, oh Braden. He can work with that. He is as possessive as he is sexy and it is HOT.

He took a seething step toward me. "When it comes to you...I don't like to share."

Dirty talk? Absolutely. 

"That's all it takes to make me hard," he told me softly, his lips brushing my ear. "You: saying my name."


Are you intrigued yet? You should be. It wasn't all dirty talk and possessiveness (although I would be okay with that too), as with any "relationship" you argue and you banter...

"Sex and holidays."
"Uh, what?"
"I'm making a list of things that make you agreeable." I scoffed, pushing my foot into his leg, "And all you got is sex and vacations?"
"The length of the list is not my fault."

Okay so I know it seems I went a little quote happy with this review, but you should see my Kindle. There were so many highlight worthy moments in this book. 

On Dublin Street was a brilliant mix of passion, love, and trust. How does one deal with inner demons? Jocelyn was taken on a personal journey of how to overcome all of her insecurities and doubts with Braden being a big player in helping her do so. No matter the ups and downs, curve balls will always at some point be thrown your way...

But life wasn't a Hollywood movie. Shit happened. You fought, you screamed, and somehow you worked like hell to get out the other side still intact. 

This book would get WAY more than 5 stars if I could, it is easily one of my favorite books!! EVER.

Book Review by Mel: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

They say there's a place you go when you die
Perhaps it's full of life, laughter, and loved ones
Perhaps there's no light, no laughter; only darkness
Perhaps it's a place you've never seen before
Or perhaps it's a place familiar to you...
You can't know unless you've survived death
Survived and come back;
But what if...what if upon returning to life
All you've discovered is that you're still dead?
Walking around aimlessly with no purpose
Walking around and simply just existing
What if existing is all you have?
What if the pain is too unbearable, to all consuming?
What if the mask you've put up is not only to protect yourself
But to protect others as well?

They say there's a place you go when you die
Perhaps it's full of life, laughter, and loved ones
Perhaps it's a place you've never seen before
Or perhaps it's a place familiar to you...
It's impossible to know what it means to come back
A survivor. Alive. Breathing. Living.
But although you've been revived again
Moving. Alive. Breathing.And living.
Who's to say you're still not actually dead?...MLD



It doesn't matter if you do everything right, if you dress the right way and act the right way and follow all the rules, because evil will find you anyway. Evil's resourceful that way. 

Nastya Kashinov. A beautiful, damaged, and shattered individual. She's dead; murdered in the figurative sense and has no intentions of ever resurfacing to the girl she once was. To keep her identity a mystery to others, she's moved to a city two hours away from where tragedy stuck and effectively ended her life. No one knows who this new girl is...All they know is that she wears clothes too tight, too short, always has her hair around her face, and a thick coat of "black shit" constantly rimming her eyes to hide anyone knowing or wanting to figure her out...Oh yes and Nastya? She doesn't speak. To anyone. Ever.

I haven't said a word to another living person in 452 days. 




...Although most stories have the one hero of the book, this one had two heroes. Heroes in their very own way...

Drew Leighton. The residential playboy of the school. One of the few who isn't afraid to flirt and charm the girl in school who doesn't speak. I loved Drew for many reasons. Although he comes off as just a charmer, he really does have a good heart. I found his constant shameless innuendos towards Nastya amusing to say the least...

I lifted my head I couldn't help but see him and his I-can-make-you-a-woman eyes and his I-know-what-you-look-like-under-your-clothes smirk 

Drew also happens to be best friends with the school outcast, Josh Bennett. A guy who's had a shit time at life, losing everyone he cares about at a young age and trying to make the best of it. He is surrounded by his own force field in which no one speaks to him or pays him any attention...

I wonder what it will take for her to pick up on the fact that she lives in the same world as everybody else, and in that world, people leave me the fuck alone. 

Josh's escape since he was a child has been building things. His shop class and lessons from his father have been his therapy throughout his life. His favorite place is working in his garage, if need be, to all hours of the night. He's sarcastic, dejected, and very much a loner...

While Josh's therapy is building, Nastya's is running; and one night her running in an unknown place and paying very little attention to her surroundings brings her to a house that is familiar to her, familiar in a way she can't possibly explain, but nonetheless it's there, ingrained in her, causing her to gravitate towards it. And the house she gravitates towards? Josh Bennett's. That first night showing up at his house unknowingly while he's working in the garage will have been the moment that changed both of their lives. Permanently...




What happens when you deem your self worth so low, you can't imagine that someone, anyone would want to hold you? Kiss you? Love you? What happens when you've diluted yourself into thinking and feeling that you want no one in this world to see you for who you really are? When people aren't allowed in? When you hide everything that is true about yourself? When you have secrets so incredibly dark, that it's all that surrounds you? Your thoughts? Your existence?...

Nastya was so many things, most of all fragile. In fearing life in general, she believes that she doesn't need love, nor does she want it. While she's lost sight of everything she is or can be, others see her for what they believe she could be. Wanting to help fix her, even if she doesn't want to be fixed...

"Wishes. You only get one with a cake, and even that you only get if you blow out all the candles, which is kind of shitty because it's your birthday and there shouldn't be a contingency on a wish."

There was so much to be said for Nastya's story. Trying to fully grasp the darkness that has consumed her, the situations that made me smile, the ones that made me gasp, and the ones that ultimately left me heart broken, was a feat. It was a journey that I became completely invested in and in going along on that journey with Nastya, Josh and Drew I felt like a part of the story and it was assuredly worth all of the emotions I felt throughout... It was stunningly touching, brilliantly written, emotionally scarring, and provokingly thoughtful. It is a 5 star read through and through...

No one knows what hand they will be dealt in life. Even if the hand you have been dealt is one that has shattered your entire being, and murdered your purpose in life, is it possible to move forward? Is it possible to smile again? To speak again? Could you ever learn to love or be loved? Would you be able to forgive those who had a hand in your misery? In the reason why you garner so much hatred? The Sea of Tranquilty told a story about a girl without a future who met a boy on the road to complete isolation and how paths cross for a reason. How fate can bring people in your life to help heal when you didn't think it was possible, when you didn't feel you needed it, and when you truly believed you didn't deserve it.

Even for the most broken of people, happiness is always deserved. Even for the lost souls who have no idea how to get back, happiness is deserved. When tragedy strikes, could you or would you be able to move forward? In getting to know, love and care for Nastya, Josh believed that one day, it could be possible...

"There's got to be a better story. Because we deserve one. Youdeserve one.".........And if my Sea of Tranquility were real, it would be this place, here....."Your garage." 

Book Review by Bella: Red Flags by C.C. Brown

Are you KIDDING me right NOW!?! I am totally flabbergasted. Red Flags by C.C. Brown was cute, fun, steamy, and SCANDALOUS!!

I love the way C.C. Brown is so descriptive! I really felt like I was in each scene, yes, even the hawt ones *winks* This was a super easy story to get engulfed in, and it kept you on your toes, for sure. 

Now, I will say that the way Jason and Cara got together was definitely something out of a movie, or maybe if you believe in "love" at first sight. I was a little taken back with their first encounter, but it made sense and the events to follow really do spin off that pivotal moment. 

Jason is really in a league all his own, I really had a love/hate relationship with him. I want to love him, but he can really be a ROYAL pain in the ass. I know that he means well, and really loves Cara..... or does he? His sweet gestures, his All-American boy smile, and his Adonis like body really take him a long way... I'm tell you, you will love to hate him and hate to love him... no doubt. 

This is totally a must read, you want a whirl-wind, something that you have to really try to wrap your head around... this is your next book! 
Can't wait for the second book, I have to know what's in store for Jason and Cara.

Hello Babes!

Hi Everyone!
We are Mel, Bella and Karinna, the faces behind Books, Babes and Cheap Cabernet...


We love to read books, talk about books, and swoon over book boys..Some might say it's an unhealthy obsession, however, we know genuine book nerds such as ourselves will agree when we say there is NOTHING better than getting lost in a great read!

We are here to share our recommendations, reviews, and opinions on any and all genres! We welcome any suggestions you may have and are eager to take 2013 by storm!

We hope that you all will join us as we embark on this new journey and what we hope will be a favorite spot for our readers and supporters to come to!



Happy New Year's Babes! Thanks for stopping by, showing your support and helping us make 2013 the best year to date!