*I appologize for the late post of this lovely New Adult cover. The flu hit our house and hit me the hardest! Lovely cover Victoria, can't wait until April 2!

 

 

 

When Drake started the night at his father’s campaign fundraiser, he never imagined he’d end it being conned into buying drugs on the West Side. Losing high-stakes poker has its consequences, but he’d repeatedly face them just to hear Lacey Douglas sing. Drake sees Lacey light up the stage, and he has to have her. But his intentions for being on her side of town turn out to be the reason he can’t.

Chicago native Lacey has dreams of the opera, but life has its obstacles. Lacey has come to know her hardships as part of living in the real world and accepts them fully. When Lacey meets the intense and invigorating Drake, a fire is lit inside her, unleashing those dreams again.

Two paths that should have never crossed prove to create the exact pairing the other needs. But when their worlds take time to catch up, everything they have is tested. Finding the space between the two sides that challenge them will be hard, but it’s the only place that will keep them together.

 

Title: The Space Between

Author: Victoria H. Smith

Expected release date: April 2, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Cover Designer: Okay Creations

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

 

Goodreads     Book Trailer

 

 

Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters she writes give her an earful about it.

 

In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes.

 

Author Links: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Title: STRENGTH
Series: Mark of Nexus - Book 1
Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)
Release Date: March 07, 2013

 

When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, her rumor-laced notions are shattered. Handsome, considerate, and seemingly sane, Wallace Blake doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, screaming and banging on the walls of his dorm room. Hell, he doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, period.

Too curious for her own good, Rena vows to uncover the truth behind Wallace’s madman reputation—and how two seconds of contact had left her with bruises. Of course, there are a few setbacks along the way: guilt, admiration, feelings of the warm and fuzzy variety…

Not to mention the unwanted attention of Wallace's powerful, supernaturally-gifted family.

They’re a bloodline divided by opposing ideals, two soon-to-be warring factions that live in secret among us. When Rena ends up caught in their crossfire, Wallace has no choice but to save her by using his powers. Now they’re really in trouble. With war on the horizon and Rena’s life in the balance, he needs to put some distance between them. But Rena won’t let go. If fighting is what it takes to prove her own strength and keep Wallace in her life, then that’s what she’ll do—even if it means risking a whole lot more than her heart.

About the Author:

Carrie daydreamed her way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands, slapped a summa cum laude seal on the corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to go: writing out those daydreams.

 

You know those books you can't put down once you start reading? The one you keep thinking about after you've finished? That's how Strength is for me. Tiny, spunky, college girl Rena and tortured, mysterious, Mr.Tall-Dark-and-Handsome Wallace had me sucked in from the beginning. I love how upfront Rena is and her hilarious one liners. Wallace is a perfect gentleman, sweet, generous, and sexy as heck. One thing that did surprise me about the book was the hunky hero's name. I don't know about you, but when I think of someone named Wallace, I don't think rippling abs. Thanks to Carrie Butler, that has changed. Wallace is now going on my 'sexy name' list! I love how Rena slowly falls for Wallace and doesn't just cling to him from the beginning and how Wallace tries to keep his distance, but still gives in like a normal red-blooded male. Too often love stories in the YA/NA category consist of the girl falling all over the guy and the guy being too stuck up for the girl. That's so not the case here.

 

Overall Reaction: Loooooved it! Carrie Butler definitely knows how to write a story and I'm already anxious for the next book. (Which, according to her blog, she's working on now! *squeal*) This is definitely one to buy for the bookshelf. Have you seen the cover? Yum!

I'm sure everyone in the world of writing has heard of New Adult. Some people, like myself, are all for it, while others roll their eyes and throw tomatoes and lettuce at the thought. If you're wondering what New Adult is exactly, the girls at NA Alley explains it perfectly. You can find the link here. They are my favorite go-to site for anything concerning New Adult. While they do have an awesome blog, I must confess I love following them on Twitter. Each of them are funny, witty, clever, and just downright awesome. Every Thursday they have a Twitter chat (is that even the correct term?) where anyone can join in and chat about the topic of the week.

Back to my original topic, what's so great about New Adult? Well, here's my opinion on it. I love the innocence of a first kiss, the struggles of trying to find out who you are, and growth that takes place in YA books. I also love the steamier side that the Adult section brings out, the freedom of doing what you want, when you want, the confidence they seem to have. New Adult combines those two worlds.

The main characters are on their own, but they don't have experience to yet rely on. They're old enough to fall in love without worrying about what others think, but is it worth it to stay with that one person or catch some other fish in the sea? No longer do they have to sneak out at night, park in back roads to steal a kiss or cop a feel, they can go to their own apartments without looking over their shoulders for Mom or Dad. They have all these new freedoms and liberties thrust upon them. It's exciting, over-whelming, and fun. They also have responsibility thrown at them. You want your own apartment while you're at college? Better find a job. You have a huge test in the morning but the party of the year is tonight. Mom isn't there to take the blame when you call your friends and tell them you can't go.

It's the excitement of being an adult and trying to make your mark on the world. Mistakes are going to be made so lessons can be learned. Hearts will break, love will conquer all, anything can happen. The options are endless! I may also be a bit biased as I am in my mid-twenties, and in that New Adult stage where I'm still making mistakes to learn from. I don't consider myself an adult, but I know I've passed being a young adult (thank goodness!).

If you're looking for some fun New Adult reads, Goodreads has several lists of NA books. You can also join the New Adults Reading Challenge group at Goodreads. Look for me if you do! I also just received an ARC of Strength by Carrie Butler, one of the sisters of NA Alley. Have you seen the cover of it? Sexy, shirtless, rippling abs. Oh, yeah, I'm totally excited to read it! Review to come on that soon. Just out of curiosity, how many of you read book reviews?