The Ink Drinker

         Wicked Beat by far the sweetest of the Sinners' books. Eric Sticks has always been the guy on the side, watching as his band members bang groupies. But when it comes to Rebekah Blake, Eric doesn't want to watch...he wants to play. While Rebekah's brother Dave is recovery from his accident Rebekah takes over as the Sinners' new sound board operator. Even with his sometimes-brutal honesty, Eric is having a hard time getting Rebekah to commit to him when she obviously has her eyes set on bad boy Trey Mills. Caught between two hot guys Rebekah's choice isn't hard to make, especially when Eric's sense of humor so closely matches her own. The only question is, can she open up about the one thing that could jeopardize any chance at a relationship?  

       Oliva Cunning's newest novel, Wicked Beat, is full of that humor that only Eric Sticks can pull off but is also loaded with hot sex...sex that involves lots of toys and role play. Cunning never fails to go above and beyond readers expectations. Sinfully good. 

*I received an advanced reader's copy through NetGalley. Wicked Beat won't be available for sale until Aug, 6th, 2013.

Sometimes it's nice to let others pick out your next read!

What are some of YOUR favorite books?

I'll pick one of them to read next!

        It's not a secret that I'm a horrible student. But my poor school ethics have finally caught up with me and long story short, I'm not going back to school. At least not for the moment. I plan to return as a part-time student and work towards a buisness degree so I can continue to work in bookstores throughout my life and hopefully manage/own one one day.

        The good news is, is that I'm officially a full-time bookseller at a wonderful indie bookstore. So in a way, my life feels like a dream. How many 19 year olds have this beautiful oppurtuinity standing right in front of them? My job has done so much for me. I'm even in the process of trying to sort out a schedule so I can go to BEA next Friday. (For those who don't know, BEA stands for Book Expo of America. Look it up, it's awesome.) Long story short, school sucks, indie bookstores rock, and my life is terrifying. 

        But you see, something happens when you decide to drop-out of college, even if it's a temporary thing. (Can I just say, I hate the phrase "drop-out".) Family members look at you a little funny and start to ask questions you really just don't want to answer.

        Of course, I understand the hesitance people radiate when you tell them that you're a college drop out. Society has made it extremley difficult to find high-paying jobs for those with only a high school diploma. Going to college isn't really a decision anymore, it's just something you do after high school. It's expected. And if there's one thing society hates, its people who do the unexpected. 

        All that being said, I feel really liberated with my decision. Life feels good and kind of scary. Even with working full time, I have about 2-3 days off a week and that's a lot of free time to fill up. With this realization, I immediately start brainstorming adventures. There are so many places to visit, museums to explore, resturants to try out, bookstores to longue in, and people to meet along the way. 

        To be sitting at home all the time, scrolling through the assortment of social networking sites I tend to, would be too depressing. I wish I could thank who-ever said, "There's a difference between soical networking and wasting your fucking life." I don't want to waste my life. Hell, if I had the guts to, I would backpack across the U.S. I've always wanted my life to be a big adventure. 

       So what am I going to do with extra time?

       I'm going to make to try and make the best of it. I'm going to write a novel, go on day trips whenever I can, and work extra hard at the store because I want to prove to everyone that I was made to be in this industry and I plan to stay in it. 

         I was hesitant to start Walking Disaster after loving Beautiful Disaster so much but after whipping through the ARC I can honestly say that I loved Walking Disaster more than the first! McGuire answers all the questions I raised about Travis' sometimes obsessive personality in this fast-paced and romantic read. I found Travis' point of view more interesting, especially his obsverations of Abby.

       Those who have read Jamie McGuire's first novel will be pleased to find out that despite following the same plot line, this fresh point of view makes the reader feel as if they're reading Abby and Travis' story for the first time. Walking Disaster is full of the same sexual tension and romance that readers initally fell in love with, but McGuire wraps up this hot novel with the most satisifying epilogue that wasn't included in Beautiful Disaster. Perfect fast, pleasurable read.

Received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley.

Having only watched a few of Anis Mojangi's performances, I was curious to see how his words played out on the page versus his oral readings. Make no mistake, Mojangi's words are just as powerful on the page as they are on the stage. This collection of poems is so unique and powerful that I found myself only reading a couple at a time at night when there weren't any background noises to distract me. The messages weaved into the poetry will surely linger with the readers days after they've been read. Easily one of my new favorite collections.

Trapped in a world where girls only live to be 20 years old and boys just reaching 25, Rhine Ellery doesn’t want to spend her last years as a sister wife and a first wife to a man she doesn’t love. But as Rhine knows, the world is cruel and so she’s thrown into an extravagant mansion and excepted to play the dutiful role of first wife to her new husband, Linden. While Rhine grows to care for her sister wives, her feelings towards her husband are indifferent. She plays her role very well and sometimes it’s even hard for her to know whether she’s putting on an act or not. The thought of her caring for Linden at all is ridiculous, she’s been forced there after all, forced to be separated from her twin brother, the only family she has left. 

The only spark of light in this dark situation is a caring housekeeper, Gabriel. Between stealing kisses and June Beans, they make a plan to escape. Which, of course, is much, much easier said than done. 

I loved the world that DeStefano has created, she’s put a unique twist on your average dystopian novel. Rhine is a strong female character that doesn’t flatter under pressure. It was so refreshing to read a novel where the main female protagonist isn’t a damsel in distress! I can’t wait to see where Rhine ends up next!

I began reading “Beautiful Disaster” knowing that the characters probably had a broken past or their share of daddy issues. Classic tragic romance stuff. But holy cow, I didn’t except a classic dark, romantic outline to be done with such a twist. Everything I love about a romance was there. By far, the best romance novel I’ve ever read. McGuire’s characters are flawed but so passionate and fiercely raw that I found myself staying up until 6 in the morning just to know what happens! Abby Abernathy isn’t the usual innocent female protagonist you find in a majority of romance novels. She has an edge to her that few people know about. She moved to Eastern University to escape her past but Eastern’s popular ladies’ man, Travis Maddox sets his eyes on Abby and suddenly she’s falling for the very guy who reminds her so much of the past she’s trying to escape from. 

Travis and Abby are anything but perfect.

They’re a beautiful disaster. 

I don’t usually “fan-girl” but this book had me near tears at some points and then giggling like a school girl at others. I fell totally in love with the characters and their personal stories. I loved this book!

Hannah Payne is used to a life devoted to God and her family. But a secret affair results in an unwanted pregnancy. Abortions are illegal in the state of Texas though that doesn’t stop Hannah. She’s caught and punished for her crime, forced to have her skin genetically altered to the color red, for murder. Disowned from her family and pushed to the fringes of society Hannah is determined to make a better life for herself. But at what cost? Jordan’s futuristic world is terrifying and eye opening all at once. Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Scarlett Letter will fall in love with Hannah Payne and understand just how important her story is to women everywhere.