It actually came out earlier this week... but I had to be 'fashionably late'. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Now the first book I just LOVED in this series; book two was *awkward flail* - let's just stick with it was. There are too many 'feels' to unravel at the moment on Liabilities. At one point, I was brazenly saying, "I don't care what happens now!"
Bull. Shit. I care; I can't help but care. I must know what happens, and I really won't be able to stay away. Let's just sum it up for me in two words:
Team Kalen.
*RahRahRah*
Equity Book Blurb
The conclusion to the trilogy…
Caught in a deadly game, all Bailey’s mistakes seem like
mere useless moments. If she could to go back in time, would she make the same
choices? All these thoughts are hopeless if she doesn’t survive the game where
she is a mere pawn.
Kalen is resolute to save Bailey no matter the cost to his
bank account or his heart. He’s forced into a partnership with unlikely allies
and comes face to face with foes from his past. None of it matters if he loses
the woman he loves.
Can love balance the scales of two hearts torn asunder?
Equity is the difference between their assets and the liabilities they’ve
created. Will desire be the glue to bind them together or the catalyst that
tears them apart?
This installment is told from both POV of Bailey and Kalen.
Shannon’s first love is reading,
diving into other realities to explore and brave new worlds. To share her
writing is the best experience of all. She writes books about teen romance
whether paranormal or contemporary. She also has a steamy adult series. When
Shannon isn't writing she loves to shop and watch horror movies that make
turning out the lights seem like a stupid idea. You can explore more about her
at her website www.shannondermott.com, on facebook, goodreads and twitter.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows up her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking It, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights.
In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.
Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.
But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.
Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.
Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.
And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.
By now, if you've been following my reviews, you should know that I am a BIG fan of Cora Carmack. (If you didn't - now you do.) I love the real, awkward characters she brings to life. I love that I feel like these characters could walk right off the pages and be a (former) dorm neighbor, someone you bumped into at a party or a football game, or even church. I always feel connected and sympathetic, if not empathetic to Cora's heroes and heroines... sometimes, it's like Cora reached right into my head and pulled stuff out.
OK, so I'm going to try to put my 'fan-girling' aside for a moment to give some solid reasons why I adore All Lined Up:
♦ College - It was one of the best times of my life, and I adore reading about college. It reminds me of all the fun and shenanigans I used to get into!
♦ Awkward - I adore that Dallas is not perfect, not a virgin, not socially adept, bookish; she and I (and Stella, too, for that matter) totally would have been friends.
♦ No 'Insta-Love' - Insta-attraction, yes. But how often in life are you really going to find people that really do that insta-love thing, slim to none is how often. Attraction, extreme attraction, if totally swallow-able and believable.
♦ Banter - I love me some snarky banter. Love it like dogs love peanut butter. Romeo IS a tool!
I just can't shout it from the rooftops loud enough - I LOVE ALL LINED UP!
Have I mentioned yet- even the 'support' cast is awesome beyond belief. Now, this man or may not be 'controversial' ... but I can see Silas finding the pathway to pants, er, heart, in the future. Sure, there is some early asshattery - but I can already feel the future scorch he'll likely leave on me. And Stella. STELLA! Stella puts the awesome in awesomesauce. She is irreverent, and snarky, and a 'good' bad girl. I'm totally jiggy with her 'Stamps of Approval' and absolutely hope we see her again (maybe with a book of her own someday?)
Now on to Carson and Dallas. *Sigh* First off, I have this 'thing' for red hair (my mother was a red-head) - there are not enough stories out there with gingers - so Dallas, you rock those fiery locks! Okay, time to move on to Mr. Responsible Carson. It's like he's that 'bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks' but he's not really that bad boy, he was just pigeon-holed that way because of circumstance. And while you cannot fault his ethics, or his heart despite his own fight against it... he's such a good guy. I'm not talking that 'kiss-of-death' designation that thereby destroys relationships; he really is jut so heart-felt, so driven, but also believes he has to earn his rewards. I'm rooting for Dallas and Carson. I WANT them to be each other's reward. They deserve it, and even fight against it. I think ultimately, above all else, it's their battle against giving in to their own attraction and distraction that wins me over. Well, that, and the snark; "sweet baby Jesus riding a unicorn", the snark is a heady, heady thing.
*I was gifted a copy of All Lined Up from Cora Carmack in exchange for my unbiased opinion. While I am a self-promclaimed Cora Carmack fangirl, I will not say I loved a book unless I loved the darned book. I've purchased my own copy, and I won't spend my hard-earned money on books I don't love, or think I'll love.*
OK... I also have to share a quick *SQUEE* moment...
Guess what is at the back of the book? No really, guess.
Did you see the underline? I almost peed! That is me! *Starts chanting* Cora knows my full name! Cora knows my full name! *Awkward Flail* Cora Carmack has reached (long ago, really) auto-buy status with me - as soon as I get wind of a new release it's added to my 'TBR' mountain. Well, more like the short list than the mountain. She is my rock star, and I her tenacious stalker, er, fangirl.
Cora Carmack Bio:
Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.
Rick and Abby grew up together, became best friends, and ultimately fell in love. Circumstance tore them apart in their early teens, though, and they went on to lives less idyllic than they dreamed about in those early days. Rick has had a very successful career, but his marriage flat-lined. Abby has a magical daughter, Paige, but Paige's father nearly destroyed Abby's spirit.
Now fate has thrown Rick and Abby together again. In their early thirties, they are more world-weary than they were as kids. But their relationship still shimmers, and they're hungry to make up for lost time. However, Paige, now nine, is not nearly as enthusiastic. She's very protective of the life she's made with her mother and not open to the duo becoming a trio. Meanwhile, Rick has very little experience dealing with kids and doesn't know how to handle Paige. This leaves Abby caught between the two people who matter the most to her. What happens when the life you've dreamed of remains just inches from your grasp?
Pressed Pennies is a nuanced, intensely romantic, deeply heartfelt story of love it its many incarnations, relationships in their many guises, and family in its many meanings. It is the most accomplished and moving novel yet from a truly great storyteller of the heart.
"Pressed Pennies is priceless! Steve Manchester has an obvious love of words and an amazing ability to use those words to create lasting images in the reader's mind. His detail-oriented, richly drawn characters and descriptions make this story leap off the pages."- Joyce Handzo, In the Library Reviews
"Pressed Pennies is a warm, lovely story about generosity, unconditional love and acceptance, and a celebration of family." - Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today
"An exceptional story about family, life and love...Pressed Pennies examines family life at a much simpler time" -Books2Mention Magazine
"From Steven Manchester and the wonderful characters of Pressed Pennies, we learn about real life and true love…and that you can go back." - Phyllis Muhlhauser, Romance Book Cafe
I've found his writing surprises and enthralls me - even if I'm a little skeptical at the onset of my reading. Alas, my current schedule is not allowing the precious reading time I need to get to this book, but it's definitely going on my TBR mountain.
About this author
Steven Manchester is the author of the The Rockin' Chair (to be released June 18th), as well as the #1 best seller, Twelve Months (2013 San Francisco Book Festival award winner). He is also the author of Goodnight, Brian, A Christmas Wish, Pressed Pennies, The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy, Jacob Evans, and several books under the pseudonym, Steven Herberts. His work has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS's The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly News. Recently, three of Steven's short stories were selected "101 Best" for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or his four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.
Mercy is a girl who thinks she's a good girl, but really she's
not.
Then she thinks that she's a bad girl, but really she's not.
Gradually she discovers who she really is, and the answer shocks
everybody, especially her parents.
In the meantime, Mercy lives in a nation that thinks that it's a
sturdy, well-seated nation, but really it's not.
Then the nation thinks that it's falling apart, but really it's
not.
Gradually the nation discovers where it really stands, and that
through the turmoil, it's only grown stronger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About
the Author:
Jessiqua Wittman is a child of God, a happy wife and mother, and
a dedicated author of gritty fiction novels. Her published works currently
includeA Memoir of
Love, and AMemoir of
Mercy. She is also working on a biblical fiction series and a couple
short stories. Her e-books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo,
Goodreads, and many other online sites. Both e-books and paperback copies of
her books can be found at her author website: www.jessiquawittman.com, and her
blog:www.jessiquawrites.blogspot.com. Her email
address is jessiquawittman (at) memoiroflife (dot) com. And you can
also find her onGoodreads
A Memoir of Love (Memoirs of Life #1)
Copyright: 2012
ISBN: 9781623091187
A post-apocalyptic world, an unlikely band of Revolutionaries,
this is the memoir of their struggles and triumphs. A woman describes a refugee
colony's dramatic rise to power. The governmental shift was bound to happen,
the only question in the matter is who will be the leader of this new
nation. Written in first person, this memoir provides an inside look at
those whose lives are destined to become swallowed up and defined by political
intrigue.
Great men and women go through all the same trials and temptations
ordinary people go through; the stakes are just much higher because everybody
is watching them.
