STS #74 – Bought Borrowed and Bagged #24
Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga’s Reviews is all about the latest additions to your library – virtual or actual, with books that are bought, borrowed, won or ARCs you will be reading soon. BB&B is a homage to to Barron’s Books and Baubles from Karen Marie Moning’s amazing Fever series, and is hosted by Braine over at Talk Supe.
Netgalley ARCs:
Rock Hard (Rock Kiss #2) – Nalini Singh
Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and ruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.
And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.
Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.
If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on.
Material Girls – Elaine Dimopoulos
In Marla Klein and Ivy Wilde’s world, teens are the gatekeepers of culture. A top fashion label employs sixteen-year-old Marla to dictate hot new clothing trends, while Ivy, a teen pop star, popularizes the garments that Marla approves. Both girls are pawns in a calculated but seductive system of corporate control, and both begin to question their world’s aggressive levels of consumption. Will their new “eco-chic” trend subversively resist and overturn the industry that controls every part of their lives?
Smart, provocative, and entertaining, this thrilling page-turner for teens questions the cult like mentality of fame and fashion. Are you in or are you out?
A SEAL’s Pleasure – Tawny Weber
Subject: Navy SEAL Gabriel Thorne
Mission: Initiate Operation: Romance…and prove that one night isn’t enough!
Explosives expert and Navy SEAL Gabriel “Romeo” Thorne makes his living tempting fate. Pushing the limits. So far, he’s never lost—especially when it comes to women. That is, until his best friend’s wedding, where Gabriel is suddenly face-to-face—and deliciously body-to-body—with the one woman hot enough to detonate his self-control.
Tessa Monroe is used to being in control with men. Gabriel, on the other hand, is pretty much her sex kryptonite. Hard, gorgeous, dark-eyed kryptonite. Even as her defenses whisper “danger,” lust demands she take her pleasure with him and then run. Now they’re skirting the edge of an explosive attraction…where one wrong move could mean disaster.
Exposed (Ethan Frost #3) – Tracy Wolff
Will Ethan Frost go too far for the woman he loves?
The moment Chloe Girard walked into my life, she exposed secrets and emotions I always thought were best kept buried.
She wants to move on, to ignore the past. But I can’t do that. Not when she still suffers. And not when the man who hurt her remains unscathed. So when I discover the perfect opportunity to make him pay for what he did to Chloe, I can’t walk away, no matter the consequences.
But there’s a fine line between justice and obsession. As I turn up old crimes and new lies, I know that I’m playing with fire—and risking the very foundations of our relationship.
My love for Chloe is absolute. I just hope it’s enough to save us both.
Kindle Purchases:
Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega #4) – Patricia Briggs
For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way…
Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.
Acting Brave (Fenbrook Academy #3) – Helena Newbury
She’s spent her whole life acting. But can she make him believe she doesn’t love him?
Three years ago, a terrified girl named Emma fled a world of crime and abuse in Chicago and bought a one-way ticket to New York. She reinvented herself as an actress, enrolled at the prestigious Fenbrook Academy and buried her pain beneath a vivacious new persona. Her new name was Jasmine.
Now she has to pull off the performance of her career.
Landing her dream part in a police show, she finds herself falling for her co-star, Ryan, a real-life cop. If she lets him get too close, he’ll awaken memories she doesn’t want to face and uncover secrets that could endanger them both. But how can she keep a guy at arm’s length when she has to kiss him on camera?
The last place Ryan imagined himself was on a TV show.
Blaming himself for the death of his partner, he’s on a downward spiral of rage and guilt. The show is his last chance…but how can he keep it professional when his co-star is a woman he’s crazy about?
As their on-screen and off-screen relationships merge, things go from hot to blistering. But when Jasmine’s old life catches up with her, will a cop be the one person she can’t be around…or the only person who can save her?
Becoming Rain (Burying Water #2) – K.A. Tucker
Luke Boone doesn’t know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it-the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he’s finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set-one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it’s not exactly legal, Luke’s never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain.
Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game-at only twenty-six years old, she’s one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington D.C. major crime unit, and she’s just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the west coast’s most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she’ll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.
As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she’ll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she’ll even want to.
Lion’s Share (Wildcats #1) – Rachel Vincent
Abby Wade has a dangerous secret.
Two months ago, she disobeyed an order, but instead of kicking her out of the Pride, Jace offered her a job. Since then, she’s been battling a completely inappropriate crush on the young, hot Alpha. But when accepting his job offer seems like the only way to keep her skeletons safely in their closet, Abby doesn’t hesitate.
Jace Hammond has a big problem.
A rogue is slaughtering humans in his territory, and he must eliminate the threat before the entire shifter species is exposed. There could not be a worse time for Abby to accept a job he only offered as a boost to her confidence. Abby is smart, beautiful, and resilient—more than enough to distract any man from the mission. Unfortunately, she may just be the worst enforcer ever to hold the title.
As they hunt the killer, Abby’s secret becomes a threat to Jace’s authority and to her own life. But the real danger is the grip she has on his twice-shy heart.
On the Rocks (Last Call #1) – Sawyer Bennett
He left to travel the world for fame and glory, but only after spurning Gabby Ward and crushing her young heart. Now Hunter Markham has come back home to the sand and salty breeze of the North Carolina Outer Banks so he can open up Last Call, a beach bar nestled among the dunes of the Atlantic.
Gabby Ward is not happy that Hunter has returned. Bitter over his rebuff years before, she’s content to stay far away from him and his dangerously charming ways.
Gabby’s well-schemed plans to ignore Hunter go up in flames when he presents an offer to her that she simply can’t refuse, throwing them together in a common quest to each reach their goals. Working together day in and day out proves to be problematic for Gabby, who soon realizes that the feelings she had for him are still very much alive. Hunter struggles to reach through to Gabby’s cold heart, all while starting a new career away from his life as a top ranked, professional surfer.
What starts out as a mutual business arrangement soon turns into a passion that neither of them can continue to deny.
Hard choices lay ahead for both of them when Hunter is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to return to the pro surfing tour.
Choices that could destroy what they have built or take them further than they ever had dared to hope.
Just because I have to read series in order – even when they can be read as standalones, I had to get On the Rocks after I got Make it a Double for free…
Kindle Freebies:
Make it a Double (Last Call #2) – Sawyer Bennett
Brody Markham has endured a nightmare, spending the last five years in prison and losing everything that was dear to him. Now he’s back home, trying to survive in a world he doesn’t recognize anymore. While his family and friends desperately try to reach through to him, he shelters himself further and further away from their love.
Alyssa Myers has worked her entire life to distance herself from the luxurious and privileged lifestyle in which she was raised. Running her non-profit agency, The Haven, she is content to spend her days helping abused animals find sanctuary, which fulfills her in a way that money just can’t buy.
Maybe it’s that she recognizes in Brody some of the same characteristics she sees in her homeless wards, but Alyssa is powerless to stop her personal quest to make Brody whole again.
While Brody struggles to surface from the darkness, Alyssa tries to protect her heart in case he’s not willing to accept the light that she offers him.
Giveaway Wins:
A Mansion, A Drag Queen and a New Job – CC Dragon
Psychic medium Deanna Oscar wants to be a normal psychology professor at a nice college. The universe has other ideas. When the grandmother she never knew dies and leaves her everything, Deanna enters a different world. In New Orleans anything goes and her psychic powers aren’t a secret. She doesn’t plan on staying but a psychic vision puts her on the trail of a killer. Deanna can’t turn her back on the future victims and becomes immersed in her grandmother’s world. She isn’t sure how to manage the mansion and fortune she inherited or the people who came with it. An ex-priest, a Latina drag queen and a socialite beauty queen are the living entourage. Add in a houseful of ghosts and haunted objects and Deanna needs a little help. In over her head, she struggles to catch a killer who is out to get her as well.
I won this from Stormi @ Books, Movies, Reviews Oh My! during her Murder at the Reinhart feature – and I can’t wait to dig in 🙂 Thank you Stormi!!
Did you get some exciting-looking books this week? Remember to leave me your link so I can check out your Stacking the Shelves and or Bought, Borrowed and Bagged post, too 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! Have a spectacular Saturday.
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Twitter: lattenightsbook
I want to read Material Girls!! It seems fascinating. I also got Exposed! I didn’t ask for it. They just sent me an email that I was approved and I was like….okay.. Oh and I read Becoming Rain for the blog tour. In my opinion, it was great 🙂 I hope you enjoy your books! My STS will post in 13 minutes 🙂
Yeah, I just got the e-mail telling me I was pre-approved for Exposed… I have to get back to this series, I didn’t really enjoy Ethan very much in the first book, but another series by the same author was amazing, so I have to give this one another chance 🙂
Have a great weekend, Gen!
Twitter: talksupeblog
I hope you enjoy Dead Heat & please read Material Girls soon! The cover is lovely, curious what its about and if its any good! Happy weekend!
I’m very curious about Material Girls, too – I’m reading Dead Heat right now, so far I’m really enjoying it – Charles and Anna are great 🙂
I read the first Alpha and Omega short story just after I started reading Mercy Thompson and when I compared the two, Mercy won. I never did go back to the series. Maybe if I tried it again now that I know more about the characters in the series, I might do better with it. Might try to borrow the books from a friend when I have more time! Enjoy your books!
I first started with the Alpha and Omega series, and that’s how I discovered Mercy Thompson 🙂
Oh, I love those Sawyer Bennett books! (Ok who am I kidding? I love all of Sawyer’s books, but THAT SERIES.) They’re sooooo good. I have an ARC of the upcoming fourth book and I’m dying to get into it. I’m anxious to see your thoughts on Material Girls. I almost snagged that one but realized I had more than enough to read for now. 🙂 And Becoming Rain! I still need to read that one. Soon…
Hope you enjoy all your new additions! Have a great week!
My StS!
LOL I haven’t started this series yet, Kim, but I love her ice-hockey players 😉 I have to get to these, of course, but I’ve already read two, so I’m off to a good start!
I’m not a great fan of this Briggs series but maybe I should try again. Happy reading!
If you’re not a fan of this one, there are lots of other books to read, though, Melliane. I love Alpha & Omega because the pacing is different, and Anna is often calm and able to make Charles the same way 🙂
I’m seeing Material Girls everywhere today, I’m going to have to check it out! I really need to pick up Lion’s Share, I loved the Shifter books! Happy Reading!
I hadn’t even heard of it before it showed up in my Netgalley ‘feed’ and then I just had to request it 🙂 I look forward to Lion’s Share, too. It might just end up being my next read.
You got yourself an awesome stack of books, Lexxie! What caught my attention was the Patricia Briggs one. I really wanted to read her Alpha and Omega sereis for a long tie now, but I keep forgetting! I’m still waiting for a while before I can buy more stuff online though… my latest trip to the bookstore almost flattened my wallet XDDD
Oh, I love the Alpha & Omega series, Faye. I hope you’ll get a chance to pick it up soon, and that you’ll enjoy it.
So many good books in here that I would like to read, especially catch up on Rock hard ! Have fun reading them 😉
Rock Hard was so wonderful, Iza. A very slow romance, and so well done!!
I’m seeing Material Girls around quite a lot this week! I hope it’s good 🙂 I hope you enjoy your new books. Have a great weekend!
I hope it’s good, too, Chrissi 🙂
OOoh awesome! I still need to read Lion’s Share! And while I’m at it, I need to update it. Apparently, Rachel had to make a few corrections in it and I’d rather read the latest/most up to date version! Loved the Shifters series from way back when! Happy Reading!
My STS will be up tomorrow, so be sure to stop by then!
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
I hope I’ve gotten the updated version! I love the Shifters series, too 🙂 Happy reading Jessica.
I have the Nalini Singh book but I haven’t gotten to it yet. Happy reading!
Tsuki’s STS
I love Nalini Singh! Her PNR series are truly awesome, and apart from the first book in her Rock Kiss series, I love that one as well 🙂
Happy reading, Tsuki.
You got some amazing books this week. The C.C. Dragon book looks really cute.
Grace @ Books of Love
I know, I can’t wait to delve into that one, Grace 🙂
Twitter: limabean74
Congrats on the Win 🙂 I loved all those stories from Murder at the Reinhart. Might check out the last winners book but C.C. Dragon had a pretty good story too, I hope you love her book 🙂
I am not familiar with most of these books but again I hope you LOVE them all 🙂 *hugs*
Thanks, Michelle! I loved all those stories, too! And I was so happy my friend Katie participated with Sylvie, her character from Untethered!
I hope I’ll love all these books, too – I’m starting to become much more picky than before, even for ARCs I’m requesting 😉
I read and Ioved Rock hard and I do hope you enjoyed it too! I’ve heard that becoming rain is awesome too! Great list 🙂
I totally loved Rock Hard, Sofia! The slow-burning romance was so beautiful it was like a very sweet torture 🙂
Happy reading.
Amazing haul! I read Material Girls a few weeks ago and it instantly became a new favorite of mine (within the first chapter, at the least)! It was so awesome, so I hope you enjoy it as well. 🙂 Have a great week!
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
Oh, I’m so happy to know you loved Material Girls, Krystianna! Happy reading 🙂
Yay you got Lion’s Share! I am really excited about this new series.Nice haul you got this week, I hope you enjoy your enw books!
I was so sure I had it on pre-order… That’s probably why I thought it wasn’t out yet for my Wow last week 🙂
Have a fantastic week, Lola!
*turns green with envy* Lexxie, I’m really envious of quite a few of the books you raked in this week! I want Lion’s Share sooo badly! And I’m drooling over Exposed – but I still need to start that series. Oh, and Nalini’s series…I need to start that one too. And…and…and… 🙂 I hope you enjoy each and every one of your new goodies!
I hope you’re having a grand weekend! The winter guard competition went well. They performed very well and placed 8th out of 13. What do you having going on this weekend?? Enjoy whatever you’re doing! **BIG HUGS**
I almost want to start reading Lion’s Share right now… I just want to get a little more ahead with my #HW challenge before that 😉 I didn’t love the first Ethan Frost story, but I still have both that and the 2nd book in the series, so I will get to those fairly soon, I hope.
Our weekend has been awesome! I’m glad the winter guard competition went well! *BIG HUGS*
Looks like you got a lot of awesome books this past week. I don’t really have much new…bought some kindle reads that are going fast. I just finished Attachments by Rainbow Rowell for a book club. 🙂
I got a huge stack this week! I’m still not sure how that happened 😉
Have a fantastic week!
Twitter: bmreviewsohmy
Lot of good looking books you got there..I almost got Material Girls but decided not too..curious to see what you think of it. I hope you like the one you won. 😉
Stormi
I just couldn’t resist Material Girls, Stormi… Have a great week!
Oh, Lexxie – I’m in some serious green shaded envy here – you got some simply amazing books! And that reminds me, I have to go get the Alpha and Omega series – I keep forgetting to do that so today, I vow. 🙂 Enjoy your haul.
Alpha & Omega is amazing, Marsha! I hope you’ll be able to start this series soon 🙂 Have a great week ahead, and happy reading.
Acting Brave sounds like it will be a good one. Have a great week!
Yeah, I can’t wait to get to that one, Brandi! I had completely forgotten about it when it was released 🙂 Happy reading.
Material Girls and Lion’s Share both sound really good! I hope you enjoy all of your books!
Material Girls sure is popular this week! I hope you enjoy all these. Happy Reading!
Here are my newest additions.