Wishlist Wednesday

*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that is on your bookish wishlist*

THE UNDEAD TRUTH OF US by Britney S. Lewis

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Release Date: August 9, 2022 

Pages: 368

THE STORY:

Death was everywhere. They all stared at me, bumping into one another and slowly coming forward.

Sixteen-year-old Zharie Young is absolutely certain her mother morphed into a zombie before her untimely death, but she can't seem to figure out why. Why her mother died, why her aunt doesn't want her around, why all her dreams seem suddenly, hopelessly out of reach. And why, ever since that day, she's been seeing zombies everywhere.

Then Bo moves into her apartment building―tall, skateboard in hand, freckles like stars, and an undeniable charm. Z wants nothing to do with him, but when he transforms into a half zombie right before her eyes, something feels different. He contradicts everything she thought she knew about monsters, and she can't help but wonder if getting to know him might unlock the answers to her mother's death.

As Zharie sifts through what's real and what's magic, she discovers a new truth about the world: Love can literally change you―for good or for dead.

In this surrealist journey of grief, fear, and hope, Britney S. Lewis's debut novel explores love, zombies, and everything in between in an intoxicating amalgam of the real and the fantastic. (less)

LINK: Goodreads

MEET THE AUTHOR

Britney Lewis is an author of young adult fiction, currently working on her debut novel. She has a B.A. in corporate communications with an emphasis in business and art. She strongly supports We Need Diverse Books, and she’s an avid follower of #DVpit and #BVM. 

When Britney isn’t daydreaming about new stories, she can be found binge-watching TV shows with her fiancé and her pup or practicing West Coast Swing. She lives in Kansas City. 

Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Bookish Wishlist

Happy Reading!

BLOG TOUR - Harlequin Series Winter 2021 GLAMOROUS Blog Tour: The Bad Boy Experiment by Reese Ryan

      

Hiya, Booknerds! I was lucky enough to be selected to be a host for the Harlequin Series Winter 2021 GLAMOROUS Blog Tour. As such, I will give you some details about the interesting books as well as their lovely authors. 

And you also get a BOOKISH BONUS: 

*A delightful morsel of an excerpt can be found below*

ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE BAD BOY EXPERIMENT by Reese Ryan

Publisher: Harlequin Desire

Release Date: December 28, 2021

Genre: Adult Romance
Pages: 224

THE STORY:

A steamy fling with an old crush who doesn’t do commitment? What was she thinking! Find out in the conclusion to Reese Ryan’s Bourbon Brothers series. What happens when you say yes to a bad boy? Even if divorcée Renee Lockwood were willing to give love a second chance, she wouldn’t choose Cole Abbott. The sexy, successful real estate developer doesn’t do commitment. But he’s perfect for a no-strings fling—exactly what Ren needs now that she’s moved back home to raise her son. Mind-blowing pleasure with the man she once crushed on is harder to quit than Ren expected. Impossible, in fact. Is time running out before the bad boy bolts…or will the results of her experiment surprise her? 

BUY LINKS:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin.com

EXCERPT:  Amazon

EXCERPT:

Renee turned and started down the stairs. Suddenly, the door swung open, taking her by surprise. She missed a step, tripping but catching herself on the banister before she face-planted in the gravel.

Graceful, Renee. You’re a regular Misty Copeland.

“Ren?” Cole hurried down the stairs. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I thought maybe you’d… I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Changed your mind.”

She was flustered and rambling like a fool. Yep, this was definitely a bad idea.

Stop talking and make a graceful exit, if that’s even possible at this point.

“Not a chance, sweetheart.” Cole extended a hand. “C’mon inside.”

Renee swallowed hard, her hand trembling as she placed it inside his.

Don’t chicken out now.

Cole led her into the kitchen. Like hers, it was outdated. It reminded her of her Aunt Bea standing at the old stove making fried corn or her famous chicken and dumplings—the first thing Ren had ever learned to cook.

“Still feels weird being here, huh?” Cole’s voice shook her from her temporary daze.

“Very.”

They entered the living room where an exercise mat and weights were on the floor.

“You were working out. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have disturbed you.” Ren glanced at the equipment. “I know it’s really late and—”

“Renee…” Cole drew her closer, pulling her attention back to him. His gaze was soft and warm as he stroked her cheek. “It’s okay. We both know why you came here.” He managed to say the words without sounding cocky. “But I need to hear it from you. Tell me exactly what you want from me.”

Ren’s head was spinning. No one had ever asked her that. Not in a relationship or her career. And now that he had, she wasn’t quite sure what to say.

So instead, she clutched Cole’s white Abbott Construction & Development T-shirt, pulled him closer and pressed her lips to his.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

THE BAD BOY EXPERIMENT : Reese Ryan writes sexy, contemporary romance featuring a diverse cast of complex characters. She presents her characters with family and career drama, challenging love interests and life-changing secrets while treating readers to emotional love stories with unexpected twists. Past president of her local RWA chapter and a panelist at the 2017 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Reese is an advocate of the romance genre and diversity in fiction. Visit her online at ReeseRyan.com.

Happy Reading!

BLOG TOUR - Harlequin Series Winter 2021 GLAMOROUS Blog Tour: Backstage Benefits by LaQuette

    

Hiya, Booknerds! I was lucky enough to be selected to be a host for the Harlequin Series Winter 2021 GLAMOROUS Blog Tour. As such, I will give you some details about the interesting books as well as their lovely authors. 

And you also get a BOOKISH BONUS: 

*A delightful morsel of AN excerpts can be found below*

ABOUT THE BOOKS:

BACKSTAGE BENEFITS by LaQuette 

Publisher: Harlequin Desire

Release Date: November 30, 2021

Genre: Adult Romance
Pages: 224

THE STORY:

When show business leads to secret pleasures, how can they resist in this Devereaux Inc. novel by LaQuette.Their daytime partnership sets the night on fire. Who said they can’t have it all? Lyric Smith didn’t become the nation’s most successful lifestyle guru by losing focus. Yet Josiah Manning, daytime television’s hottest—and sexiest—young Black producer makes her do just that. Publicly, Josiah wants Lyric to star in a new talk show. Privately, he’s headlining her sexiest fantasies. But when their explosive chemistry leads to complications instead of contracts, will Lyric find the ultimate partner to help her crush her rivals…or exit stage left alone?

BUY LINKS:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin.com

EXCERPT:  Amazon 

EXCERPT:

“Are you okay?”

She seemed slightly dazed, and he couldn’t tell if it was because his hand was still lingering on her arm. He was a perfect stranger, and just because he was boys with her play cousin Jeremiah didn’t mean he had a right to touch her or barge his way all up in her mix.

He dragged his hand away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep.”

    Josiah let his hungry gaze slide down her body, then brought it back up to meet hers. “If this is a hot mess, then I don’t think the world is ready for when you get glammed up. You’re breathtaking.”

She nodded, smiling playfully as her laughter filled the cozy space between them. “You are a charmer, aren’t you? I bet all the Hollywood starlets fall at your feet when you pay them those kinds of compliments.”

He lifted a brow and pursed his lips. “You’d be wrong. I don’t pay compliments easily. And trust me, there’s no one in Hollywood that looks like you, so no, I’m not usually this charming.”

He could see the brown of her cheeks burn into a deep mauve as she blushed. “Then thank you,” she responded. “And on that flattering note, I’m gonna call a car and head home.”

“Call a car?” His question stopped her mid-turn. “You didn’t come in your own?”

“No, my cousin Amara and I had business earlier, and I hitched a ride with her. But as the family lawyer, there’s no way she can leave now.”

“Then let me take you home.”

Her cute smile as she dipped her gaze and blushed again tore down all his defenses. As a producer, he was around beautiful women all the time. But none of them disarmed him the way Lyric did.

“Is ‘take me home’ just an offer of transportation or a euphemism for sleeping with me?”

Pump your brakes, man.

He wasn’t thinking with his head at the moment, so he simply said, “Whichever you want it to be.”

He braced himself for the slap he knew he deserved. But it never came. Instead, she stepped closer to him, filling his senses with the light fragrance of citrus and coconut she wore.

“Take me home, and I’ll use the duration of the trip to decide.”

Well, I’ll be damned.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

BACKSTAGE BENEFITS: An activist for DEIA in the romance industry, LaQuette writes bold stories featuring multicultural characters. Her writing style brings intellect to the drama. She crafts emotionally epic tales that are deeply pigmented by reality's paintbrush. This Brooklyn native's novels are a unique mix of savvy, sarcastic, brazen, & unapologetically sexy characters who are confident in their right to appear on the page. Find her at LaQuette.com & at LaQuette@LaQuette.com.

Happy Reading!