August Update

It’s been a couple months since I updated the blog. I’ve still been writing away, and I know it sounds like a broken record probably to anyone reading this blog, but it’s true. Although for the past couple weeks it’s been a struggle to get through the end of the second book I’m working on. What makes it even worse, is I’m only a couple chapters away from finishing this first draft. I’ve just been… BLAH!

 

But, a writer writes. Right? So I gotta keep pushing. Hopefully I’ll have an update soon about the releases.

In the meantime, I’ve also been reading. A lot. You can check out my Goodreads profile to see what I’ve been reading. Feel free to add me if you’re on Goodreads. There’s been a few good books and series I’ve read, but here’s a couple that I really enjoyed. (Sidenote: A lot of New Adult is sex heavy. I personally don’t write the sex scenes in my books, I usually leave them as Fade To Black/Behind The Door, but I don’t mind them, if it’s not just thrown in there just to have sex in the book. The following two series I think walks the line nicely, though the Off-Campus series I think is steamier than the Willow Creek series.)


 

 Willow Creek Series

 I really loved the Willow Creek series. It’s starts off with Last To Know, which is free right now on amazon, for a limited time. Go! Last To Know is written more from Young Adult point of view, while the rest of the series takes place a couple years later and is more New Adult, with some steamier scenes. Of the entire series, I actually really liked Never Too Late the most, which surprises me still as I’m writing this. Mathias is the twin brother of Maddox, who’s one of the stars of Book 1. But in Book 2, there’s just something about Mathias, who’s quite the jerk (even though there is a reason), that really drew me in. And Remy matches Mathias’ snarky/snide personality perfectly. Remember, book one is free right now.

Here’s the Amazon blurb for book one:

He was just a boy.
And I was just a girl.
But if that’s all there was to the story it wouldn’t be very interesting, would it?

Up and coming band Willow Creek is back in their hometown for the summer. For the drummer, Maddox Wade, this summer was meant for writing music and playing gigs.

Falling in love was not part of the plan.

One look at Emma Burke and those plans cease to matter.

Emma is quiet and guarded. She’s still hurt from her father walking out two years ago. She doesn’t want to trust Maddox, but with his dark hair, smoldering good looks, and infectious smile he’s impossible to resist.

Together Maddox and Emma embark on an unforgettable summer of adventures and first love.
Everything is perfect…or so Emma thinks.

There are things she doesn’t know, and when she finds out the truth it might shatter everything she’s built with Maddox.

No one said love was easy, and for Maddox and Emma it just might be impossible.

This is a Young Adult book. The following books in the series will be New Adult.

 


Off-Campus Series

The Off-Campus series is New Adult. I’m not a huge fan of bare chest covers, (sorry ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) BUT I am a big fan of these books. This series is told from Dual Point of View, which is another fave of mine. My favorite of the books is The Mistake. The relationship between Logan and Grace is perfect. He’s funny and she’s quirky, both qualities I love in leading characters. I’ve actually re-read book’s one and two, because I really liked them. The Score isn’t far behind, and I didn’t think I was going to like it as much as I did. It’s probably my second favorite of the series, mostly because I really loved Dean and his “Life of Dean”. I loved his story-arc.

 

Because The Mistake is my fave, here’s the Amazon blurb.

New York Times bestseller Elle Kennedy brings you a sexy new Off-Campus novel that can be read as a standalone…

He’s a player in more ways than one…
  
College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…
 
After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

 


 

Okay, that’s it for now. I’m going to keep the following gif stapled to my face and get my work done. Hopefully the next time I update the blog, I’ll have the first draft to book 3 done.

 

-RH

Random (almost) Summer Update

Well, it is summer. At least for me it is. Yes, technically, summer doesn’t start until June 21st, which from the time of this post is just five days away. But phew, summer is here in So Cal. We got our first “Heat Wave Warning” of the summer and this weekend it could get up to 120 degrees. No, I’m not kidding.

 

 

But in other news, I’m steadily working on multiple projects, but my Blackgate trilogy is progressing nicely. Book 2 is done. I’m letting it rest for a bit, while I’ work on something contemporary, and then I’ll start editing it and then get into Book 3. I’m all hands on deck (which I guess is a weird way of saying it, since it’s only me and I only got two hands) when it comes to finishing the trilogy and putting it out before the end of the year.

 

Also, I haven’t really stuck to giving good reviews (or even adequate reviews) on Goodreads. I’ve been reading a ton, but my reviews stink. Sorry. But, I will say what I’ve read lately and if you’ve found you’re way here to my blog, here are some books to check out:


 

I finally dug in to the Creepy Hollow books again, books 4-6. This story takes place in the same world Rachel Morgan set up in books 1-3, but it takes place almost ten years later, with a new main character. I won’t spoil anything, but when a certain character was revealed, I was like, “What? How in the world is she (Morgan) going to get me to like this character? There’s no way!” But she did. I’m really enjoying this series and have the next story arch, Creepy Hollow book 7 on my TBR list.

Here’s the Amazon Blurb: “When Calla Larkenwood is given the opportunity to realize her dream of becoming a guardian, she enters a world far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined. One foe is intent on bringing the Guild down for good, while another prepares for a horrifying prophesied spell that will forever change both the magic and non-magic realms. In a world where everyone keeps secrets and the line between good and bad has become blurred, how will Calla figure out whom to trust?”

 


I’ve quickly become a fan of Amy Sparling. A lot of her stuff is a quick read and really cute, and it’s the same with her newest book Natalie and the Nerd. Definitely check it out if you want quick read.

Amazon Blurb: “Natalie’s school work is the last priority on her long list of things to worry about. Since her parent’s divorce, her mom’s boutique—their only source of income—is about to go under, and Natalie spent all summer and most of her senior year trying to save the little shop. Now that she’s in danger of failing high school, the assistant principal (who happens to be her evil step mother) is making Natalie join daily tutoring sessions with Jonah Garza, the school’s valedictorian.

Taking math lessons from the rich nerdy boy is the last thing Natalie wants to do, but Jonah needs these community service hours to get into Harvard, so he’s not going to give up on her. In addition to working at the boutique and studying with Jonah, Natalie’s lifelong crush just started paying attention to her. She’s being pulled in so many directions, she doesn’t think to question why the son of the biggest business mogul in town is suddenly trying to win her affections.

When her crush betrays her and the store goes into foreclosure, Natalie has to choose between fighting harder to keep her mom’s dream alive, or fighting to pass high school and start a future of her own.”


And finally, I finished About Last Summer a few days ago. This is the first book I’ve read from Patricia B. Tighe, and it won’t be the last. It’s another YA Contemporary, and I enjoyed this book so much. She sets up the premise great, and I love the back and forth between Gabby and Noah.

Here’s the Amazon Blurb: “Pretend to be from Spain? Act like she can barely speak English? Sure, why not? It wouldn’t be the first time Gabby Vega had agreed to a challenge from her best friend, Kenzie. Besides, it’s only for a week of vacation with Kenzie’s cousins. Gabby will prove to Kenzie she can keep up the fake identity for the whole trip—that she’s not a quitter.

There’s just one major surprise. Noah Jernigan is also staying with Kenzie’s cousins. Noah, the boy she fell in love with at drama camp last summer and the boy she had to dump when it was over. The boy who knows who she really is.

Noah can’t believe it when Gabby appears at the Bryson’s vacation home in the New Mexico mountains. He hasn’t seen her in a year. It practically took that long just to get over her. And now she’s Gabriela from Spain? All he wants is to get as far away as he can. Or maybe the exact opposite. Stick as close to her as possible and find out what the heck happened last summer. And definitely get some payback.

Now Gabby has to keep Noah at arm’s length as she pretends to be Gabriela. She doesn’t want to answer his questions or rehash last summer. Because one thing is clear—the more time she spends with Noah, the more she’s in danger of falling for him all over again.”


Well, that’s it for now. June is halfway over, but I’ll try to update the blog again, if for nothing else, with some new book recommendations.

-RH