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Seriously Series Reading Challenge

Jennifer Lane
Sufferin’ Succotash, it’s the Seriously Series Reading Challenge!
(read the above with a lisp)

Thank you to Amanda at On a Book Bender and Kelly at Reading the Paranormal for hosting this challenge! I participated in their Summer Series 2012 Challenge, and this this is an expanded version.
I just finished writing my first and only romantic suspense trilogy — The Conduct Series — and I’m a huge fan of series, from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series to Paullina Simon’s The Bronze Horseman Series to Stephanie Perkins YA Series.
For this challenge, I’ll focus on two categories:
1) Series started before 2013
2) Series started during 2013
My goal is 1-6 series in each (gotta leave time for two careers!), putting me in the Semi-Serious distinction.
Want to join us? Visit Kelly HERE.
And now it’s time to bounce on the Omnific Author Blog Bounce! Join us at Omnific.

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2013 Feminist Reads Challenge

Jennifer Lane

I’m excited to participate in two reading challenges this year, and the first is the Feminist Reads Challenge sponsored by The Hiding Spot.

Quoting Sara from The Hiding Spot:

“Personally, I love reading about girls and women that are capable of kicking butt and taking names. I’m not just talking about the girls out there who are physically able to do this, but about the girls who have the tenacity and courage to rise and reach and grow, no matter the life they’ve been born into, forced into, or ended up in by some unfortunate turn of events.
Every year I read many fantastic books from a variety of genres that feature women and girls that embody this spirit and determination.
Feminism is defined as:
  • A movement for granting women political, social, and economic equality with men.
True, but also fairly boring. I think Rebecca West summed it up pretty well we she said:

“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.”

Here’s how I define feminism and feminists:
  • Feminism is supporting and helping to create strong girls and women.Women who have the ability to take care of themselves, who believe in themselves, and who have the freedom to pursue their dreams and share their beliefs, values, and opinions.
  • Feminists encourage and support strength, independence, individuality, and passion in women of all ages.
  • Feminists fight for people. Yes, they obviously fight for women, but I think it can also be said that they fight for what is right. For equality for all. For every person to have a voice, an education, a fighting chance.
Therefore, any book that features, by your standards, a strong female character or supports feminist ideals is eligible for this challenge! Examples include: The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Dairy of Anne Frank, Matilda, The Handmaid’s Tale.”

Thank you for the great reading challenge, Sara! I’m already reading about a strong heroine in Trust in Advertising by Victoria Michaels. 
I’ll go for the MEDIUM challenge, meaning I commit to reading 5-10 feminist books. Please join in by signing up at The Hiding Spot.



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2012 Reading Challenges

Jennifer Lane

Did you participate in any reading challenges in 2012?

I joined several, and thought I’d share my reviews if you’re looking for recommendations in Romantic Suspense, Young Adult, Swimming, or Series.

The Eclectic Bookshelf hosted the Romantic Suspense Challenge. This is my favorite genre so of course I gobbled up these sexy and suspenseful reads:

Black Ops by Cindy Gerard:
1. Show No Mercy
2. Take No Prisoners
3. Whisper No Lies
4. Feel the Heat
5. Risk No Secrets
6. With No Remorse

MacKinnon’s Rangers by Pamela Clare (Historical Romantic Suspense):
1. Surrender
2. Untamed
3. Defiant

Skin Deep by Pamela Clare

Sempre by J.M. Darhower

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Next is the Young Adult Reading Challenge. This doesn’t include all the awesome New Adult books I also found in 2012. Here are some great reads:

Destiny’s Fire by Trisha Wolfe

Ember by Carol Oates

Embrace by Cherie Colyer

Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Lexapros and Cons by Aaron Karo

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

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It appeared I was the only one who joined my Swimming Reading Challenge, ha ha. Here are the swimming books I read and reviewed:

Swimming Out of Water by Catherine Garceau

Here’s a list of swimming books I hope to read soon!

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Finally, I’m pleased with the progress I made on the All Series, All Summer Challenge hosted by Amanda at On a Book Bender and Kelly at Reading the Paranormal. You can check out the books I read HERE.

I haven’t signed up for any 2013 challenges yet…any recommendations?

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Bad Boy Rehab Hop Giveaway

Jennifer Lane

Bad Boy Rehab Hop

January 10 – January 17, 2013
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Book Hookup
We tried giving up Bad Boys for our New Year’s Resolution…..
but try to make me go to rehab and I said no no no. 
Bad Boy (n.) person
1. A guy who has many characteristics of a naughty, naughty boy.
OMG let the drooling begin.
2. A heartbreaker with a five o’clock shadow.
Rawrrrrrr!
3. Independent and willful. Does what he wants when he wants. Never follow trends, they follow him.
4. Someone that’s not looking for trouble, but there’s a serious sense of danger about him.
We love danger!

Usable Note: A bad boy is a gorgeous man with MANY layers and is INSANELY irresistible to women.
 *raises hands*… YES PLEASE!

While I’m at the age where good boys tend to hold more appeal, I definitely understand the allure of a man who’s strong, willful, risky, and HAWT. 

The heroine of my romantic suspense series, psychologist Sophie Taylor, falls for such a bad man — Logan Barberi. He’s a tall, brooding, Italian; a gambling addict who seems to possess many secrets, including a criminal background. Bad boy’s got issues. And whoops, Logan is Sophie’s psychotherapy client so she DEFINITELY shouldn’t be falling for him. But how can she resist?

I’m giving away two ebooks of my novel With Good Behavior (The Conduct Series #1) so you can get to know Logan better. The handcuffs on the cover say it all.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the bad boys across the blogoverse!

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Crazy Stupid Love New Adult Giveaway

Jennifer Lane

To piggyback on my first post of 2013 lauding the New Adult genre, I’m joining the Crazy Stupid Love New Adult Giveaway!

Crazy Stupid Love Button
Thank you to Talk Supe for hosting this fun hop.

Stop back February 21st – 28th when I will give away a gift card to purchase a New Adult book, and discuss MY favorite NA books. (And the list is quickly building!) I’m about to start Point of Retreat, the sequel to Slammed, and I can’t wait.

If all goes well, I’ll be writing my own NA story by then.

I’m also participating in giveaway hops before that, including the Bad Boy Rehab Hop, Young Adult Giveaway Hop, and Follower Love Giveaway Hop. See my sidebar for details.

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Insecure Writers’ Support Group: New Year, New Adult

Jennifer Lane

Happy New Year to all insecure writers out there! Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for bringing us together to vent, cajole, disclose, and lift up.

I write this post at midnight after just reaching 100,000 words on my WIP On Best Behavior. YAY! Of course I’m not finished yet but I’m only a couple of chapters away — home stretch, baby. And I feel extra giddy because it’s the third book of a trilogy. My first series!
Here’s my one complaint for today: Why does it take so loooooonnnggg to write? WAAH.
When you’re wrapping up one novel, do you already start mentally writing your next one? I have an idea for a New Adult romance percolating, and I can’t wait to get started…after I finish and edit On Best Behavior, and after a little break.
What’s the New Adult genre, you ask? If you’re unfamiliar with NA, it’s about characters ages 18-25. Read more HERE.
I love this time of life, particularly the university years. College and the beginning of graduate school was such a time of growth for me, and this potential for character change inspires me.
I’ve read some fantastic NA books, including Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia,  Slammed by Colleen Hoover, Easy by Tammara Webber (review HERE), and Where She Went by Gayle Forman (review HERE).
What do you think about New Adult? Love it? Hate it?
I think New Adult may be the hot genre of 2013. Do you agree? If not, which genre do you predict to be hottest?
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Best of 2012 Giveaway

Jennifer Lane

Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer blog is at it again hosting another awesome giveaway…

The Best of 2012 Giveaway, featuring our favorite reads of 2012.

Because I write both YA and adult books, I’ve chosen my favorite from each genre.

Favorite YA Book: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Any book that makes me cry is A-OK with me, and this book elicited so many tears!

Here’s my REVIEW of Pushing the Limits.

Favorite Adult Book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The twists in this thriller are jaw-dropping. I love how Gillian Flynn manipulates the reader.

Here’s my REVIEW of Gone Girl.

To enter, simply complete the Rafflecopter form. Hop over to all participating blogs!

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Giveaways are Best!

Jennifer Lane

A little bit of this and a little bit of that in this post.

First of all, would you like to win a Kindle loaded with Omnific Publishing romance novels? Then enter my publisher’s awesome giveaway!
Secondly, I’m giving away a signed copy of my YA swimming romance Streamline at Ensconced in YA. Christina interviews me and links to her 4 star review of Streamline.

Part One of my interview is HERE.
Part Two of my interview is HERE

Finally, it’s time to finish the meme The Next Best Thing where I answer questions about my current work-in-progress: On Best Behavior.

I’d hoped to finish by now, but you know how that goes. I guess I haven’t been on my best behavior when it comes to conquering writing distractions. 😉 I am pleased to have written 93K words though, and I’m still hoping to finish in 2012.

Here are the last two questions for The Next Best Thing:

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

That’s easy. My muse is actor Wentworth Miller, who I envision as the series’ hero Grant Madsen.

*swoons* Grant Madsen has a sexy singing voice, is kind-hearted, and is tall and lean like Wentworth.

I even have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to his beauty HERE

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Hmm, how can I entice new readers to the series? Did I mention that handcuffs make a reappearance? Hee hee. This time Grant battles the Russian mafia and Sophie fights to make a psychology career for herself post-prison. On Best Behavior features psychotherapy with Grant’s teenage nephew Ben.

I love to torture my characters but I also believe in happy endings!

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Cover Reveal: Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn!

Jennifer Lane

Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

(Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy) Now Available!
When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.
Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.
All Mindjack stories available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes (Note Free Souls is not yet available on iTunes)

Early Praise for Free Souls

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”
— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day
“Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn’t let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read.”
— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking
“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don’t start reading until you have time to finish. I didn’t want to put Free Souls down for a second. It’s that kind of book.”
— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview Susan’s over at Amy Saunder’s blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages’ abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works. Digital Box Set Since Free Souls is out, there is now a Digital Box Set of the Mindjack Trilogy for those of you who want the whole series!

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

Mindjack Origins Collection Want more Julian? Wondering how Sasha’s ability really works? Looking for EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls? This collection of novellas, scenes, and other goodies is for those craving a bit more of the characters and drama of the Mindjack series.

Includes: Mindjack Novellas Mind Games (Raf’s story) The Handler (Julian’s story) The Scribe (Sasha’s story) TWO EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls (published nowhere else!) PLUS Mindjack flash fiction, an (imaginary) conversation between Raf and Julian, and other goodies for readers who want just a little bit more of Kira, Julian, Raf, and the Mindjack crew.

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble
ENTER TO WIN one of FIVE ecopies of the Mindjack Origins Collection

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Political Suicide: Review and Giveaway

Jennifer Lane

Political Suicide is a medical/political thriller by Michael Palmer that launches Tuesday 12-11-12. I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy, and it looks like I have more Michael Palmer novels to catch up on!

As a psychologist, I have treated physicians and other professionals who are recovering from addictions, so I found this novel intriguing from the start.

Political SuicidePolitical Suicide by Michael Palmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonderful Suspense!

What would you do if a friend gets accused of murder, but you don’t think he did it?

When the hero of the military/political thriller Political Suicide faces that exact dilemma, he proves that he is not one to back down from a challenge. Dr. Lou Welcome has battled through many challenges in his life — the biggest being the daily struggle to stay clean and sober. He helps other physicians through drug rehab and re-entry into medical practice.

Gary McHugh is one such physician who calls Lou after falling off the wagon. Unfortunately, Gary’s alcohol blackout may or may not have included killing a U.S. senator.

When Lou seeks justice for his friend, it’s tough to see clearly through the miasma covering an elite Special Forces unit called Mantis Company. There just might be a deadly conspiracy with this military unit, waiting to be uncovered. And when Lou tries to find the truth, he becomes the target.

The suspense in this novel is top-notch. One scene involving a frothing-at-the-mouth guard dog had me quite on edge, nervous for Lou. I like the realism of Lou’s character. He’s tough, caring, and clever, yet he’s definitely not perfect. Lou makes a major mistake at one point, enraging Gary’s attorney Sarah. Will he redeem himself?

There’s also a cast of well-drawn supporting characters, including Lou’s daughter Emily, his AA sponsor and trainer Cap, and his cat Diversity. Lou and attorney Sarah team up and track down Edith, who’s already suffered the consequences of the deadly conspiracy. Edith is feisty and competent.

Unfortunately I didn’t feel very emotionally connected to Lou. He’s a good guy, but there just seemed to be something missing. The romance that sparks up between Lou and Sarah didn’t feel compelling to me, but this is more of a thriller than a romance (and I typically read romance novels).

I enjoyed the twist at the end that I didn’t see coming.

St. Martin’s Press provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

***St. Martin’s Press is GIVING AWAY a signed print copy of Political Suicide to a lucky winner!

To enter, simply leave a comment with your email address. If you like, you can answer this question:

Do you believe alcohol/drug addiction is a biological illness?

And did you know that my publisher Omnific is giving away THREE kindles loaded with our books? Enter HERE.