Blog Tour: True North By L. E. Sterling

True North

(True Born Trilogy #2) 

by 

L.E. Sterling 

Expected publication: April 4th 2017 

by Entangled: Teen

GoodReads

Summary
Abandoned by her family in Plague-ridden Dominion City, eighteen-year-old Lucy Fox has no choice but to rely upon the kindness of the True Borns, a renegade group of genetically enhanced humans, to save her twin sister, Margot. But Nolan Storm, their mysterious leader, has his own agenda. When Storm backtracks on his promise to rescue Margot, Lucy takes her fate into her own hands and sets off for Russia with her True Born bodyguard and maybe-something-more, the lethal yet beautiful Jared Price. In Russia, there's been whispered rumors of Plague Cure. 

While Lucy fights her magnetic attraction to Jared, anxious that his loyalty to Storm will hurt her chances of finding her sister, they quickly discover that not all is as it appears…and discovering the secrets contained in the Fox sisters' blood before they wind up dead is just the beginning.?? 

As they say in Dominion, sometimes it’s not you…it’s your DNA.

Hidden Secrets don't Stay Hidden Forever

Get ready for another wonderful read! I could not wait to jump back into the world of Dominion City! Lucy and Margot...Two pieces of a puzzle, I could not wait to find out what secrets they hold. Sadly, yet expectantly not all is revealed in the second installment but much is! Everything is bleak with the world and looking bleaker still. There is just enough backstory to refresh the readers mind of what happened in the last book but not too much where it becomes redundant. This story still contains all the delicious elements of the first and maybe adding a dash of mystery. I am very good about figuring things out quickly and I am still at a loss. This is very exciting for me because I am sitting at the edge of my metaphorical seat and will remain there until the next installment. I don’t see how everything will tie together I just hope beyond the stars above that we get a HEA.

The Story, Storm is back Lucy is still here though her heart has fled along with her sister. There is a plan, Lucy will help Storm and Storm will help Lucy. Quid pro quo right? Wrong! So wrong, it is not funny…Not one bit. The story picks up right after the ending of the first. Margot went willingly to Russia but Lucy knows better she knows the sacrifice her sister made was to keep Lucy safe. Though Lucy is the rule follower and fixer of the Fox sisters something has changed. Fundamentally what used to drive Lucy is no longer there. She knows something nefarious is going on and she will stop at nothing to find out exactly who she and her sister are. Things are moving albeit slowly but just when it seems like attentions will turn to finding Margot a new distraction arises amongst the remaining population and Lucy is let down again. This prompts her to make a rash decision that she cannot turn away from. Thankfully she has made a strange alliance and she is not alone.

The Characters, this may be a bit of a spoiler but we don’t see the vile parents in this installment. I will also say the reader learns much about them and it is beyond mortifying. I want them to explain themselves and pay for their evil actions. Egads this installment picks up the steam factor between Lucy and her love. One thing I don’t understand is why they are dancing around their true emotions for each other. Both are hooked to each other! Just get married already and have superhuman super cute panther shifting babies already! Yeesh! Lol! The tension and attraction is very well written I feel what Lucy feels so I want her happiness. Key characters have secret agendas and there is a lot of mystery surrounding everyone from the most malevolent to the most benevolent.

The End, the reader sees firsthand the plans that have been laid out for years that are now coming to fruition. I’m happy to report there is a lot of action and explosions and shocking revelations. I’m going to say that again in the event you missed it the first time. There are SHOCKING REVELATIONS!!! The Dominion City rubber meets the Russian road in an eerily plausible way that is sure to delight readers everywhere. Lock and key let anyone try to control one of these girls and get ready for a fight. Lucy may not know exactly what happened to them and why but she will fight with every ounce of her being to protect her other half. I don’t know how everything will come to a close but what I do know is I’ve become very attached to these characters and I can’t wait to see what is next! I also can’t wait to find out more about Lucy’s new mysterious friend.

My Rating

4.5 The world is coming to an end and I can’t wait to see what happens next…I need answers like water for a parched throat. I also need Lucy to accept her feelings for Jared who dare I say gets even more amazing and steals my heart!!! Last but in no way least I need to know all of the answers 4.5 filled stars!

True North - Excerpt

“Let me finish. I have a job to do. I’m obliged to do the best job I can. Not just because I work for Storm but because that’s who I am. That job is to protect you, Lu.”

I turn my head, unable to bear even another second. I’ve had my fill of Jared’s merc routine. Gentle fingers coax me back again until I’m just inches from Jared’s glittering eyes. They look feral in the moonlight.

“But Lu.” He breathes my name like it’s a full sentence. “It’s a good thing that’s my job, because… Don’t you know I can’t even help myself?” He’s so close it’s as though the boundaries of our flesh have disappeared. And within one breath and the next, his lips are on mine. Soft, warm, molding me to his mouth. Then, hungrier, he pulls me closer, seeking more.

I’m dizzy with the taste of him on my lips, in my mouth. When my strength gives out, I slump onto his chest and he holds me tighter. I can barely react to the blazing warmth of his body full down the length of me, the scratchy feeling of his shirt decal under my fingers. There’s a fire in me, too, and with his sudden nip to my lip, it ignites. I’m feverish for him. Jared’s chest is molten rock under my hands. I’m struck with a desire to run kisses up his neck, to just behind his earlobe, just to hear the quick suck of his breath. I grab his hair and pull him tighter still. My lips sting from trying to get closer, closer, and rubbing too hard up against his teeth. Jared tries to hold them back but I can feel his incisors sharpen, his growl deepen, his eyes flip to a luminescent green in the darkness of the garden as he drinks me in.

And just as suddenly as it started, he takes me by the shoulders and pulls me away. I sway on the patio bench like a rag doll, cold and dazed. The garden hums with some secret life, bugs and frogs, but it’s just Jared and me here.

Touching a finger to my swollen lips, I watch him. He pants as though he’s kicked the living tar out of someone, a glassy expression to his feline eyes. He doesn’t take his hands off me, but he isn’t going to bring me close again, either. And that’s what makes me explode.

“What kind of game are you playing with me, anyhow?” I scream at him, thankful that the garden is empty for my tirade.

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About the Author

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate.

Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

✿ Website ✿ Twitter ✿ GoodReads ✿

Book Excerpt: True North (True Born Trilogy #2) by L.E. Sterling

True North

(True Born Trilogy #2) 

by 

L.E. Sterling 

Expected publication: April 4th 2017 

by Entangled: Teen

GoodReads

Summary
Abandoned by her family in Plague-ridden Dominion City, eighteen-year-old Lucy Fox has no choice but to rely upon the kindness of the True Borns, a renegade group of genetically enhanced humans, to save her twin sister, Margot. But Nolan Storm, their mysterious leader, has his own agenda. When Storm backtracks on his promise to rescue Margot, Lucy takes her fate into her own hands and sets off for Russia with her True Born bodyguard and maybe-something-more, the lethal yet beautiful Jared Price. In Russia, there's been whispered rumors of Plague Cure.

While Lucy fights her magnetic attraction to Jared, anxious that his loyalty to Storm will hurt her chances of finding her sister, they quickly discover that not all is as it appears…and discovering the secrets contained in the Fox sisters' blood before they wind up dead is just the beginning.??

As they say in Dominion, sometimes it’s not you…it’s your DNA.

True North - Excerpt

“Let me finish. I have a job to do. I’m obliged to do the best job I can. Not just because I work for Storm but because that’s who I am. That job is to protect you, Lu.”

I turn my head, unable to bear even another second. I’ve had my fill of Jared’s merc routine. Gentle fingers coax me back again until I’m just inches from Jared’s glittering eyes. They look feral in the moonlight.

“But Lu.” He breathes my name like it’s a full sentence. “It’s a good thing that’s my job, because… Don’t you know I can’t even help myself?” He’s so close it’s as though the boundaries of our flesh have disappeared. And within one breath and the next, his lips are on mine. Soft, warm, molding me to his mouth. Then, hungrier, he pulls me closer, seeking more.

I’m dizzy with the taste of him on my lips, in my mouth. When my strength gives out, I slump onto his chest and he holds me tighter. I can barely react to the blazing warmth of his body full down the length of me, the scratchy feeling of his shirt decal under my fingers. There’s a fire in me, too, and with his sudden nip to my lip, it ignites. I’m feverish for him. Jared’s chest is molten rock under my hands. I’m struck with a desire to run kisses up his neck, to just behind his earlobe, just to hear the quick suck of his breath. I grab his hair and pull him tighter still. My lips sting from trying to get closer, closer, and rubbing too hard up against his teeth. Jared tries to hold them back but I can feel his incisors sharpen, his growl deepen, his eyes flip to a luminescent green in the darkness of the garden as he drinks me in.

And just as suddenly as it started, he takes me by the shoulders and pulls me away. I sway on the patio bench like a rag doll, cold and dazed. The garden hums with some secret life, bugs and frogs, but it’s just Jared and me here.

Touching a finger to my swollen lips, I watch him. He pants as though he’s kicked the living tar out of someone, a glassy expression to his feline eyes. He doesn’t take his hands off me, but he isn’t going to bring me close again, either. And that’s what makes me explode.

“What kind of game are you playing with me, anyhow?” I scream at him, thankful that the garden is empty for my tirade.

About the Author

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate.

Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

✿ Website ✿ Twitter ✿ GoodReads ✿

Book Review: True North (True #1) by Liora Blake

True North
North #1

By:
Liora Blake

Published:
April 6, 2015

Publisher:
Pocket Star

Source:
eARC from publisher for a honest review

Add to Goodreads

GR's Summary:

What happens when a bad-boy celebrity rocker meets a small-town bestselling novelist? Find out in this first book in the sizzling new True series by Liora Blake! 

While most novelists would consider jetting off to Hollywood for a TV interview rather exciting, small-town Montana writer Kate Mosely finds it all a bit exhausting. After losing her husband in a car accident where she was behind the wheel, Kate has finally found her bearings in the world again, rebuilding a simple but stable life. And even if that means a lot of lonely nights watching old movies and quiet days writing obituaries for her hometown newspaper, Kate’s not sure she’s ready for her life to change—again. 

Until she shares the stage—and a whole heap of carnal gazes—with rock star Trevor “Trax” Jenkins. Despite his intimidating on-stage bravado, underneath it Kate discovers a man with a Rilke poem tattooed on his arm, an appreciation for cronuts, and a snarky wit that matches her own. 

As she and Trevor explore their heated chemistry, the scarred parts of Kate’s heart begin to heal, making room for a love so passionate it makes her want long-forgotten things equal parts naughty, heart-swelling, and joyful. But when a searing exposé in a trashy gossip magazine sends Kate running, will it threaten their chances at forever? 

True Series:

Add this Series to Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I was attracted to the book cover for True North, and when I read the book summary, I got so excited to see that this story included a rockstar in it!  Lately, I've been really interested in reading rockstar and motorcycle romances, so this book immediately went on my TBR!  What I wasn't prepared for was just how much that I would fall in love with this story and these main characters. True North completely blew me away, and I am looking forward to continuing this series, and seeing what else Liora Blake writes!

In True North we meet, Kate Mosely.  She lives in the extremely small town of Crowell, Montana where everybody knows everyone else.  She is a widow who lost her one and only true love to a car crash, and has been existing day to day.  When she writes a book and it becomes a best seller, her agents sends her to Los Angeles, CA to appear on a late night talk show.  While in the green room, she see's an extremely good looking man, and you can feel that the attraction between them is mutual.  

Trevor "Trax" Jenkins is a rockstar.  He grew up in the projects and it feels to him like he became wealthy and famous overnight.  He's use to getting whatever he wants, but is tired of the superficial lifestyle.  When he meets Kate, he can tell that she is different from any woman he's ever met.  In fact he is intimidated by her intelligence, beauty, and dynamic personality.  For once he doesn't have a woman who just wants him for his money and fame.  As Katie and Trevor begin a passionate and whirlwind long-distance affair, they both realize that they don't want to be apart.  However, there are complications.  Can Kate live in the spotlight of the paparazzi?  Where will they live, when they both have lives in different states?  When an expose is written it will test the strength of all that Kate and Trevor have built together...

There are so many reasons that I loved True North!  For one, I adored the characters!  We get to know the real Trevor.  Not just the rockstar.  We see his vulnerabilities, his fears, hopes,and all that he is.  I loved how after a little bit, I wouldn't even think of him as a rockstar or "Trax."  He was just a man that had insecurities, painful memories, people he loved, and the need for someone to see him and love him for who he was.  Kate was an interesting character as well!  She had a dry sarcastic sense of humor, was very blunt, and her own past demons, insecurities and fears to contend with.  These two had such a beautiful, intense, and sensual relationship.

My favorite secondary character was, Kellan.  He was Kate's stylist, and was hilarious.  I was highly entertained by him, and loved whenever he was a part of the story.  We get introduced to a variety of secondary characters, such as Kate's younger sister, Lacey, her agent, neighbor's, co-workers, various townspeople, and Trevor's business associates, bandmates, mother, niece, and younger sister.  However, I must say, Trevor's bandmate, the Sexy, and flirty Simon, stood out!  I can't wait to read more about him, and hopefully he gets a story with Trevor's younger sister, Devon, because it was obvious that he has a huge crush on her!

My Rating:

While the plot was fairly predictable, that did not lesson my enjoyment of this story whatsoever.  It was well-developed, fast-paced, fun, and light easy reading!  I give, True North, by Liora Blake, 4.5 Crazy Hot Sexy, KM+TJ Forever Filled Stars!

Book Teasers:

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes

About Liora Blake:

Liora Blake is a contemporary romance author living in Colorado. Although her path to here was paved with a million detours, plenty of pitfalls, and many a crisis of faith, she thinks it’s a pretty amazing place to be. She writes because it’s what she’s always wanted to do, she writes novels because she likes to tell the whole story, and she writes romance because a happily ever after is the best kind of story to tell. 

When she isn’t writing, she’s likely baking cookies she shouldn’t eat, inventing elaborate excuses to avoid going for a run, or asking the nice barista to sell her another quad-shot Americano.

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