That Feeling When by S.M. James Blog Tour

Dance Academy reject, Archie Corrigan, resents the stereotype guy ballet dancers are gay. Because he isn’t. At all. Forced to reassess his life goal at Camp Crystal Cove, it’s by sheer dumb luck he meets Landon Summers, who turns everything Archie was sure of into chaos.

Poor boy turned teen heartthrob, Landon Summers, is the name on everyone’s lips. With his unexpected leap to fame, his agent advises him to keep his bi status on the down low. Not a problem! Until Landon meets Archie.

Their unexpected friendship leads to an inevitable kiss, but their moment is caught in high definition and used as fuel for blackmail. If the truth gets out, Landon’s career could be over, and Archie will be forced to acknowledge the one thing he’s fought to deny.

But how do you go back to your average life once you’ve experienced That Feeling When... you’re finally happy?

Book 1
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Landon Summers is into guys. I think he likes you.

And while Meredith didn’t say anything about me, there was something way too knowing in her look. Everyone else seems too into their own lives to be paying us any attention, and even when we’re announced winners of the trivia, my celebration doesn’t crack the surface chill that’s taken over me.

Meredith’s wrapped her arm through mine, and she’s cheering with the others, one hand in the air.

I’m a week in the past. Watching Landon pull on that stupid costume in the dark. The spark in his eyes as he thanked me. The brush of his skin on mine.

How was that only a week ago?

Why can’t I go back and enjoy that moment more? Savor my time with him?

Really take it all in, before he went and messed it all up.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This is a cute coming of age romance. When we first meet Archie, he is a spoiled, miserable rich kid who somehow manages to resent spending his summer at a luxurious camp. Landon is a young actor filming a movie at the summer camp. He’s a long way from home and he’s lonely and homesick.

Landon is instantly likeable. Despite his film star status, his loneliness and his self-doubt make him relatable. Archie is a more difficult character to like. His entitled apathy and his caustic observations at the start of the story are irritating. However, I love the way Archie grows into himself in this book. Events and interactions prompt self-reflection and genuine growth. Much of the book focuses on Archie growing up and figuring himself out. I found myself liking Archie as a person right about the time Archie starts to like himself.

While I enjoyed Archie and Landon’s story, I felt there was something missing in the romance between them. I feel like we are told about the connection or the chemistry between Archie and Landon, but we never really see or feel it. I felt Archie’s personal growth and Landon’s newfound confidence, but I didn’t really feel any passion in the connection between them.

This story fits somewhere between young adult and new adult writing. Archie is seventeen or eighteen and Landon is probably a few years older. But because of the summer camp setting – and Archie’s complicated relationship with his parents – this feels most like a teen romance. I didn’t love the summer camp setting – the kids feel too old to be campers rather than camp staff and the camp environment lacks the sense of joy and nostalgia that I usually love in young adult summer camp stories. I found it odd that while the blurb makes Archie’s dancing seem like a huge part of the story, it is only mentioned a few times.

S.M. James in an Australian author who writes books for teens about squishy sweet characters. While not writing, S.M. is a readaholic and Netflix addict who regularly lives on a sustainable diet of chocolate and coffee. Member of SCBWI. Unapologetically dishing out HEAs for LGBT+ characters.

Connect with S.M.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of That Feeling When (#lovehim #1) by S.M. James to read and review for this tour.

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch Blog Tour

From Amber Lynn Natusch, author of the Force of Nature series, comes her first young adult thrilling novel of suspense with Dare You to Lie.

When her FBI agent father is framed for murder, Kylene is forced to move in with her grandfather, back to the small town that turned its back on her, and the boy who betrayed her.

All Ky cares about is clearing her father’s name, but someone won’t let her forget the photo scandal that drove her away two years ago. As the threats gain momentum, Ky finds an unlikely ally in the rookie FBI agent sent to keep an eye on her.

Determined to expose the town's hidden skeletons, Ky unwittingly thrusts herself into a much bigger plot. They thought she’d forgive and forget. They’re about to learn they messed with the wrong girl.

Book 1
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Also Available in Audiobook

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I raced through town and into Gramps’s neighborhood. When I got to the house, there was a generic-looking sedan, not unlike the one my father used to drive, parked outside. I hadn’t even pulled all the way into the driveway before Agent Douchecanoe was out of his vehicle and headed my way, file in hand.

“So you’re the errand boy,” I said to him as he scowled at me.

“You know you can hear that environmental hazard coming from a mile away, right?”

“Weird... kinda like your hostility and hubris.”

His frown deepened as he extended the file in his hand toward me. I reached for it, but he pulled it back at the last second.

“Striker said to make sure you got this.”

“Hence the errand boy comment—”

“Do you know what’s in here?”

“Do you know what’s in there?” I countered, knowing damn well he would have looked. The suspense would have killed him.

“They’re copies of evidence from you father’s trial.”

“Ding, ding, ding!” I exclaimed, snatching the file from his hand. “Consider your errand complete. I’d tip you, but... I don’t get paid until next week.”

“Why did Striker want you to have those?” he asked, totally unfazed by my jab.

“Because I asked for them.”

He shook his head.

“That’s adorable. You think you can find something that a defense lawyer and a team of FBI agents couldn’t find.”

“They weren’t really looking, though, were they? They approached his investigation as if he was already guilty. Hard to be objective when your singular focus is to bring down the fall guy.”

“Says the girl with the singular focus of freeing her daddy,” he replied. “What a sad day it’s going to be for you when all you find in those files is the truth of your father’s guilt.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
M/F Mystery
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Whew! I did not really know what to expect from this book, but I loved it! Natusch really sucked me in from the start.

It's fast paced with a few different back stories and directions that this book could take you on. You're pulled in different directions right when you think you're heading straight again. It was a twisty, curvy, bumpy road that you just didn't want to navigate away from.

Kylene is amazing. She's strong, testy, feisty, compassionate, smart and above all, she never gives up. Garrett, Tabby, and Kylene are a fierce threesome. I hope they continue on in the next book. I also loved the insertion of the new FBI agent, despite his arrogance and annoying personality traits.

This book keeps you guessing and when you think you know what's going on, something else is thrown into the mix.

I can't wait to see what happens next!


Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Amber Lynn Natusch is a new-to-me author, and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into her backlist. I was hooked from page one, with a true heroine who took matters into her own hands. Intrigued, I didn't want to put the book down, reading it from cover to cover, but also not wanting it to end. As soon as I hit the ending, I would do just about anything to read the next.

Addictive.

At its core, there are two issues plaguing Ky. Her father has been incarcerated for a crime she believes down to her marrow he didn't commit, and if he did, it was in self-defense. As the daughter of an FBI agent, Ky is extremely perceptive, committed to justice, moralistic yet compassionate, has a savior complex, and highly independent.

Originally leaving town with the excuse of her father getting a job elsewhere, it was an escape from an incident with The Six during her freshman year in high school, feeling betrayed by all those she trusted. But with her father's incarceration, she is forced to move back to the town she escaped, attend the same high school, facing the injustice of those who harmed her going about their everyday lives. She's the pariah – the one who shut down football over her allegations, something no one has ever forgotten in this football town. The only highlights are being with her grandfather, her mother's best friend, and her best friend.

The mystery is front and center, causing my mind to spin as I reasoned out how it all connected. I became paranoid as I read, not trusting any interactions, several times thinking those close to Kylene now were to blame.

Not wishing to spoil the novel, I won't do a recap on any of the plot. Dare You to Lie is an addictive page-turner mystery, narrated by one of the best teenage heroines I've had the pleasure to read.

I highly recommend to fans of the author and young adult mysteries. Just this little taste has intrigued me to read more by Natusch, and I will be impatiently waiting for the next in the Hometown Antihero series

Young Adult age-range: 14+. Darker theme of pictures taken against will while drinking, which were age-appropriate and presented as a moral.

AMBER LYNN NATUSCH is the author of the bestselling Caged series for adults. She was born and raised in Winnipeg, and is still deeply attached to her Canadian roots. She loves to dance and practice Muay Thai―but spends most of her time running a chiropractic practice with her husband, raising two young children, and attempting to write when she can lock herself in the bathroom for ten minutes of peace. Dare You to Lie is her debut YA novel with Tor Teen.

Connect with Amber

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To celebrate the release of Dare You To Lie, we’re giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner!

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Dare You to Lie (Hometown Antihero #1) by Amber Lynn Natusch to read and review for this tour.

Schooled by Jeff Adams

Theo Reese is a high school student who’s also a secret agent. Usually those lives are kept separate, but now he must be both at once.

Theo lends his expertise to his school’s computer science club as they gear up for a competition, but his talents are also required by the covert agency he works for. Someone has stolen an encrypted key that can allow them to control the nation’s energy grids. The possibilities are catastrophic unless Theo and his team can reclaim the file.

Theo locates the file in an unexpected place—the computer science competition. As Winger, his secret identity, he must recover the file and keep his teammates safe from the unscrupulous thieves…. But can he do it without revealing his secrets? He can’t blow his cover, especially with so many of his classmates around.

Book 2
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Harmony Ink

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/M Thriller, Mystery
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

This is the second installment and I do suggest that you read the first one in order to gain good insight into the characters who are present in this book.

Winger is back and trying harder than ever to juggle his secret life with his high school life. His boyfriend Eddie is very understanding, which helps, but Winger (Theo) has to make some tough decisions in this book. Not only is he a great hockey player, he's a great student and amazing at his job.

The mystery in this story is tied in nicely with Theo's school life. I really enjoyed the new characters and how the story meshed with Theo's secret life and high school career. His abilities are a unique asset to himself and the school – when put to the test, it was awesome to see it all come together.

I can't wait to see if Eddie's complication will be the next book, but that aspect of the story was intriguing. I am anxiously awaiting the next book.

Also Available in the Codename: Winger Series

Book 1
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Harmony Ink

For reviews & more info, check out our Tracker Hacker post.

JEFF ADAMS has written stories since he was in middle school and became a gay romance writer in 2009 when his first short stories were published. Since then he’s written several shorts and novels and he plans to keep writing as long as wonderful readers keeping picking up his books.

Jeff lives in rural northern California with his husband of twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musicals Rent and [title of show], the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition So You Think You Can Dance. If forced to pick his favorite book, it would be a tie between Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and David Levithan’s Every Day.

Jeff is the co-host of Jeff & Will’s Big Gay Fiction Podcast, a weekly show devoted to m/m romance as well as pop culture. New episodes come out every Monday at biggayfictionpodcast.com.

Connect with Jeff

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Schooled (Codename: Winger #2) by Jeff Adams to read and review.

The Dark Beneath the Ice by Amelinda Bérubé Blog Tour

Black Swan meets Paranormal Activity in this compelling ghost story about a former dancer whose grip on reality slips when she begins to think a dark entity is stalking her.

Something is wrong with Marianne.

It's not just that her parents have finally split up. Or that life hasn't been the same since she quit dancing. Or even that her mother has checked herself into the hospital.

She's losing time. Doing things she would never do. And objects around her seem to break whenever she comes close. Something is after her. And the only one who seems to believe her is the daughter of a local psychic.

But their first attempt at an exorcism calls down the full force of the thing's rage. It demands Marianne give back what she stole. Whatever is haunting her, it wants everything she has—everything it's convinced she stole. Marianne must uncover the truth that lies beneath it all before the nightmare can take what it thinks it's owed, leaving Marianne trapped in the darkness of the other side.

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
I’m not a big reader of paranormal stories but the cover and the blurb for this book caught my attention, so I decided to give it a shot. The story takes a few chapters to get going as we learn about Marianne, her parents’ separation, and her life. Once the setup is established, it was easy reading and I started having different ideas as to what was actually going on and what was haunting Marianne, if anything. Eventually I realised all my theorising was getting me nowhere so I stopped and just enjoyed the ride.

The author does a really good job setting the atmosphere. There is an eeriness and a literal darkness surrounding this story. Marianne’s world has an absence of light. Looking back, even those scenes set in the daytime appear grey in my mind. As the story progresses and the disturbances in Marianne’s life become more pronounced and more violent, I was really getting tense and the big finale had me on edge, right up until the big reveal. Because really that was it? What a letdown. I get what the author is saying but I was disappointed, probably because I was hoping for a big surprise, something I hadn’t considered and in the end, the answer was the obvious one.

The Dark Beneath the Ice is an engaging story and the mood and atmosphere are still with me several days after finishing the book, which is a sure sign it made an impact. 4 stars.

Young adult age recommendation: 13 and up.

Amelinda Bérubé has been a writer and editor with a small department in the Canadian public service. She holds a bachelor of humanities from Carleton University and a master of arts from McGill. Amelinda is also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Dark Beneath the Ice by Amelinda Bérubé to read and review for this tour.

Courting Carlyn by Melissa Chambers

Vaughn Yarborough is ready to trade the fame and glory of the international junior pro tennis circuit for college and a more settled life. First stop: spearhead a summer camp for underprivileged kids. The girl who’s agreed to run it with him has Vaughn more intrigued by the minute, but with the strict no-fraternizing rules, he’s got to figure out how not to fall for her.

When the boy Carlyn Sadowski has crushed on for years asks her to work with him for the summer, she has to pinch herself. When his world-famed coach offers her training for free, she can’t believe her luck. He could actually help her follow in her mother’s footsteps by playing college tennis. But when she finds out the catch is she’s got to convince Vaughn to go pro, Carlyn will have to decide between her dreams and the boy currently stealing her heart.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book features a super-hot sports star, the shy girl looking to grow her confidence on and off the court, and late-night shenanigans that would make your camp counselor blush.

Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Entangled Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Courting Carlyn hit many of my favorite notes. A slight love-hate vibe in the very beginning. Summer Camp crushes. Angsty dilemmas. Warm and fuzzy of first love. The moral of doing what is just and right.

Carlyn's aspirations are to get onto the university's tennis team. The seventeen-year-old has an academic scholarship but longs to follow in her mother's footsteps in memoriam. The only issue is how she isn't from a wealthy family like her peers, rather working at the country club to use their facilities than being able to afford trainers and alike.

Vaughn is the 'it' boy, well on his way to being a superstar of tennis. Broody, secretive, and labeled a bad boy, clearly Carlyn has been harboring fantasies, just like every other girl in the vicinity. Too bad he thinks she purposefully lost them the doubles tournament to spite his trainer – bring the love-hate angst.

Thrust into running a summer camp together, Carlyn needs the training via Vaughn and his trainer, and the paychecks are much-needed too. But Vaughn is doing it to clear up his image, so he can attend the same university Carlyn is so desperately trying to get accepted onto their tennis team.

The side characters were engaging and original, creating the perfect backdrop to Carlyn and Vaughn's verbal banter and avoidance of wanting one another. The older couple who owns the camp wants no fraternization. The trainer is tempting Carlyn to manipulate Vaughn. Carlyn's dad is not a fan, of either boy superstar or the past superstar. Age-appropriate angst abounds in this first crush, warm and fuzzy novel.

I highly recommend to those who are addicted to the young adult genre, readers who enjoy a good sports theme, and fans of the author.

Young Adult age-range: 12+, includes kissing and adult language.

Melissa Chambers writes contemporary novels for young, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt rock, she leaves the guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice cream. (Rocky road, please!) She’s a member of SCBWI and RWA including several local and online chapters thereof. She holds her B.S. in Communications from the University of Tennessee.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Courting Carlyn by Melissa Chambers to read and review.