Been Away....My American Road Trip 2014

Where do I begin?

Sorry I haven't posted in a while guys, I have been travelling around America since May and haven't really had the time to blog...I know I've been really bad. 

But I had a fantastic time and got to see a lot of really incredible places and do a bunch of amazing things. 

It all started when my family and I decided we wanted to go to Nashville for the Country Music Festival (being hardcore fans) so I decided I was going to stay and travel around America by myself, and my sister Josie decided she was going to come with me, so off we went, to America.

We flew into Atlanta, but the next day drove to New Orleans, which is such a vibrant place and after that we went to Memphis, which was amazing, visiting Sun Studio's is definitely up there with one of the best things I did on this trip. 

(Inn on St. Peters, our hotel in the French Quarter)

(Elvis, Cash, Lewis & Perkins microphone, Sun Studios)

Then after Memphis we headed to Nashville!!! And my god it was incredible, I want to make it an annual occurrence, all the performers where amazing and the atmosphere was definitely something you need to experience once in your lifetime. 

 (CMA Festival in Nashville) 

(Photo-booth at one of the exhibition stands at the CMA festival)

When we were in Nashville Josie's and my friend Lucy decided she wanted to come out and join us, so when we were headed back to Atlanta for everyone else to catch a flight home, she flew out and joined us. 

When we were in Atlanta we went to a baseball game and got foam fingers. It's so much fun, but just like rounders (my UK readers will understand what rounders is). After Atlanta we went to Washington D.C, which is such an amazing city! I definitely recommend visiting, we did all the touristy things while we were there and even used their version of Boris Bikes and cycled to Georgetown (which if you are there, go and get a cupcake from Georgetown Cupcakes, they are to die for!!) From there we made our way down the coast stopping at Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach, Charleston (where we got our car stuck in a huge pothole), Savannah and then made our way into Florida. 

 (Atlanta Braves baseball game)

(THE White House)

 ($2 Mimosa in Virginia Beach)

 (Rainbow Street in Charleston)

 (Car getting stuck in Folly Beach)

(Savannah)

After Savannah we entered Florida having planned our first stop there to be Daytona, but after arriving and not liking our hotel and it being dead we left and headed to Orlando where we were for 4th July, after that we went to Miami and got to swim with DOLPHINS!! After Miami we drove to Tampa where we spent a couple of days before we flew to San Diego.

 (Universal Walk in Minion Glasses)

(Water ride at Typhoon Lagoon)

(Swimming with Dolphins in Key Largo, during our stay in Miami) 

(Busch Gardens in Tampa) 

Going from the East Coast to the West Coast there were a few differences, 1) a lot more touristy 2) people are generally nicer on the east coast, but the people from The South are the friendliest by far and 3) the weather is a lot better. We flew into San Diego and from there made our way up the coast to L.A and Santa Monica where Lucy went home. 

 (Sea Lions at La Jolla)

(Laguna Beach, unfortunately we didn't see LC)

 (Us sitting on THE ACTUAL FRIENDS SOFA during our Warner Brothers Studio Tour)

 (Dierks Bentley Riser Tour at the Greek Theatre L.A, with Jon Pardi, Chase Rice and Chris Young)

(Muscle Beach)

After we dropped Lucy off at LAX, Josie and I headed to Runyan Canyon for a hike, and then continued on with our road trip, next stop was Palm Springs (where the temperature was 120 Fahrenheit, so bloody hot) then from Palm Springs we headed to Malibu going via Huntington Beach to watch the US Surf Open, then from Malibu we headed to Santa Barbara where we did our own surfing.

 (Runyan Canyon with a view of Los Angeles)

(Mount San Jacinto hike in Palm Springs)

(US Surf Open)

(Malibu)

(Surf Lesson in Santa Barbara)

From Santa Barbara we took the coastal route up to San Francisco having a night stay in Cambria and stopping at Big Sur. Once we got to San Francisco the traffic was a nightmare but after about an hour we made it to our hotel and got settled ready to take on our time there. 

 (Josie with her stone tower in Big Sur)

 (Photo stop during our cycle to and along the Golden Gate Bridge)

(Stuck in Alcatraz)

From San Francisco, we then went to Yosemite National Park where we enjoyed 3 long days of hikes, and saw some incredible views! Then we headed to our last destination VEGAS, during our time here we went on an over night trip to the Grand Canyon, to get there we went via the Hoover Dam and the historic route 66.

(We're on top of the world in Yosemite)

 (Our home while we were in Yosemite)

(Yosemite National Park)

 (Mason Jar beer at I Like This Bar and Grill in Vegas)

 (Hoover Dam) 

 (Route 66)

 (Grand Canyon National Park)

 (Grand Canyon National Park)

(530am sunrise over the Grand Canyon)

 (Las Vegas Strip)

 (Iconic Bellagio water dance)

And that was my 2014 American road trip, I will now be back on book reviewing and I'm also going to start adding a few other pieces on my blog, this will be either my own writing or reviews on different genre books and things other than books that interest me. 

 (Las Vegas)

Unravel Me, Kendall Ryan

Amazon USA

Amazon UK 

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam tibi. “I will either find a way or make one"

This is the second book of Kendall Ryan’s I have read (The Impact of You was the first) and I loved it. I love how Kendall can write funny, sexual and meaningful life changing scenes all in one.

This book was different as it has Ashlyn Drake falling in love with amnesia patient ‘Logan’ who is on trial for murder. The whole storyline had me intrigued from the beginning, I kept wondering; how is Kendall going to make our hearts lie with a so called murderer? But let me tell you, by the second time you see him in the book you’re hooked.

My favourite scene was of course the famous tattoo scene Aut viam inveniam aut faciam tibi. “I will either find a way or make one" I love how books make things more believable, because in real life no two people would get this tattoo, in the exact same place in the same font. But when Ashlyn sees Logan’s it makes you believe that they are meant to be.

The book is extremely well written and just flows and I must admit I fell in love with Ashlyn; she is a smart woman getting her PhD so is obviously hard working and not afraid to go for what she wants. She also shows you how powerful and strong women can be without men, as well as seeing how broken and lost a woman can be with a broken heart.

This book has a bit of everything, loss, hurt, love, heartbreak, friendship and HOT sex scenes it really is an uplifting story when you finish the book, and everything is tied up in a perfect bow. The way Kendall writes their sex scenes is intense yet they are put in the book in the right place to in a way help the reader see the bond between them, see the connection of their relationship and the love that comes from them.

I really enjoyed this book and will carry on reading books by Kendall Ryan, I give this book a 4.5* rating.

COVER REVEAL & TEASER

Whats Left Of Me, Amanda Maxlyn

Book Summary

Life works in mysterious ways.

Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.

I refuse to cry.

And I refuse to give in.

A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me.

He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.

But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.

What if it changes everything?
Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.

Love found me when I was twenty-one.
My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.  

Teaser

I’m grateful when I reach the door to the ladies room that there isn’t anyone around. I reach for the handle when I hear from behind me, “Not going to use the men’s room again?” I know that sexy voice. It’s the same one as earlier this evening in this same area.

With my heart picking up pace, I turn around smiling sweetly, “No, I’m going to sit down and pee this time.” My smile spreads a little wider and I say a silent thanks to sweet baby Jesus for letting me find my voice this time.

He doesn’t respond. He just steps closer to me with the corner of his lips spreading upward.

I don’t breathe.

I can’t breathe. Not when he is this close.

God he smells amazing. Like a mixture of spice and mint. Maybe a hint of beer too. It's the type of scent that would awaken a primal desire within any female, and good God do I feel awakened.

“You ran off before I could thank you for the dance earlier.” No, thank you. His voice is a faint whisper and his face is now so close that our noses are almost touching. I glance down at his very attractive red lips just as the corners of his mouth move up into the most beautiful smile. Shit. He knows I’m looking at his lips.

I’m transfixed by him. In this very moment, I would do whatever he said or answer to any name he called; even if it was one of those fluffy names like baby or princess. All I can think about is the desire flowing through my body for those lips to be on mine. I would take him in this hallway. There I said it. Or, did I think it?

Do something.

Anything!

I look back at his lips. 

Books Coming Soon: Unravel, Calia Read

Unravel, Summer 2013

Four months ago, I was happy. I was simply Naomi Carradine.

Two months ago, I was admitted into a psych ward.

Yesterday Lachlan Halstead visited me. Kissed me. And told me that I'm starting to lose my mind.

Hours later, Alexander Cole haunted my thoughts, reminding me I'm not crazy and that he needs my help.

A few minutes ago, I drifted further from reality, trying to unravel the past.

And now...everyone thinks I'm insane. But, I know he's real, and I know he needs me.

Do you believe me?

SNEAK PEEK

Waiting on Wednesday 4

For my fourth 'WoW' hosted by Breaking the Spine I have chosen:

Shards of Us, K.R. Caverly

Coming October 8, 2013

We meet every Wednesday night in hotel room #364. We stay there until morning; kissing, laughing, healing one another. We're both broken people, him with his alcoholic family, me with my murdered one. I don't know who he is; I don't ask for his name. I don't question him. I only love how he makes me feel, how he makes me forget just how alone I am in this world, and for now, that's all I need.