Sun-Kissed Instafreebie Reads

 Kick-start your summer!

48 FREE Young Adult and Clean Romance stories from 48 new and best-selling authors. Fill your Kindle (or another e-reader) and enjoy reading all summer.

YA Contemporary

How to Begin Again by Cindy Ray Hale Will Hannah Miller learn to move on from her ex-boyfriend so she can make room in her heart for the hottie next door?	V is For Virgin by Kelly Oram Girl determined to stay Virgin until married. Obnoxious rock star determined to change her mind. Chaos and romance ensue!	Under a New York Skyline Boxed Set In a city of millions, can she find her one in a million? Romance in New York has never been so loud with hip hop, so frenzied with Comic Con fans, or so alluring with pop sensations.
Better Off by Yesenia Vargas Ariana’s not supposed to have a boyfriend, but she doesn’t mind breaking the rules for Carlos. What happens when Carlos isn’t the Prince Charming she was hoping for?	Holding On by Rachael BrownellBecca has to choose between the love she has for her best friend, Brad, and something new and exciting with Ethan. Will she hold on to her past, or move forward with her future?	Summer’s End by Sally Henson Sixteen-year-old Regan Stone has a plan and she’s got to stick to it if she want’s to make it out of her gossip-ridden small town. But when her best her best-friend-since-forever, Lane, confesses his secret to her, she has until summer’s end to choose between following her dreams or taking a chance at love.
Always Anika: Ten Years Later by Kelsie Stelting One big white dress. One bouquet of flowers. Two high school sweethearts.	Malignant by Emily Kazmierski When Reese’s mom is diagnosed with cancer, Reese has two choices: find strength and perseverance to care for her mom, or disengage from the family like her dad. What will Reese choose?	Naked and Far From Home by J.P. GriderTia loves Clinton; Clinton has a secret. Will sharing that secret affect their love for each other?
The Girl Who Wouldn’t Grow Up by Rachel Shane A retelling of Peter Pan set in modern day high school in which Wendy gets caught in the middle of a prank war and a war for her heart between two rival lacrosse captains, Peter and James.	Those Black Wings by Melinda R. Cordell Kay knows she cannot stay with Carter. She knows that his next suicide attempt may be fatal. But she wants, above all, to live her life on her own terms – not on somebody else’s.	Moon River by Amber D. TranMoon River follows the childhoods of Abigail and Ryan as they grow up together in northern West Virginia.

YA Urban Fantasy

New Orleans Magic by J.L. Hendricks The Pussycat Dolls meet Urban Fantasy. Jenna, and her 3 adopted sisters, always believed magic wasn’t real, and their gimmicks were harmless. Until a vampire tried to use a death spell on Jenna and the whole world of magic and shifters opened up to her and her sisters.

Discovery by Char Webster What would you do if you suddenly discovered that the people around you are much more than they seem? How would you react if you suddenly could read people’s thoughts? Would you trust the sexy mysterious stranger who seems to appear everywhere you go? Discover the dangers of being Gifted.

YA Paranormal

Seeker by Amy Reece Ally is 16 and psychic; Jack is 18 and trouble. Will they be able to save a friend in trouble before it’s too late? Will they find love along the way?	The Witchling Apprentice by G. Kristin McMichael Cassie thought magic would be her key to fitting in. She soon finds that magic isn’t the only thing kept hidden in her small community. There are other things that go bump in the night, and they all seem to want a piece of her.	Shadowed Truth by Wendi L. Wilson A companion novella to the Shadowed Series, this story follows Melanie parents, Elaine and Darren, through their whirlwind romance and the series of events that led to their ultimate separation.
Heritage by Melle Amade Dutch born, Matilde, the estranged niece of Lord Van Arend, barters with her scheming mother to spend the summer with the only friends she’s ever had, the Ravensgaard at Castle Brannach. The only problem is, what she has offered her mother is information, information that will break her friends’ trust and begin the downfall of the regime that governs them all.	Moment for Tara by Tamar Sloan Tara grew up playing and laughing with her twin best friends, life is uncomplicated and carefree — until she falls for one of them. The wrong one.	Dead Love by Gabby Griffin Will Lace help the ghost in her new house find peace? Or will their twisted pasts drown them?
Discerning Spirits by Kellie McAllen To fulfill his destiny, he’ll have to uncover hers.	Galdoni by Cheree Alsop “This is the Arena, and here we live to die.” These are the words carved into a holding cell where genetically-altered gladiators, the winged humans called Galdoni, are trained to fight. Kale, rescued by three high school students and nursed back from the brink of death, is given the chance to experience life as a human.	Cursed by the Gods by Raye Wagner Even though mortals think the gods have disappeared, Olympus still rules. Demigods have elite hunters who viciously kill monsters. And Hope has a deadly secret…

Science Fiction Romance/Fairy Tale Retelling

Alien Frog Prince by J.M. Page and Juno Wells Prince Zakrom is long past the age of finding his One, the girl who will break the curse that keeps him hideous. Until he meets the scattered but beautiful Earth girl and instantly knows she’s for him.

YA Time Travel

Clockwise by Elle Strauss A teen time traveler accidentally takes her secret crush back in time. Awkward….

YA Fantasy

Protector by Joanne Wadsworth Faith never expected to encounter Magio, a planet with two warring countries. Now, she must battle against both love and land if she wants to remain with her soul-bound mate.	Clicks by Amy Evans Cami is looking forward to a summer of lifeguard training and having fun. But all of that changes when she gets hurt, falls in love, and those the cares about most begin to drown.	A Curse of Stone and Moonlight by Ashley Maker Cursed to become a marble statue in a wicked sorcerer’s private art gallery, a teenage girl must find a way out before she’s trapped forever.
When I Wake by Lara Ann Ash has a secret, it has the chance to make or break her. She confides in Bentley, but has she made a huge mistake?	Defects by Sarah Noffke The society one girl thought was protecting her has actually been betraying her, but she has no idea how to break away from its authority without hurting everyone she loves.	Rebel’s Blade by Frost Kay War. Secrets. Betrayal. Meet Sage: Loyal. Fierce. Sassy. Strong. Daughter, swordmaker, spy, and rebellion leader. Meet your next epic adventure.
Shades of Valhalla by Ellis Logan One girl to save the world, or end it… Dark fae, myth and magic.	Cendrilla by Cordelia Castel When Cendrilla is forcibly betrothed to Bluebeard, a Lord known for killing his wives, she escapes to the capital with his slave, Jack. But Rilla soon finds that Bluebeard and his cut-throat mercenaries are in hot pursuit, desperate to exact their vengeance.

YA Thriller

Rhinoceros Summer by Jamie Thornton LETHAL AMBITION…A rare rhinoceros on the brink of extinction. A trophy hunter on the verge of bankruptcy. A young photographer desperate for fame.

YA Dystopian

Sand Runner by Vero Brook In a dystopian future, 16-year-old Kaiden Reed risks his life in a brutal race to impress the girl of his dreams. But can he trust the person who recruited him – or are they using him to carry out their own bold and reckless agenda?

Elimination by Marina Epley For fans of The Hunger Games, Maze Runner and X-Men. Immerse yourself in a gritty YA dystopian adventure with telepathy, hypnosis and mind reading.

Western Romance

Fools Rush In by Eveline Hart Join Anna Murphy as she finds love in the American Frontier. This is a sweet Mail Order Bride Romance you are sure to love!

Rodeo Knights Boxed Set 1-3 Someone is trying to sabotage the rodeo circuit the Knight brothers hold so dear. Together they must find out who is responsible before someone gets killed!

Lizzie by Bethany Rose Lizzie Hazlitt is forced to leave Dalton, Wyoming to escape her cruel and overbearing mother. Joseph Kendicott is advertising for a mail-order bride; he’s in trouble with the law and he figures that having a wife is better than any disguise.

Chick Lit

Smile… You are Famous by Mary Kelly Reed A few weeks before her wedding, Laura discovers that everyone is identifying her with Daphne, a comic series heroine. At first, she smiles at the whims of the universe, but her smile fades away when she realizes that Daphne and she are so alike because she was created by David, her ex-fiancé.

loveandpizza.it by Daniela Pesconi-Arthur An unexpected job interview via Skype and a job offer in Napoli help just graduated Dr. Carolina decide to embark on the craziest adventure of her life. In Napoli, she will find out that choosing a pizza topping isn’t the most difficult thing to do, after all…

Sweet Contemporary Romance

Thanks to You by Emma Kingsley Horse trainer Ashley considers billionaire Robert King another profit-obsessed client. Just as she lets Robert in, the uncertain future of Sunny Grove Stables threatens to tear them apart. Will King’s plan to take control of the situation push Ashley away or bring them together?	Sweet Tricks by Maggie Dallen Tabitha has given up bad boys once and for all, but that’s easier said than done when she finds herself sharing an apartment with Jack, the bad boy to end all bad boys. As if their instant attraction doesn’t make staying away hard enough, why does her new bad boy have to be so nice?	Full Circle by Sophie Moran Cassie comes home to Dragonfly Lake to recover from a broken engagement. Once home, she encounters her first love…who now works for her father.
Time For You by J.L. Starr Being assistant curator at a historical railroad museum isn’t as glamorous as Amy thought it would be. Though the job does have its perks, such as when she can touch the heart of a sweet little boy, then win the heart of his father.	The Modern Earl by Caroline Johnson Meg is starring in a Regency-era play opposite of Vincent Davenport, a famous Broadway actor, but he’s also well-known for his bad attitude. There’s chemistry onstage, but offstage they can’t get along. Will the terrible dynamic ruin the play, or will Vincent prove to be more than meets the eye?

Science Fiction Fantasy Romance

Whispers of a Faded Dreamer by Celesta Thiessen A love-starved young woman slips away every night to adventure with dragons, mermaids, and even aliens but then she wakes up.

Historical Romance

A Love Divided by Belle McInnes

Escape to the borderlands of Scotland in the time of Mary Queen of Scots, where a feisty English heiress meets a brawny Scottish laird who should be her mortal enemy – but a shared love for horses draws them together and kindles a passion that respects no boundaries, endangering more than just their hearts…

Book Review: Alora: The Wander-Jewel (The Alora Series Book 1)

Get it on amazon

This charming YA fantasy is the story of Alora, a 15-year-old who lives in snowy Montana and has a mysterious jewel in her belly button. To make things even livelier, she starts having visions of a cute (of course!) guy while she’s in the shower. She soon discovers that she is a bearer from another realm and her evil father is searching for her.

The story sweeps from Montana to Laegenshire and back many times as Alora and her soulmate, Kaevin, attempt to save the lives of their family and friends and keep the evil Vindrake from destroying Stone Clan.

This story is well written and well edited and makes for a fun read. Dearen has created engaging, lovable characters that you can’t help rooting for. In a nice break from the traditional YA trope of no-parents allowed, both Alora and Kaevin have to deal with the various adults in their lives and their sometimes over-protective ways. I look forward to reading the rest of the series soon.

Overall recommendation: 5 stars. You can’t go wrong with this one!

Book Review: The Lost Heirs by A. Moran-Soley

Genre: MG/YA Fantasy

All-ages approved. A clean, cringe-free read.

In The Lost Heirs, A. Moran-Smoley has created a world of adventure and secrets, where things are not always what they seem. 14 year-old Eric is just trying to stay out of trouble at his boarding school when he finds himself sucked into a mysterious world called Eshla. Joel, the reluctant prince of this strange new land, needs Eric’s help to retrieve the missing stones that will free his brothers from their rock prisons; only an earthling can travel back and forth between the two worlds. Eric enlists the help of his three friends and travels back in time to 1927 to retrieve the first stone.

What I Like:

I’m a huge fan of British boarding school stories, so this one grabbed me from the get-go. I loved the four main characters and felt like I was there with them as they struggled to find the Bel-Arayba stone. I really enjoyed how British the whole story was—hey, I’m American and things like “jumpers” and “whilst” are exotic. I found the whole story very original and engaging. The author excels at description and setting without becoming too wordy and the story was well paced.

Not So Much:

There was nothing I didn’t like in this book. It could have been longer and I wouldn’t have minded a bit. I would love to see this book hit the mainstream with professional editing, covers, movie deal, etc. It’s definitely got the potential.

Overall:

Highly recommended! A fun, fast read—would be a great read-aloud with the kids! I will be on the lookout for Book 2.

Book Review: Hidden Monster by Amanda Strong

Photo links to amazon.com

Hidden Monster is the story of Samantha, a 17-year-old girl who is kidnapped and held captive for several weeks. She is kept drugged and tied to a bed by her masked kidnapper. And that’s just the first chapter! The story really gets going when she escapes and tries to return to a normal life. Her new neighbor, Blake, is more than happy to try to help her, but he’s got secrets of his own. I can’t say too much more without some major spoilers, and one of the best things about this book is the “What the what?” moment when the real story comes out. It’s a lot of fun and keeps you turning pages.

This was such an enjoyable and surprising book! I did not know what to expect when I started it and it turned out to be so much fun. Strong’s forte is in creating complex, imaginative plot lines and Hidden Monster takes you on a roller coaster ride from the very first scene. Her characters are wonderful, as well. Samantha is a strong protagonist and I was rooting for her until the very end. Blake is a truly swoon-worthy book boyfriend and I look forward to seeing how life turns out for them in the rest of the series, which I hope Ms. Strong will hurry up and write. Hint. Hint.

If you enjoy YA fantasy with more than a touch of romance, this book is definitely for you.