BOOK TOUR [Excerpt + Review + Giveaway]: James Games by L.A. Rose

15 October 2014


James Games
by L.A. Rose

Genre(s): Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, Humor
Date Published: September 30, 2014

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Every year, the girls of Phi Delta Chi, Fiona Arlett’s dream sorority, hold a competition.

The prize?


James Reid, king size bar of eye candy and famous actor turned haughty undergrad.


The rules?


No girl but the winner can touch him.


The problem?


Fiona miiight have unknowingly banged his brains out last week.


Losing the competition may mean wearing a chicken suit to the sexiest Halloween costume contest, but she’d rather have feathers up her butt than let the truth out.


Unfortunately, she and James have lots in common and more chemistry than the science wing. Soon they’re sneaking around behind the backs of UCSD’s hottest and most vengeful girls.


If they find out?


Fiona’s screwed.


“Leave,” James repeats. The word sweeps over the boys surrounding me like an icy cold breeze from the asscrack of Antarctica. He’s really got the serial killer vibe going on. Even I have to resist the urge to jump up and run for the hills. I don’t blame my harem for scattering, leaving me sitting exposed and undefended on the counter, at the mercy of James Reid.

I point at him. “You scared away my harem.”

“Those guys were looking at you like you’re a piece of meat.” His tone is thick with disgust.

“Technically I am a piece of meat. Plus bones and stuff. Also, don’t you think that’s a bit hypocritical?”

I expect him to scoff at this, to shrug it off or deny it. Instead he cuts his eyes away from me. “I’m sorry,” he says finally. “I shouldn’t have jump—”

“Jump-started my car for me,” I interrupted loudly, fully aware that Sigrid is straining to listen in on our conversation, even if she is across the room. “You’re right. You should have just let me take it to the shop. Some things should be done by professionals.”

A ghost of a smile traces its way upward from the corners of his lips. It’s the first time I’ve seen him smile, and damn, is it dangerous. I swallow and look away. “Although—even though I know that I shouldn’t have let you near my car, and you’re definitely not coming near it again, you don’t need to apologize. At the time, I really wanted you to jump-start my car.”

My phone buzzes. I glance down. A text from Iris. Think of a better euphemism. You’re not being subtle.

“Did you just say I’m not a professional?” he asks, leaning one-handed on the counter so that his thumb is bare inches away from my thigh. He’s close enough to count the goose pimples that appear on my skin.

“Definitely an amateur,” I smirk.

His hand inches closer. “Why don’t you call me next time your car needs some work done and I’ll show you more of what I’m capable of.”


My Rating:

*ARC courtesy of author in exchange for honest review

Fiona Arlett is a wild animal out of her cage. Concerts, Sorority parties and boys... lots and lots of boys, that's what her college is going to be all about, and she's there, ticking off sexcapades from her list. But when her sorority holds a competition involving James Reid and the rules are to steer clear from him until the end, she's about to be doomed because guess what? She already banged him.

L.A. ROSE HAS DONE IT AGAIN! Another hilarious new adult romance by this awesome writer! I've never been so excited for this novel ever since I read the excerpt of it on Adrian Lessons, and let me tell you, I was pumped to read this because I knew this was going to be a really great read, and guess what? I was right!

If Mean Girls and Wild Child were mashed together to be a romance comedy, with lots of college parties and getting drunk and having sex, yep, I think this book would definitely be it. (And I love those two movies so much, which is why I enjoyed this book a whole lot!)

In this amazing piece of hilariousness, we meet Fiona Arlett, our crazed-in-the-head heroine. The moment she stepped foot into college, she's turned wild and crazy in a single snap. Having been Amish during her whole childhood, college is finally the time she can unwind and be a regular teenager with a cool social life. Yep, all she wanted was to be part of the cool kids. Her childhood is basically an Echosmith song: "I wish that I could be like the cool kids..." Hah! And what could be more cooler than being a member of the most popular sorority in campus, the Phi Delta Chi? That's the dream, alright. 

The Phi Delta Chi holds an annual competition and guess who the prize is? JAMES REID. Imagine her surprise when she realizes he's the guy she banged about a week ago (ABOUT A WEEK AGO, WEEK AGO! #SorryNotSorryToThoseWhoGetTheReference). Trouble is, the rules are no one gets to touch James until he chooses the winner at the very end of the competition. Add in Sigrid, an obsessed mean girl who would make it a life goal to make Fiona's life a living hell if she ever finds out about Fiona and James. 

Life is all about making choices. 

At this particular moment, my choice is between A: jumping naked into a bush from a second-story window and B: getting torn to shreds by a gorgeous girl in prada.

The devil does really wear it.

And why she's even naked and about to get torn to shreds by the devil in prada, well, y'all are going to have to read. 

"Are you down there, Fiona? Everyone's waiting for you."

I stab my thumb upwards. "Do you hear that? That is the sound of my death. If she finds out I slept with you, I'm fucked. And not the good kind."

****
At this particular moment, my choice is between A: getting hazed to death, and B: getting it on with James Reid, again. 

Then again, sometimes your body makes choices for you.

James Reid is a celebrity. He's an ex-child actor but still lives life under the limelight even on campus, and is the dream boyfriend of every girl (and gay boy) on campus. A victim of a past mistake, he tries to correct his errors by owing Brooklyn, which resulted to the James Games, where all the girls of Phi Delta Chi pine for a single date with him. But when he meets Fiona, he can't get enough of her ever since that wild concert night, even to the point of faking a fire alarm just to get her alone. *wiggle wiggle*

Fiona's determined not to win this competition by going against the rules in order to prove that she doesn't care about James. But when the person you try to avoid so much is always there to your rescue, and keeps on getting in your pants, well, all hell's about to break loose. 

"How's your arm and head?" he asks me. 

"Horny. I mean, hurting. Hurting! Not that much, though. Just a little."

Yep, sure you are, Fiona. Sure you are. 

Now if you've read the first book L.A. Rose has ever released, Adrian Lessons, you'd most likely compare AL's Cleo to JG's Fiona. Well, they're both crazy, with a mouth and brain that's got no filter at all and they're equally funny as hell. She's wild, insane and doesn't back down from a challenge, hence, Sigrid's constant hazing. But she's the kind of character I definitely would want to be friends with because she sure knows how to have a good time. Heck, Fiona is my girl, her and I are just like two peas in a pod. Except for the parties. And the drunken nights. And the hot sex. Yep.

Meanwhile, James, oh my beautiful James. He's the most misunderstood character ever. He's quite distant and aloof, obviously doesn't have many friends. Basically, he's a famous loner. This makes me just want to hug him, because despite his repressed personality, he's charming, protective and absolute sweetheart. He's the kind of character you'd instantly fall in love with, the perfect hero for a romance comedy like this.

I really enjoyed the relationship between James and Fiona, the instant tension that just flares up like things are about to get down... and dirty. And the idea of them fooling around behind everyone's backs is what makes it so good because of the intriguing curiosity of how they would be officially together in the very end. 

And what I'm so glad about this book is that despite having a lot of characters mentioned, they're unforgettable, because each and everyone of them has a particular personality that makes them stand out, even if they only appear once or twice. (Of course, I wouldn't doubt L.A. Rose's writing skills.) In comparison to Adrian Lessons, I'd say L.A. Rose did a better job with the secondary characters in this book. We have the Queen B, Brooklyn, literally the Queen Elizabeth of the sorority, and Sigrid, the redhead Regina George, and her minions, Amber and Ellie, and then Fiona's two best friends, Iris, the punk rock chick and Mags, the quite mouse. 

As much as I want to go into detail about how this book made me laugh and get all giggly and even a couple of parts made my jaw drop, like woah, I really don't want to spoil further. I'm really excited for you all to read this book, it's insanley sweet and explicably funny, which makes me so excited for another L.A. Rose creation. I can't wait!






L.A. ROSE

L.A. Rose recently made it out of college alive and with an English degree. She's a habitual beach bum, a cuteness aficionado, and a not-quite-recovered romance addict. She's a big believer in laughter as medicine and steaminess as...more medicine. You can never have enough medicine. James Games is her second New Adult standalone, and her next release, Icy Pretty Love, will be out 11/15/2014.

2 comments

  1. YASSSSSSS "About a week ago, week ago " *Hits the Shmoney Dance*. The fact that you know this gives you even more cool points. You're so funny lmao. This is def one of your best reviews. I'm reading and finding quotes or certain things I wanted to talk about but completely forgot about while doing my own review. I love the references you made to Mean Girls and Wild Child, it was definitely spot on! Keep it up girl :D

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    Replies
    1. THANK YOUUUUU!!! I really couldn't help but make the reference, it was a total fit! ;D And as for the quotes, I had a lot highlighted, I really had a hard time in trying to choose the perfect one. lol

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