by Penelope Douglas
Release Date:
November 17th, 2015
Genres:
Dark/Erotica
Contemporary
Romance
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Blog Tour Hosted by:
As the Pages Turn
Source:
Author via Blog Tour Host
eARC received in exchange of honest review
Synopsis:
Erika
I was told that dreams were our heart’s desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession.
His name is Michael Crist.
My boyfriend’s older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He is handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college’s basketball team and now gone pro, he’s more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me.
But I noticed him.
I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid...For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away.
Now, I’ve graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven’t stopped watching Michael. He’s bad, and the dirt I’ve seen isn’t content to stay in my head anymore.
Because he’s finally noticed me.
Michael
Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika.
My brother’s girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven’t had her body, I know that I have her mind. That’s all I really want anyway.
Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college.
In my city.
Unprotected.
The opportunity is too good to be true as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they’re out.
We’ve waited. We’ve been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true.
Release Date:
November 17th, 2015
Genres:
Dark/Erotica
Contemporary
Romance
Add to Goodreads
Blog Tour Hosted by:
As the Pages Turn
Source:
Author via Blog Tour Host
eARC received in exchange of honest review
Synopsis:
Erika
I was told that dreams were our heart’s desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession.
His name is Michael Crist.
My boyfriend’s older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He is handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college’s basketball team and now gone pro, he’s more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me.
But I noticed him.
I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid...For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away.
Now, I’ve graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven’t stopped watching Michael. He’s bad, and the dirt I’ve seen isn’t content to stay in my head anymore.
Because he’s finally noticed me.
Michael
Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika.
My brother’s girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven’t had her body, I know that I have her mind. That’s all I really want anyway.
Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college.
In my city.
Unprotected.
The opportunity is too good to be true as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they’re out.
We’ve waited. We’ve been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true.
Welcome to our Blog Tour stop for
Corrupt by Penelope Douglas.
You can follow the rest of the tour HERE
• • • Excerpt • • •
I fell back to my feet and crept through my apartment as I listened to the pounding that had now become a steady attack. My feet followed the sound, stepping absently closer to it, and I finally pressed my ear against the wall leading to my hallway, my heart racing as the vibrations touched my skin.
Resting my cheek against the surface, I swallowed the tight lump in my throat as the thumping against the wall grew faster and faster.
There was someone over there. In the empty apartment.
Holding up my phone, I dialed the office downstairs but got no answer. I knew there was a night manager named Simon Something-Or-Other, but I didn’t think many people were on duty at night. He must be away from his desk.
I continued listening, wondering if I could ignore it and just wait until morning to ask the manager about it, but the further down the hall I travelled, the louder it got until I was standing next to the rear entrance.
Opening up the door, I peeked my head into the hallway, holding the heavy steel exit open just enough to inspect.
Glancing to my right, I saw a door just like mine. And then I heard a woman’s high-pitched cry ring out around me, and I started breathing harder.
And then there was another cry. And another, and another, and...
Was she having sex? My mouth fell open as I tried not to laugh.
Oh, my God.
But I thought the place was supposed to be empty.
I stepped out, knife in hand—just in case—and walked quietly down to the other door, glancing up and seeing small security cameras along the wall, probably installed when the apartments were built.
Pressing my ear to the door, I listened, still hearing the thump, thump, thump of something hitting the wall, and the girl’s breathy cries over and over again.
I folded my lips between my teeth, covering my smile with my free hand.
But then the woman cried out. “ No! Ah, oh, God! Please!”
And my face fell, hearing the fear in her voice. The short, shrill screams were now different. Panicked and scared, and her cries sounded struggled. My mouth suddenly went dry as I stood there listening.
“ Ah!” she cried out again. “ No, please stop!”
I backed away from the door, not finding it funny anymore.
But then something hit the door from the other side, making a loud thud,and I scurried backward. “ Oh, shit,” I gritted out under my breath.
I shot my head up to the cameras, now wondering if they fed to Securitydownstairs or to whoever was inside the apartment. Did they know I was out here?
I spun around and dashed for my door, grabbing the handle and trying to twist it. But it was locked. “ Dammit!” I mouthed. Fucking thing must lock automatically.
Another thud hit the door, mere feet away from me—so close—and I darted my eyes over to it, my breathing turning fast and painful.
I pulled on the door handle again, twisting and yanking, but it didn’t budge.
Another thud hit the door, and I jerked upright, dropping the knife.
“ Shit.”
I dived down to pick it up, but just then I heard the other door swing open, so I bolted down the stairwell, hiding behind the wall and forgetting about the knife.
Fuck!
Screw this. Whoever was coming out of the vacant apartment was definitelysomeone I didn’t want to meet. I dashed down flight after flight, a cry lodged in my throat as fear gripped my chest.
A pounding echoed above me, and I spared a quick glance upward, seeing a hand sliding down the railings as whoever it was jumped flights of stairs.
Oh, my God. I raced down, one flight after the other, a drop of sweat glidingdown my neck. The pounding was getting closer and closer, my legs about to give out as my exhausted muscles worked as fast as they could. I gasped, seeing the door labeled LOBBY. I yanked it open and burst through, looking behind me once again to see if he—or she—was behind me.
But then I slammed into a wall, and I let out a small cry as hands gripped my upper arms.
I looked up and exhaled a breath, seeing Michael Crist towering over me, his eyes narrowed.
“ Michael?” I breathed out, frozen in confusion.
“ What the hell are you doing?” He arched a brow and set me back, away from him, and let go of my arm. “ It’s after one a.m.”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Why was he here?
He stood in front of an elevator, a different one than I had taken this morning, dressed in a black suit, looking like he’d just been at a club or something. A young brunette stood next to him, beautiful in a tight, navy-blue cocktail dress that fell mid-thigh.
I suddenly felt exposed, dressed in my silk sleep shorts and black tank top, my hair hanging about, probably in tangles.
“ I...” I looked over my shoulder again, noticing that whoever had followed me down the stairs hadn’t come out the door yet.
I twisted my head back, looking up at Michael. “ I heard something up on my floor,” I told him.
And then I shook my head, still confused. “ What are you doing here?”
“ I live here,” he shot back, and I immediately recognized that ever-present intolerant tone that he always used with me.
“ Live here?” I questioned. “ I thought you lived in your family’s building.”
He slid a hand into his pocket and cocked his head, looking at me point-blank like I was stupid.
I closed my eyes, expelling a sigh. “ Of course,” I breathed out, realization hitting. “ Of course. You’re the one who lives on the twenty-second floor.”
Resting my cheek against the surface, I swallowed the tight lump in my throat as the thumping against the wall grew faster and faster.
There was someone over there. In the empty apartment.
Holding up my phone, I dialed the office downstairs but got no answer. I knew there was a night manager named Simon Something-Or-Other, but I didn’t think many people were on duty at night. He must be away from his desk.
I continued listening, wondering if I could ignore it and just wait until morning to ask the manager about it, but the further down the hall I travelled, the louder it got until I was standing next to the rear entrance.
Opening up the door, I peeked my head into the hallway, holding the heavy steel exit open just enough to inspect.
Glancing to my right, I saw a door just like mine. And then I heard a woman’s high-pitched cry ring out around me, and I started breathing harder.
And then there was another cry. And another, and another, and...
Was she having sex? My mouth fell open as I tried not to laugh.
Oh, my God.
But I thought the place was supposed to be empty.
I stepped out, knife in hand—just in case—and walked quietly down to the other door, glancing up and seeing small security cameras along the wall, probably installed when the apartments were built.
Pressing my ear to the door, I listened, still hearing the thump, thump, thump of something hitting the wall, and the girl’s breathy cries over and over again.
I folded my lips between my teeth, covering my smile with my free hand.
But then the woman cried out. “ No! Ah, oh, God! Please!”
And my face fell, hearing the fear in her voice. The short, shrill screams were now different. Panicked and scared, and her cries sounded struggled. My mouth suddenly went dry as I stood there listening.
“ Ah!” she cried out again. “ No, please stop!”
I backed away from the door, not finding it funny anymore.
But then something hit the door from the other side, making a loud thud,and I scurried backward. “ Oh, shit,” I gritted out under my breath.
I shot my head up to the cameras, now wondering if they fed to Securitydownstairs or to whoever was inside the apartment. Did they know I was out here?
I spun around and dashed for my door, grabbing the handle and trying to twist it. But it was locked. “ Dammit!” I mouthed. Fucking thing must lock automatically.
Another thud hit the door, mere feet away from me—so close—and I darted my eyes over to it, my breathing turning fast and painful.
I pulled on the door handle again, twisting and yanking, but it didn’t budge.
Another thud hit the door, and I jerked upright, dropping the knife.
“ Shit.”
I dived down to pick it up, but just then I heard the other door swing open, so I bolted down the stairwell, hiding behind the wall and forgetting about the knife.
Fuck!
Screw this. Whoever was coming out of the vacant apartment was definitelysomeone I didn’t want to meet. I dashed down flight after flight, a cry lodged in my throat as fear gripped my chest.
A pounding echoed above me, and I spared a quick glance upward, seeing a hand sliding down the railings as whoever it was jumped flights of stairs.
Oh, my God. I raced down, one flight after the other, a drop of sweat glidingdown my neck. The pounding was getting closer and closer, my legs about to give out as my exhausted muscles worked as fast as they could. I gasped, seeing the door labeled LOBBY. I yanked it open and burst through, looking behind me once again to see if he—or she—was behind me.
But then I slammed into a wall, and I let out a small cry as hands gripped my upper arms.
I looked up and exhaled a breath, seeing Michael Crist towering over me, his eyes narrowed.
“ Michael?” I breathed out, frozen in confusion.
“ What the hell are you doing?” He arched a brow and set me back, away from him, and let go of my arm. “ It’s after one a.m.”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Why was he here?
He stood in front of an elevator, a different one than I had taken this morning, dressed in a black suit, looking like he’d just been at a club or something. A young brunette stood next to him, beautiful in a tight, navy-blue cocktail dress that fell mid-thigh.
I suddenly felt exposed, dressed in my silk sleep shorts and black tank top, my hair hanging about, probably in tangles.
“ I...” I looked over my shoulder again, noticing that whoever had followed me down the stairs hadn’t come out the door yet.
I twisted my head back, looking up at Michael. “ I heard something up on my floor,” I told him.
And then I shook my head, still confused. “ What are you doing here?”
“ I live here,” he shot back, and I immediately recognized that ever-present intolerant tone that he always used with me.
“ Live here?” I questioned. “ I thought you lived in your family’s building.”
He slid a hand into his pocket and cocked his head, looking at me point-blank like I was stupid.
I closed my eyes, expelling a sigh. “ Of course,” I breathed out, realization hitting. “ Of course. You’re the one who lives on the twenty-second floor.”
Lindy's Thoughts:
My Rating:
Corrupt by Penelope Douglas was a story about conspiracy, revenge, lust, and obsession. It was very twisted with dark undertones, and eroticism was heavily woven in throughout the story. It reminded me a little bit of the movie Cruel Intentions, but with it's own twists and turns. This story made me think of that well-known quote that says when you are seeking revenge, remember to dig two graves.
At a young age, Erika "Rika" Fane lost her father in a car accident, and her mother slipped in to a deep depression and became dependent on drugs. The Crist's, her godfather's family, took her in. She was over at their house most of the time, and even had her own bedroom there. The younger brother, Trevor, idolized her. Erika and Trevor were the same age. He put her on a pedestal, but didn't put butterflies in her stomach the way his older brother Michael did. Michael was cold and aloof with Rika, and appeared to not pay her much attention. Then, one night, when Rika was sixteen, the lives of Michael and his best friends, Kai, Damon, and Will were set to be impacted greatly. Now Michael and his friends have a twisted plan for revenge on Rika, and she has no idea what's coming her way....
Told between Rika, and Michael's alternating viewpoints, the story flashes between the present and three years into the past, where we learn all that took place that fateful night. Ms. Douglas knows how to hook her audience, and have us begging for more!
I loved the mystery surrounding the event that was the catalyst for Michael and his friends wanting revenge on Rika. Michael and Rika shared a love-hate obsession with one another, and I was curious to see how their relationship would play out. Would Michael be the evil guy he appeared to be, or would he have a change of conscience? The suspenseful plot of Corrupt was intense, the chemistry between the two main characters was explosive, and the crazy twists and turns kept me riveted for the entire length of the story.
At a young age, Erika "Rika" Fane lost her father in a car accident, and her mother slipped in to a deep depression and became dependent on drugs. The Crist's, her godfather's family, took her in. She was over at their house most of the time, and even had her own bedroom there. The younger brother, Trevor, idolized her. Erika and Trevor were the same age. He put her on a pedestal, but didn't put butterflies in her stomach the way his older brother Michael did. Michael was cold and aloof with Rika, and appeared to not pay her much attention. Then, one night, when Rika was sixteen, the lives of Michael and his best friends, Kai, Damon, and Will were set to be impacted greatly. Now Michael and his friends have a twisted plan for revenge on Rika, and she has no idea what's coming her way....
Told between Rika, and Michael's alternating viewpoints, the story flashes between the present and three years into the past, where we learn all that took place that fateful night. Ms. Douglas knows how to hook her audience, and have us begging for more!
I loved the mystery surrounding the event that was the catalyst for Michael and his friends wanting revenge on Rika. Michael and Rika shared a love-hate obsession with one another, and I was curious to see how their relationship would play out. Would Michael be the evil guy he appeared to be, or would he have a change of conscience? The suspenseful plot of Corrupt was intense, the chemistry between the two main characters was explosive, and the crazy twists and turns kept me riveted for the entire length of the story.
My Rating:
Mikki's Review:
Rating:
This review of Corrupt is brought to you by the letters W, T & F. I have no idea how many times I said WTF out loud while I was reading this book. I have NEVER read anything like this! I have been waiting for over a year for this book to fall in my hands. From the moment I read the blurb, I knew that this was going to be an Epic story. Penelope Douglas ALWAYS delivers an all-consuming reading journey.
I don't think that my review will do this book justice. I don't even know where to start?!?!? This book totally took control over my life. I forgot to eat and sleep. I was so engaged in the story that I completely lost track of my real life. For a few hours, I was a part of a twisted, dark and intoxicating journey. This book delivers all the feels of a dark romance. It was wickedly passionate, it was shocking, and it got my heart beating fast. I read this book in one sitting and I devoured every single word of it!
I'm not going to talk about the plot of this story. Even the smallest spoiler could make you feel different about this story. I highly suggest that you start reading this book by reading the blurb only. It tells you everything that you want to know. Sit back, relax and prepare to be corrupted! This story is about the ultimate revenge. A revenge that is going to turn Erika, Michael, Kai, Will and Damon's world upside down.
The characters in this story are EVERYTHING. This author creates the best characters! If you have read her Fall Away series you know what I am talking about. The Fall Away crew is simply unforgettable! Trust me when I say that Erika and The Four Horsemen will linger with you! The chemistry between all of them was out of this world. Don't even get me started on the steamy scenes!!! Oh.my.world!!! Blazzzzzzzing hot! I predict many #CorruptBabies next year ... lol!! Penelope Douglas made me step out of my comfort zone for some of these scenes. My jaw dropped to the floor when I read a particular ''steamy'' scene. I was like Whoaaaaa Mama!!! Where did that come from???
I loved how this story was written. The flashback chapters are some of my favorites in this story. It was like trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together. I had so many different scenarios in my head of what happened that night between these five individuals. When everything was revealed I was shocked! My emotions were all over the place! This story left me at the edge of my seat! Expect the unexpected!
If you are looking to jumble your genres and want to try a dark romance for the first time, I highly suggest Corrupt. It is my top read of 2015 and it exceeded all of my expectations. Sexy, provocative, unexpected and the ultimate page-turning reading escape! Are you ready to get #Corrupted?
Rating:
I give, Corrupt, by Penelope Douglas, 5 heart-pumping, twisted, dark, deliciously erotic, unputdownable, little monster stars!
• • • Teasers • • •
• • • Giveaway • • •
The giveaway is international and ends at 11:59 PM CST 12/15/2015.
(1) Signed copy of Corrupt + $100 Amazon or B&N gift card, winner's choice (Intl)
(2) $20 Amazon or B&N gift card, winner's choice (Intl)
(1) Signed copy of Corrupt + $100 Amazon or B&N gift card, winner's choice (Intl)
(2) $20 Amazon or B&N gift card, winner's choice (Intl)
• • • About Penelope Douglas • • •
She dresses for autumn year round, loves anything lemon flavored, and believes there is too much blood in her Coca Cola stream. Or too much Coca Cola in her blood stream. Or…
You know what? It doesn’t matter. She loves Coke. Now you know.
She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter.
Thank you for the amazing giveaway!
ReplyDeleteSounds really good!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this amazing giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved the Fall Away series and it sounds like Penelope has put out another addictive winner. Looking forward to getting wrapped up in Corrupt.
ReplyDelete