Saturday, December 13, 2014

I'm Baaaack!!



Shimmy for Me: A California Belly Dance novella
by DeAnna Cameron


23389954




One passionate night. Two lost souls. A whole world of trouble.

Juggling two jobs to keep her belly dance studio afloat keeps Abby Anderson’s mind off her shattered love life—until a reawakened pain sends her into the arms of an anonymous stranger she plucks from the audience of her tribal belly dance show. No names, no strings, no romance. She tells herself it’s a harmless hookup.

Until he turns up at her day job . . . 

Derek Collier, the sexy heir to the Collier media dynasty, just landed everything he’s always wanted: the publisher’s seat at the Orange County Herald. Except his first order of business is to sell the newspaper. Reeling from his family’s betrayal, his only comfort is the memory of that mysterious belly dancer and the perfect night they spent together. 

He won’t rest until he finds her again.

She’ll lose everything if he does.





Rate & take


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I do owe this book a bit of credit, it helped end a reading slump I'd been in ever since I finished the book, Me Before You. That is a very long time for me to go without reading a full book. During my slump I did pick up books here or there but nothing caught my interest for long. 

This book, while it did hold enjoyment for me, was a lot thin on plot. The changes of heart the characters had seemed to be motivated by nothing, other than a sort of waking up one morning and feeling differently. However, the author did do a decent job writing the dialog, the play between characters did not feel cheesy. I think that just might be something to build on for future books.


Sunday, November 9, 2014

The crying game - book club style



Me Before You By Jojo Moyes



15507958


Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.


Rate & Take




This book was selected in place of Plainsong by Kent Haruf for my work place book club. The person who chose Plainsong decided it was not something she wanted to share with the book club after all. I've never read Plainsong but I am so glad she changed her mind, because I fell in love with Me Before You, hard. Even given at times it's difficult subject matter, and the fact that I cried big girl tears at several parts knowing where the plot would ultimately end up. It was still a wonderful journey and I so enjoyed being wrapped up in it for every step. The writing is deceptively simple and the plot never seems to make any big swings, but yet it pulls you in and before you know it you are mad at any and all interruptions that keep you away from the reading. I think this one may well be worth a future reread.



On another note; Unfortunately my book reviews always seem to slow down at this time of year. The holidays and seasonal illnesses always seem to take away from reading time. Please be patient and check back when you can. I'll be around, fear not. 




Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Beyond interns


After the Internship By Brooke Cumberland 


22814516


Sometimes happily ever after isn’t quite what it seems. Bentley and Ceci thought they had their happy ending, but not everything or everyone will be as it seems. Fortune and fame have a price, and when the past comes back to ruin their perfectly, stable family, how will they recover their once epic love story? You thought their story was over, but it was only the beginning.



Rate & take


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Just missed getting a 2 and 1/2



I think maybe I went one book too far. The story had its moments of interest but over all the magic of the earlier intern books was buried and this is kind of the ever after you get when two people need to live in the reality of the work world. Not sexy to read about, strangely. But as I said it did have decent moments so I won't totally go nuts tearing it up. It did provide closure from the first three books and I always appreciate that in a read.


Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Slow starting fast finisher




House Immortal By Devon Monk


20821206


One hundred years ago, eleven powerful ruling Houses consolidated all of the world’s resources and authority into their own grasping hands. Only one power wasn’t placed under the command of a single House: the control over the immortal galvanized....

Matilda Case isn’t like most folk. In fact, she’s unique in the world, the crowning achievement of her father’s experiments, a girl pieced together from bits. Or so she believes, until Abraham Seventh shows up at her door, stitched with life thread just like her and insisting that enemies are coming to kill them all.

Tilly is one of thirteen incredible creations known as the galvanized, stitched together beings immortal and unfathomably strong. For a century, each House has fought for control over the galvanized. Now the Houses are also tangled in a deadly struggle for dominion over death—and Tilly and her kind hold the key to unlocking eternity

The secrets that Tilly must fight to protect are hidden within the very seams of her being. And to get the secrets, her enemies are willing to tear her apart piece by piece.…




Rate & take



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This is the first book in the House Immortal series and I am hooked. It didn't start out that way, the way it started was slow. I've read and loved another series of the authors, Allie Beckstrom, so maybe my brain was already expecting the writing to be a certain way. As if I had more of a familiarity with the authors writing style that I guess I actually do. What I did find was a fresh story that, once I got over my own roadblocks, had me powering right through until I turned the last page to no more story. The book recently came out so I'm in for yet another wait...but a wait that I feel is well worth it.






Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Interning trio



The Intern Volume 1-3 By Brooke Cumberland


 21878578



She’s sexy, fierce, and a loud-mouthed know-it-all…and she’s completelyoff limits.

Cecilia isn’t your typical college student. Hell, she isn’t a college student at all, but that doesn’t stop her from applying for one of the biggest and prestigious enterprises in the Midwest. She wants it. She takes it. She doesn’t let anything get in her way when it comes to finding out the truth.

When Bentley Leighton, soon-to-be CEO of Leighton Enterprises, meets “Ceci,” he’s instantly impressed. He doesn’t have time to train a new intern. However, when he sees her that first day, his intentions begin to change. He’s the boss. She’s the intern. Nothing can happen. It’s against the company rules. Then again, some rules were made to be broken. What starts as innocent flirting becomes raveled up into so much more—secrets, lies, deceit.




22573729


My cock noticed her before I did. She came out of nowhere. Completely unexpected.
And I let her in…unwillingly. But she gave me no choice. She sledgehammered my thick walls, leaving me charmed by her knowledge, and seduced by her beauty.
I was captivated. And now…it was about to tumble down in a tsunami of lies.
Uncertainty riveted my core as my anger spread…she was impossible to forget.
After all, she was still my intern.



22237310


I should’ve known. I should’ve listened to my gut. But I didn’t. I listened with the wrong head. And where did it get me? Secrets. Lies. Deceit. She embodied them all. Deceived her way into my company. Lied about who she was. Kept secrets from me after convincing me I could trust her. Those walls she tore down are back up in full force.
Cold. Angry. Unforgiving. She was no longer my intern. She was no longer mine.



Rate & take

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I liked the premise, an 18 year-old with the demons of a past tragedy that motivate her well beyond her years. It was a good start and propelled the plot along for a decent while. Then the initial fire seemed to fizzle out into something of an average plot. Still interesting, but lacking its earlier 'it' quality. However this did not detour me from ripping through these three novella length titles.



Thursday, October 9, 2014

Small book, big bang




Twice the Growl By Milly Taiden


22934093



Talia Barca needs a date. Badly. She uses the services of the Paranormal Dating Agency hoping for a decent guy to take to a family wedding. A wedding her ex-husband has wormed his way into as a guest.

Connor and Theron want Tally to complete their Alpha triad. She's sexy, curvy and funny. But she's human. And they're not sure she'll go for a relationship with two men at the same time.

As if deciding to give two men a shot wasn’t difficult enough, Tally will also need to deal with a threat from the pack. She'll either prove she's strong enough to be an Alpha mate or find herself at the mercy of a vicious opponent.

Reader Warning: This book contains lots of scorching sex (including a threesome so hot it will make your ereader sizzle), adult language (hanky panky with no dirty talk is no fun), and violence. If this is not the kind of stuff you like to read, skip this book. However, if you like dirty, raunchy sex with some sarcasm and two hot men on one curvy girl, then this is the book for you.




Rate & take


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I've taken the liberty of putting in bold the 'reader warning' that was posted in with the book blurb, it states the situation better than I could....and has the benefit of being very accurate. I won't lie, I did enjoy the book and it did sizzle. It also has the bonus of being cute in parts too. If you like your reads hot and brief this book should be something you put on your TBR (To Be Read) list or your ereader queue. 






Tuesday, October 7, 2014

No rocking here


Rocked By Taryn Elliott


18140422





Love definitely wasn't on the setlist.

Opening for their idols on their first tour, Oblivion is living the dream. Mostly. Frustrated at being shoved out of his mediator role by their new manager, Deacon McCoy loses himself in brutal workouts. He only comes up for air long enough to refuel—and to tease the deliciously cute chef who makes him crave a lot more than what she's offering on her serving plate.

As the child of roadie parents, Harper Pruitt has heard every pickup line twice. To her, musicians are one step above the scraps on her cutting board. All she wants is to get enough experience to run her own catering company, but Deacon and his bottomless stomach are too tempting to resist. He's far from the typical rock star and before long, she finds herself experimenting with him, inside and out of the kitchen.

Apron - and panties - optional.

When Harper sees that Deacon’s dream band with his best friends may be turning into a nightmare, she can't walk away. Deacon's so much more than just a peacemaker and the man behind the bass. But she has her own dreams to chase...even if she's starting to think what she's building with him might be the biggest one of all.




Rate & take


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I'm not sure what happened here. It started off so well, full of plot promise and lacking in the cheese factor. I really liked the lead characters and felt they were believable and had decent dialog. Then it seemed like the plot weakened with too much repetition of internal angst and at the same time obstacles were too easily pushed aside with a shrug and an "I'm sorry," with everyone moving along as if nothing happened. I know it's not pleasant to be involved with real life drama, but if it's going to written about it I wish the author's would please give us credit for knowing sometimes we just can't all get along.



Note: This is book one in the Oblivion series. 



Thursday, October 2, 2014

Shrinks and ancient wolves


Conner by Miranda Stork

21532747


Erin is a young psychologist, with no time for anything but her work, and unable to remember anything about her past. She leads an uneventful life, but a lonely one, in which she secretly wishes for a soulmate...

Conner is an unusual patient who approaches her, thrusting her into a strange world of darkness that runs beneath our own. He believes himself to be a creature of legend-a werewolf. But he also draws Erin with a roguish charm, and an irresitible feeling that seems to bind them together...

Conner desperately tries to save her from an unknown evil that pursues her with a relentless passion that crosses centuries, an evil that once took her very soul away, somewhere in Erin's lost memories.

As she becomes more entwined in a series of events that will remind her of who she really is, will she make it away from the oncoming darkness unscathed...?




Rate & take


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I am still a bit on the fence about this one. I liked it, but felt like so much more story could have told within the length of the story than actually was. It sure felt like it was written as book one of a series but I could not find any information to back that up.  I can't imagine the author would leave the story as is. I do feel that should I come across book two in the future I would give it a go. So maybe I'm not so much on the fence after all. 

Monday, September 29, 2014

She is trying to kill me


The Arrangement 16 by H.M. Ward


23016561


I've gone from a future of possibilities to nothing in a single gunshot. Homeless, penniless and without the man I love, my hopelessness overwhelms me and I seek unexpected comfort from people long absent in my life. I can’t lose Sean—not now, not ever—and I’ll do anything to get him back, even if it means using myself as bait.






Rate & take


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I think I have said it here often enough, but I'll say it again. I am totally loyal to this series and will see if through until the end...unless the author kills me first. In this installment I exited with as many questions as I entered. I know stuff happened but it felt even less than usual. I hope the author is busy writing me the next one now. Thankfully it isn't usually too long between publications. Some silver lining anyway.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Sweet beach


Unintentional Virgin by A.J. Bennett


18212168


Karma Points is cursed. Cursed with a stupid name and the inability to lose her virginity. She's on a mission to lose her virginity before she turns twenty if it's the last thing she does.

One night, her good friend Eva brings her to an underground club where Karma meets a tattooed bouncer. He’s far from the clean-cut type she normally falls for, which makes her think this finally might be the night she crosses the threshold of womanhood.

Excited, she goes home with the bouncer named Jax and as always, her dreams crash down once again. Jax cannot believe she is willing to give away her virginity to a stranger she met at a club. As the only son with five sisters and a widowed mom, he can't morally go through with it, even though he's never been more tempted in his life.

Unwilling to let her walk away he strikes a deal. Karma has to spend three weeks dating him and then decide if she wants to have sex or walk away.



Rate & take


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This book is one to add to the beach read list, but that's not to say it doesn't offer a few extra's. There is some unexpected sweetness here from the main male character and some parental issues that add some humor depth when needed. And don't you love the name of the main female character? Check out the blurb above for that cute detail.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Jumping into the Rock



Captivating Bridge by Michelle Mankin


20936124


Warren “War” Jinkins is that guy.
The bad one.
Tempest’s ex front man, an arrogant rock god.
The only thing larger than his ego is his capacity for self-destruction.
His bad attitude has cost him. His woman. His best friend. His band. Everything.
Shaina Bentley is that girl.
The good one.
Hollywood’s pink candy-coated sweetheart.
The star of Pinky Swear, television’s top rated teen show.
She’s been practically perfect since that horrible day. But she’s starting to crack under the strain of being everything to everyone.
He’s a one man island. She’s a fragile captive soul.
Is love a current too dangerous to cross or will it be the bridge that brings them together?



Rate & take


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I got this as a free or deeply discounted book from one of the nifty email services I subscribe to that bring goodness (and savings) the my email box each day. (See this page for the services I use). I had no idea, until I finished it, that it was book three in a series. It read great as a stand alone and I didn't feel like I was missing any crucial details. Kudos to the author for that! I enjoyed the book but don't feel the need to either go back or move forward in the series at this time, mostly because I know the story will move on from these two main characters and I liked them too much to just move on. Who knows, maybe one day I will change my mind on that.


Thursday, September 18, 2014

Sweetness


Hooked on the Game by C.M. Owens


22129048



Everyone has secrets that define them, a past that has shaped them, and a game they play - whether they know it or not.

Despite the fact they live next door to each other, Kade and Raya have never made an effort to speak, until a wild party, four frat boys, and... a bulldozer.

Sterling Shore was supposed to be a new start for eighteen-year-old Raya Capperton. Everything was working out perfectly until her two roommates were expelled for a prank, leaving Raya with the house she couldn't afford on her own. Fate intervenes before she has the chance to find a new home, but she struggles to decide if it's divine luck or the devil's cruel sense of humor.

Twenty-one-year-old Kade Colton has his life planned out, and everything he does is an elaborate game to aid him with his future endeavors. Coming from money has made Kade's life easy, but he wants to build his own name - his own future. The thing he doesn't realize... when you only put forth superficial effort, you only acquire superficial friends.

Raya is torn between being amused or disturbed by Kade and his philosophy, but the drive behind his determination isn't what Raya expected. Little by little, her hatred fades and is replaced by emotions she never would have believed she could have for the rich jerk she desperately doesn't want to care about. Too bad you can't force yourself not to care.

The problem is... Kade's shiny name can't be tarnished, and Raya has a jaded tie she can't cut loose. Nothing about them can work, nothing about them makes sense, but nothing can seem to stop them from trying. 



Rate & take


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A book with more depth that it first appears. I loved that about it! The whole set up of the plot has a unique spin on the poor girl and rich boy/is it love or isn't it, story. This book provides much reading enjoyment from beginning to end.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Sixing it up


Six Months by Dannika Dark


21548791


April Frost is a compassionate young woman with a steady job and ambitious goals. But the harder she runs away from her past, the more it threatens to destroy her. When three strangers enter her life, April is forced to face her demons and it's a battle she may not win.

Private investigators in the Breed world are men who take risks, and Reno Cole is no exception. As a Shifter, he's expected to control his inner animal. But lately his wolf has been venturing dangerously close to the city, and he's about to discover why. When Reno is reintroduced to a family friend, the attraction is immediate. April captivates him with her secretive eyes and resilient spirit. She's also in trouble, and despite the fact she's a human, Reno can't turn his back on her.

April is caught between two worlds: One that threatens to bury her dreams and another that could fulfill them. Can she trust the wolf at her door and find the courage to overcome her demons?



Rate and take


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This book is from the point of view of the of co-worker to the main character in book one, Seven Years. Which I loved because there were several hints dropped about her (April) in book one to make me want to know a lot more about her. April has more than her share of baggage that keeps her well weighed down. Asking for help is not something she would ever consider doing. Thankfully someone sees through her stoic vibe and won't take no for an answer. Heat and adventure ensues. Enjoy!

Saturday, September 13, 2014

September Book Club


Major Pettigrew's Last Stand By Helen Simonson



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You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. Among them is Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, Major Pettigrew is one of the most indelible characters in contemporary fiction, and from the very first page of this remarkable novel he will steal your heart.


The Major leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations: honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his brother's death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?





Rate & take






When our book club was started at work it was decided that each person would suggest one book. This book was my pick so you can imagine I had a little more invested in the group enjoyment of it, no use having a riot this early in the clubs existence! I had nothing to worry about, the book was enjoyed by all and because of the many themes (ageism, elitism, racism, class-ism, and one or two more "ism's" that I might have missed) we had a great discussion. I first read this book four years ago and found it even more enjoyable this time around. I did feel the story got off to a slow start but more than made up for it later. Beyond all the themes in this book there is a sweetness that radiated with me long after I finished.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Seven Up


Seven Years by Dannika Dark

                                                                          
18659745



                                      Seven years ago, my world ended.
Seven years later, my new life began.

It's been seven years since Lexi Knight lost her brother in a tragic accident. On the anniversary of his death, her brother's best friend shows up unexpectedly - a man she hasn't seen since the funeral. He is no longer the boy Lexi once knew, but a dangerous-looking man with tattoos and dark secrets. He broke her trust and abandoned her family, yet what he reveals makes it impossible to stay angry. Lexi has been secretly infatuated with Austin since childhood, so finding out he's a Shifter just makes him sexier. Dammit.

Austin Cole has returned to the city where he grew up, and just in time. He's lived a hard life these past seven years, and the shadows of his past are threatening to destroy Lexi's family. It's time that she learned the truth about her brother, but there is a shocking twist that Austin never saw coming. Now he must protect her family when her mother and sister wind up in mortal danger. Will Lexi learn to accept the truth about who he is, and can Austin salvage a relationship from the ruins of their past?



Rate & take


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A fracture family and secrets. Those things can make a good foundation for any story. This one mixes in a colorful neighbor and mysterious hot guys to make a heady cocktail of enjoyment. As soon as I finished I didn't waste any time and I dove right into the next book in the Seven series, Five Weeks, review to follow. I loved the way the main character spoke and thought, down to earth with just a touch of crazy behind it, made her feel very real. This book is some paranormal fun, can anyone say, here wolfie, wolfie, wolfie?!



Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Lumping from the angst(y) reader



I've come off a high of several good books and now I'm flailing around looking to land my next few solid reads. The following selection were not it! I'm choosing to do a bulk entry because I read them fairly quickly back to back and I don't think they are totally worthy of their own entry. 


Theses books get an average rating of;



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                          With a    HEAT INDEX of 1 ☼


13466202                   22558910




20795069                     21539427



Talented by Sophie Davis - This is the first book in the Talented Saga and I could have carried on with the series but it seemed like it was going to take it's time going back and forth to get to the real meat of the story. I'm too impatient to wait through that right now.

Second Chances by H.M. Ward - Read like a sappy Nicholas Sparks book (my apologies if you are a fan of N.S.)  I just want to ask the H.M. Ward, what happened?? I still love her as an author but this book was not up to her usual standard.

The Wedding Contract by H.M. Ward - It does have a cute factor that I can't deny and I did find mild enjoyment in the story but it was also a little too simplistic for me to have that satisfied feeling at the end of the story.

Sweet Renegade by Andria Large - It was a thin beach read at best. And I will share with you one bit that drove me up a wall!! In one scene the male lead opens the door for the female lead and he is in PJ bottoms, when they head to bed for sleep he is in jeans, then later gets up out of bed to get PJ bottoms out of a drawer. REALLY???!!! A little care in rereading could have taken care of that bad cut nicely. Plus there were some internal dialog scenes with the male that would never happen, real guys would never think like that. I know some authors have more of a knack for writing the opposite sex realistically, I don't think this author has that gift yet.

It could be me, maybe at another time I would have given these books a better rating, or maybe my tastes are evolving, or maybe I'm just in a weird reading place right now. I don't think I can put my finger on it so I will just carry on as usual, and hope for the best.

Confession, I did skim and jump around in two of these books (I assure you I missed nothing) because of my impatience. I just wanted to make a full disclosure on this.



Thursday, September 4, 2014

Alpha encounter



19489143The Alpha Group Complete collection (1-3) by Maya Cross


Sophia Pearce only has eyes for one thing; a partnership position at her prestigious Sydney law firm. But when a drunken bout of curiosity leads her somewhere forbidden, she meets Sebastian Lock, and in the blink of an eye, everything changes. Gorgeous, commanding, and radiating charm, he is exactly the sort of silver-tongued rake Sophia has sworn to avoid. Unfortunately, he doesn't care much for her promises. 

Every instinct tells her to run, but the chemistry between them is as inescapable as gravity. Soon, he's opening her eyes to a whole new world of pleasures, pleasures she never thought she'd enjoy.

There's just one problem. Sebastian is more than he seems. Between the famous company he keeps and the almost paranoid secrecy of his employers, he's a puzzle Sophia can't quite solve. Their passion for one another consumes them, but as Sebastian's secrets begin to unravel and lives are thrown into jeopardy, Sophia must answer one simple question. What is she willing to risk for love?



Rate & take




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Heat Index  3 ☼☼☼

I thought I might be gambling a bit with this title - something about it made me think it would turn out to be too cheesy or just plain formula. Happily I was wrong. The plot kept my interest all the way through, I liked that the author mixed the intrigue with the heat.
I'm glad I got to read the three at one time because they just flowed so much better that way....and I didn't have any wait time. If you choose to read this title, once you are finished you can go to the author's site and sign up for her newsletter. They will then send you a link with a different ending to the book. This alternate ending is something I had thought of, but weighing both endings, I think the author chose just the right one to use in the final cut.




Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Three treat







Three titles by Scarlett Dawn From the Forever Evermore Series
18102827



King Hall — where the Mysticals go to learn their craft, get their degrees, and transition into adulthood. And where four new Rulers will rise and meet their destinies.

Lily Ruckler is adept at one thing: survival. Born a Mystical hybrid, her mere existence is forbidden, but her nightmare is only about to start. Fluke, happenstance, and a deep personal loss finds Lily deeply entrenched with those who would destroy her simply for existing — The Mystical Kings. Being named future Queen of the Shifters shoves Lily into the spotlight, making her one of the most visible Mysticals in the world. But with risk comes a certain solace — her burgeoning friendships with the other three Prodigies: a wicked Vampire, a wild-child Mage, and a playboy Elemental. Backed by their faith and trust, Lily begins to relax into her new life.

Then chaos erupts as the fragile peace between Commoners and Mysticals is broken, and suddenly Lily realises the greatest threat was never from within, and her fear takes on a new name: the revolution. 




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King Cave - The safe, comfortable world of Lily Ruckler and her fellow Mystical Kings and Queens is rocked to the core by the attacks at King Hall. Not only does Lily have to kill the Commoners attacking her people, she also has to assume the mantle of leadership, and bring the surviving Mysticals to King Cave.

It should have been too much, but she is not alone. Ezra becomes her rock, her best friend, the one person who understands. As Pearl and Jack struggle with inconsolable loss, Ezra and Lily work to keep the Mys community safe in their new home, and plan a deadly retaliation.

Their friendship saves them both...but it also draws attention. Whispers. Judgment. It's not normal for Shifters and Vampires to be friends, and when a horrifying truth is revealed, their relationship morphs from unusual to unspeakable. Lily is good at keeping secrets that could get her killed. Is she willing to risk Ezra's life as well?




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King Tomb - Queen Shifter, Lily Ruckler, has found solace in brutal warfare. Her bloodied fists and bared fangs fill the holes left in her memory, the blank spaces that leave her soul aching and empty. Her only pleasure is in blood; her only salvation is the relationship she has with her infant child, the baby of unknown origins who brings her solace and stability.

When Elder Harcourt summons Lily and her protector Antonio back to the United States, Lily thinks nothing unusual about the change of location. But a standard reconnaissance mission leaves her trapped inside King Zeller’s private quarters, and at his mercy. Surprise attraction rapidly turns to a battle of wills and an intense power struggle that leaves no clear victor but plenty of resentment.

They are not allowed to nurse their wounds. In order to win the war against the Commoners, the King Vampire and Queen Shifter must work together. It should be easy. The war is turning, the battle is deadly, and both Lily and Ezra love the cold cleanliness of combat. But their chance meeting has led to more than an unlikely alliance. Secrets have a way of surfacing, especially on a torn-up battlefield, and Lily and Ezra are about to re-learn all they cannot remember. If they can’t control their emotions and responses, it will be to their own ruin and the destruction of everything around them.



Rare & take


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Heat Index 3 ☼☼☼


Such an entertaining read with a plot that breezes right along with humor, tension, mystery, and some great doses of heat between characters. Imagine that the world knows all about shifters, vampires, elementals, and mages. Now imagine how peaceful our world be with that knowledge. Especially with portions of humans and the gifted wanting their side to be the only ones.

The four groups of gifted each have a king or a queen to rule them/resolve disputes and each generation produces a new set. Once they come of age the former kings/queens become elders available to advise and assist the new rulers. The training involved to become a king/queen is extensive and sometimes dangerous. And even though they all have their abilities they are just like regular people in that some elder sets get along better than others.

I enjoyed these book so much I might just read them again back to back. I was not able to do that the first time as only book one and two are out to the public at this time. I received book three a few weeks after I finished the first two, via NetGalley in exchange for my review. King Tomb will be out this October.

I want to go on and on about the story that unfolds over the three books, but I'm afraid of inadvertent spoilers. I will say there was one plot twist that was extra twisty and had my jaw dangling open for some time. Once I got over the shock I fully approved of the way it added spice to the story. Which will be your favorite plot twist??

This is a new series and new author for me, and I am smitten!

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Series Me


Pierced by Sydney Landen


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Lucian Quinn is the wonder boy of the business world. At twenty-nine, he owns one of the hottest software companies in the world. Personally, his life has been filled with tragedy and loss. He has learned to use his hate to survive and even thrive professionally, but his demons are always there, lurking just out of sight.

Lia Adams is a college student who has suffered through years of abuse at home to get to where she is today. She has done whatever was necessary to survive, including working as an escort for Date Night to pay for her education. Her life changes forever the day that Lucian Quinn’s friend convinces him to hire an escort for an important business dinner.

Circumstances bring two people that should have never crossed paths together and in the days and weeks ahead, they grow close quickly, each seeing a kindred soul in the other. As ghosts from their past rise to haunt them, they cling to each other as their lives start to spiral out of control. Soon, they realize that they’re both damaged possibly beyond repair. Will their love be what saves or destroys them?



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Oh woe is me! Why do I always find the coolest books that make me want to hide away and read for days/hours.....only to find out it's basically a brand new book and I will have an impatient wait until the next....and the next, get published. I know what you are thinking, in the scheme of problems this is not a real one. But I still reserve the right to moan about it here just a little.

This book had so much going for it, humor, mystery, intrigue. The main characters had a real spark that kept the story going at a dizzying pace until I had to swear out loud because I was out of book. Don't you hate that? So sad when a good book runs out. Needless to say I have already noted the projected publication date (12/20/14) in my planner and hope all will be on schedule for it.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

New kind of dead


9462812Die for Me by Amy Plum

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.





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A new-to-me group of living dead that are hot and do good works, sign me up! I really enjoyed this book and all it's characters. Oh, and there was a main female lead in it too that didn't annoy me at all!! My only question is do I want to go on in the series knowing that every book is going to keep my couple apart? I'm not sure my happily ever after loving heart will be able to take all that angst along the bumpy road to true love. But if I do change my mind, you will be the first to know!