That One Day (That One Series 1.5) by Josie Wright

Photo Credit: Goodreads

4 Stars

One day.
One letter.
That’s all it took for my life to fall apart. Now all that’s left is deception and betrayal. I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t know who to trust.

So I leave, searching for the truth hidden behind a web of lies.

The only thing I take with me, besides a bag of clothes, is the memory of one night. That one night with Frankie, my best friend’s little sister. The woman I have loved as long as I can remember.

The memory is what keeps me going when I learn the truth. It’s what keeps me sane when I feel like I’m losing my mind. And, it's what drives me back to a life I ran from eighteen months ago.

Yet, nothing is the way it used to be. Frankie has a secret. One that changes everything. Changes who I am. Letting her go is not an option. I have to make her trust me. I need to make her mine.

But I have a secret of my own. One that keeps me awake at night. A secret that could make me lose Frankie forever. It’s not a chance I can take.

Not suitable for under 18's due to strong language, violence and sexual content
*Though this book can be read as a standalone, it's recommended to read 'That One Night' first to get the full picture.
 

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My Thoughts: I give this book a very strong four stars.
   I had the opportunity to 'Beta Read' this book. It was my first experience as a beta reader and I look forward to doing it again someday. Josie is a delight to work with. As a blogger, I have had some authors that are not at all receptive to any sort of critique, but Josie not only welcomed my questions after reading book one of this series, she appreciated them and came back to ask me to beta for her. I was completely honored.

   Now for the book review-- as an avid reader I often find myself reading the POV flips of books I have read and loved. Some authors hit the mark and some are so so far off. Josie definitely hit the mark. I enjoyed this story from Frankie's POV, the ups and downs, her heartbreak and her falling in love with Ben all over again. But I felt Ben had a much deeper story to tell. There was so much going on in the background that we didn't know anything about while reading 'That One Night' and I am so glad that Josie took the opportunity to write Ben's side of the story. Good luck with you new release Josie!

Also available from this series

That One Night (That One Series Book 1)

See my review for That One Night by clicking HERE

Review: That One Night by Josie Wright

We do not normally do review requests here at PLR. They can become overwhelming and it gets really hard to say no to one, while accepting another. But every so often I get an email with a book that peaks my interest and I can't help but accept. This is one of those books. So on that note.....

**This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review**

This is Josie Wright's Debut Novel

Photo Credit: Goodreads

3-4 Stars

All it takes is just one moment to change the course of your life. For me, it was one perfect night.
I have always had a thing for my brother’s best friend, Ben. When I found him on my parents’ couch, drowning his sorrows in a whiskey bottle, my attempts to comfort him quickly turned into a night of raw and intense passion.
My foolish heart hoped he might feel the same way I do.
But Ben wasn’t there to stay and I woke up the next morning alone with a broken heart.
I attempted to forget the guy with a smile to die for and a touch that sets me on fire.
I thought I was over him.
I thought he was gone forever.
Until, eighteen months later Ben returns and learns my secret. Now, he is hell-bent on winning me back.
He plays dirty.
And he won’t stop until he gets what he wants—me.

But he has secrets of his own.
Secrets that could destroy everything we might have and everything we are.

Not suitable for under 18's due to strong language, violence and sexual content

*This book is an interconnected standalone and first in the series.

approx. 86,000 words 

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   My Thoughts; Don't let my Star Rating confuse you. This was an excellent story and I am happy that I chose to read it, I just had a few hang ups along the way. I will get to those later. First, let me tell you a bit about the story.

   It was not a challenge at all to get into this book. I was pretty much invested before I finished the first chapter. I want say that I was not shocked at any point in the book. The storyline was straight forward and as the book moved along I could see where it was going from one point to the next. I loved that this story is not just a love story between a man and a woman but also about parents falling in love with their child and learning to become a family. And in my opinion that is the greatest love story of all.

   It was also refreshing to see two adults acting like adults. Actually working through the issues that arise between them. I read a lot of books where I just think to myself. "Do these people even communicate with each other.... at all?" I just want to reach into the pages and choke some sense into them. WAKE PEOPLE! That was not the case in this book. Yes, each character has some serious issues to work through. Yes, it does cause conflict along the way. But they handle themselves the way two adults who have someone else who depends on them should act. Overall, the story rates at 4 Stars and I look forward to the next couple in this series..... which I am also pretty sure I have figured out. The author did a great job of setting it up for the sequel without it overwhelming the story at hand.

   The only real issue I had with this book was the editing. It wasn't so bad that it made it difficult to read, but there were a few of typos along the way. I have had numerous emails with this author since reading and she is having her proofreaders go over it once more. I have to say that she is a very pleasant individual and I can see her going far. I think authors need to maintain that level of professionalism. This is a tough industry, everyone is a critic and not everyone is kind. And I say that as someone who has had their critique spit back in their face. I look forward to reading more of Josie Wright's work in the future and I wish her all the luck in the world with her debut.

   I want to mention one more thing, this is not a critique per se, but more of something I do on all books with warning labels. Lets call it a 'readers view'. In a day where everyone is offended by everything, I understand the need for these types of "labels" so I just like to give my opinion on them from a reader's perspective.

   While this book is intended for mature audiences it is in no way erotica. There are several racy sex scenes but that is to be expected in a romance novel, no? I am not a huge "erotic" novel reader so I may have skipped the book based on the author warning. But trust me when I say you will get plenty of well developed STORY in this book.

   Ben and Frankie are a beautiful couple and it was extremely easy to fall in love with them. And I look forward to seeing where the rest of the characters we met in That One Night go from here as well.




Happy Reading

~S

Guest Review: Grey by EL James

   Hi everyone! I want to welcome my good friend Janne to PLR today. She has been kind enough to share her review of Grey by EL James with us. Janne and I have been friends for a couple of years now and she is always recommending some pretty awesome books. I also have to give her credit for sparking my interest in Audio books. I never gave them a second thought until she recomended some really great ones to me. While I do still prefer the print version I have found myself diving into Audible more and more frequently. As you will see when you read the following review, Janne listened to the audible version of Grey, narrated by Zachary Webber. And let me just second her opinion on his narrative voice. Please enjoy her review and if you would like to follow more of Janne's reviews you can find her on Goodreads >>> Click Here

 Grey by E.L. James

Audio by Zachary Webber

                                                                 

Photo Credit: Goodreads

 3 - 4.5 Stars (read on)

See the world of Fifty Shades of Grey anew through the eyes of Christian Grey.

In Christian's own words, and through his thoughts, reflections, and dreams, E L James offers a fresh perspective on the love story that has enthralled millions of readers around the world.

Christian Grey exercises control in all things; his world is neat, disciplined, and utterly empty—until the day that Anastasia Steele falls into his office, in a tangle of shapely limbs and tumbling brown hair. He tries to forget her, but instead is swept up in a storm of emotion he cannot comprehend and cannot resist. Unlike any woman he has known before, shy, unworldly Ana seems to see right through him—past the business prodigy and the penthouse lifestyle to Christian’s cold, wounded heart.

Will being with Ana dispel the horrors of his childhood that haunt Christian every night? Or will his dark sexual desires, his compulsion to control, and the self-loathing that fills his soul drive this girl away and destroy the fragile hope she offers him?


This book is intended for mature audiences.

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   Janne's Thoughts; OK folks, if you are one of the 4 people left on earth who has not read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy or seen the movie; there will be spoilers in this review of Grey, EL James’ recent surprise release of the story from Christian’s Point of View. Whether you loved the books or hated them, you have to admit, they certainly have a following. And, I’m one of them. Sure it’s erotic and that’s where people get stuck and, often, upset. It’s the STORY of Christian and Anastasia that is the kick in the gut and so often overlooked. So when Ms. James announced the release of Grey, it was with great trepidation that I pre-ordered it. BUT, when it was then announced that Zachary Webber would be the narrator of the audio, the deal was sealed. I canceled my Kindle pre-order and signed on for the audio.

In my opinion, Zachary Webber is one of the best audio performers out there and I have said many a time that he could read the instructions on how to give an enema and make them sound awesome.

   It is not a surprise that Ms. James is not a writer of ‘seri-ass’ literature and, along those lines, Grey does not disappoint.  Grey alternates between very good and very ‘not so good’. I mean REALLY ‘not so good’. AND, though I did not see the movie, I kept seeing Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson as Christian and Anastasia instead of my own images. And frankly, I preferred my own images.

   The audio is unabridged, as most are, and lasts for 18 hours and 46 minutes. If any of you have read reviews I have written, you will know that I am a visceral reader and reviewer. You will not see quotes and descriptions of scenes. What you will get is the reaction of my heart, soul, gut and spirit. So, here you go…here are my ‘not so good’ comments on Grey:

• At least 50%, if not more, of that time is a re-hashing of the first book (Fifty Shades of Grey) as told by Christian. There is nothing new except that instead of Ana’s ‘goddesses talking to her’, it’s Christian’s boy part leading him onward and upward. I kept thinking “come ON, get to some substance about Christian!”
• There is little new information about who Christian really is other than some infrequent flashbacks of a brutal childhood. In fact, that’s how the book starts and it’s not that impressive;
• The e-mail relationship that was so FUN in the first book (and second) is NOT so fun in Grey because it’s the same. It’s like a redundancy overload AND when it’s being read, gets mighty old.
• One pet peeve in the first book and continued in Grey—when Anastasia went to Savannah GA to see her mother, it was in June which meant that the time was Eastern DAYLIGHT time and not Eastern Standard Time. I would have thought editors would catch this at least for Grey.
The ‘very good’ comments:
• OK—this book cranks up with the ‘soaring’ adventure in Savannah.  There is the beginning of Christian’s desire to meet Ana’s request for ‘more’ as his thoughts become more and more focused on her and his growing enchantment with her. Sure, he’s still pretty focused on ‘having her’ but vanilla is not so bad;
• Starting with the Leila issue, the book really picks up some steam and we start getting more glimpses of Christian’s psyche and his inner turmoil.
• And, finally, with the epic scene where she challenges him to punish her and ultimately leaves him, we REALLY get going. Christian’s nightmares, consisting again of flashbacks of his wretched childhood, intensify and are detailed. This is good stuff because all we knew in the ‘Ana’ version was that he had them.

   Personal reflection on how this book could have been SO much better:
Christian Grey is an interesting, complex and substantive man.  It therefore stands to reason that a book from his point of view would absolutely go to town on WHO HE IS, HOW HE GOT TO BE WHO HE IS and HOW HE THINKS.  There is so much of him that could be explored:

• Christian’s  early years and the impact/damage it did to him. We do get a bit more of that toward the end of Grey but this could have been developed much earlier in the book and more thoroughly;
• Christians’ relationship with Elena which was barely touched on in Grey (how did she find him, how did she seduce him...hell, a snippet of how he lost HIS virginity and how she snared him into the BDSM lifestyle, how did HE act as a submissive and so on);
• Christian’s emotional volatility was barely explored yet all through the first Fifty, he was all over the emotional map. In Grey, he comes across as uneven but not the emotional roller coaster we’ve come to know
• Christian’s internal demons roared to life when Ana left him after telling him she was in love with him. Holy crap…that’s the core struggle he has and we needed to see that build from the moment Ana fell into his office and not at the end of the book. Why does he loathe himself so, why does he feel like he’s a monster, how did the relationship with Mrs. Robinson play into his psyche? There are some lovely moments with Dr. Flynn as Grey draws to a close and I am looking forward to the Grey’s POV from Fifty Shades Darker.   It’s obvious that Ms. James did a ton of research into flying/soaring, music, and the BDSM lifestyle to add credence to the book…so I’m imploring that the same effort will be focused on giving us complex Christian.
I guess I’m just asking for MORE.

My Many Many Thanks once again to Janne for sharing her review with us! You are wlcome back any time.

~S 

Review: Beautiful Redemption by Jamie McGuire

Credit: Goodreads

4 Stars

If A Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever. But what if he didn't love you, first?

No-nonsense Liis Lindy is an agent of the FBI. Deciding she is married only to her job, she breaks off her engagement and transfers from Chicago to the field office in San Diego. She loves her desk. She is committed to her laptop. She dreams of promotions and shaking hands with the director after cracking an impossible case.

Special Agent in Charge Thomas Maddox is arrogant, unforgiving, and ruthless. He is tasked with putting away some of the world’s toughest criminals, and he is one of the best the Bureau has to offer. Though, as many lives as he’s saved, there is one that is beyond his reach. Younger brother Travis is faced with prison time for his involvement in a basement fire that killed dozens of college students, and the media want a conviction. Travis’s only savior is his unusual tie to the mob. In a deal that will spare his brother, Thomas has agreed to recruit Travis into the FBI.

Liis is stubborn, defiant, and yet somehow softens Thomas’s rough edges, making her the perfect agent to accompany him to the ceremony. Posing as a couple, they must travel to Travis & Abby’s beach vow renewal and give him the news, but when the pretending ends, she finds herself wondering if they were pretending at all.

In the second installment of the Maddox Brothers books, experience firsthand the mysterious world of the elusive Thomas Maddox, and how good love can be when you’re not the first, but the last.


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My Thoughts; Let me begin by saying how happy I am that this book (unlike the others) was not set in the exact same time and place as Beautiful Disaster/Walking Disaster/Beautiful Oblivion. I mean you can only tell the same story so many time before people lose interest. That doesn't mean that I didn't love the aforementioned books, but I was ready for a change of scenery. Cue Thomas Maddox *eyebrow wiggle*.

In true Maddox fashion he came along and stole my heart. I love him more than Trent, but not even close to as much as Travis. I do miss the 'stay up all night and devour the story' feeling I got when I first read Beautiful Disaster, but I am completely infatuated with the other Maddox boys. I look forward to reading Book 3, Beautiful Sacrifice, said to be about Taylor Maddox. There is not a synopsis at this time.

Review:Wicked (Wicked Sgas, Book 1) by Jennifer L Armentrout

Credit: Goodreads

4 Stars

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

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My Thoughts; I kind of feel like I should withhold "what" the creatures in this story are because it is not mentioned in the synopsis. However, I am not sure it is a secret either. I was a bit put off because I am not really a fan of "theses things", and I had an instant..... Oh for the love of god.... moment. Why could't they just say in the blurb? Why have I never known what type of book this is? But then I began to think, would I have read had I known? The answer to that is probably, Yes... eventually, but I would not have read it at this point.

I am going to mention the previously UNMENTIONED thing in 5.....4.....3.....2....

Now, all of that aside, lets get this moving. If anyone could make me love a book about the fae it was going to be JLA. I mean come on, she made me fall in love with an ALIEN for cripes sake. *Daemon Black * When I started the book and I realized what "it" was I had to push myself a little. Give myself a pep talk if you will. And then I gave myself a severely judgmental stare because... well because I was judging a book I had not even read yet. You can not read one sentence and condemn a book to the DNF pile (did not finish). And, furthermore.... One does not simply DNF an Armentrout book. BLASPHEMY!!

Ok, let me jump off my crazy train and get back to the point. I fell head over heels for this book. I loved that she took everything I love about YA Paranormal stories and moved them into the more grown up New Adult Genre. Jennifer Armentrout is in my top 5 favorite authors, and as always, she did not disappoint. I look forward to the sequel due out Summer 2015.

~S

Review: A Hidden Fire (Elemental Mysteries, Book 1) by Elizabeth Hunter

Credit: Goodreads

4 Stars

"No secret stays hidden forever."

A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.

Please not at the time of posting this link the book was free on Amazon. 

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My Thoughts; I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. A friend recommended it to me (Thanks Janne!), she was reading the series and said that it was going on the list of her favorite vampire series. Well, that immediately had me intrigued. I added to Goodreads so I wouldn't forget and swore I would come back to it. 

*ahem* I forgot. 

So, Janne sent me a message one day and told me the book was available for FREE on Amazon, I immediately grabbed it so I would have it in front of my face each time I opened my Kindle. I was between books and had vowed that I would not buy another until the next book I was waiting on released. So, I picked this one up instead.

I will admit that the beginning was a little slow getting into it, maybe three chapters before I was hooked. I once again found myself enjoying the different take on the vampires and the added touch of elemental magic. I was almost leery at first because it was a tiny bit like House of Night (PC Cast), where each vampire has an affinity for an element but it was also completely different. I will also go ahead and throw this out there aqs well.... there is one scene that is EXTREMELY Twilight ("I know what you are...," you know the one!) Even though this scene is almost identical in some respects I will say that if you have read twilight, and you are giving it the same "look" I was, please just read it and let it be forgotten. This book is well worth the read. I look forward to reading the rest of the series sooner rather than later.

~S

Review: Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Credit:Goodreads

4 Stars

Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen. Complete strangers since this morning.
He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget.

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My Thoughts; I think I will write this review in the same way I feel Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher wrote this book. I am going to just start typing and see what happens, Ok, I am only half kidding, I am sure they had some sort of idea where this is going to end up... eventually. *winky face*

So, I read a post way back when the two of them had began writing this. CoHo had posted on her Facebook page how they were each writing a chapter but the story was unfolding as they went along, sort of like a tennis match, if I understood correctly. At the time I thought, 'Oh I bet that is a fun writing exercise, bet it would be fun to read.' 

 Well fast-forward to this past weekend...

What the &*%@ did I just read? I was so engrossed that I couldn't put it down. Now to try and describe this book.... as you can see I have tagged it with almost everything.

• Is it a mystery? Yes 
• Is it paranormal? Ummm, yep. Certainly not normal
• Romance? Perhaps
• Thriller? Well yeah
• Contemporary? Obviously
• Suspense? Cliffhanger, nuff said.
• Young Adult? Most definitely. (which is one of my abso fave things)

Needless to say this book is all of the things. 

Now, how do I feel about it? Well when I was reading this book I thought there is so much WTF. Literally... Double U. Teeee. Effff people. I should not have liked it, I was so lost the entire time. Imagine starting a book in the middle. You want to flip back to the beginning and see what happened but YOU CAN'T, and neither can Charlie and Silas. They are just as confused as the reader is, perhaps more. At least the readers can sit there and say... these authors are insane!! The poor characters just have to live in the world that was created for them. Okay, so maybe I should not just type every thought that is coming into my head right now. I do know they aren't real people. *nervous giggle....eye twitch* 

Moving on

   I guess in summary I can say that I gave this book 4 stars because It is written so superbly. The two authors, whose writing styles are so different from one another, meshed their styles together in a way that if I did not know who wrote who's POV, I would be hard pressed to guess.  (Tarryn-Charlie. Coho-Silas). They played so well off of one another's character cues and I have to wonder if they didn't both sit and laugh evil genius style while writing each chapter.
   The cliffhanger, while worthy of a little scream of frustration, was very well placed as far as cliffhangers go, I can see why it was decided to break this into parts VS one longer novel. I was warned, I knew it was coming. So the closer I got to the end I started glancing between the words and the percentage left on my kindle. It still stung.
   All in all I really enjoyed this book, I am anxious for part two and can't wait to see what happens next. I am reserving my 5th Star for when I have seen how this plays out.

Now if you haven't... GO... read it!!! And if you have leave me a comment and tell me what you thought about it.

Never Never: Part Two

Expected publication: May 17th 2015

Credit: Goodreads

~S

Review: One Night Promised by Jodi Ellen Malpas

4 Stars
Livy notices him the moment he walks into the coffee shop. He's heart-stoppingly stunning, with a blue-eyed gaze so piercing she's almost too distracted to take his order. When he walks out the door, she thinks she'll never see him again. Then she finds the note he left on his napkin . . . signed M.

All he wants is one night to worship her. No feelings, no commitment - nothing but pleasure. Every defense mechanism Livy has adopted during her solitary life is at risk of being obliterated by this confounding man. He's obnoxious but well-mannered. He's a gentleman but aloof. He's passionate but emotionless. Yet the fascination is so powerful, Livy can't deny him...or herself.

M awakens something in Livy, something deep and addicting that she never knew existed-and that she fears only he can satisfy. But she senses that behind the fast cars, fancy suits, and posh apartment, he's aching inside.

To have him, body and soul, she'll have to brave his dark secrets. Delving into his world and breaking down his defenses becomes her obsession - an obsession that could shatter her heart beyond repair...

Buy now on Amazon




  My thoughts; I bought One Night Promised the day it released back in July. It has sat on my kindle up until now, I can't really explain why other than simply.... Jesse Ward.
  I picked up This Man (book one This Man Trilogy) in November of 2012, it was just a few months prior to the release of book two and I was insanely glad I found the series a little later. My wait for book two was not so long, but still, I could not stop obsessing.

  My point? Well, I have this deep seated love for Jesse Ward, he trampled his way to the top of my Book Boyfriend list, and he has held the position quite strongly. Oh, there are contenders, believe me, but still he can not be budged. An that leads me directly into my point...

  Having fallen so hard for This Man, I was scared to read One Night. Any true bookie will understand this. You read something that leaves you reeling and begging for more but when the author writes something new you are terrified it will not stand up to the book(s) that made you fall in love with their writing to begin with. And lets face it, if we are honest, it happens.... a lot. So, there I was, on release day, 1-Clicking the book and then staring at it on my kindle. Terrified to read it.
  A few nights ago I was looking through my unread books and said to myself "Suck it up!". I generally listen when I talk to myself so I decided to go for it, book two is days away and I figure I might as well not break the tradition of reading a JEM book just prior to the sequel release.

  It did begin slowly for me, the lead up and meeting the characters etc. But then M strolls in and I began to see the storyline pick up. At one point I wanted to tell Livy to hold her knickers because it almost felt TOO fast. You just met him, you aren't in love yet. And I was right, I could see it was just an infatuation and I began to settle into the story.

  I became quite infatuated myself, Miller is hard to take in the beginning, he is cold and distant and almost rude. If I am honest I didn't like him at all. But, as his character starts to reveal itself and we get little tidbits along the way I really began to love him. It was at that point that my frustrations turn to Livy. It was almost like a role reversal, he became the one I was championing while I was giving her the side-eye.
  I really like her character and she seems strong, until she isn't. She seems understanding, until she isn't. She seems loving and warm, until she just isn't. She crosses a line for me and I wanted to yell obscenities at her. And, had my husband not been lying beside me sleeping as I read, I would have.
  Livy's hypocrite level hit defcon 5 and I was pissed. I know in the end she was lashing out her own insecurities onto him. Projecting a bit of self hate, maybe. She felt betrayed and I understand that, but the way she handles things are just unacceptable. I had an inner monologue just yelling every chastising thing I could think of, but in the end the only thing I wanted to say was, "You march yourself back in there and apologize.... a LOT. And dammit give him his thing!" But what I got was the end of the book instead.

  It was at that moment that I realized that JEM had done it to me again. I am totally smitten with this story and I can not wait until book two One Night Denied releases November 11. I don't know what I was so worried about  (^_^).


~S 

 

Review: RELLIK by Teresa Mummert

4 Stars

Rellik Bentley is to die for. 

He can have any woman he wants and they will do anything to be with him. He uses and abuses them like drugs and tosses them out with the trash. The only thing he gives a f*ck about is his music. That is, until Ella Leighton walks into his life and stumbles upon one of his darkest secrets. In the midst of doing damage control, he begins to obsess over the mysterious woman who wants absolutely nothing to do with him.
Rellik won’t take no for an answer.


 Publication Date: October 28, 2014

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  My thoughts; I know the old saying about books and judging covers and all that but, ummm, do you see this cover?? How can I not. Honestly, I have wanted to read this book since before it was fully written... all because of the cover. I pre-ordered it back in January, I was not playing around.

   I could tell by the synopsis that Rellik was not exactly a good guy. But Teresa "Queen of the Plot Twist" Mummert, has shocked me more than once. I am no stranger to her work so I know that just when I think things are one way, it may just turn out to be another.

    I wanted Rellik to be this misunderstood guy who was really just hiding all his pain under this facade of bad boy. And well......

   Ok, you all know me better than that. If you have ever read a single review I have written you know I am not going to give up a spoiler. I will say this, Rellik is not who he appears to be but neither is Ella. They both have secrets to hide. Rellik is not a sweet Happily ever After kind of story. It is dark and twisted and I loved every minute of it.

Just because I have to be fair and honest I will add a couple of things that were dislikes.

   There were a couple of spots in the book where I had to go back a paragraph or two because I had a "Wait what just happened" moment. Almost as if the transition between one event and the next were blurred but it does not detract from the storyline at all.

   The other thing that bothered me was that this book ends at 88%. However, there are two chapter from another book by Teresa Mummert (Pretty Little Things) to fill in the space. I am not sure if there is a note somewhere that says the book ends early and has bonus chapters from another book or not. If it does I missed it.

   All in all this was a really great and quick read (I read in a single day). I would recommend it to anyone who likes a dark twisted romance, with a possible anti-hero. 

~S

Review: Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie McGuire

4 Stars

The Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster phenomenon continues in the first heart-pounding new adult romance in The Maddox Brothers series.

Fiercely independent Camille "Cami" Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn’t have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with a first weekend off in almost a year.

Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt.

Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlor to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red.

As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she’ll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever—even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.

In the first installment of the Maddox Brothers books, readers can experience the rush of reading Beautiful Disaster for the first time, all over again.


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   My thoughts: I would ask you to all be patient with me while reading this review. I am going to try and keep it as spoiler free as always but the thing that bothered me the most about this book is the HUGE reveal at the end. As I sit and collect my thoughts I am finding that the things I loved the most about Beautiful Oblivion is also the same things that I didn't like. Let me explain...

   The story takes place at the same time as Beautiful Disaster. While I loved Beautiful Disaster, and devoured it in one sitting, I have already read it, as well as Walking Disaster. So this book made the third in the same timeline/plot setting. Beautiful Oblivion aka Trent and Cami's story was almost clouded because I knew so much about certain things that were going to happen. We have seen them before...... twice. I found myself wishing that this book had taken place after Beautiful Disaster's end. Had that been the case Trent and Cami would have had their own story not a shared one. However, because I loved BD so much I found myself loving all the glimpses and parallels that occurred along the way. I told you it was frustrating! 

   The character similarities bothered me somewhat. I realize they are brothers and it has been said all along that the Maddox brothers were all alike. But I was just a little put off by HOW similar they were. Cami did something to upset Trent he went on a man-whoring spree. Just like Travis did. Cami has an awful deadbeat father. Abby had awful deadbeat father. Cami had boyfriend and Trent was friend-zoned. Travis, friend-zoned while Abby dated. I could go on but this reaches spoiler territory. But again, I love the way the story played out and I fell in love with Trent the same way I fell for Travis. I repeat.. frustrating.

Now the absolute biggest issue is going to require a couple of *editing bleeps*

    Throughout the entire book there seemed to be a secret that Cami was keeping from Trent about T.J. (the BF). I could not figure out what the big deal was, why did they seem to want to hide everyone. T.J. had a job he couldn't talk about. I assume(d) he is a cop of some kind (remains to be seen). So, I thought ok, job purposes she had to keep hush hush. T.J. makes a few appearances throughout the book and nothing seems out of the ordinary. Just a guy who has went his own way and his job has taken him to another state. A couple of people see him and nothing seems out of the ordinary when he is mentioned. Then the reveal comes and suddenly I am in WTF mode. I was like THIS was the big secret? This is what Cami was trying to hide from the world? I get it, I do. I feel like it is a clusterf**k of epic proportions and I am still not completely sure how I feel now. But and it is a big BUT...... why was this secret a secret in the beginning, before Trent? Why was T.J. and Cami so adamant that no one (from their hometown) know they were dating. I am hoping more light is shed on this subject in the next book. At this point T.J. is looking like a bit of a douche. "You were willing to mover her to California with you but you can't tell these people she is your girl?? Why T.J.? Why?" The flip side of this was the GASP WHUUUUUUT??? at the last line of the book. This made all of the other stuff seem small because the reveal was BAM. Again, the frustration!!!

   I am excited to read the next book but I do have to say this. I pray the timeline/plot is original to the story and not another repeat of the same. If this happens I may actually give up on this series and I really, really don't want to give up on it. I happen to love those Maddox boys.

   I will go ahead and apologize to anyone who is looking at the word vomit that is this review, thinking, "Ummm what?" But honestly this is exactly how I felt while reading this book. My feelings were all over the place. I loved the whole thing beginning to end, but I also disliked a wide majority of it. Makes no sense but it is what it is I guess. Leave me a comment if you have read it and let me know how you felt during/after you read it. I love to hear other people's opinions.

~S

Review: Closer to You Series by AL Jackson (Book One and Two)

Since I read these books back to back I decided to do a dual review. I am going to try to keep it as spoiler free as possible, however, I may let a little tidbit in here and there. Just wanted to make sure you all knew :)

5 Stars
Aleena Moore is content with her life. She has goals and dreams and an easy smile. She also has a secret she holds locked inside.

Jared Holt believes he doesn’t deserve to love or be loved. He destroys everything he touches. Haunted by the mistake that shattered his life, he’s fled from the memory of that pain.

Jared doesn’t know why he’s compelled to return, but finds himself drawn back to the place where it all began. The exact place where it ended. When he runs into his childhood best friend, Aleena’s older brother Christopher, he agrees to share Christopher and Aleena’s apartment while he looks for a place of his own.

Aleena is no longer the little girl Jared remembers from his past and evokes feelings in him he never wanted to feel again. Terrified of destroying her, he fights to keep her away. But her touch is something he can’t resist—the touch that sealed his fate.

Their pasts are intertwined and their futures uncertain. The only truths they know are the secrets they whisper in the night.


4 Stars
A second chance at life…
A second chance at love…

Jared Holt never thought he deserved either—until he found both in the arms of Aly Moore. Aly has loved Jared for as long as she can remember, and she’s more than ready for the future they’re making together. But Jared can’t help remembering his own family. And he’ll never forgive himself for what happened to them. How can he allow himself the very happiness he once destroyed?

To live a life worthy of Aly, Jared knows he has to stop running and finally put his past to rest. But when he decides to face his demons head on, he encounters more than he bargained for: a dangerous mix of jealousy, lies, and dishonest intentions. When those intentions threaten Aly, Jared loses all control, giving into the rage that earned him his bad boy reputation years before. And he’ll fight to protect her no matter what it costs…even if he destroys himself in the process.

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Come to Me Quietly: The Closer to You Series

Come to Me Softly: The Closer to You Series

My Thoughts; I had Come to me Quietly on my TBR list for quite a while. I had every intention or reading right away but found myself getting other books and this one kept waiting. Fast-forward to the release of Come to me Softly and me thinking OMG seriously??? You let book two release before reading book one? So, finally, I One-Clicked and started..... one chapter in and I was engrossed. I was captivated by Jared, finding my new best friends in Aly and Christopher and hopelessly wishing there was something magical that could fix Jared's broken soul.

I am always a sucker for the broken boy, the one who needs the perfect girl to fix all the wrong in his life. But what I was figuring out while I read was that there was not going to be an easy fix for Jared. There were no magic words that would make him see that everything was okay, that sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. Jared made a mistake, one that cost him so much, and he has been punishing himself ever since. He has built up a wall of self hatred and disgust and he pushes away anything that is good in his life. Until Aly.

Aly is everything in his life that he wants, and everything he has convinced himself he doesn't deserve. She doesn't care what ghost haunt him, she doesn't care how broken he is or the things he has done in his life. She simply loves him no matter what. She sees the beauty in his soul and the kindness in his eyes. He is hers on the deepest level. Reading these two books and travelling this road with Jared and Aly was breathtaking, I fell so hard and so fast for them individually as well as separately. And now that I have read both of these books I am glad I waited to read them together. 

Okay, book one vs book two breakdown...

Book one was so good, I did not want to put it down and at several points I flipped real life the bird because it wouldn't just wait till I was finished. I was heartbreakingly in love with Jared and I needed to read it until I had devoured every single word. When I was nearing the end I was glad that I had book two waiting because I was not ready to say goodbye to the characters yet. Book one ends on a solemn note so had I read earlier and would have had to wait, I would have been okay with that. I gave it 5 Stars because it was unputdownable for me and I could not stop thinking about it. The writing was great and you can see the work that the author put into the entire process.

Book two picks up at basically the exact moment that book one ends. Jared and Aly are in that same peaceful place and I was ready to settle in for the rest of their story. Most of the book was calm and you begin to see them build their life together, Jared still harbors so much hatred toward himself and it slowly begins to worm its way into their daily lives. Insecurities come to life and their relationship is tested to almost the breaking point. You begin to see a bit more of the side characters and I loved that because I love Christopher. Jared and Aly's story comes to a peaceful 'end' as the two of them finally find that place they need to be and Jared begins to deal with his demons. I rated this book a 4 because I thought the pace was a bit slower and I also felt like some of the issues kept repeating, almost like.... I just read this last chapter..... but the book as a whole was really great and I loved it beginning to end. I am super excited to get Christopher's story beginning in the next book Come to Me Recklessly. I do not know if there will be books beyond book three. I will just have to practice patience.

~S

Review: Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher

3.5 Stars

When reclusive novelist Senna Richards wakes up on her thirty-third birthday, everything has changed. Caged behind an electrical fence, locked in a house in the middle of the snow, Senna is left to decode the clues to find out why she was taken. If she wants her freedom, she has to take a close look at her past. But, her past has a heartbeat…and her kidnapper is nowhere to be found. With her survival hanging by a thread, Senna soon realizes this is a game. A dangerous one. Only the truth can set her free



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  My thoughts; What did I just read? I am sitting here trapped inside a whirlwind of emotions. Teetering on the brink of loving and loathing, contentment and anguish. I can not wrap my head around this.

It isn't often I find myself questioning whether or not I liked a book. Usually when I have finished I am left with a solid feeling, but this book.....

  The main character of this story, Senna, has been dealt the worst hand life could possibly hand someone. So many things in her life have come to destroy her and completely crumble the ground on which she attempts to stand. I can't say that I find her a strong character because she doesn't fight to overcome, she doesn't strive to be positive, she doesn't even seem to care whether she wakes up on any given day. She has let every single thing that has happened to her beat her so far down that she is just simply existing. And yet she is still alive.

  This book took me a few days longer to finish than a book of this size normally takes. I kept finding myself being pulled into Senna's depression and I would just need to pause. I never had a hard time staying focused on the story, it was quite captivating to say the least. The relationship, albeit nonexistent, between Isaac and Senna was intriguing. I wanted to know what fueled him to keep returning to her side. I wanted her to see him, truly see him, just once. The mystery surrounding the situation Senna and Isaac find themselves in keeps you guessing, it keeps you entranced and it keeps your heart in splinters. 

  There is no denying that Tarryn Fisher is a outrageously gifted author and she proves that point throughout this entire book. She isn't afraid to veer from the "safe path". She is not afraid to end a book leaving the reader just a little unsatisfied. And to me that is a check in the win column, write what your heart leads you to write, write the dark and the light, write the happy and the sad. And if there is no real "happy" write it anyway. 

If you are looking for an HEA (happily ever after) love story I would suggest saving this one for another day. 

 

  I can't deny that there is an epic love story deep within these pages. What I will say is that sometimes finding your soulmate isn't always enough. First, you have to learn to love yourself.


~S 

Review: Pretty Little Things by Teresa Mummert

4.5 Stars

I was young enough not to understand that my life was different. Colin became the one person that I could count on to protect me. He suffered for the both of us by carrying the burden of our secret. 

We were the lucky few that got a chance to start over. A fake family, a new home and a pretty little life built on lies. But while our lives continued to intertwine, we were put on very different paths. Now it was only a matter of time before they collide and the beast behind the beauty is exposed.

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   My Thoughts: I have been following Teresa Mummert's work for quite a while now. I am a huge fan, and I have been slowly working my way through all of her books. Watching her posts (via facebook) on this particular book coming together was actually pretty fun. It was pretty much love at first cover sighting. It is beautiful to say the least but you just KNOW it is hiding a dark secret deep within its pages.

   I started this book with pretty high expectations and I was not disappointed. It was well and beautifully written. I could tell right from the start that Colin was going to be that "anti-hero" type of character that I enjoy from time to time, but I could also see a vulnerability to him as well. Annie is an innocent, that is pretty clear from the very beginning but she is by no means "soft". She can push every single button Colin has without even speaking a single word.

  The multiple POV in this book gives it just the right amount of depth and dimension without making you feel bombarded with excess story-line. You feel the dark, twisted, and maybe even forbidden aspect of this story page after page and no matter how much you think maybe this shouldn't happen, you can't help but bite your nails in anticipation. 

  

  I love when a book gives me the butterfly tummy and so far, Teresa Mummert has not failed me there. I look forward to reading more from her in the future. And I would recommend her to anyone who likes a quick read with tantalizing story lines.

Be sure to check out the Author Giveaway that is happening over on our facebook page.

Click here to enter!!

~S