Author: Jolie

I love to read. My favorite genres are women's fiction, romance, psychological thrillers, fantasy, young adult, steampunk, dystopian, LGBTQIA, and paranormal.

Love Taker (Nashville Nights: Book 3) by Erin McCarthy

Love Taker (Nashville Nights, #3)

Title: Love Taker

Author: Erin McCarthy

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 182

POV: 3rd person

Series: Nashville Nights

Heart Breaker – Book 1

Dream Maker – Book 2 (review here)

Love Taker – Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

The Nashville Nights series is burning up backstage in this sensual friends-to-lovers novel featuring a good-guy cop and a woman who’s been looking for Mr. Right in all the wrong places.

Pretty-boy musicians are a fixture of the Nashville country scene—and Elle Hart, a hairdresser to the stars, is beginning to think that they’re all total pricks. Elle’s dating choices have been a disaster, but at least she has Tucker. Though he’s easy on the eyes, no one would ever accuse Jason Michael Tucker of being a pretty boy. The humble and handsome sheriff’s deputy from Elle’s hometown has always been there to comfort her—until the evening their friendship unexpectedly leads to the best sex Elle has ever had.

Tucker has been lusting after Elle since they were an item as teens, but he knows that their wild night of passion is a one-time thing. He’s an old friend, nothing more, and they’re too different to become a couple just because they’ve knocked boots. After all, she hates being back in their hometown, and he’s not so fond of the big city. But when Elle comes to Tucker with the news that changes everything, he must help her come to grips with her traumatic past—or risk losing her forever.

My review:

I had waited anxiously for this book to come out and I haunted Loveswept’s NetGalley page until the ARC came up. I was a huge fan of Dream Maker that I had to read this book. I needed to see if Elle got her happy ending. When she appeared in Shane’s story, Elle had caught my interest and I was curious to see who she was going to end up with.

I was pretty happy with who she ended up with. Tucker was the opposite than her in so many ways and to be honest, with her wild child ways, she needed him. He balanced her out. But until that one night, she kept it solely as friends.

When she does have sex with Tucker, it was off the pages hot and very sweet. Of course, the morning after was kind of awkward and they did stop talking to each other for a month because of that. The only reason that they started talking was that one night of passion had unexpected consequences. Elle got knocked up…even with using a condom.

What I liked the most about this book was how real Elle and Tucker were, well for the most part. The whole Las Vegas and Tucker quitting his job were a tad too much. Only for certain events to happen a little later in the book and then Elle change her mind.

The humor in this book got me too. Elle had a mouth on her and I loved her one-liners. I was literally dying laughing on the couch and BK was just looking at me like I had 3 heads. My favorite line was (and this is not an exact quote) “sweating like a hog eating soup in August.” Oh, the images it conjured up for me.

The end of the book was very sweet and the epilog was perfect. The series was ended beautifully and happily!!! A perfect HEA. Oh, and I loved the name Elle and Tucker gave the baby ;).

How many stars will I give Love Taker: 4

Why: This book was great. Had a great storyline, humor and two unforgettable main characters (as well as secondary ones)

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach

Dead Letters: A Novel by [Dolan-Leach, Caite]

Title: Dead Letters

Author: Caite Dolan-Leach

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Random House

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, General Fiction

POV: 1st person

Number of pages: 353

Series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

A missing woman leads her twin sister on a twisted scavenger hunt in this clever début novel of suspense for readers of Luckiest Girl Alive and Reconstructing Amelia.

Ahoy, Ava! Welcome home, my sweet jet-setting twin! So glad you were able to wrest yourself away from your dazzling life in the City of Light; I hope my death hasn’t interrupted anything too crucial.

Ava Antipova has her reasons for running away: a failing family vineyard, a romantic betrayal, a mercurial sister, an absent father, a mother slipping into dementia. In Paris, Ava renounces her terribly practical undergraduate degree, acquires a French boyfriend and a taste for much better wine, and erases her past. Two years later, she must return to upstate New York. Her twin sister, Zelda, is dead.

Even in a family of alcoholics, Zelda Antipova was the wild one, notorious for her mind games and destructive behavior. Stuck tending the vineyard and the girls’ increasingly unstable mother, Zelda was allegedly burned alive when she passed out in the barn with a lit cigarette. But Ava finds the official explanation a little too neat. A little too Zelda. Then she receives a cryptic message from her sister.

Just as Ava suspected, Zelda’s playing one of her games. In fact, she’s outdone herself, leaving a series of clues about her disappearance. With the police stuck on a red herring, Ava follows the trail laid just for her, thinking like her sister, keeping her secrets, immersing herself in Zelda’s drama and her outlandish circle of friends and lovers. Along the way, Zelda forces her twin to confront their twisted history and the boy who broke Ava’s heart. But why? Is Zelda trying to punish Ava for leaving, or to teach her a lesson? Or is she simply trying to write her own ending?

Featuring a colorful, raucous cast of characters, Caite Dolan-Leach’s début thriller takes readers on a literary scavenger hunt for clues concealed throughout the seemingly idyllic wine country, hidden in plain sight on social media, and buried at the heart of one tremendously dysfunctional, utterly unforgettable family.

My review:

Dead Letters is one of those rare mysteries that have you guessing what exactly happened until the end of the book.  This book will suck you in while Ava goes on a scavenger hunt that was orchestrated by her twin sister, Zelda. What the scavenger hunt reveals and what it forces Ava to face is what makes this book so good.

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This isn’t one of those fun mysteries with likable characters and a happy ending. Not even close. This has to have been one of the saddest, complex books that I have read to date. Ava’s family has to be one of the more dysfunctional ones in all the books that I have read to date.

What I liked about this book was that it truly was a mystery and that the author had no qualms about throwing out red herrings left and right. Just when I thought I had the mystery of what happened to Zelda pegged, the book went in a totally different direction and totally screwed me up. This happened two times and both times, I had to put my Kindle Paperwhite down because the shock just got to me…both times. Well done, Caite, well done.

I was truly on the fence about liking Ava. She came across as so uncaring with her mother, father, and grandmother (but she does have her reasons why) but when it comes to Zelda, the emotions just can’t stop. I do think that the scavenger hunt was maybe a little unfair to Ava but Zelda wanted to make a point. And oh boy, did she.

Marlon and Nadine were detestable as parents. Whenever Ava started to think about her past, all she could think about was how her father was checked out most of the time (and I mean checked out mentally) and how she had to walk on eggshells around her mother. No wonder the girls turned out the way they did.

I also should point out that the author did a great job portraying what living with an alcoholic is like and what growing up as a child of a functioning alcoholic is like and what it is like to be a caregiver to someone with dementia. Not easy subjects to talk or write about but she did it beautifully.

The end of a book was a huge surprise in two ways. Not going to ruin it for anyone but I had to get up and walk around after the 2nd surprise came around. Then I sat down and went “W.T.H.”

How many stars will I give Dead Letters: 4

Why: I really enjoyed reading this book. I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out about what happened to Zelda, why Ava was the way she was and everything else in the book. Truly captivating.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language. Also scenes of verbal abuse (which could be triggers in some people), drug use and some mild sex scenes

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Something (Wisteria: Book 1) by Shelby Lamb

Something (Wisteria, #1)

Title: Something

Author: Shelby Lamb

Publisher: Grunge Bookz

Date of publication: January 9th, 2017

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Mental Health, Paranormal

Number of pages: 304

Series: Wisteria

Something – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

“I will find true love and everything will be okay. I will find true love and everything will be okay…” she chanted.

They say be careful what you read. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong. It can happen to anyone. This is just four teenagers’ story. Aubrey Golding hates her face, her body, and is devastated after Nathan Silva leaves her. Alone, suicidal, and desperate for love, she discovers a book called Something and unknowingly links others to a dark and terrifying curse that is beginning to consume her. Nathan is glad to be moving on with someone new and can hardly believe what is happening now. Wild child and amateur porn star, Bella Broadhurst, loves bullying that “emo whore” Aubrey with the other girls, but mostly she loves partying, hookups, and plain ol’ drama when terror arises. And Kendra Coke is just a new teen mother working on a delicate relationship when things start becoming utterly bizarre. Chilling sleep disturbances and figures hiding in the corners of their rooms are just warnings of what is to come. Be careful what you read, they say. Tread carefully.

My review:

A quick warning before I start my review…..there are triggers in this book and I will be mentioning them. So, do not read this review if it will affect you in any way!!

Now, onto the review.

This is a book that you can’t read without feeling sympathy/horror/anger (or a combination of all three) towards the main characters. Their lives are so messed up that it isn’t even funny. Actually, the only halfway normal one, if you call her that, is Kendra. Her only issue is that she is 15 and having twins. Other than that, she is probably the nicest person in the book and I felt awful when what happened to her happened.

I felt awful for Aubrey. She is bullied mercilessly, she has self-esteem/mental health issues, she is stalking her ex-boyfriend and she has self-esteem problems. She self-medicated through sex, drinking, drugs, and cutting. At one point in the book, she attempted suicide. When she did reach out for help, she was told she was imagining things and it was all in her head. Even her teachers at school were jerks. The poor kid could not catch a break. Her only solace was reading a book that she found in a used bookstore, a book called Something and hanging out with her best friend, Adelaide. But there are things that Aubrey doesn’t realize that Adelaide is hiding from her. She also doesn’t realize what Something is and what it could do.

All Aubrey wanted was for someone to love her for who she was and….someone listened. But that someone (or something???) was really not the person that she should be going for. Because they wanted to possess her….totally.

I really thought what Nathan and Adelaide did to Aubrey was awful….mainly because Adelaide was Aubrey’s best friend. Nathan really should have moved onto someone else and you know what, I didn’t blame Aubrey for reacting the way she reacted when she found out. I think I would have done the same thing.

The horror part of the book was truly that. I actually jumped in places (like when Audrey discovered the hidden door that led to a secret passage in Tyler’s house). The author did a great job with writing just enough to get your brain working and then she would change the scene. Gaaahh!!!!

I thought the author did a great job ending certain storylines (of course in the creepiest way possible) and merging the Audrey/Nick/Adelaide storyline.

The way the book ended totally hooked me into the next book. I need to know what happens!!!

How many stars will I give Something: 5

Why: This is a genuinely creepy fantasy/horror book with characters that I could relate too. I was sucked into the book from page one and literally could not put the book down. I would be hesitant to let anyone over the age of 16 read this book because of the triggers. Other than that, the book was great!!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Late Teen

Why: Language, sex. Also an attempted suicide scene, drug use, bullying

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

The Name of Death by Joshua Robertson

The Name of Death

Title: The Name of Death

Author: Joshua Robertson

Publisher: Crimson Edge Press

Date of publication: January 2nd, 2016 (originally published December 26th, 2016 by Smashwords)

Genre: Fantasy

Number of pages: 40

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Drada Koehn is a fearless, formidable fighter ensnared in a presaged war against the northern humans. When the Speaker foretells their victory upon discovery of the name of death, she sets out to unravel the mysterious prophecy. Now, bound by duty and honor, Drada faces untold horrors with her companions, searching for what may never be found. In a story of unexpected twists, she soon finds that her resolve to see the quest done will be the fortune or doom of her people.

My review:

Since this was a very short story (4o pages), this is going to be a very short review. If I write a longer review, I would run into a conundrum of revealing something I shouldn’t. Which I don’t want to do.

The Name of Death was very well written. From the beginning, where Drada was doing the death rites for her war brother to the end, it sucked me in. But, it also left me with questions. Questions that probably will be answered when I read the novels that this short story is set in.

The characters were pretty fleshed out for being in a short story. Which is good because I have read some short stories where the characters weren’t given much detail or you had to read other books to realize who they were. Not this book and I liked it.

I am not going to discuss the end of the book because I can’t without giving anything away. Let’s just say that things aren’t too good and I was made to wonder if this short story leads into a bigger one.

How many stars will I give The Name of Death: 4

Why: I thought this was a great short fantasy. From what I understand from other reviews, there are other books in this world and I am very interested in reading them.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Early teen

Why: Violence

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Spectra by Ebony Olson

Spectra

Title: Spectra

Author: Ebony Olson

Published: Inkitt

Date of publication: February 22nd, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: Alternating 1st person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

One touch of Spectra’s fingers leaves the predator Bay craving more.

Spectra is a Balance; a decadent of angels whose soul has been intertwined with that of sorcerer Alexander, although her heart belongs to Mercury, the son of an archangel.
Bay is a predator de Sang and sorcerer, who runs his own private security company, fighting the purist organization Essence. Seeking out Spectra for her special abilities the last thing he expected to find was a Balance strong enough to withstand his potent energy. With her heart and soul already claimed, could there be room for another in her life?

When Bay’s infatuations bring Spectra to the attention of Essence and put her life at risk, he must learn that sometimes sacrificing the ones you love is the only way to save them.

My review:

When I started reading Spectra, I went into it thinking that it was going to be one of those paranormal romances that focuses more on the sex than the story. Boy, was I wrong. While sex does get mainlined for a while, the real story ends up being the relationships that Spectra has with Bay, Merc and Alexander and, of course, the Essence storyline (which was fascinating).

Spectra was a tough chick. She was dealt a crap hand in life. Her sister was killed by a predator (think vampire/were animal), her mother just couldn’t deal and committed suicide when Spectra was 14. Then she is date raped after her college boyfriend slips her a Rufie and she dies from an allergic reaction to it. She is brought back to life and she makes it her life’s mission to help those who can’t help themselves (victims be it of abuse or other things).

Alexander was so sweet at first and then he morphed into a jerk. I was kinda taken aback when he did the 180 because it went against how he was portrayed. But when it was revealed why he morphed into a jerk, I wanted to reach into the book and smack him. Put it this way: Can’t have your cake and eat it too!!!

Next to Spectra, Merc was my favorite character in the book and he was a perfect fit with Spectra. Their relationship was a little strange (totally open, both were able to see/sleep with other people) but it worked for them because they didn’t get jealous. I mean, the first time we meet Merc, he is nailing a girl in Tommy’s bar……lol.

I wasn’t too sure about Bay at first. But the more I read, the more I started to like him and by the end of the book, I loved him. He also was a good fit with Spectra but, and stress but, because he was a predator (aka vampire) and a sorcerer (which is the first time I think that I have read those two being combined). He was the one the uncovered the wrongs that Alexander was doing to her, thinking that he was protecting her, and he was the one that was there, along with Merc, when Spectra needed him the most.

The whole storyline as to who Spectra’s father was and the storyline about exactly what she is was played out beautifully. I kinda felt bad for her when it was revealed who her father was, and a little shocked, to be honest. Then when Bay finds out exactly what she was, again it was a huge surprise to me. There were hints dropped throughout the book but I didn’t exactly put two and two together until Bay found out.

I would be a fool if I didn’t address the sex scenes. They were all hot. Very hot but what ruined them for me is that Spectra would go from one man’s bed to another in the same day. Also, the whole cumming in her until she was married. It was great (and that she insisted on condoms was awesome) until well, you have to read the book. I wish that it was carried out until the end because it was kinda different.

The ending was good but I couldn’t tell if there was going to be a book 2? I am so torn because there was so much left in the air.

How many stars will I give Spectra: 4

Why: A great paranormal/fantasy with hot sex scenes. The ending I was a little torn on and I wish there was better clarification on if there is going to be a book 2.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Jerk Bait (The Sloane Spadowski Series: Book 1) by Emigh Cannaday

Jerk Bait (The Sloane Spadowski Series Book 1) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

Title: Jerk Bait

Author: Emigh Cannady

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: February 22nd, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 214

POV: 1st person

Series: The Sloane Spadowski Series

Jerk Bait – Book 1

Slip Sinker – Book 2 (expected publication date March 15th, 2017)

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Sloane Spadowski has never kept a job (or a boyfriend) for more than a few months. The last thing this temp worker wants is a long-term commitment to either–until she hooks the ultimate trophy. Not only does her new office have a stunning view of Downtown Chicago, but her sexy new supervisor makes it clear from day one that he’s a boss with benefits. Andy is funny, smart, rich, and has Ken-doll good looks, making him the perfect catch. Just when Sloane is about to reel him in, she finds herself caught on a snag the size of Texas–his best friend Barbie.

* The Sloane Spadowski series is a whimsical, rowdy, dirty blend of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Comedy, with occasional adult language and adults behaving badly. This is the first installment of a complete series.

My review:

This book was just what I needed after reading two books that were not light reading and dealt with some pretty heavy issues. It was refreshing!! It was a salve for my brain and recharged it…..lol.

I really liked Sloane. I liked that she was kinda commitmentphobe about jobs and relationships. She changed men almost as much she changed her underwear (and maybe more). The only serious relationship she had been with Jack, her roommate, best friend, and ex-boyfriend.

Andy came across as a horndog from the minute he was introduced to Sloane in his office. Not that Sloane helped any with her deliberate leaving up the corset page and then having him look at it. Then he buys them for her with a condition that she wears them for him. But I do like that he held off from actually doing the deed with her, a few times. That he opted to get to know her better. Kinda brought down his perviness a little.

The whole Barbie storyline had me going until the end. When it was revealed who Barbie was, I almost died and I can’t wait until the next book to see where that is going to go.  Put it this way, I think Jack would be a great hook up for Barbie….lol!!!!

I also think that I figured out the Andy Jr storyline and if it is what I think it is, well Sloane is going to be proven wrong….haha. The phone conversations alone tipped me off.

The make-out scenes with Andy were pretty hot and I can’t wait to see when they actually have sex. It is going to beyond hot.

Like I said, the end of the book was a cliffhanger with a huge surprise. I was kinda taken aback by the surprise and it did hook me into reading the next book.

How many stars will I give Jerk Bait: 4

Why: This book was a balm on my brain after reading a couple of books that dealt with some pretty heavy issues. The characters were quirky but likable and the romance was off the hook steamy. I cannot wait to read the next book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sexual situations and some language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

By Virtue Fall: A Song of the Shadowdance (Shadowdance Saga: Book 1)by Mark Wooden

By Virtue Fall: A Song of the Shadowdance

Title: By Virtue Fall

Author: Mark Wooden

Publisher: Writer Geek Press

Date of publication: March 8th, 2014 (original publication date was December 20th, 2013)

Genre: Fantasy

Number of pages: 236

POV: 3rd person

Series: Shadowdance Saga

By Virtue Fall – Book 1

For Her Sins – Book 2

A Reason to Live – Prequel

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Vampire and assassin Adriana Dupré have nothing left.

Manipulated into slaughtering nearly all of her bloodline, she wants only two things: finding her sister-turned-vampire and avenging the deaths of her family.

Sorcerer and Hollywood bad-boy Dwyer Strathan has information she needs. To get it, Adriana must retrieve two relics — the Vyntari shards.

To get the shards, Adriana must journey from the soulless glamor of modern-day Los Angeles to the seedy underworld of Berlin.

She will engage in battles against vengeful werewolves, a trio of warrior sorcerers who protect the Vyntari shards, and other supernatural creatures bent on keeping her at bay.

Each encounter draws Adriana deeper into the supernatural underworld’s struggle for control of the shards, a struggle long hidden from human eyes —

The Shadowdance.

Adriana must ultimately decide if her desire for revenge is worth giving Strathan the power to destroy the world.

My review:

By Virtue Fall is an action-packed fantasy that doesn’t lose steam. We follow Adriana as she goes up against the Daughters of Lilith, her former cohorts, in an effort to try to save her sister, Dominique from them. In her effort to do so, Adriana joins forces with Dwyer Stratham, the head of the Order of Haroth….a group of sorcerers that practice dark magic. She is to get him Vyntari shards….relics that are very powerful and very important. If she gets them, Dwyer will give her information about her sister. Stress if. Adriana has to go up against the guardians of the shards, the Knights of Vyntari and the werewolves that she almost caused the extinction of.

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This book was action packed from the first page when Makeda steals one of the Vyntari shards from a mystical temple that is shrouded on Mount Kanchenjunga and doesn’t let up until the end. One of the reasons why I really liked this book. Sometimes, and I have said this in other posts, a girl just needs nonstop action in her book. I liked that there were different fighting styles shown (Japanese was the main one). The nerd in me cheered when Michael Freeman had a quarterstaff and used it while blind. I also liked the epic fight scenes. Every single one with Adriana was epic.

Now, the blood and gore in this book might be a little too much but it is needed. This book isn’t heart, flowers and happy endings. It is a book about revenge and revenge can be a little bloody if you are a vampire on a mission. Take for instance the killing of the international pop star. Talk about an image that is burned into your brain. That had to have been the goriest deaths in a book that I have read in a while.

Adriana took a while to grow on me but she did. During the course of the book, you could see her going from this heartless assassin to a vampire who wanted to make amends with those she hurt (even if they hated her and wanted her dead). She was so full of rage and I liked how she turned that rage into a finely honed weapon.

What I really liked was the way Adriana was turned into a vampire. Talk about a different way of doing it and again, refreshing to read. I actually like his way better than the usual way that vampires are spawned. Less chance of rogue vampires running around and the vampire population is kept under strict control.

Another first for me was that the author hyperlinked main characters bios into the story. So, all I had to do was tap the name and it went right to the bio on the book’s website. I found that it was easier to do that (and not lose my place in my book) then to go looking for it. I have a Kindle Paperwhite and it can be a little difficult navigating at times. So to have that information at my fingertips was great!!!

The storylines were not resolved in this book and the book was ended in a way that it was left wide open for book 2.

How many stars will I give By Virtue Fall: 4

Why: An action-packed book that features some kick-ass vampires. I couldn’t stop reading it.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage

Beautiful Broken Girls

Title: Beautiful Broken Girls

Author: Kim Savage

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

Date of publication: February 21st, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: 333

Series: No

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Mira and Francesca Cillo—beautiful, overprotective, odd—seemed untouchable. But Ben touched seven parts of Mira: her palm, hair, chest, cheek, lips, throat, and heart. After the sisters drown themselves in the quarry lake, a post-mortem letter from Mira sends Ben on a quest to find notes in the seven places where they touched. Note by note, Ben discovers the mystical secret at the heart of Mira and Francesca’s world, and that some things are better left untouched.

My review:

Beautiful Broken Girls is a gripping novel about one boy’s quest to find out exactly why his ex-girlfriend killed herself. Told in 3rd person and between Ben and Mira, Beautiful Broken Girls takes the reader on a heart wrenching and mystical journey as Ben uncovers clues about why Mira and Francesca committed suicide.

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I went into reading this book not knowing how deep or how mystical this book was going to be. I certainly wasn’t ready to read, from Mira’s perspective, the events that lead up to her and Francesca’s suicide. I also wasn’t ready to read about what happened to Ben when he was 9. Talk about being blindsided by that (want to know what, read the book). I also wasn’t ready for the reason behind Connie’s death. That was definitely something that took me by surprise.

Honestly, I felt awful for Ben. What a shock it must have been to get a letter from Mira after she died and then to go on that quest to the 7 places where they touched (palm, hair, chest, cheek, lips, throat, and heart) would have done a number on me too. And the way those notes were written!!! If the author hadn’t of included Mira’s side of the story, I would have jumped to the same conclusion as Ben did.

I did feel bad for Mira. She did seem like all she wanted to be was a normal girl but she had Francesca to take care of. Francesca who spoke in tongues, who had fits and who developed an unhealthy crush on their church’s youth advisor. Mira was the one who took care of her and I could see it draining her. Which kinda explains why she committed suicide. The real reason was heartbreaking once it was revealed (again, read the book if you want to find out). I will say that I did think it was kinda mean to send Ben on that quest to find the notes. But at the same time, she wanted someone to know the truth. I think she chose Ben because a) she was in love with him (or in love with him as she allowed her to be) and b) she knew that he would go the distance to get the notes.

The end of the book was very surreal and left me with more questions than answers. I wish that there was an epilogue or something to show what happened to Ben after he got the notes and did what he did. But at the same time, I am glad that there isn’t one and I get to use my imagination about what happened to him.

How many stars will I give Beautiful Broken Girls: 4

Why: This book was heart-wrenching to read. It outlines the events leading up to a double suicide while also telling about Ben’s quest to find Mira’s notes and to find out the reason the girls committed suicide. This is definitely a book to read with a tissue and an open mind.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older teen

Why: Mild Violence, language, and the suicide theme

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities: Book 1) by K.J. Charles

An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities, #1)

Title: An Unseen Attraction

Author: K. J. Charles

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 21st 2017

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: 3rd person

Series: Sins of the Cities

An Unseen Attraction – Book 1

An Unnatural Vice – Book 2 (Expected publication date June 6th, 2017)

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, first book in series

Where you can find this book: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

A slow-burning romance and a chilling mystery bind two singular men in the suspenseful first book of a new Victorian series from K. J. Charles.

Lodging-house keeper Clem Talleyfer prefers a quiet life. He’s happy with his hobbies, his work—and especially with his lodger Rowley Green, who becomes a friend over their long fireside evenings together. If only neat, precise, irresistible Mr. Green was interested in more than friendship. . . .

Rowley just wants to be left alone—at least until he meets Clem, with his odd, charming ways and his glorious eyes. Two quiet men, lodging in the same house, coming to an understanding . . . it could be perfect. Then the brutally murdered corpse of another lodger is dumped on their doorstep and their peaceful life is shattered.

Now Clem and Rowley find themselves caught up in a mystery, threatened on all sides by violent men, with a deadly London fog closing in on them. If they’re to see their way through, the pair must learn to share their secrets—and their hearts.

My review:

This book took a while for me to get into. I almost DNF’d it about 16% into the book because it just dragged and I was wondering when the romance was going to start. But, right after I made that decision, everything happened. The book went from being boring to being very interesting. I couldn’t read it fast enough!!

The storyline was pretty good. Clem is the bastard younger brother of an Earl. 8 years before, when the former Earl died, he made sure that his legitimate son and heir took care of Clem. And by that, the new Earl bought a lodging house and made Clem the proprietor of it. Clem liked his job and liked most of the people who lodged there. With the exception of Lugtrout, a pastor who has lived there indefinitely and is a drunk. Lugtrout is the otherwise black spot on Clem’s happy life.

If Lugtrout is a black spot on Clem’s life, then Rowley Green is a bright, bright yellow spot. Rowley is a taxidermist who owns the shop next to Clem’s boarding house. In the 8 months that he has lived at the lodging house, Clem and Rowley have become fast friends. They share a nightly tea and have really gotten to know each other. Clem, though, is very attracted to Rowley but is afraid to say or do anything.

This is Victorian England and male/male relationships are not only frowned on but can constitute in 10 years of jail time. So, Clem has to be very careful about who he approaches. Luckily, he found a club called the Jack and Knave that is for men of Clem’s inclination.

Luckily for him, Rowley is also very attracted to Clem and on what I guess you could call their first date, he told Clem that he was attracted to him and shortly afterward, they had their first kiss. It was during that first kiss that Lugtrout started screaming that he had been robbed. After calming him down, Clem sends word to his brother about Mr. Lugtrout’s behavior….only to be told, in not so many words, “Deal with it”.

It is when Mr. Lugtrout is found murdered outside of the lodging house and then Rowley is attacked and his shop burned, is when the book picked up the pace. From then on, it was Clem and Rowley trying to figure out why Lugtrout was killed, who attacked Rowley and who tried to burn down Rowley’s shop. All on top of keeping their relationship super secret.

The sex scenes weren’t anything remarkable and I actually kinda disconnected from them in most scenes. I don’t know why. Maybe because it had to be super secret and the doors had to be shut and locked before anything was done. The oppression of that time was awful.

While I say that the sex scenes weren’t remarkable, I did think that the romance between Clem and Rowley were. Both had overcome a lot in their life and both were willing to make their relationship work….no matter what. What I thought sucked is that they couldn’t let on that they were in love. The only safe place was the club.

Now what I thought was refreshing was the club that Clem belonged to. There was a trans woman who tended the bar and I have never, ever read a historical romance book that is LGBTQIA that had a trans woman featured. And I loved it. I hope that Phyllis (aka Phil) makes more of an appearance in the other books.

The whodunit storyline was pretty predictable but I do like that the author did throw in a couple of curveballs. The main one being at the end of the story which threw things up in the air on Clem’s end.

Speaking of the end of the book, the author did a great job wrapping up the storylines. But, like I said above, the curveball at the end threw me. And it left for a great opener for the next story.

How many stars will I give An Unseen Attraction: 3

Why: While I liked the story, I had an issue getting into it. The characters were really hard for me to connect to at first but once I did, I really enjoyed them. Besides the book getting off to a very slow start, there was also a lull in the middle of the book. The author was able to get back on track but the lull was for a couple of chapters (when Clem and Edmund met) and I was pretty certain that the book wouldn’t recover from it.

Will I reread: On the fence about rereading it.

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and some mild violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Roam by Erik Therme

Roam by [Therme, Erik]

Title: Roam

Author: Erik Therme

Publisher: Thecker Books

Date of publication: February 21st, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Number of pages: 244

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Three strangers, each searching for something out of reach.

Sarah Cate, celebrating her twenty-first birthday, is pushed over the edge after car trouble strands her in the middle of nowhere with an angry, unstable boyfriend.

Kevin Reed, a troubled adolescent abused by a loveless father, roams the night in his black Camaro, looking to pay forward one of the few acts of kindness he’s ever received.

Scotty Mason, plagued by profound guilt and completely detached from his world, is haunted by the unshakable fear that something inside him is dangerously broken and cannot be fixed.

When their lives intersect in an unsavory hotel with a bloody history, all three will struggle to exorcize their personal demons, unaware that a bigger threat is looming . . . and waiting for the right moment to strike.

Like Joshua Gaylord and Daniel Kraus before him, author Erik Therme explores the angst of disconnected youth in his enthralling and powerful Roam. Therme’s darkly tinged novel is an unforgettable tale of three errant souls brutalized by life’s cruel circumstances, and a remarkable night of discovery and violence that will change them forever.

My review:

I like mysteries/thrillers/suspense books that carry all the way through the book (ie they don’t fizzle out by the halfway point) and Roam certainly does that. From the first page, when we meet Sarah and Marc to the very last page where a surprise twist is revealed, Roam kept me on my toes, wondering what was going to happen next.

What I enjoyed about this book was that the characters were real. Sarah was in a relationship where her boyfriend was slowly isolating her, Kevin was abused by his father and Scotty was dealing with some pretty serious issues that were affecting him mentally.

I will admit that Sarah kinda annoyed me at first. She was super impulsive (hello, getting into a car with people she doesn’t know) and made emotional decisions (the confrontation with her mother). But the more I got into the book, the more I started to not only like her but felt bad for her at the same time.

Kevin, I actually liked. He was such a sweetheart. I mean, who would take a girl that he barely knew on a mission to find her long-lost friend? Plus, he was tough. I mean, he took on 3 people outside a bar and barely got hurt. When I read that, I thought to myself “Dayum. Sarah, he is a keeper”.

Scotty scared me. But at the same time, while he frightened me, I felt really bad. He was dealing with so much and it seemed like no one in his life, even his girlfriend could care less that he was hurting and that there was something going on with him mentally. The more his story went on, the more fragmented it became if that makes any sense.

The climax of the story (not the end, the climax) was very frightening and the author did a great job hiding the identity of the mystery man. I wasn’t surprised at who it was but I was surprised at what happened (want to know what happened….read the book).

Now the end of the book took me by surprise and I went “No way”. All I am going to say about that!!

How many stars will I give Roam: 4

Why: This book is truly one that will keep you guessing until the end and then some. The ending was a huge surprise and to be honest, it is what made the book!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sexual situations, language, and violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**