Category: NetGalley

Poinciana Road by Margaret Way

Poinciana Road

1 Star

Publisher: Kensington Books

Date of publication: October 25th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Thriller, Suspense

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

Book synopsis:

It’s been six years since Mallory James left Moonglade, a former sugar plantation in the shadow of Australia’s magnificent rain forest. Now love and loyalty have called her home—but unspeakable secrets may compel her to flee once more…

A successful child psychologist, Mallory has no wish to return to the tropical hideaway where she experienced so much pain. But her Uncle Robert is ailing and it’s only right that she be there for the man who came to her rescue when she was a lost, lonely child. At least he is not alone—his protégé, and Mallory’s rival for his affections, is also at his side. Blaine Forrester hasn’t lost his knack for getting under Mallory’s skin, taking her breath away and leaving her unsettled at the same time.

While Robert recuperates, Mallory is shocked to learn that Jason Cartwright is on the payroll of his estate—the very man whose humiliating betrayal led her to leave North Queensland on the eve of her wedding. Confronting him—along with his wife and his manipulative twin sister—is a trial, though she can’t help forming a bond with little Ivy, Jason’s sickly daughter. But as tragedy strikes Moonglade, Mallory and Blaine will discover a darkness hidden within this deceptively beautiful world and their enigmatic circle—one that will either unite them at last, or tear apart the promise of paradise…

My review:

I am not a picky reader and I honestly do not like reviewing books and giving them bad reviews. I am one of those “let’s try to find the good in every book” type of person. But, I have run across a few books that I just cannot like and, unfortunately, Poinciana Road is one of them.

What aggravated me was that it had such a good storyline to it. A woman comes home to care for an ailing father figure and gets embroiled with her ex-fiance, his twin sister, his wife, and his daughter. It should have been good…..but it wasn’t. It was very painful to read and I almost DNF’d the book.

The plotline was crazy good and so much potential. It really did take me back to when I went through my Gothic romance phase. If the author had just stuck to that, the book could have been good. But she started adding that Mallory could read auras, see and hear ghosts and can receive messages from ghosts through dreams and I kinda went “eh”.

The relationship between Blaine and Mallory didn’t feel real to me and actually felt kinda forced. She didn’t like him at the beginning of the book….was jealous of him and went out of her way to be rude to him. It wasn’t an instant dislike. She didn’t like him for years and years because her Uncle Robert looked at him as a son. Actually, she was jealous of Blaine. So I, as a reader, am supposed to believe that she did a turnaround in the 2 weeks that she was staying with her uncle?

Even the secondary characters were awful. Kathy, Jason, Jessica, Ivy….no personality or they were over the top. And the mystery of what happened to Kathy, what was happening to Ivy and the relationship between Jessica and Jason was pretty cut and dry and I figured out each of them in turn. Plus, I was getting sick of Mallory psychoanalyzing everyone.

The sex scenes, I will say, were pretty tastefully done and were no frills. Actually, I couldn’t tell if I was actually reading a sex scene or not.

The ending was pretty typical and there was an HEA.

I would give Poinciana Road an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Poinciana Road. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Necessary Evil (Sentinels of Babylon: Book 1) by Jamie K. Schmidt

Necessary Evil (Sentinels of Babylon Book 1) by [Schmidt, Jamie K.]

3 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 1st, 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Sentinels of Babylon

Necessary Evil – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

In this steamy series opener from bestselling author Jamie K. Schmidt—whose writing has been called “hot and sexy, with just the right amount of emotional punch,” by Lauren Layne—a vigilante biker takes the power of love into his own hands.

Lucy Simmons comes from a rough family, but she’s a damn good public defender. Even though she hates to see criminals walk due to sloppy police work, the law’s there to make sure everyone gets a fair trial, and Lucy certainly doesn’t believe in the kind of justice meted out by the leather-clad ex-cop they call “Evil.” He’s stubborn, cynical, and out of control—but he plays her body like no man ever has. For once, both Lucy’s boss and her brother agree: The biker is trouble.

Evan Villiers took a sacred vow to let no killer, rapist, or pedophile go unpunished. When scumbags fall through the system, his motorcycle club cleans up the garbage. Although the Sons of Babylon and their methods may not be to Lucy’s liking, the beautiful lawyer has become Evan’s light in the dark. But his next hit is Lucy’s own brother—a murderer who got off on a technicality. Now, with his loyalties split, Evan must turn his back on his brothers . . . or lose the woman who has claimed his reckless heart.

My review:

Ok, normally I don’t complain about covers or blurbs that describe the book. I actually make it a point not to because there is a reason why the author chose the cover or the publisher wrote the blurb the way they did. But this time, I have to say something.

The guy on the cover does not match up to what the author wrote. See, Evan (aka Evil) has a beard, which was mentioned quite often in the book, and a huge tattoo of a spider on his chest, which was mentioned a few times because of Lucy’s extreme phobia of spiders. So I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the cover and if I had to suggest one thing to the author….change it. Get some awesome tatted hunk to pose for the cover and then put a huge spider tattoo on his chest. Seriously, just do it!!

Now onto the blurb. While some of it stays true to what the story is about but the bit about Lucy’s brother isn’t exactly true. He is suspected of murdering two people, not off on a technicality. Actually, he hadn’t been in jail for 5 years and lived out in CA before coming to NY to escape a psycho ex-girlfriend (or so he says). The suspicion of murder comes after he moves to NY. There is one person in the book who did get off on a technicality. They must have mixed them up.

I actually liked Evil, a lot. While I don’t agree with vigilante’s, I can definitely see where he, Warden, Sentential, Ryder, and the Judge are coming from. Evil is a retired homicide detective, Warden a retired prison guard, Sentential a retired Special Forces and Ryder retired CIA operative. They all have seen the worst of humanity and they all have seen obviously guilty people walk when they should have stayed in jail. Unfortunately, our justice system is flawed and it happens all the time.

Lucy, I was a little more on the face about. While she rocked at being a public defender, she sucked at her personal life (seriously). She supported her brother and made excuses for him. “He got picked up for everything because people automatically assumed he did it because our father went to jail” was the main excuse that she used and it made me want to smack her. Listen, I knew exactly where she was coming from. Having someone who you can’t trust or who is draining you dry of all your money is awful and that’s all I am going to say.

The slow burn, at first, between her and Evil, was delicious. Instead of instantly falling into InstaLove/InstaLust, the author made them have a 2-year history of wanting each other. And when they finally do give in (she went down on Evil in his bar), it is explosive and oh so good!!

I was a little put-off, though, by the amount of violence in the book. Also, I felt that while it was patterned after MC books, it wasn’t a full MC book. Basically, it was just 4 friends who are sick of the justice system and take matters into their own hands that happen to ride motorcycles. Also, there were a couple of loose ends. The slimy lawyer…what happened to him after the SOB’s visited him? And the storyline with the Pyros….it just disappeared after Lucy’s car got torched and the SOB’s took revenge.

The sub-story involving her brother was sad and the ending to that was awful. I felt bad for Evil to be put in that situation and for Lucy to have to be in it (want to know what happened? Read the book!)

The ending was not what I expected and I cried.

I would give Necessary Evil an Adult rating. There is mention of sex. There is mild language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Necessary Evil. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Livia Lone (Livia Lone: Book 1) by Barry Eisler

Livia Lone (A Livia Lone Novel Book 1) by [Eisler, Barry]

5 Stars

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Date of publication: October 25th, 2016

Genre: General Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Series: Livia Lone

Livia Lone – Book 1

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

Book synopsis:

Seattle PD sex-crimes detective Livia Lone knows the monsters she hunts. Sold by her Thai parents along with her little sister, Nason; marooned in America; abused by the men who trafficked them…the only thing that kept Livia alive as a teenager was her determination to find Nason.

Livia has never stopped looking. And she copes with her failure to protect her sister by doing everything she can to put predators in prison.

Or, when that fails, by putting them in the ground.

But when a fresh lead offers new hope of finding Nason and the men who trafficked them both, Livia will have to go beyond just being a cop. Beyond even being a vigilante. She’ll have to relive the horrors of the past. Take on one of the most powerful men in the US government. And uncover a conspiracy of almost unimaginable evil.

In every way, it’s an unfair fight. But Livia has two advantages: her unending love for Nason—

And a lifelong lust for vengeance.

My review:

I am going to warn you all, this book is not an easy read. Not an easy read at all. The subject of human sex trade trafficking is awful and I am sure it was not easy for the author to write about, much less research.

Labee/Livia was a 13-year-old girl living with her parents, brother and 11-year-old sister Nason in her Lahu village in Thailand. The Lahu people live in the mountainous forests along the Burmese and Laotian borders. Labee has no clue about modern technology and lives a simple, but happy, life. That happy life ends when Labee and Nason’s parents sell the girls to human sex trade traffickers. That’s when her happy, carefree life ends.

She is put into a van with her sister and several other children and is driven to Bangkok and put into a shipping container (yes, one of those metal ones but this one seems to be open at the top?) that is put on a ship. While she is on the ship, the unthinkable happens. The people guarding the shipping box chooses Nason to go with them. Labee offers herself up to them, to protect Nason, and is forced to do unthinkable things to the men. But that isn’t enough and Nason is taken. Only to be brought back in a canonic state (use your imagination here).

She is soon separated from Nason and is eventually rescued when a SWAT team raids where her box is being kept and finds her. She is adopted by the prominent Lone family and soon realizes that her life with them is far from perfect. The only thing keeping her going is her quest to find Nason and her desire to get back at the men who hurt her and Nason. She becomes a master at jiu-jitsu and used it as self-defense one horrible night. That’s when she was sent to live with Mrs. Lone’s brother, Ralph.

While that story is being told, there is also a parallel story of a grown-up Labee, now called Livia Lone. She is a sex crimes detective with the Seattle PD. But she is more than that. She is a serial killer, a vigilante killer, who tracks down the rapists and child molesters and kills them. She has a name for her itch to kill. She calls it her dragon and it was formed during her imprisonment and her time with the Lone family.

She is trying to hunt down leads on where Nason could be. I am not going much into the book from here but let’s just say that there is a huge twist in the book. There were hints as to what it was after Livia came to America but I was still very surprised when it was revealed.

I honestly felt bad for Livia. She was shaped into the person she was because of events in her life. I am sure if her father decided against selling her or Nason, it would have been a different story. But it wasn’t.

The end of the book was gory. Not going to lie. vengeance was served and it wasn’t pretty. There really wasn’t a happy ending, not that I was expecting it there to be one.

Like I said above, this was a very hard book to read. But, in a way, I am glad that the author chose to write so honestly about child sex trafficking (heck human sex trafficking period). More light needs to be shown on the atrocities committed against men, women, and children. If you are interested, here is a link to a site that could really make a difference in eradicating it

Polaris

I would give Livia Lone an Adult rating. There is mention of sex. There is mild language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Livia Lone. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

A Night of Forever (The Disgraced Lords: Book 6) by Bronwen Evans

A Night of Forever: A Disgraced Lords Novel (The Disgraced Lords Book 6) by [Evans, Bronwen]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 25th, 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: The Disgraced Lords

A Kiss of Lies – Book 1

A Promise of More – Book 2

A Touch of Passion – Book 3

A Whisper of Desire – Book 4

A Taste of Seduction – Book 5

A Night of Forever – Book 6

A Love to Remember – Book 7 (expected date of publication: June 6th, 2017)

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book Synopsis:

Distrust is no match for desire as a proper young miss and a self-professed rogue hunt down a murderer in this thrilling Disgraced Lords novel from the USA Today bestselling author of A Kiss of Lies and A Taste of Seduction.

Arend Aubury trusts no one besides his fellow Libertine Scholars. After his family escaped from France, penniless and persecuted, only the Scholars took him in. So when the stepdaughter of the villainess who has been plotting against them approaches Arend with allegations against their enemy, he suspects a double cross. Yet Isobel is a tantalizing prize, with lips as sweet as champagne and skin as creamy as Camembert. Is she a feast for the senses—or a bitter trap?

Lady Isobel Thompson dreams of marrying an honorable gentleman with a spotless reputation, a trait that Arend seems to lack completely. But Isobel believes that her stepmother is responsible for her father’s death, and only Arend has the skills to uncover the truth. As a cover, Arend suggests a fake betrothal—and soon Isobel finds herself forgetting that their courtship is a ploy. He’s so different from the man of her fantasies, and yet he’s so terribly handsome, so dangerously intoxicating—and all Isobel wants is more.

My review:

I went into this book thinking that it was going to be one of those historical romances that the heroine was a dimwit, and the hero had significant trust issues and couldn’t get over them. I was right about the hero, but oh boy, was I wrong about the heroine.

Isobel surprised me. I thought she would be one of those heroines who got into trouble and then is like, “Why is this happening to me.” The only time that happened was in the prologue when the Libertine Scholar’s enemy kidnaped her and sent on a wild carriage ride with Marisa that resulted in Marisa being seriously injured. All of the situations that she found herself in after that, she took responsibility for it.

Arend Aubury, Baron Labourd, has some pretty dark secrets and was scarred by events that had happened to him while he was in Paris and Brazil. He refused to let anyone but the Libertine Scholars close to him and forget it if it was a beautiful woman. Then he froze her out. I honestly felt awful for him when he was reliving the past, and it was refreshing to see a historical novel that dared to touch on some darker subjects in detail.

Isobel has fallen under Arend’s radar because her stepmother, Victoria, is believed to be the madwoman stalking his friends and their wives. They think that Isobel is helping her, which is the farthest thing from the truth. Isobel believes Victoria killed her father and is trying to secure a marriage that will take her away from Victoria.

It doesn’t help that every time Victoria does something, Isobel is there or has knowledge of it. Still, even with all that hanging over her head, Arend manages to become very attracted to her. He also goes as far as to propose a “fake” engagement after Isobel tells him what I outlined above. His reasoning, it would be a great way to fool Victoria and for Arend to keep a close eye on Isobel.

Yeah, that didn’t go over too well. Soon, Isobel and Arend have consummated their relationship in a stable. That leads to Arend getting struck on the head with a piece of wood and Isobel being kidnapped with her friend Evangeline’s young son Sealy. It didn’t look well for her because her information (stolen from Victoria) led his friends in the opposite direction as to where Arend was. So yeah, it’s understandable why Arend and his friends didn’t trust her. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t either.

The sex scenes between Arend and Isobel were unbelievably hot. Like off the page scorching hot, which is another reason why I liked this book. Isobel actively went after Arend and told him what she wanted. Something other historical romances don’t do. Either they wait until marriage or the heroine’s first time is rushed. Isobel’s wasn’t nor were all the times afterward. They were like rabbits.

I cried when Arend finally opened up about what happened to him. Isobel’s reaction was perfect and was what Arend needed.

In a way, I did feel bad for Victoria too. For something that awful to happen to a young girl, it is bound to affect her and not in a good way. She let vengeance rule her life, and she was willing to sacrifice everything to get to the son of the person she held responsible for what happened to her.

The end of the book and the prologue made me bawl. There’s a twist that took me by surprise. There is a HEA for Arend and Isobel. The author did pave the way for book seven, and I can’t wait to read it. I also am going to eventually buy the other books too because I want to read the other couple’s stories.

I would give A Night of Forever an Adult rating. There is sex. There is mild language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread A Night of Forever. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Another Chance (Austin Heroes: Book 3) by Kathy Clark

Another Chance: An Austin Heroes Novel by [Clark, Kathy]

3 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 1st, 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Austin Heroes

After Love – Book 1

Almost Forever – Book 2 (review here)

Another Chance – Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Homeland Security agent Luke Archer returns home to Texas on a dangerous mission—a hands-on fight against a terrorist organization that has infiltrated the United States—yet it’s a chance encounter with his high-school sweetheart that really gets his blood pumping. Luke considers himself a lone wolf who doesn’t need a woman in his life. But as memories of their sweet, innocent affair stir him body and soul, Luke starts to wonder whether he should give love another chance.

A high-powered attorney, Bella Shaw has never forgotton how Luke left her behind in Austin to chase his dreams. But when she’s being totally honest with herself, Bella can’t deny that Luke is the one man she ever truly wanted. Though he tells her that the terrorists are using her land, she’s more worried about defending her heart from the advances of the sinfully sexy lawman. Still, Bella is willing to trust him again—if Agent Archer proves he’s worthy.

My review:

I was taken aback by this book. I thought that this would be a clichéd 3rd book in a series. You know the one that is used to wrap up all the other storylines, which this one did, and kind of sucks because there is no plot, other than the hero and the heroine declaring Instalove after the first couple of chapters and then the rest of the book is them banging everywhere they can with misunderstandings all around until the end. This book isn’t like that.

See, Luke and Bella were friends since 3rd grade and boyfriend/girlfriend all four years of high school. They were each other’s firsts (first kiss and first time having sex) and were madly in love. They planned on becoming marine biologists and sailing around the world together after high school. From Bella and Luke’s flashbacks, it was a sweet (but hot and heavy) first love that ended when each of them got Dear John letters from the other person. They never got over each other.

So fast forward 14 years. Luke works for Homeland Security and is tracking terrorists that are coming over the border from Mexico. He happens to run into Bella after he was involved in a sting that failed to capture five terrorists and had one commit suicide by a grenade. She lived in the condo’s that happened to be on the same street as the building that was damaged when the grenade went off.

What happens next is what sets the book apart from other romances. Luke and Bella never fell out of love with each other. So no InstaLove or even InstaLust. It was just two people who had a history and who were madly in love with each other discovering each other again. There was no drama in that department. Once Bella and Luke hooked up, there was no one else, and no one tried to break them up. It was very refreshing to read. I love how Bella classified their relationship towards the end of the book.

Silly, silly man. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to love me. I don’t care if you’re a cop or a fireman or a janitor. I loved you when you beat up that little boy on the playground. I loved you before your voice changed. I loved you before you scored you first touchdown. I loved you when you just wanted to live on a boat and count starfish. I loved you when you risked your life to save me from that terrorist. You’re the strongest, bravest, most wonderful man in the whole world, and I promise I’ll love you forever, so might as well propose

I had tears in my eyes reading that and his reply was just as good (not going to put it in here because, well you should read the book to find that out)

The sex was hot, and there was the mandatory “I am on BC, so it’s OK not to use a condom” (I am going to start a safe sex for fictional characters fund…lmao) talk. I liked that the feelings that they had for each other showed while they were having sex, even before the “L” word was mentioned.

Now the two other storylines that were featured in the book were pretty good, but I thought the one where the terrorists just happened to be operating out of Bella’s barn was a little far-fetched. Not saying that it could happen but still.

The storyline with Grammy was excellent. She has to be my favorite secondary character ever, and I loved that she was given her happily ever after.

The ending was great, but everything was wrapped up all at once. I would have rathered read an epilogue 5-6 years in the future to find out what happened, then it happening all at once.

I would give Another Chance an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Another Chance. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

November Fox-Book 1: Following Joy by E.E. Bertram

November Fox – Book 1. Following Joy: A Metaphysical Visionary Fable by [Bertram, E.E.]

5 Stars

Publisher: Conscious Fiction

Date of Publication: November 1st, 2016

Genre: Science Fiction, New Adult

Series: Following Joy

November Fox – Book 1

Where to find: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

November Fox has never even heard of other dimensions when a teleporting magical cube appears on her doorstep. With a hole in her heart and a cosmic identity yet to be discovered, the orphan rock star accepts an invitation to find the key within herself that will unlock the mysteries of form.

Little does she know, The Architect, from the race of philosophical beings who create our world of form, has been watching over her all her life.

Grieving Erica, a teacher and writer from London, finds The Architect’s fascinating letter in a glass bottle washed ashore on Brighton Beach. Pages continue to magically appear as she, too, is compelled to follow November’s quest.

Realities eclipse as we embark on a metaphysical adventure through time and space. November learns that harnessing the power of her mind and heart is fundamental, if she wishes to unlock the cube and escape the sometimes sinister, sometimes wonderful dimensions into which she is propelled.

Combining elements inspired by the new thought movement, the law of attraction, magic, mysticism, wisdom and wonder, November learns that she can use the power of dreaming, imagination and positive thinking to remake herself and her world.

November Fox will be enjoyed by readers who liked wisdom-filled, visionary fiction fables like “The Alchemist,” the escapism of “Alice in Wonderland” or the Mind-bending nature of the movie “The Matrix.”

As an idiosyncratic fantasy/science fiction crossover, it is suitable for teens and adults alike.

It comes with 39 illustrations with an Augmented Reality technology feature, enabling readers to further expand their experience.

“Things aren’t always as they seem, do we wake or do we dream?”

My review:

November Fox is the first book that I have ever read that incorporates augmented reality in it, and it fascinated me. While I didn’t try it, I found the concept intriguing. Very intriguing and I can’t wait to see how this technology changes reading books in the future. For more information about augmented reality and what extras you could find in the book, click here and scroll down the page.

The main characters that make up the book were very interesting.

Let’s start with The Architect. He is from a race of philosophical beings that build worlds. In his words, he has created the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, along those lines. Forbidden from contacting humans, The Architect rebels. He finds a TV in a penthouse and discovers that it only follows an abandoned baby who is named November Fox. He watches over November her entire life and cares for her in his way.

The next character introduced is Erica. Reeling from the sudden death of a very close friend, she is inconsolable. She decides to leave London (where she is a teacher) and go for a walk on a beach. It is there that she finds a red bottle laying on the beach. Inside, written on papers, is a story about an architect and about a young woman named November Fox. As November’s journey grows and continues, more pages magically appear in the bottle.

Everything brings us to November Fox, the woman who the Architect has been watching all of her life. She had grown up to be a world-famous, vegan rock star who had just played the last show of her world tour. November awakens the next day, feeling a bit tired with her life on the road (for lack of a better word) and wants a more profound life purpose and a more balanced existence. So imagine her surprise when she goes out to find her dog, Honey, and find a package addressed to her. Inside the box was a cube and an invitation for her to join LOTNE (Leaders of the New Earth), her cube’s name and birthdate. With opening it, starts her journey to unlocking the mysteries of Form.

I won’t get too much into the book except each chapter is a lesson that everyone should heed. While I didn’t gain the insights that November did, the lessons were valuable.

I will say that Klaus was adorable. He is a baby elephant, obsessed with cake and his timepiece who happens to meet November in the first phase of her journey, and he keeps her company to the end. I also enjoyed Charlie the carpet.

Rebmevon had to be one of the creepiest characters that I have read. For some reason, I had visions of the little girl from The Ring whenever she came up in the book. And her storyline is tragic but the lesson associated is very valuable and unfortunately, November couldn’t face it.

The end of the book was fantastic. Erica and November’s storyline merged, and The Architect was still watching over November. The author did do a great job of setting up for the next book, and the twist thrown in threw me.

I would give November Fox an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread November Fox. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Black Widow (Jack Parlabane: Book 7) by Chris Brookmyre

Black Widow (The Jack Parlabane Thrillers Book 7) by [Brookmyre, Christopher]

Publisher: Grove Atlantic

Date of Publication: November 1st, 2016

Where the book can be found: Amazon

Series: Jack Parlabane

Quite Ugly One Morning – Book 1

Country of the Blind – Book 2

Boiling a Frog – Book 3

Be My Enemy, Or, Fuck This for a Game of Soldiers – Book 4

Attack Of The Unsinkable Rubber Ducks – Book 5

Dead Girl Walking – Book 6

Black Widow – Book 7

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Book synopsis:

Diana Jager is clever, strong, and successful, a skilled surgeon and fierce campaigner via her blog about sexism in medicine. Yet it takes only hours for her life to crumble when her personal details are released on the internet as revenge for her writing.
 
Then Diana meets Peter. He is kind, generous, and knows nothing about her past—the second chance she’s been waiting for. Within six months, they are married. Within six more, Peter is dead in a road accident, a nightmare end to their fairy-tale romance. But Peter’s sister doesn’t believe in fairy tales, and tasks rogue reporter Jack Parlabane with discovering the dark truth behind the woman the media is calling the Black Widow.
 
Still on the mend from a turbulent divorce, Jack’s investigation into matters of the heart takes him to hidden places no one should ever have to go.

My review:

This is a book where I had to struggle through the first couple of chapters. I was left wondering, did Diana do it? The book begins at a trial, and the author goes between the 1st person and 3rd person.

Diana Jager’s character was a hard one to like and to sympathize with. Her childhood is less than perfect, and her adulthood hasn’t been any better. She wrote a blog that called out Scottish surgeons for sexism in the hospital. Then her life came apart when she was hacked by hospital IT guys, and her personal information was leaked. She is let go from her job and immediately got a new one in Inverness….where she meets Peter.

I didn’t like Peter from the get-go either. He came across as too naive and too nice. Usually, that isn’t an issue, but it bothered me (and I am glad that it did). Plus, he was too secretive with Diana.

Add in Jack’s storyline, and I got a mystery that will kept me absorbed until the end of the book.

I usually don’t like it when the author switches between points of view. But in this case, it worked with how the story is being told. While it gives the impression of jumping around, it doesn’t. While it gives the impression of jumping around, it doesn’t.

The author did a great job of keeping a bunch of things hidden until the end. The ending messed with my mind because what I thought was true ended up not being authentic and it screwed with me.

How many stars will I give Black Widow? 5

Why? This is a genuine whodunit with false leads, red herrings and dead ends masterfully woven into the tale. The fact that this is the 7th book in the series isn’t even a point with me because this is a totally standalone book.

Will I reread this book? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range: Adult

Why? Sexual situations, some language

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Pilots Hockey: Book 4) by Sophia Henry

Unsportsmanlike Conduct: A Pilots Hockey Novel by [Henry, Sophia]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 18th, 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Pilots Hockey

Delayed Penalty – Book 1

Power Play – Book 2

Interference – Book 3

Unsportsmanlike Conduct – Book 4

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The author of Delayed Penalty returns with the story of a free spirit who believes she’s found forever with a playboy on a singles cruise. Discover why Kelly Jamieson calls the Pilots Hockey series “fun and flirty, warm and sweet.”

Kristen Katsaros wants a life full of adventure and laughter. After a difficult childhood, her motto is to live each day like it’s her last—because it just might be. So when Kristen’s parents send her on a post-grad singles cruise in the Caribbean to meet a Greek husband, she promptly hooks up with the hottest guy she’s ever met. Pasha’s decidedly not Greek, but Kristen gives him a pass because he’s got fun written all over his rock-hard abs.

Pavel Gribov, the cocky playboy of the Detroit Pilots hockey team, can score any girl he wants. But when a teammate drags him on a singles cruise, he can’t resist the chance to help out a drop-dead gorgeous damsel in distress by pretending to be her boyfriend. Before long, the fake fling turns intimate, fueled by something much deeper than lust.

Kristen and Pasha both agree to walk away once the cruise is over, but reality hits like a slap shot when Kristen finds out Pasha lied about everything. Just when she’s ready to start living again, the two stubborn survivors must decide if they can bear to lose the best thing that ever happened to either of them

My review:

Do not judge this book by the blurb or the cover. Please don’t because they are misleading (even though the guy is uber hot on the cover).

I went into this book, thinking that it was going to be about a cruise ship romance that continued after the cruise. And it does but (and stress but) the story is so much more. There is an actual story in this book. It isn’t all about sex after Kristin and Pasha do the dirty, and that is what I loved about this book.

I am not one to give spoilers, at all, but to provide an honest review, I am going to have to let one slip here. So, stop reading here and skip to the end if you don’t want spoilers.

I loved Kristin’s attitude towards life and in general. She was the most upbeat, positive person that I have ever read in a book. She has Cystic Fibrosis. Her outlook on Cystic Fibrosis is positive. While she will die from it, she manages it through medications, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. She also believes that she will not find a man who will stick by her after her HS boyfriend dumped her and told her that.

The only reason she was on that cruise was to please her parents. It was a singles cruise, and the man who her parents want her to marry went on it too, which didn’t please Kristin too much. To get him off her back, she starts flirting with the first guy she crashes into which happens to be Pavel Gribov.

Oh my, let’s talk about Pavel (aka Pasha) for a minute. He is a hot mess. I mean, someone who tries to screw up his best friend’s relationship has issues, which he has. He blames himself for the deaths of his mother and abusive father. He drinks too much, has casual sex with too many ladies (manwhore alert!!) and throws himself into hockey. He was only on the ship to accompany his friend, not to meet anyone. But he meets Kristin, and his world (and hers) gets turned upside down.

He isn’t honest with her at all, which is a pretty sucky way to start any relationship. She knows this but is still surprised when she finds out WHO he is and WHAT he does for a living. Remember the best friend, well, his best friend is getting married to Kristin’s best friend. So, yeah, I can see why he wouldn’t mention it to Kristin. And when she finds out, she is beyond upset.

The sex was hot, but as I said above, the focus of this book was more on the relationship between Pasha and Kristin. While it started as instalust, it evolved into love (and not within the week…over 3-4 or so months). It was sweet, it was sad, and it was perfect.

The ending was what I thought it would be, and the epilogue made me happy for both of them. I might have to buy the next book to see if there is any mention of them.

How many stars will I give Unsportsmanlike? 4

Why? It was more than a boy meets girl/has sex/falls in love/finds her outside of the cruise. So much more and I loved it!!!

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

No Witness but the Moon (A Jimmy Vega Mystery) by Suzanne Chazin

No Witness but the Moon (A Jimmy Vega Mystery Book 3) by [Chazin, Suzanne]

Publisher: Kensington Books

Date of publication: October 25th, 2016

Series: Jimmy Vega Mystery

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where can the book be found: Amazon 

Goodreads Synopsis:

On a clear, moonlit night in December, police detective Jimmy Vega races to the scene of a reported home invasion in an upscale New York community. As Vega arrives, he spots a Hispanic man who fits the description of the armed intruder, running from the victim’s estate. Vega chases him into the woods. When the suspect refuses to surrender—and reaches into his pocket—Vega has only seconds to make a life-or-death decision.

What begins as a tragic mistake takes an even darker turn when Vega uncovers disturbing links between the dead man and his own mother’s brutal, unsolved murder. Vega’s need for answers propels him back to his old Bronx neighborhood, where he is viewed as a disgraced cop, not a homegrown hero. It also puts him at odds with his girlfriend, Adele Figueroa, head of a local immigrant center, who must weigh her own doubts about his behavior. 

When a shocking piece of evidence surfaces, it becomes clear that someone doesn’t want Vega to put all the pieces together—and is willing to do whatever it takes to bury the truth. Only by risking everything will Vega be able to find justice, redemption, and the most elusive goal of all: the ability to forgive himself.

My review:

This is the first book I have ever read by Suzanne Chazin, and I loved it. Because of the world we live in, everyone lives under a microscope, including the police. So when a police officer shoots an unarmed man, it makes national news. This story is about a police shooting. It is also about illegal immigrants, which is another hot topic in America. So combine these two hot topics, and you get a story that keeps you riveted to the pages.

I liked Jimmy’s character. I do think that putting off seeing the psychologist and not taking his friends advice was stupid. Real stupid, and it made me shake my head. But, he did get some good solid leads about his mother’s murder and his impending court case.

Adele’s character was written great, and I loved how torn she was on Jimmy’s shooting case. When the going got hot, she didn’t buckle under pressure and kept her cool. Which meant distancing herself from Jimmy while investigating his case on her own.

The trio of storylines (Jimmy’s, his mother’s death and the other one) were tied together beautifully at the end. The twist that happened in the last chapters of the book kept me awake afterward going “No way, not this person.” I also loved how the author resolved each storyline in a way that no one else got hurt (well Jimmy did).

How many stars will I give No Witness But the Moon? 5

Why? Like I said in my first sentence, this book takes 2 hot topics (police shootings and illegal immigrants) and skillfully tells a tale that intertwines both.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range? Adult

Why? No sex. Violence, which includes a pretty vivid description of a head being blown off at below the chin.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Moon Chosen (Tales of a New World: Book 1) by P.C. Cast

Moon Chosen: Tales of a New World by [Cast, P. C.]

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin Griffin

Date of publication: October 18th, 2016

Series: Tales of a New World

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Moon Chosen – Book 1

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

Goodreads synopsis:

Mari is an Earth Walker, heir to the unique healing powers of her Clan; but she has cast her duties aside, until she is chosen by a special animal ally, altering her destiny forever. When a deadly attack tears her world apart, Mari reveals the strength of her powers and the forbidden secret of her dual nature as she embarks on a mission to save her people. It is not until Nik, the son of the leader from a rival, dominating clan strays across her path, that Mari experiences something she has never felt before…

Now, darkness is coming, and with it, a force, more terrible and destructive than the world has ever seen, leaving Mari to cast the shadows from the earth. By forming a tumultuous alliance with Nik, she must make herself ready. Ready to save her people. Ready to save herself and Nik. Ready to embrace her true destiny…and obliterate the forces that threaten to destroy them all.

My review:

I am going start by warning you that this book is long, 608 pages. One of the longest I have read to date. But the character and world building in it is beyond anything that I have read before.

Mari is introduced as she is sketching the myth, Narcissus and Echo. It is a game that her mother and herself play to amuse themselves. Mari and Leda are Earth Walkers, and Leda is a Moon Woman. A Moon Woman brings down the moon to Wash her Clan, males of anger and Night Fever and females of sorrow. This has to be done every three days, or the males go, for lack of a better word, batshit crazy.

We also find out that Mari is a half-breed. She is half Earth Walker and half Companion. Companions are a race of people who live in the trees. They have Shepherds or Terriers that are connected to them, and they can read each other’s thoughts. The Earth Walkers live in fear of the Companions. Whenever they appear, people disappear. So it was surprising that a Companion and an Earth Walker fell in love and had a child. Mari was an infant when her father was killed. He was killed for committing what amounts to treason in the Companion society. He took fronds from a Mother Plant and refused to tell where he was bringing them.

The book then shifts to Dead Eye, a young man chosen to be a Harvester of his People, the Skin Stealers. They are a cannibalistic tribe that lives in what used to be cities. Dead Eye has had an epiphany of sorts. He has realized that The Reaper, a Goddess that his people worship, has gone mute. She hasn’t spoken in years, perhaps decades. He realizes that eating the flesh of The Others is killing his people. While on a hunt outside his cities limits, he kills a stag and strips the body of its flesh, which he packs around his cracked skin. It heals him, and he takes it as a sign that he is the Champion. After pronouncing The Reaper dead (well that’s what I got from it), he kills the Watchers, older women, who can speak to her. That’s when he meets Dove, an eyeless brunette beauty who calls herself an Oracle of the God. She becomes Dead Eye’s mate.

We also meet Nik, a Companion who lives in the trees. Nik is upset because he hasn’t been chosen by a Guardian (the Shepherds and Terriers) yet. He is hoping that the newest litter will have a pup choose him. What ends up happening, instead, is that the last puppy of that litter disappears while Nik has taken him down to the ground to use the bathroom. This leads to some pretty significant events in the book that include Mari.

The author does explain what happens to divide a civilization. There were several solar flares that decimated Earth’s population. The flares drove people to the forests, to the trees, or they stayed in the cities. Beyond killing all technology, the solar flare mutated both animals and insects. Spiders and roaches are mentioned, a lot, and I got so skeeved out reading about them. The animals can communicate with their chosen Companions. The remaining people formed into the Earth Walkers, Skin Stealers and Companions.

I am not going to go into the book much more after this because this post would take forever. Friendships are formed, people are saved, people die, and new alliances are formed. I can’t wait for book 2 to come out because I want to see what happens.

How many stars will I give Moon Chosen? 5

Why? A well written dystopian/fantasy. The world building and character building in this book, like I said above, is beyond anything that I have ever seen and I think has spoiled me for other books in the future.

Will I reread? Yes!!!

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range? Adult

Why? Violence, a scene of the after-effects of rape and a scene of attempted rape.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**