Tag: book 1

Forbidden Kisses (Blushing Bay: Book 1) by Annie Rains

Title: Forbidden Kisses

Author: Annie Rains

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: April 11th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 237

POV: 3rd person

Series: Blushing Bay

Forbidden Kisses – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book Synopsis (from Goodreads):

For years, Jack Sawyer’s family has been running their upscale seafood business like a finely tuned machine. But every machine breaks down eventually, and suddenly Jack needs a new office manager, a new kayak launch, and a new lease on life. Then Grace Donner shows up again. She’s smart, motivated, and perfect for the manager position, but if she’s anything like her mom, she can’t be trusted. And Jack has never been able to trust himself around Grace.

Grace hasn’t seen her former stepbrothers since their parents’ messy divorce, but she never forgot them—especially Jack. She misses being part of the big rambunctious Sawyer clan, and if there’s an opportunity to set things right, she means to do it. But she can’t ignore Jack’s irresistibly kissable lips or the searing way he looks at her when he thinks she’s not looking. Their chemistry is more explosive than ever. And if the Sawyers can forgive and forget, anything is possible.

My review:

While this is kinda a stepbrother/stepsister romance, it really isn’t. It isn’t as hardcore as some of the stepbrother/stepsister romances that I have read. Also add in that Jack and Grace’s parents got divorced and they are no longer semi-related, it takes the kink right out of it. Which is fine by me because the story ended being so much more than that.

I really liked Grace. She put up with a lot of crap from her mother growing up but was still there for her when her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. To say her mother wasn’t June Cleaver was an understatement. She also took a lot of crap from her old boss, the owner of a bar and ended up quitting when she couldn’t deal with his sexual advances anymore. So that leaves her without a job. Which brings her back into Jack’s world again.

I liked Jack. He had never forgotten Grace or his attraction to her but his rage at her mother’s actions kept him from talking to her. Not to mention that Grace went out of her way to avoid them because of what her mother did. So, he was surprised when Grace overheard him giving a job interview (not know it was him) and approached him for the job. He was in a bind, didn’t like the other applicants and hired her…without his father or brothers knowing. So, it wasn’t surprising when his brothers acted very negatively to Grace being there. What surprised me was his father’s reaction and I wanted to hug him.

The other storylines of Tristan and Tammy were very sad. I thought it was great when Jack stepped up and went to bat for Tristan. He gave him a job when most people wouldn’t and he stepped in when most people didn’t (read the book to find out what the situation was). Tammy’s storyline was sad but at the same time, I wanted to smack her. She laid so much on Grace about her past regrets and making things right before she died that Grace thought the only way to heal the rift between their families would be to buy back the boat Tammy sold.

I also could totally understand where Jack was coming from with his hatred of Tammy. I mean, she did sell off all of his mother’s belongings. I did wonder, at points in the book, if he would find it in himself to forgive Tammy (read the book if you want to find out).

The sex scenes between Grace and Jack were very hot and a little naughty (remember stepbrother/stepsister). The pages did burn up when they got into bed with each other and the pages burned up even when they weren’t sleeping together.

The end of the book was pretty good. Be ready to shed a tear or two and definitely be ready for the HEA during the epilog. I love it when authors to let the readers know what is going on after the story ends. Made me smile!!

How many stars will I give Forbidden Kisses: 4

Why: Enjoyable, relatable characters, hot sex, and a great plotline. I read this book in one day, it totally captivated me. I can’t wait until book 2 comes out!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and some mild language

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

New Blood (Thoroughbred Breeders: Book 1) by Christine Meunier

New Blood (Thoroughbred Breeders, #1)

Title: New Blood

Author: Christine Meunier

Publisher: Self-published

Date of publication: November 22nd, 2016

Genre: Romance, Christian, Young Adult

Number of pages: 103

POV: 3rd person

Series: Thoroughbred Breeders

New Blood – Book 1

No Hoof, No Horse – Book 2

Recessive – Book 3

Where you can find  this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Savannah Reynier is doing exactly what she wants in life. After finishing a horse breeding course she has landed a job and been working on a thoroughbred stud for the past year.

Her days are made up of looking after mares and foals, witnessing births and helping to breed horses. Plus, one day a week she holds horses for the farrier men who come to trim the horses’ feet.

Savannah has sworn she won’t date farriers – not ever again. Not after Jackson.

So what is she to do about the new apprentice in town? With an attractive frame, gorgeous smile and green eyes Savannah knows she’s already in trouble. Add a clever mind to the mix and she knows she needs to stick to her resolve. But looking never hurt anyone, right?

My review:

What a cute book and a great beginning to series. I have been fascinated (scratch that, obsessed) with Thoroughbred horses since I was about 8 or 9 years old and I was first introduced to Walter’s Farley’s the Black Stallion series. I devoured those books and I believe that I had the entire series. Unfortunately, my mother tossed them when I moved out, and I still feel the loss of those books. So when Christine approached me to review this book, I jumped on it.

I thought Savannah was cute but also felt that she was missing something when reading her. While I definitely connected with her, I felt that something was missing. She almost felt a little flat to me. There were no real emotions that came from her. Everything was on an even keel. I mean, even when the mare was having a difficult labor and she, with the help of the new farrier, helped the mare deliver the foal, I didn’t get a real sense of joy from her. Like I said, flat. I couldn’t even get a good reading if she was interested in Craig, other than her stomach flip-flopping back and forth when she saw him

I also liked that while this is a Christian romance, religion wasn’t pushed down your throat. It was mentioned and just left at that, a mention. The only time that it even came up was when the new foal that Savannah delivered needed to be named and Craig suggested Twenty Three. For the Twenty-Third Psalm.

I do have a couple of questions that will probably be answered in the next books. Like, who was Jackson? I know he was a farrier but what on earth did he do to Savannah. Where was Savannah from? I get the feeling since Creole was mentioned, that she is from the States but it really wasn’t gotten into.

Other than my minor complaints,  I did enjoy reading the book. The end of the book was not a cliffhanger but it did leave room for book 2.

How many stars will I give New Blood: 3.5 (rounded up to 4 for Goodreads/Amazon)

Why: I enjoyed reading this book but I did have some issues with Savannah being flat. I also have some questions that were not answered in this book (see above). Other than that, this was a great read and I enjoyed reading about life on a horse ranch. This is a book that I would feel comfortable having my 11-year-old read…even though it is not in middle-grade categories.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Tween

Why: Very clean book. No swearing, no sex, no violence. There is a Christian element but it is not pushed down your throat. Like I said above, a book I would be comfortable having my tween read.

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

Strange Lands (Heros of Distant Planets: Book 1) by Anderson Atlas

Strange Lands (Heroes of Distant Planets #1)

Title: Strange Lands

Author: Anderson Atlas

Publisher: Synesthesia Books

Date of publication: August 1st, 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Number of pages: 236

POV: 3rd person

Series: Heroes of Distant Planets

Strange Land – Book 1

Return to Lan Darr – Book 2

Immortal Shadows – Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Ripped from his wheelchair by a massive flash flood, Allan drags himself through the dense forest only to find himself surrounded by strange and ruthless creatures who are not from Earth. Allan can’t run away and has no means to defend himself. Instinct overcomes his terror and his cleverness blossoms, which is all he needs to survive the dark jungles, poisonous plants, Shadic hunters and the vile slave trader Killian Crow.

Follow Allan’s path of self-discovery, and watch him take back what he’s lost. Surviving the Improbable Quest is a spine-tingling adventure, with exciting twists & turns. A perfect and inspiring read for 10 and up.

My review:

I have found myself reviewing a lot of middle-grade books lately. Which is a good thing because I have two children that are within the age range and I am always on the lookout for books that they would like. After reading Strange Lands, I think this would be a book that my 10-year-old son would like.

The plot itself is pretty straightforward. Allan, a boy in 8th grade, was in a horrific car accident that not only paralyzed him but took the lives of his parents. What made the accident even more tragic, well at least to me, was that Allan had been disqualified from a swim meet, after winning it, because of failing a math test and his parents come to find out that he is missing work in other areas of school as well. So, when the crash occurred, his mother and father were lecturing him. I could see why he was rendered mute as well. Poor thing was living with the guilt that he caused the car accident.

I don’t know if I would class Allan as likable at first. He had a lot of issues due to the accident and was definitely taking it out on his uncle. I was glad when Rubic forced Allan to go on the fishing trip. It took Allan out of his comfort zone and got Allan somewhat out of his funk. Of course, something goes wrong and that is where the book took off.

Rubic and Allan were caught in a surprise flash flood when fishing in the creek. Rubic snatches Allan out of his wheelchair and runs for it and almost makes it. But a boulder knocks Rubic out and leaves Allan helpless in the mud beside him. After damming up the water, so Rubic doesn’t drown, Allan starts crawling to get help. Along the way, he crawls through a field of flowers and ends up somewhere else and that is the start of his adventure.

What I liked is that the author didn’t downplay Allan’s disability at all. Allan wasn’t miraculously cured of being paralyzed (but he did get mechanical legs to help him out with part of his quest). Allan learned to work with his disability when he was in Lan Darr. What I also liked is that his mental issues were addressed too. The speech given by Mizzi about the accident touched me and brought me to tears.

The storyline with Rubic was interesting too. I saw him grow, even that day, from the uncle who was forced to take care of his nephew to a parent searching for his child. He was willing to do anything to get Allan back…even if that meant getting even more hurt.

I will say that both storylines were brought together beautifully. While Asantia’s identity was kept under wraps, it still surprised me about who her mother was. How it was revealed was a huge surprise too. While not a cliffhanger, the ending did leave it open for another book.

How many stars will I give Strange Lands: 4

Why: This is a book that I could see both of my kids reading. The overall message was fantastic, as was Allan and Rubic transformations. I enjoyed reading it and I am an adult.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Child

Why: A middle-grade book for kids over the age of 10. There are some mild violence and some creepy characters but nothing that wouldn’t give a kid nightmares.

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

A Soul To Take (Soul Eaters Trilogy: Book 1) by Emily Taylor

A Soul to Take (Soul Stealers Trilogy, #1)

Title: A Soul To Take

Author: Emily Taylor

Publisher: REUTS Publications

Date of publication: April 4th, 2017

Genre: New Adult, Futuristic, Urban Fantasy

Number of pages: 481

POV: 1st person

Series: Soul Stealers Trilogy

A Soul To Take – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

The world has changed: demons of legend now live among humans, integrated into society through Government programs, wishing for peace.

Elixia Albelin, however, isn’t sold. As an Agent-in-training, she knows firsthand the blood-thirst of demons and isn’t jumping to befriend the monsters plaguing her dreams.
But when a mission sours, Elixia’s sister is caught in the crossfire: taken. Abandoned by those meant to protect her family, Elixia is left with only one option if she wants to retrieve her sister—a taboo option that goes against everything she believes in.

She must sell her soul.

Now, bound to a beast and living on borrowed time, Elixia has to navigate the demonic world to find her sister within a cesspool of human traffickers and serial killers. Enemies control her fate, the simplest truths are questioned, and misperceptions must be shattered. Only one thing remains consistent—Elixia must find her sister before time runs out. Or become the very thing she fears most: a soulless monster.

Gritty, powerful, and exciting, A Soul to Take is a gripping début that explores prejudice, justice, and the consequences one family faces when those two collide.

My review:

I have been on the fence about New Adult books. I have read some that could have been classed as a true Young Adult and then others that made me wonder why it was classed as New Adult. Not that I didn’t like reading those books, I did, but I thought that they were miscategorized. Luckily, A Soul To Take definitely fits into this category.

I really liked Elixia. She just didn’t stop….even when she was told too. She was determined to find Shellie (Sarafina) after Shellie was abducted from their shared apartment by demons. During that same abduction, Elixia was basically killed but brought back and Marked by an unknown demon. Her being Marked had unexpected ramifications. She was put on leave at her job and had to cover the Mark up. She was also reckless and took unnecessary risks. But that is what made the book, in my eyes. She also had a bad temper and was basically persona non grata at any of the events that the noble’s had.

The whole demon aspect fascinated me. To me, the demons acted like vampires. They needed blood to survive, like vamps, but unlike vampires, they could go out in the sun. Actually, according to the book, they loved the sun and had a whole nation in the sunny part of the world (where Elixia lived was kinda like Seattle….always raining and gloomy). They had saved humankind during a war and all they asked was to be fully integrated into human society. Not that they weren’t bad, I mean they are demons after all, but some weren’t as bad as others….if that made sense. The evil demons, called The Network, ran human trafficking rings where children and adults were sold to the highest bidder. All for their blood. These same demons were the same ones who kidnapped Shellie and when Elixia found out, I could totally understand why she was frantic to get her back. See, those adults and children were only used for their blood. They were drained, or Kissed, and discarded. So totally understand Elixia’s fear.

Sebastian/Damien was such a tease during the book and I loved it. I loved how the author kinda strung you along with him. I mean, you know nothing about him except he was a very powerful demon and he worked for Elixia’s Maker. It took until about 40% into the book or so for the author to drop a couple of big bombshells about him (read the book if you want to find out what). I also couldn’t figure out if he had feelings for Elixia or not. I thought I had it figured out when he fed on her but he wiped her memory and the next chapter picked up after she blacked out. Drove me absolutely bonkers but again, I loved it.

The sub-storylines in the book (all of them) were all wrapped up by the end of the book except the one with Angelica and the humanoids. That should make things interesting in the second book because of what the humanoids contain (again read the book if you want to find out what). Angelica was also very interesting and kinda creepy. I am going to go out on a limb and say she will be in book 2, along with the humanoids.

The last part of the book, notice I didn’t say ending, had a few plot twists that I didn’t see coming. A couple of them are huge and I am wondering about those (don’t want to spoil the book!!) and how they will play out in the trilogy.

How many stars will I give A Soul To Take: 4

Why: This was a great, action-packed book with an awesome take on demons. While some people might think that it’s too long, its 418 pages, I thought that it was the perfect length. The characters are intriguing (notice I didn’t say likable because some of them weren’t) and the storylines were compelling. Definitely looking forward to reading the next two books!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age Range: Older Teen

Why: Violence, some mild language, and one sexual situation

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

Defy the Stars (Defy the Stars: Book 1) by Claudia Gray

Defy the Stars (Defy the Stars Series Book 1) by [Gray, Claudia]

Title: Defy The Stars

Author: Claudia Gray

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date of Publication: April 4th, 2017

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

POV: 3rd Person

Number of pages: 513

Series: Defy the Stars

Defy the Stars – Book 1

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Noemi Vidal is a teen soldier from the planet Genesis, once a colony of Earth that’s now at war for its independence. The humans of Genesis have fought Earth’s robotic “mech” armies for decades with no end in sight.

After a surprise attack, Noemi finds herself stranded in space on an abandoned ship where she meets Abel, the most sophisticated mech prototype ever made. One who should be her enemy. But Abel’s programming forces him to obey Noemi as his commander, which means he has to help her save Genesis–even though her plan to win the war will kill him.

Together they embark on a daring voyage through the galaxy. Before long, Noemi begins to realize Abel may be more than a machine, and, for his part, Abel’s devotion to Noemi is no longer just a matter of programming.

Continue reading “Defy the Stars (Defy the Stars: Book 1) by Claudia Gray” →

Beyond the Sapphire Gate (The Flow of Power: Book 1) by R.V. Johnson

Beyond the Sapphire Gate (The Flow of Power, #1)

Title: Beyond The Sapphire Gate

Author: R.V. Johnson

Publisher: Lost in New World Publishing

Date of publication: March 8th, 2015

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Number of pages: 438

POV: 3rd person

Series: The Flow of Power

Beyond the Sapphire Gate – Book 1

Beyond Terra – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Raw power. Dark betrayal. A family shattered.

On a world where a frothing river of magic underlies the land, Crystalyn may become Astura’s greatest power if she can master her ability of using symbols though she seeks no glory. She wants only to find the dear sister she raised; the sibling she lost on another planet by her own doing. Dark Users of magic, political Light Users, and a horde of deadly creatures stand in her way. But when had it ever been easy for one afflicted with an unbalanced, broken mind?

The epic first book in the thrilling Flow Of Power fantasy saga!

My review:

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a welcome change from the books that I have read. A change that was definitely needed.

The world-building in this book was beyond fantastic. This was not a one-dimensional word. It was a three-dimensional world.  It was like an onion. When one layer was peeled back, another aspect of the world was revealed. Which is what made is such a good read. You never knew what was going to be revealed and that, along with other things, kept me glued to the book. I did like small twist towards the end of the book about what Astura was. The way the author explained it was fantastic!!

Crystalyn had to be my favorite character in the book. From the beginning, when she was studying the book with symbols to her journey to Surbo, where the Circle of Light is, she was spunky and wanted to do things her way. When it was decided that she would go to Surbo with Lore Mother, Lore Rayne, Cudgel, Hastel, and Atoi, she started to find out that she could use her symbols in new ways….from healing to defense to attacking. But using them came with a price. I also loved her fascination with Darwin Darkwind. He was a bad boy (I think). Also, I loved Broth. Just saying to have a bond mate who could talk to you in your head is pretty sweet.

Jade was my other favorite character. She was unfortunate enough to end up in the Dark Citidal. Actually in an armory, of all places. She meets Cameo shortly afterward and he decides that he would help her escape after she told him what images she could see in his aura. I think Jade might have had it a bit rougher than Crystalyn about how bad her journey was. Jade had to crawl through a sewer to escape…..yucky. Cameo wasn’t a joy to travel with either. He was so distrusting of her and Burl it wasn’t even funny. It was only when Burl saved both of their hides, that he was coming around.

I wish Garn was featured more in the book and that he was reunited with his daughters at some point. But, I can see why the author chose not to do it and I do hope that he is reunited with his girls in the next book.

The fantasy/sci-fi element was very well written. The magic usage in the book was either very subtle or in your face, depending on who was using symbols. Crystalyn’s magic was in your face while Jade’s was more subtle. It was those differences that kept me glued to the book. I also liked that while there were deadly magical creatures, they weren’t all over the book. The wraiths and spiderbees were really the only ones that were detailed. To be honest, the spiderbees scared me.

The end of the book was a bit of a shocker. I was not expecting certain things and when they were revealed it did throw me for a loop. I do have some questions and I hope that they will be answered in the next book!!

How many stars will I give Beyond the Sapphire Gate: 4

Why: This is a very well written fantasy that I got really into reading. While I did put the book down, I really didn’t want to. I needed to know what would happen with Crystalyn, Jade and everyone else.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Young Teen

Why: Violence. Otherwise, it is a very clean book. There is one kissing scene and a couple of scenes where Crystalyn is very aware of Darwin but nothing that would hold me back from allowing a 13-year-old to read.

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

Stripped Bare (Vegas Millionaires: Book 1) by Heidi McLaughlin

Stripped Bare (Vegas Billionaire, #1)

Title: Stripped Bare

Author: Heidi McLaughlin

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: March 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Vegas Billionaires

Stripped Bare – Book 1

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, 1st book in series

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

They don’t call it the Strip for nothing. . . .

In this sinfully sexy Las Vegas romance from bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin, a man who has it all reunites with a woman who takes it all off.

Living in Sin City, Finn McCormick is no stranger to one-night stands, but the last person he expects to find losing big on the casino floor is a former high school fling. Even though Macey Webster’s clearly down on her luck, she’s still a knockout, and she’s dressed like a stripper—because she is one. Drunk off an unfamiliar cocktail of lust, pity, and compassion, Finn offers to pay Macey’s debts if she cuddles up to him around town . . . and does whatever he wants between the sheets.

Macey came to Vegas for one reason only: money. She’s got a young daughter to support, and the tips really are bigger in Vegas. But when she blows her earnings on blackjack, her guardian angel is the rich boy who once stole her heart and never called her back. Although Macey would love to turn the tables on Finn, she can’t afford to refuse his proposition—and soon she’s enjoying herself much more than she cares to admit. Macey’s used to bare her flesh, but baring her soul will take far more courage.

My review:

I am going to admit, I had very low expectations for this book based on the blurb. I should have known better than to read the blurb and go to myself “Oh, this book is going to interesting (insert sarcasm here) to read”. I really should have known better…sigh.

Instead of getting two people just banging each other for the entire book and then “falling in love”, there was a story. And the love part of the story, which mainly took part over two weeks, was drawn out. Sure there was sex and sure it was mind-blowing but that wasn’t the whole story.

My heart did break for Macey during the book. She really got the short end of the stick in life. She got pregnant at 17 after a one-night stand at a party, dropped out of high school to have her daughter and restored to stripping at night and waiting tables during the day to help pay the rent and keep a roof over her, her mother’s and her daughter’s head. She felt stuck because she couldn’t make enough money to move out of her mother’s apartment and she was upset because while she was working, her mother took care of Morgan, her daughter. Well if you called getting drunk and having strange men over all the time watching her. Macey feels awful because she has told Morgan to hide in the closet if strange men came over and that is not a way for a child to live. She also lives in fear that Children’s Services will eventually show up at her door and take Morgan away.

So, when she is told about how stripping in Las Vegas is so much better than stripping in the town she lives in, Macey decides to jump at the chance. She is desperate to get Morgan out of that living situation and feels that she has no other option but to go strip in Las Vegas. What a hard situation to be in and then to find out that when she went to the paternal grandmother for help, only to have the door slammed in her face, made it unbearable.

Finn, however, was a jerk in the beginning. When he saw Macey playing blackjack, he not only recognizes her as someone from his hometown but he tells Lamarr, his best friend, that he thinks he slept with her back before he went away to college and he pegs her as a stripper and maybe an escort. He then gets punched by Macey as she is leaving the casino in tears because she lost all the money that she earned. When he follows her, he propositions her. One week with him, doing what ever he wants when he wants for $30,000.

I found it funny that he assumed that Morgan was either Macey’s boyfriend or pimp. And I found it very ironic that Lamarr knew who Morgan was and if Finn had just asked, he would have known sooner and wouldn’t have put Macey through the wringer about it. I have to give her credit, though, she put up with his crap until the end and only because she needed the money.

Macey did get on my nerves, though, when she was dealing with Brandy. For such a strong woman, she was pretty weak about confronting Brandy and calling her out. She never thought to go to Finn and see if he actually said or did the things that Brandy said he did. She would just run back to the penthouse and cry about it until he came back and he explained things. Uggh.

I will say that the sex was very hot. Off the pages hot. I also liked that safe sex (because you know, I have nothing better to do with my life than worry about fictional characters sex lives) was used until almost the end. But by then, a lot of things had changed between Macey and Finn.

Like I said above, I thought the storyline was pretty reminiscent of Pretty Woman….except that Macey wasn’t a hooker, she was a stripper and she had a kid.

The storylines were wrapped up pretty good. I loved that Brandy got what was coming to her. I was in bed by the time I read that scene and I did a double fist pump. She was put in her place and then some!!!

I did figure out who Morgan’s father was by the middle of the book. I mean, the author didn’t try to hide it or throw red herrings out. So when it was revealed who it was, I was like “Yes” and “What’s next”.

The end of the book was a pretty standard HEA and the author made me jealous with the vacation location….lol.

How many stars will I give Stripped Bare: 4

Why: This was a hot read with a good but predictable plot. What I really liked is how strong Macey was. I also did like Finn towards the end of the book but I did think he was a jerk at the beginning.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning about explicit sex.

Age range: Adult

Why: Explicit sex and language

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

Coaching the Bear (Bear Shifter Games) by A.J. Tipton

Coaching the Bear (Bear Shifter Games #1)

Title: Coaching the Bear

Author: A.J. Tipton

Publisher: AJ Tipton Enterprises

Date of publication: June 10th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Erotica, Paranormal

Number of pages: 83

POV: 3rd person

Series: Bear Shifter Games

Coaching the Bear – Book 1

Capturing the Bear – Book 2

Conquering the Bear – Book 3

Christmas with the Bear – Book 4

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A debonair billionaire struggling to improve his company. A voluptuous personal trainer with nothing left to lose. Can their passion save the people they love?

Handsome bear shifter Walter has the vision and drive to save his family’s company, but not the power. After months of watching his older, playboy brother, Raymond, destroy the family business, a drunken bet finally gives Walter the opportunity to win it all back. Everything comes down to the shifter games: a contest of strength, speed, and cunning, where the winner takes all. One problem: Walter has never won before. Until he meets the strong woman of his dreams…

Katherine is an accomplished personal trainer who has lost her job due to Raymond’s negligent business practices. When she flies into town to confront him, the last thing she expects is to become embroiled in a bitter feud between the brothers, where the outcome will determine the fate of everyone she loves.

While Katherine trains Walter for the competition, private coaching gives way to life-changing passion. Will Walter be strong enough to win the games…or will his brother’s devious ways crush Walter’s dreams?

Coaching the Bear is a short paranormal romance novella in the “Bear Shifter Games” series, a set of stand-alone stories that sizzle and satisfy. If you like steamy romance, muscle-bound shifters, and magical action, then you’ll love AJ Tipton’s breathtaking book.

Buy Coaching the Bear to get in the game today!

My review:

If you want a short story that is crammed full of sex, action, and intrigue….then this is the short story to read. I have read novels that were 500+ pages (two back to back and yes for review) so this is exactly what I needed.

Katherine was amazing!!! She was willing to go and tell off the owner of the resort chain, who closed down the resort she worked at. What she didn’t count on was his very hot younger brother to get involved and back her up. I think my mouth would have hit the floor if that happened. I also don’t think that she expected to be as attracted to Walter as she was.

Walter was everything Raymond wasn’t and he was willing to do a special shifter game to get hold of the company. The only thing….he has balance issues. So when Katherine said that she would train him, he jumped on it. I will say, she did do wonders in the week that they had together.

I wasn’t expecting the storyline with Raymond to go the way it did. I had to laugh at newt nuts being an artificial stimulant that caused shifters who took it to burp butterflies. I was dying laughing at that and I died laughing when Walter switched the newt nuts with salamander testicles. I couldn’t breathe, I was laughing so hard. On the other hand, Walter also found out that Raymond was siphoning money into an offshore account. Even if he didn’t win the race, I would think that alone would be enough to unsurp Raymond (and this is where the intrigue came into play).

The sex, when Walter and Katherine did have it, was page burning hot.

The end of the book definitely kept you on the edge of your seat….even though you knew who would win. Still, the action up until the end was great. To be honest, I did feel bad for Raymond because without his newt nuts, he kinda sucked….lol.

How many stars will I give Coaching the Bear: 4

Why: A short story that packs a lot into it. The sex was great, the action was great and I liked that it made me laugh (newt nuts…haha).

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

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

The Last Chance Matinee (The Hudson Sisters: Book 1) by Mariah Stewart

The Last Chance Matinee: A Book Club Recommendation! (The Hudson Sisters Series 1) by [Stewart, Mariah]

Title: The Last Chance Matinee

Author: Mariah Stewart

Publisher: Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books

Date of publication: March 21st, 2017

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance

Number of pages: 432

POV: 3rd person

Series: The Hudson Sisters

Last Chance Matinee – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

From New York Times, bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes the first novel in her all-new series, The Hudson Sisters, following a trio of reluctant sisters as they set out to fulfill their father’s dying wish. In the process, they find not only themselves, but the father they only thought they knew.

When celebrated and respected agent Fritz Hudson passes away, he leaves a trail of Hollywood glory in his wake—and two separate families who never knew the other existed. Allie and Des Hudson are products of Fritz’s first marriage to Honora, a beautiful but troubled starlet whose life ended in a tragic overdose. Meanwhile, Fritz was falling in love on the Delaware Bay with New Age hippie Susa Pratt—they had a daughter together, Cara, and while Fritz loved Susa with everything he had, he never quite managed to tell her or Cara about his West Coast family.

Now Fritz is gone, and the three sisters are brought together under strange circumstances: there’s a large inheritance to be had that could save Allie from her ever-deepening debt following a disastrous divorce, allow Des to open a rescue shelter for abused and wounded animals, and give Cara a fresh start after her husband left her for her best friend—but only if the sisters upend their lives and work together to restore an old, decrepit theater that was Fritz’s obsession growing up in his small hometown in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Guided by Fritz’s closest friend and longtime attorney, Pete Wheeler, the sisters come together—whether they like it or not—to turn their father’s dream into a reality, and might just come away with far more than they bargained for.

My review:

The Last Chance Matinee starts off with a bang. The reader is introduced to Allie, an alcoholic, out of work television producer, Des, a former child star who now takes in foster dogs and helps with rescue organizations and Cara, a free-spirited yoga instructor who is still reeling from her divorce and the death of her father and mother. It is at the reading of a will that a bombshell is dropped, their father had two wives and two families. His East coast and West coast families and all 3 women are sisters. But what shocks them, even more, is the stipulation but on the will. Allie, Des, and Cara have to live in their father’s hometown and restore a theater. If any of the sisters leave before the renovation is complete, then none of them get their inheritance.

I am going to say, I really liked this book and I really liked Fritz. He had such a huge presence in the book and he genuinely had his daughters’ best interests at heart…even if they didn’t think so. I kinda felt bad for him too. He was in a marriage that he felt that he couldn’t get out of and he made mistakes that he was trying to make up for in his last months. I think giving them the theater to restore was his way of getting them together so they could get to know each other.

Allie, I couldn’t stand. She was such a witch with a b and she was so freaking negative. Listen, I totally get that she was upset when she found out about Cara but she was such a jerk to her afterward. I mean, Cara had nothing to do with the choices that her father made. Actually, she was a by-product of those decisions. I so wanted to yell that into the book. She was also very much so hung up on her ex-husband and I couldn’t believe that she started pumping her daughter, Nikki, for information about a woman that she suspected he was dating. Hello, they are divorced and he can date whoever he wants. Let’s also not forget her drinking. That is a huge problem. Oh, and she is very resentful of Des, too. Going back to when she was 12 and Des got her own TV show. The woman needs a therapist, stat.

Des, however, I really liked. I actually connected with her on so many levels, it wasn’t even funny. She was very accepting of Cara and she dealt with Allie beautifully. She also had a passion for rescuing/fostering dogs which I really enjoyed reading about. She understood that her father wasn’t happy with her mother and she understood (well kinda understood) why he did what he did.

Cara, I felt awful for. Her ex-husband left her for a very close friend, they are getting married and then she finds out that her father was a bigamist and she has 2 sisters. But she dealt with it graciously but she didn’t take anything from Allie about her mother being “the other woman”. She was a free spirit too, thanks to her hippie mother raising her that way (it isn’t a bad thing) with a wonderful outlook on life. I mean, she celebrated her ex getting married with a bottle of champagne with Joe….lol.

There was a twist in the book that took me by surprise and it went beautifully with the end of the book. I honestly can’t wait to see what book 2 brings and to see if it lives up to book 1!!!

How many stars will I give The Last Chance Matinee: 4

Why: I enjoyed reading this book. It was fast-moving with characters that I could connect to. It would be a perfect beach/pool book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language. Otherwise, a pretty clean book.

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

Shadow Mountain (Shadow Mountain Saga: Book 1) by Tess Collins

SHADOW MOUNTAIN (Book One: Shadow Mountain Saga 1)

Title: Shadow Mountain

Author: Tess Collins

Publisher: BearCat Press

Date of publication: January 4th, 2017

Genre: General Fiction, Adult Fiction

Number of pages: 436

POV: 3rd person

Series: Shadow Mountain Saga

Shadow Mountain – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

At the peak of Shadow Mountain lives a woman who holds to the old ways of magic and conjuring. Delta Wade protects ancient mysteries for her son, Lafette, hoping he will grow up to wield those powers for the good of humankind. But the epoch of witch lore is giving way to an age of industrial titans greedy to control the mountains’ resources for material gain. As one man seeks to destroy Delta, another offers his love as salvation. Mother and son struggle with an enigmatic past only to find that true magic shows its power in its own way and in its own time.

My review:

Shadow Mountain is an intense (yes intense!!!) book about a mother trying to hold on to a legacy of magic and mystery for her young son while waiting for his father, her common-law husband, to come back. I say intense because Delta has stuff coming at her from all different directions and she is coping the best she can. Also, this book is set in 1899. A time where women and ex-slaves had zero rights and their lands/possessions could be taken from them just for being who they are and what color they are.

What I liked about this book is how vividly it was written. I could almost hear the bullfrogs croaking, smell the woods and see the Tyme trees standing on the mountain. Books that can do that are hard to find. I love it when I am able to read a book and get sucked in by the story. These are the kinds of books that stay with you.

The storyline (which I briefly mentioned above) was well written too. I really felt for Delta. She was being pulled in so many directions by so many people that she was forced to do what she did. I mean, she had King, Henry, and Kate all telling her what to do. What she did, ultimately, was for the good of her son, Lafette. It was something that I would think that any mother in her circumstances would do. I will say that the twists right before the end of the 1st part of the story kinda shocked me. Only because I didn’t see them coming and they happened almost right on top of each other. Shocked the ever-living out of me.

King was a jerk. He was so slimy that I felt like taking a shower after reading his scenes. He was an abusive, manipulative man who got what he deserved….in my opinion. It’s just too bad that his behavior (and his greed, let’s not forget that) cost people their lives.

Now, Henry, I was kinda on the fence about. He let his father push him around and to be honest, I thought he didn’t have the stones to stand up to him. So, I was very surprised when he did. He ended up being probably one of the best characters in the book.

The second half of the book takes place 8 years after everything went down on Shadow Mountain. I really don’t want to get into this part of the book (because it will give things away). Let’s just say that the events that happened during this part of the book surprised me. I actually didn’t see certain events coming and I was definitely floored. And the end of the book. Oh my, it was a tear jerker for sure!!! I cannot wait for book 2 to come out!!

How many stars will I give Shadow Mountain Saga: 4

Why: A well written, intense book that definitely sucked me into it. Like I said above, it was very vividly written and it just stays with you after you are done reading it.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older teen

Why: I was kinda on the fence with this and chose older teen. There really isn’t anything bad in this book. Maybe some mild violence but that’s it. I would feel safe in saying that anyone 16+ could read it.

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