REVIEW: Love and Candy by Elizabeth Famous

Source: Free copy from Author

Publish Date: June 21st 2013

Publisher: The Miri Group

ASIN/ISBN: 9780989379106

Format: ebook

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Pages: 238

Date Read: December 19, 2013

Description
Samantha Montclare is not who she thought she was. Straitlaced and academically minded, she's knocked to her knees by an unexpected infatuation with the star of her local soccer team just as she discovers that her biological father is not the loving dad who raised her but a forbidding Italian aristocrat.

Within the social hierarchy of a wealthy suburban high school, Delaney Troy is so superior to naive Samantha that she can't speak to him without provoking obscene taunts from his friends. Delaney is gorgeous, but much of Samantha's fascination stems from his brazen honesty and bristling wit. His air of confidence inspires so powerful an interest he draws her in without even looking at her.

But how could she possibly date a guy like Delaney who insists he only wants to hook up -- and doesn't believe in love?
Will the scandalous truth about the circumstances of her conception threaten her happy home life?
Must she find a place in her life for an alarming new "father" just as she’s becoming an independent young woman?

---

Review
I have to admit that at the beginning I was worried about continuing this book. I was going to give it up because I didn't enjoy the last 3/4 review copies I read. Something made me continue and I'm glad I did.

I enjoyed this book. It's different from the usual boy meet girl, instant attraction, some drama, a lot of [un-steamy, overly-detailed] sex, a little more drama, more sex and they live happily ever after.
There was no insta-love and the book is very realistic. (Except for the whole openness with the parents thing.)

There's a happily ever after in this book (I hope) but it didn't follow the rest of the pattern.

Delaney & Samantha's "romance" (if you could call it that) is not the usual. There's a lot of uncertainty, feelings, arguments and so forth.

The author touches on and makes you think about bisexuality, open relationships, teenage romance, [statutory] rape and "unusuall" emotions/feelings that teenagers experience.
I like Delaney. He's a player but he's truthful. He's smart. He's a nice guy underneath his "hardcore" exterior.
He was always truthful with Samantha about their relationship and how he felt.

Samantha is difficult to like. She's a very complex character. She's mature in the sense that she doesn't allow herself to be bullied and she always speaks her mind. She's immature sometimes especially when it comes to her "relationship" with Delaney.

All in all, a good and enjoyable read. I expected fluff but this is good stuff.

---

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Rating
4 stars

Recommended
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes realistic NA/YA.

REVIEW: The Birth of Vengeance by P.A. Ross

Source: Free copy from Author
Publish Date: May 28th 2012
Publisher: Scarlett-Thorn
ASIN/ISBN: B008732YPQ
Format: ebook
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Pages: 168
Date Read: December 17, 2013

Description
You've been beaten, bullied and betrayed but vengeance is at hand. One swift stab of a needle and the vampire formula will coarse through your blood. It will give you the immortal powers of the vampire for the night. Your fangs will bite and claws will rip at their flesh. No human will stand in your way. You will taste blood and feel the thrill of the hunt, but tomorrow you will be human again.

Can Jonathan Harper resist such temptation? He wants vengeance on a gang that have driven him to despair. The vampire formula can give him vengeance but at what cost.

This dark urban fantasy series embarks on an action packed adventure, as Jonathan must face the consequences of his decisions. “The Birth of Vengeance (Vampire Formula #1)” is the first novel in a series of new vampire books.

---

Review
This is probably one of my worst of 2013.

I give the author 2 stars for effort and for writing about vampires from a new/different angle and talking about a very important issue; bullying.

The story, the characters and the writing was all disappointing.
There was a lot of repitition, unnecessary details and inconsistencies (with the characters).

Jonathan was always going on and on and on about being bullied and wanting vengeance and feeling guilty for abandoning his friend.

Jonathan is a moody, uncertain character who is always whining. Even after all the training and everything. It got a bit tedious after a while.

The story in general just wasn't working for me and at the end, there was a failed attempt at throwing a curveball.
My reaction was: "oh please"

This story could have done a lot better.

---

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Goodreads: Paul Andrew Ross

Rating
2 Stars

Recommendation
This book wasn't my cuppa but you might enjoy it if you can get over the constant whining. It's supposed to be horror but it doesn't cut it for me.

REVIEW: Once Upon A Road Trip by Angela N Blount

Source: Free copy from Author
Publish Date: November 01, 2013
Publisher: Artifice Press
ASIN/ISBN: 978-0-9895809-7-7
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult, Memoir
Pages: 370
Date Read: November 19, 2013


“Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere; and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.”

Description
Eighteen-year-old Angeli doesn’t "fit in." She’s never been on a single date, and she lives vicariously through an online world of storytelling. With the pressures of choosing a practical future path bearing down, she needs a drastic change. Too old to run away from home, she opts instead to embark on a solo 2- month road trip.
But her freedom is tempered by loneliness — and anxiety tests her resolve as she comes face-to-face with her quirky internet friends.

Aside from contracting mono and repeatedly getting herself lost, Angeli's adventure is mired by more unoreseen glitches — like being detained by Canadian authorities, and a near-death experience at the hands of an overzealous amateur wrestler.
Her odyssey is complicated further when she unwittingly earns the affections of two young men. One a privileged martial artist; the other a talented techie with a colorful past. Bewildered by the emotions they stir, Angeli spurns the idea of a doomed long-distance relationship. But she is unprepared for the determination of her hopeful suitors. In the wake of her refusal, one man will betray her, and the other will prove himself worthy of a place in her future.

Angeli sets off in search of a better understanding of herself, the world, and her place in it. What she finds is an impractical love, with the potential to restore her faith in happy endings.

A true story with an unapologetically honest outlook on life, love, faith, and adventure -- Once Upon A Road Trip is a coming-of-age memoir

---

Review
Characters
There are a number of characters.
Angeli is the main character. She was well-meaning but was a bit overbearing and a know-it-all. I didn't really like her at the beginning but she turned out good at the end. It was truly a story of personal growth for her

I know, I know…there’s something cliché about that. The heroine initially wanting to clobber a protagonist male, but later realizing that he’s grown on her and she actually really likes him. Technically, I’m not supposed to find that appealing. But maybe real life is a lot more cliché than anyone wants to admit. Or maybe there’s just a fine, subjective line between the cliché and the poetic.

Don was a jerk. Zak started out being a jerk too, but he happened to be a nice guy. And I loved his sister. One of my favourite characters in the book.

Scott seemed to be okay. Not nice. Not a jerk but he ended up being a creep and a jerk.

Vince was "offish" and weird at first but I really liked him. And I felt for him. He was really sweet and protective. Sometimes a little overboard but generally a sweetheart. He explained later on in the story why he was acting weird and rude when he first met Angeli.

“I know you can take care of yourself,” he said, with absolute conviction. His vivid eyes probed hers. With the same underlying resolve, he lifted a hand and brushed her cheek with his fingertips. “I just think...you shouldn’t -have- to.”

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the style of writing. It reads like a novel and that made it enjoyable.

We follow Angeli on her trip across the US and even into Canada. Where she stays with people from her online writing community.

There's a lot of drama on the way. The story got really really interesting in the third part. The romance between Angeli and Vince was interesting. It wasn't first sight, I-just-met-you-but-I'd-climb-a-thousand-mountains-to-make-you-happy type of love. It built up as the story went on.

“There’s so much I don’t know, I think it’s been distracting me from what I do know. I know you have a good heart, an amazing mind, and the potential to do great things. I know I respect so many things about you. And...I like who I am when I’m around you.” She felt a smile forming on her face as she gathered her courage. “I guess what I’m trying to say is—if you’re still sure about this—then I suppose we can give it a try.”

---

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Rating
4 stars

Recommendation
I really enjoyed this book and although it's targeted at young adults, I'd recommend this to everyone.

REVIEW: Goodbye Nothing by Beck Sherman

Source: Free copy from Author
Publish Date: Feb 01, 2014
Publisher: Beck Sherman
ASIN/ISBN: 9780385342049
Format: ebook
Genre: New Adult, Horror
Pages: 309
Date Read: October 22, 2013

Description Since the night of the accident, Cain Emmerick has felt different. Empty. What was important to him—family, friends, his job—doesn't matter anymore. His new life revolves around that Nothing inside of him and the extraordinary highs he gets from committing random acts of violence.

Seventeen-year-old Joey Morgan is blind, but that doesn't stop her from seeing. Something bad is about to happen. Something that could tear her world apart.
For Joey, college life isn't quite turning out like she planned, because before good grades, fitting in, and love, comes survival

---

Review

Cain is fascinating and amusing. His story is heartbreaking because he was loveable before "The Nothing".
Joey is endearing. Her greatest quality is her perseverance. You can't help but root for her and her.

Cain thought he probably took away more of the car dealer than was left in the office. He wondered if he should have confiscated the head. Used it as an HOV lane passenger, as company at the breakfast table, as compost for tomato plants, as a ventriloquist dummy, as a hat and sunglasses holder, as a Terence-o’ lantern, as a stamp and envelope licker, or as a place to stash his valuables, because how many people would venture near a severed head? Cain guessed maybe three out of ten people who knew full-well it was real. Some people were messed up.

Some parts of this book are so disgusting and vile it’s unimaginable. The author doesn’t spare you from visualizing anything.
It's certainly horrific and gory. Shocking and jaw dropping. For most of the book, I was like: but in a good way

I loved it from the beginning. It got a bit slow towards the middle but picked up later.
All in all a great read.

---

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Rating
4 stars

Recommendation
If you like Stephen King (but with a happy ending) or Dean Koontz, this is for you

---

On a totally different note.

I love NA but I'm tired of reading contemporary and paranormal. Most of them romance. Please please please we need horror, suspense and so forth in NA

Blog Tour: From Rum To Roots by Lloyd G Francis [Review & Giveaway]

In 1937 near Portland Cottage, in southern Jamaica, on a huge sugar estate, Linton McMann, the illegitimate son of the owner of the plantation, works making rum.
Meanwhile in Kingston, Daisy, helps her mother managing an ice business and dreams of joining her elder sister (Iris) in New York.
Seeking opportunity, Linton leaves the deep Jamaican countryside for New York and the collapse of the ice business and family crises force Daisy to leave Kingston, seeking a new start in the United States.
They encounter a vibrant Jamaican-American community in New York, where they meet at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. Becoming American citizens, they marry, and start a family. Ambition drives them to start a business and Linton capitalizes on a skill he learned as a young man in Jamaica, making a drink known in Jamaica as “Roots.” It proves wildly popular and the company, Family Roots, prospers beyond Linton’s and Daisy’s wildest dreams.
By 1986, the drink is a sensation. Money flows in, but something is missing. Happiness is as scarce as freshwater in the middle of the sea.
Wrestling with their past while living in a land of plenty, Linton and Daisy discover that truth is the only avenue to happiness.
Amazon || BN.com || Goodreads || Kobo || Sony Bookstore
Edition: First Edition Format: eBook and Paperback Publication Date: August 6, 2013 Publisher: Marway Publishing ISBN13: 9780989216104

---

Review
I'm not using my usual review format for this book.
I don't know what exactly I was expecting but this book is better than anything I could expect.
Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.
This is an emotional and deep story of the longing for a better life.
The book is mostly in English with most of the dialogue in Patois (Jamaican dialect). At first, the Patios slows you down but you get used to it and it becomes easier to understand.
It is very well written. No plot holes. No unnecessary details. It's perfection
The book pulls you in and you feel like you're a one of the cast.
Every character is well developed and adds to the story. Each scene comes to life.
The novel, although enjoyable and interesting, isn't for light reading.
You should take away the lesson on the importance and value of life, hope, forgiveness and most of all; family.
“Linton,” he said, “yuh will not know happiness without forgiveness. Yuh can’t make dem scars on yuh back disappear, but you can make these scars, in here––” he thumped his chest with his fist,”–– dem can heal. Dat’s forgiveness.

---

Author Bio
Lloyd was born in Oakland in 1961, a first-generation American child to Jamaican parents. As a child his trips to Jamaica in the 60's and 70's shaped who he became.
Growing up in Hayward California he was steeped in the island tradition of reggae, Jamaican cuisine, and patois.

After studying engineering, Lloyd became a staff photographer for the San Jose Mercury News. He left newspapers to work for Yahoo Financial News Network and returned to journalism after 9-11. In 2001 Lloyd reported from Iraq for Newsweek Magazine, and went on to cover the war in Afghanistan. In 2004 he accepted a job with the Army Times Publishing Company and worked in Iraq intermittently for two years.
Examples of his work can be found here and here .

Lloyd returned to San Francisco in 2006. He lives with his wife, Leanne, his two sons, Marley and Waylon, a yellow nape Amazon parrot named Aquila and a rambunctious Red Lored Amazon parrot named Cosmo. He frequently takes long walks around San Francisco and Golden Gate Park, looking for great Instagram photographs.
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REVIEW: Etoile by Olivia Besse

The Book

Source: free copy courtesy of author

Publish Date: July 25, 2013

Publisher: Wunderland Press

ASIN/ISBN: B00E4OH7PO

Format: ebook (mobi)

Pages: 244

Date Read: September 17, 2013

Note: Alternate/new cover edition (re issue under different name).

Description

From afar, Elodie Marais is just a typical 19-year old girl roughing it in Manhattan. She hates her job, her love life sucks and she's totally getting ripped off by her landlord. Like most of her starry-eyed peers, she'll do anything for the Triple P's—Prada, a Promotion and the elusive Perfect Boyfriend. But Elodie and her friends aren't your average new adults who are bored to tears by their uninspiring lives—they're fashion models.

So what's a girl to do when her life is turned upside down as two irresistible bachelors vie for her doe-eyed attention, just as she's starting to make waves in the modelling world? Will she go with charming and sensitive James, a handsome financier, or reckless and unpredictable Tyler, the stunning male model du jour?

Follow Elodie's adventures from Manhattan to Paris as she navigates the terrifying worlds that are the modeling industry and her love life, one effortlessly chic outfit at a time

Book 1 in the Mannequin Series

The Mannequin series is an exciting erotic romance journey that gives readers an intimate look into the not-so-glamorous sides of the fashion and modelling industries

My Review

The Cover

4 stars for the cover. I love it.

It's really simple and nice. And I love the pop of colour with the red font.

The Characters

There are a lot of characters. The major ones are Elodie, Tyler & James [Love triangle]

I like Elodie. She's brutally honest. Tyler is hoooot. I love his character. He's cocky but not in a get-over-yourself-you-d*ck way. He has a smart mouth and is funny. And James. Oh sweet, loveable, charming James.

Other character's are Tatiana, a funny, party loving girl from Belarus; Heddi, a more reserved beauty from Denmark and Jelena, whom we don't know much about other than she's Russian. These 3 girls are her friends and roommates

It's so hard to pick who I want Elodie to be with. I love both James & Tyler and they do different things for her.

I think we didn't really get to meet James. His character isn't really developed.

The dynamic of Elodie & James' relationship reminds me of Joshua & Melina's in Won't Last Long

The Story

I love the story. I love how it starts. It was like watching a movie.

I love that there are no billionaires or BDSM dungeons or tatted rock stars like we see in a lot of NA books lately.

I didn't like the unnecessary constant descriptions, a lot of modelling references that didn't need to be there, too much alcohol, too little food. Too much talk about food(or lack of it).

Cliffhanger. When I got to the end, I couldn't believe it. I thought I didn't download the book fully. It definitely left me wanting more. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

I love the writing style. Olivia Besse is amazing. She writes almost effortlessly. Her writing is edgy and gritty. This is a great debut by the author

The dialogue was snappy and funny and brought the characters to life

Generally

Sometimes, I forgot I was reading about a 19 year old. I loved a lot about the book. The author's writing style reminds me of Jackie Collins.

This book contains explicit content and is not intended for younger readers!

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Recommended To

If you love Jackie Collins, fashion, modelling and romance, this book is for you!

Rating

3.5 stars

REVIEW: Winter Shadows by Casey Bond

The Book
Source: free copy courtesy of author
Publish Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises
ASIN/ISBN: 9781627467575
Format: ebook (pdf)
Pages: 183
Date Read: September 15, 2013

Description
There is nowhere to hide from evil. It's everywhere.

Winter Shadows is a coming-of-age story following Claire, a young lady who is struggling to find her place in the world after losing her mother to cancer. After a corrupt American government declares a pandemic and forces its residents into quarantine encampments, Claire and her father, along with other members of her church and community, go into hiding in a cave system in rural West Virginia. While coping with the losses of her mother, home, friends, sense of safety and normalcy, Claire begins to pick up the pieces of her past, finding a new normal despite the darkness that surrounds her.
While adjusting to a new environment, and the group of people she finds herself surrounded by, Claire is faced with several important decisions that will influence the path her life will take. Who can she trust? Who should she love? How can she survive? Forced to choose between Ethan's steadfast, mature love for her and the love of mysterious and dangerous Colin who appears, Claire learns the difference between infatuation and love. Claire finds herself by learning to bind together with those around her in order to survive. She becomes self reliant and strong.
Despite of her newfound confidence in herself, and the isolation in which she resides, evil is able to find its way to her. While fighting against it, she reestablishes her faith in God and opens her heart to the possibility of love.

My Review

The Cover
I love the cover. It's just so cool. The pictures reflecting in the shades is a nice concept.

The Characters
There are a lot of characters. Claire, Ethan and Colin being the major ones.
I like Claire. She's a strong heroine. She's so easy to like. Although, at the beginning, her constant complaining was so annoying.

Ethan is nice. I don't feel much concerning him

I wasn't excited about Colin coming into the story but he is an interesting character.

The character development was good and easy to follow.

The Story
The plot is strong. I was into the book from the first page.
There is a lot of suspense and you just want to know what happens next.
The characters and the situation they are currently in was a source of strength for their small community.
There's a lot of Christianity referenced in the book. In fact, Claire is a pastor's child

Generally
I'm not really a fan of dystopian but I've been reading the good ones lately. This is one of the good ones.
Apart from a few writing errors, I loved it.

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Tate Publishing
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Recommended To
The book is targeted at young readers but I think older readers would enjoy it. If you don't mind the references to Christianity.

Rating
4 stars

REVIEW: Hussy by Selena Kitt

The Book
Source: free copy courtesy of author
Published: August 29, 2013
Publisher: Excessica Publishing
ASIN/ISBN: B00EVD3ZPE
Format: ebook (mobi)
Pages: 138
Other information: previously released as “Falling Down.”

Description
The Eskimos may have over a hundred words for snow, but that doesn’t even come close to how many words the English language has for “slut”—and Lindsey has been called them all. “Hussy” is Lindsey’s personal favorite, given to her by her own grandmother, who likes to pat her on the hand and whisper, “Don’t worry, dear—a hussy is just a woman with the morals of a man.”
But Lindsey’s not ashamed of her reputation. She knows she’s earned it—and she’s proud of it. After all, you only live once, right? In fact, she goes out of her way to make it known to every guy she comes in contact with, she’s available for the taking—the rougher, the better.
That is until Lindsey meets Lieutenant Zachary Davis, a man who refuses to treat her like the trash she believes she really is.
But can Lindsey change her impulsive ways and learn to value herself the way the Zach does?

My Review
The Cover
The cover is basic. It's very suggestive and bright.

The Characters
There are a few characters. Lindsay and Zach being the major ones.
Other characters that add to the story are Billy, Lindsay's mum and her stepfather.

In the beginning, we don't know much about Lindsay except that she likes sex and has a bad rep. Zach is the nice, kind guy who patiently helps Lindsay with her problems.

I'm indifferent to the characters. I don't like them and I don't dislike them.

The Story
It didn't grab me. I was actually bored for like the first 30 pages of the book. I had to flip through.
I didn't find it hot or steamy. It was annoying even.

I liked the romance between Zach and Lindsay. It was sweet. The proposals were my best scenes.

Generally
I've heard good things about the author so I had high expectations. The book was a bit disappointing.
It's a short read. Nothing fascinating.

This book contains sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which may be considered offensive

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SelenaKitt.com
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Recommended To
I'll recommend this book to people who already read dark, heavy stuff or who can handle it.

Rating
3 stars

By the way, what do you think about my new review format.

REVIEW: The Ballerina and The Fighter by Ursula Sinclair

I received a free copy courtesy of the author.

Finished: September 11, 2013
Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 173
Format: ebook

The Book
I travel through life dancing.
All I ever wanted to do was dance, as did my best friend. We'd made so many plans together, but one night an explosion changed it all. Only one of us survived, and I promised myself I'd succeed for us both. And I did, until an accident almost ruined my career, but Maze came back into my life when I needed him most. He pulled me out of the depths of my despair. But could I save him now?

I travel through life fighting.
It had always been Ivy; from the first moment I saw her leaping through the air like she had wings to lift her from the ground. But she was my dream, something I wanted more than anything else in my life. I promised myself I would stay away from her. Violence followed me everywhere and I tried to keep her far away from it. She was my point of illumination in the dark tumultuous world I lived in. But I could not stay away from her. Not when I knew she needed me. As much as I needed her. But could she accept me as I am?

My Opinion
I expected a lot more from this book and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed.

The characters and the relationships they had were underdeveloped. The romance between Maze and Ivy was too rushed and could have been better.
I couldn't connect with the story.
I think the best relationship in the book is the one between Maze and his dad.

There was a lot of repetition whenever the author switched POVs. It kind of pulled me out because I wanted to skip the parts.

I didn't like Maze, per the romance. By the second page, he was already thinking "sexy" things. By the ninth, he seemed like a leery, creepy, disturbing guy. All this within 5 minutes of meeting Ivy.
As a fighter, I loved him. I liked the fight scenes best.

The blurb makes it seem like her friend's death was important to their story. IMO, it wasn't.

I also think that the last line was unnecessary. The book could have ended blissfully without the last line.

All in all, the plot had a lot of potential and it could have done a lot better. It was an okay read.

This book contains explicit scenes

Get it from
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**blurb and image from goodreads

REVIEW: The Domino Effect by Jill Elaine Hughes

Received free courtesy of the author

Finished: September 10, 2013
Rating: 3.5 stars

The Book
336 pages
ebook (mobi)

21-year-old Nancy Delaney is finishing up her third year of college when her magazine-editor roommate asks her to go review an art opening in downtown Cleveland. The artist is mysterious international playboy and eccentric Peter Rostovich, and the art is like nothing innocent, virginal Nancy has ever encountered before. Multimedia artist Rostovich has created an erotic art installation all about S&M bondage — complete with a live sculpture that’s so realistic, it gets the whole exhibit shut down by the Cleveland police.
Aspiring journalist Nancy’s nose for news smells a hot story idea, which she sells to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. But as she works to get her story, she soon becomes intimately entangled with Rostovich, who finds her irresistible. Rostovich becomes Nancy’s ticket to sexual awakening, and she soon discovers she has an appetite for bondage, too.
And there’s far more to Rostovich than just his art — he’s involved in a strange, violent criminal underworld that kidnaps Nancy and spirits her halfway around the world, where she’s held prisoner and made to serve as private Dominant-for-hire somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Will the sexual powers Rostovich helped awaken in her be Nancy’s only hope for escape?

My Opinion
Okay so I'm conflicted. I'm not sure that I really liked it but I didn't hate it.

On the plus side:
It is well written and edited. It's not just erotica - although I have to say: errmaggherd - there's a lot of suspense and mystery in the story that raises curiosity. I would love to finish the series.
There is a plot, although it becomes a bit shaky from time to time, it's mostly strong. There's consistency and it's easy to follow.

The characters are great. Nancy is a very interesting character. I like her. She's relatable in a sense. She's rediscovering who she is and the reader is making that journey with her.

On the other hand:
* I was confused about the whole Bluschencko thing but that was resolved (a little) towards the end.
* When Nancy was examining the pictures Rostovich gave her after the "interview", she said the woman in the picture was dead but she's also the same woman who was live at the exhibit.
How is this possible. Maybe I missed something.
* Nancy keeps saying that Rostovich got her into the mess she was in, even when Bluschencko said he had been watching her friend then her for months

Also I saw a lot of similarities with Fifty Shades of Grey.
- Naïve <poor> college student (woman)
- Super rich <secretive> guy with dark/shady past
- Meet by chance thanks to girl's best friend
- Studying English or something related
- Woman in early 20s

All in all I enjoyed the book.

I couldn't find any links as to where you can get the book but if you want to get a copy, you could contact the author on goodreads

**image and book summary from goodreads

REVIEW: Lesbian Crushes and Bulimia by Natasha Holme

I received this book for free courtesy of the author

Finished: September 07, 2013
Rating: 4 stars

The Book
Lesbian Crushes and Bulimia: A Diary On How I Acquired My Eating Disorder
ebook (mobi)
173 pages

Lesbian Crushes and Bulimia is a real-life diary portrayal of an obsessive nineteen year old lesbian, Natasha, whose internal homophobia, alongside infatuations with other women, bring her condemnation in both her gay and straight environments and drive her into a state of compulsive binge-eating and purging.

Edited from detailed, encoded diary entries, the story. begins in the summer of 1989. Natasha is obsessively, unrequitedly in love with her former teacher, Miss Williams, a love which she declares openly as a tattoo on her wrist. She meets Alex, a girl her own age, who questions her about the tattoo, revealing her own remarkably similar obsessive love for her former teacher, Miss Wilson. A romance blossoms between the two girls.
This is the first book to present a diary account of living as a lesbian with an eating disorder.

My Opinion
I've said before that I love memoirs. I haven't read any in the LGBT category so this is new for me.
I enjoyed it. It is fascinating and compelling.
It is basically snippets and fragments and is very informal but the author presents it in a way that works.
The diary flows easily and you're not lost in the details and it's coherent and understandable

Get it on
Amazon US, UK
BN.com
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** image and summary from goodreads

REVIEW: Won't Last Long by Heidi Joy Tretheway

I received a free copy courtesy of the author.

Finished: September 03, 2013
Rating: 3.5 stars

“Now do you believe me? I’ll take you any way I can get you,” Joshua said, rubbing Melina’s hair and limbs to dry them. “You don’t have to be perfect for me. Just be you.”

The Book
242 pages
ebook (mobi)

Can two people who are totally wrong for each other ever be right?
Opposites attract—but friends think Melina and Joshua can’t possibly last. When crisis throws their world off its axis, Melina must confront her childhood family, the people she’s come to care about, and the destruction of her pristine image.

"... I guess what I’m trying to say is that dating you is good. It’s unpredictable and exciting and it makes me happy. You make me happy. And I’m wondering if you feel the same way, if you want to keep dating me. Just me. As my girlfriend.”

My Opinion
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
Where do I start. I love love love it.

The story, the characters (even Aussie the dog), the writing... everything!!

Joshua is the sweetest book boyfriend ever and I like Melina.

How do you explain someone like Joshua? He’s challenging. He’s confident but not cocky. He’s genuinely nice, and about as far as you can get from the stuffed-shirt bar guys. He doesn’t care what other people think of him.
“He’s authentic,” Melina said finally, settling on a word that made sense to her.

I just love everything about the book. It's quick and easy.

When they both finally admitted to their attraction, I thought that would be all. But the story went on and it wasn't in an annoying way. I don't want to put spoilers so I'll just say that it has a little more depth than the boy meets girl, they go out and they live happily ever after. 

It's a great read.

Recommended: to YA, NA romance fans.

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Indie Bound

*Blurb from book
**Picture from goodreads

REVIEW: Killer Rumors by Antonello Foire

Received a free copy courtesy of the author.

Finished: September 02, 2013
Rating: 1.5 stars

The Book
336 pages
ebook (PDF)
Father D’Angelo and Bakeman, two devoted priests were brutally murdered while going on one of their nightly walks. Detective Frank Rinelli is called to the case- not only due to his close friendship with the priests, but with his expertise of tracking psychotic killers.
Rinelli suddenly discovers these murders were based on a scandal that occurred several years ago at the same Church where the two murdered priests preached. And it doesn’t stop there. The list of people being murdered in connection with the scandal continues to grow until the killer has his ultimate vengeance- and the truth released.

My Opinion
I accepted this book from the author because I liked the storyline and also because the average rating on goodreads is 3.72 from 40 ratings. I was terribly disappointed.

There were a lot of things wrong with this book:
*The homicide detectives, and their LT. were like rookies when it comes to basic investigation skills. (When Rinelli and his partner were interviewing the nuns, they could have just asked them to list all the people involved in the scandal instead of going to visit them one million times.)
They were also missing a lot of blatantly obvious information.
* A lot of details, were stated, then completely changed pages later.
* A lot of the scenes are definitely not humanly possible.
Although this is a work of fiction, it's also a police procedural and should be as close to reality as possible.
* Repetition of words. A lot of times, a pronoun or an article would have done the job.
The sentences are too long with unnecessary details and descriptions.
* Wrong word choices, typos and switching tenses made the whole book a lot more annoying to read.
There are basic grammar mistakes
and words used in the wrong context.

This book had a lot of potential. It has a great storyline. Better editing would have done a lot for this book.

I honestly can't recommend this book to anyone but if you want to form an opinion yourself, you can

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Indie Bound

**image and blurb from goodreads

REVIEW: The Divine Dantes: Squirt Guns In Hades by Andrew Barger

Received free courtesy of the author

Finished: August 31, 2013
Rating: 3 stars

*The Book
If "The Divine Comedy" and "Catcher in the Rye" had a love child, "The Divine Dantes: Squirt Guns in Hades" would be it. The novel is the first in a trilogy of laugh-out-loud books paralleling Dante Alighieri's classic poem, "The Divine Comedy," where the characters of The Inferno are encountered in modern times with surprising results.
At the center is Eddie, a young rocker who is heartbroken after his girlfriend, Beatrice, leaves for Venice. This not only ends their relationship, but also the world's greatest two- person rock band. At Beatrice's request, Virgil-their erstwhile manager-cum-travel-agent guides Eddie to Europe to meet her without Eddie being in on the secret.
Will Eddie want to see Beatrice? Will the band get back together? And if it does, can Eddie settle on a name for it?
Read this literary, rock, love story today!

My Opinion
The first 90(or so) pages of this book were bad. I had to drag myself through them. I was going to rate it 1.5 stars.

I decided to give the book a chance and kept on reading. It became better (thank God).

I started to like Edward just a liiiitle bit. Virgil is just a loveable but quiet character. I really want to know more about Bea.

Like I said, the book got better and then it just ended. I was annoyed(in a good way) that it just ended. You know how you're eating delicious ice cream from the tub and it just finishes and you weren't expecting it to. Yeah. That's how I feel.
It left me wanting more. Which is why I'm interested in reading the next book.

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WaterStones

*blurb from goodreads
**image from AndrewBarger.com

REVIEW: Breaking The Reins by Juliana Haygert

Free copy courtesy of the author

Finished:August 30, 2013
Rating: 4.5 stars

*The Book
Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.

After a fire takes her grandma's life and kills her horse, Hannah's immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business.
Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can't turn away even though she's not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.
Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.

But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either.
Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.

My Opinion
I looooooooved this. I love how the story progresses. The storyline is great. The plot is strong.

There was a lot of action going on. The relationship between Hannah(central character) and everyone else(including the horses) is easy to understand.
Obviously Eric is a piece of sh*t and Leo is an angel.
Seeing how events(big and small) affected Hannah's relationship with everyone, especially Leo and Argus.
I'm not going to put any spoilers. You should definitely read this book. Even if you aren't a fan of horse books. (I never liked horse books after reading Black Beauty. it was soon boring. maybe because I was seven or eight when I read it).
I totally enjoyed this book.
and I want to read more about Leo's family and Hillary (Hannah's sister). I hope the author continues this one as a series

Contains scenes of domestic violence

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REVIEW: The Siren's Tale by Anne Carlisle

Wow. just wow.

I received a free copy courtesy of the author

Finished: August 29, 2013
Rating: 4 stars

*The Book
The sexual exploits of sirens in human form make for charming erotic-paranormal entertainment and spicy inspiration for YA/NA readers. Female power and intellect clash with rustic superstition, with deadly consequences, as the siren Cassandra seeks a life of fiery passion in the Old West. The consequences affect her lovers and descendants, owing to a curse that deflects the sirens' paranormal powers toward the dark side. The contemporary frame poses questions: Will the youngest siren learn how to live and love? Can a siren's voracious appetite for adventurous passion be reconciled with core human values?

*It is the second book in the Homeschooling Trilogy but can be read as a standalone novel

My Opinion
Wow. Wow. Wow.
I first loved this biok just because it isn't about werewolves and/or vampires.
This book is amazing. The storytelling is amazing. I was so drawn into the book that I couldn't stop(or sleep) until I finished it.

I felt like some was telling ME a story. talking directly to me.

The way she intertwined the POVs and the time periods was just so amazing.

This is definitely one of the best paranormal books I've read.
Anne Carlisle is a great storyteller.

I have nothing bad to say about the book

Get it
Amazon
BN.com
LazyDay Publishing

*Book blurb from LazyDay Publishing

REVIEW: Baby, You're as Sweet as 3.14159265 by Hog Wild

I received a free copy courtesy of the author

Finished: August 27, 2013
Rating: 2 stars

*The Book
WARNING: Content may not be suitable for people offended by naughty words, honest thoughts about love, and sexual thoughts of sextastic sex with sexy people.

Award-winning stand-up comedian HogWild has collected his best jokes, stories, and hysterical dating advice from his New York City stage show and his popular video series to create an enjoyable read that will leave you laughing.

My Opinion
I have mixed feelings about this book.
It was waaaay less than I expected but it wasn't horrible.

There are some funny parts. like Attention Fat Guys: When a girl says she wants a guy with something in common she is not talking about breasts and Pregnancy would be COOL if you never know what you're gonna get... The doctor will reach into your vagina and proclaim, ‘It's a beautiful baby girl! …And a laptop computer!’ YES!”.

Some really deep and inspirational parts like There is NOTHING wrong with being happy with who you are. Just make sure it's your CHOICE out of happiness and not out of fear or intimidation or
... And whatever you want is within YOUR reach. You must believe in yourself. It's closer than you think. You are one switch away. and But really, it's all about being proud of who you are. Never let your insecurities lead your thoughts. Lead with confidence.

A lot of times like Hahaha! I’m giggling like when a puppy is licking the bottom of my ticklish feet! Tee-hee! and Haha. I’m smiling like a small child who has made bubbles from his butt in the bathtub,
I was like huh? -_- kill me now

There were one too many fat, dumb girl and gay jokes.

As a relationship advice book, it doesn't rate too bad but as humour it's very low

This book contains content that may be offensive to some readers

Get it on Amazon

Book description and picture from goodreads

REVIEW: Imagined Love by Diamond Drake

I received this book free courtesy of the author

Finished: August 25, 2013
Rating: 4 stars

*The Book
This is book 1 in the series.
Willa Caldwell jumps in and out of her volatile and sometimes violent marriage seemingly unaware of the affects her actions have on daughter Jade. Lonely and insecure, Jade often falls prey to those eager to take advantage of her desperate need for love and acceptance. And both she and Willa endure heartache at the hands of those who claim to love them most.

As a young adult Jade decides to leave her hometown of Gary, IN, as well as the pain of her past to start anew in sunny California. Sadly, things don't go as hoped and she's left wondering if she'll ever experience real love or if it will always be . . . Imagined Love.

My Opinion
I really struggled with rating the book. I was trying to decide between 3 and 4 stars.

I didn't looove this book but I enjoyed it and I understood what the author was trying to pass across.

There were a lot of twists and turns but not so much that it became annoying. This book was very emotional. There were funny moments, sad moments, happy ones, annoying, jaw dropping and sappy ones.

The characters were real. The storyline and plot were on point.

I think a major thing that worked for the book was how relatable and real it was. It's something that most of the targeted audience can relate to. How people (women especially) put up with sh*t that they don't have to.

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*book description from goodreads

REVIEW: Love Me If You Dare by Kate Laurens

Received free courtesy of the author

Finished: August 20, 2013
Rating: 3 stars

The Book
This is the second book in the Safe Haven series. It can be read as a stand alone novel.
It's been three years since Kaylee Sawyer has been home - to the alcoholic mother she can't handle,  painful memories of her sister Ella and the guilt she's carried for years.
About to enter her final year of college, she is determined to come to terms with the mess of her past - and to ignore the guy whose single kiss has been tattooed into her mind forever.

Dylan McKay is still golden haired and dangerous, the flame Kaylee was always afraid to touch for fear of getting burnt. But despite the damage that's been done, she finds that she still can't stay away from the one person who accepted her the way she was.

My Opinion
This is a good, quick and easy read.

The book can actually be a stand alone because it makes sense and there are no gaping holes in the storyline. I didn't even know it wasn't a stand alone until I finished. It actually makes for a bit of a mystery/suspense if you haven't read the first book.

There are few characters and they are relatable. The story is easy to follow.

There's some heavy(sexy) stuff in it but not too much to put you off if you're squeamish about that sort of thing.

For mature readers 17+

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REVIEW: Something Furry Underfoot by Amy L Peterson

Received a free ebook copy from the author

Finished: August 12, 2013
Rating: 4.5 stars

The Book
Something Furry Underfoot is a funny, touching book about pets that Amy's husband brought home and how Amy ended up helping care for, and falling for, most of them. In addition to frogs, iguanas, dogs, a stray cat, gerbils, rabbits, and lots of hamsters, you will meet a male hedgehog that escaped three times to mate with a female hedgehog, a ferret that cost $1,200 in vet bills and a domestic duck.

My Opinion
I loved this book. It was funny and emotional. I felt like the pets were mine and they made me laugh and cry.
Some 200 pages of laughter, some tears and some information you hopefully wouldn't need.
Amy Peterson is one calm and patient wife and care giver.
I wanted to post quotes but I would have ended up posting the whole book.
If you like memoirs, especially humorous ones, you should read this

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