Review of Three Days to Forever by Lauren Carr

August 31, 2015

I like watching TV shows of the crime-suspense genre, but I was never a fan of it in print. So why did I give Three Days to Forever a shot? It's simple really; I just got curious is all. There's something about the book's blurb that made me wonder how good it is. I also noticed that this is the 9th installment in a series. It means this is a damn good saga for it to have this many parts. I wanted to see for myself so here I am right now sharing my review with all of you out there. 

Title: Three Days to Forever (Mac Faraday Mystery #9)
Author: Lauren Carr
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Romance, Action
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Published by: Acorn Book Services
Source: Copy Given by Tour Organizer


SYNOPSIS:

In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers will embark on a rollercoaster adventure with old friends (including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the team in the race to get the love birds to the altar!

With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.

But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.
 
With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything … FOREVER!

REVIEW:

First things first, the title is very literal. Three Days to Forever because the story basically revolves in the three days before Mac and Archie's wedding. I should note that I find the woman's name kind of...unappealing. Every time the name is mentioned in the book, I picture a 17-year old boy with orange hair and freckles. Going back to the actual story... I have read dozens of action-packed books before but I'm not sure if any one of them can measure up to what this story offers. Too much went on in the span of three days and I got exhausted just by reading it! Imagine what the characters felt. 

By the way, I totally appreciate the character list that is found on the first few pages. Readers who haven't had the chance to read the previous installments won't feel left out because of it. So if you're hesitant about getting into this book for this reason, don't be. Speaking of the characters, I liked how everyone's lives are connected one way or another. It makes the story easier to understand and digest. 

Three Days to Forever is a book best-appreciated by readers who like being thrown around a bit. The story holds a lot of twists, action-packed doesn't even begin to cover it, and the book as a whole is well written. I give it 4 stars, and I might just get the first 8 parts in the series.

RATING:


PURCHASE LINKS:


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Open Season for Murder is the tenth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.

Three Days to Forever introduced Lauren Carr’s latest series detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for Kill and Run, the first instalment in this series, to be released September 1, 2015.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. Visit Acorn Book Services’ website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

AUTHOR LINKS:


TOUR ORGANIZED BY:
 

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Review of Midnight Run by Charity Hillis

August 28, 2015

When I read the blurb of Midnight Run, I instantly got curious. How can someone not realize that the two women he's falling in love with is one and the same? I didn't give anything away by saying this because it's kind of easy to deduce from the synopsis, right? Anyway, it goes without saying that I had to check it out for myself. And so here's my review. 


Title: Midnight Run (Once Upon a Desire #1)
Author: Charity Hillis
Publication Date: May 15, 2015
Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance, Women's Fiction
Source: ARC Given by Tour Organizer
 

SYNOPSIS:

Once Upon a Time never felt like this…

Running, coffee, and New York City: Nora feels like she’s got it all. But when this barista meets Kingston, a handsome Texan, she realizes the one thing she’s been missing is love.

Kingston doesn’t want to admit that he’s looking for a fairy tale, and he sure didn't think he’d fall for two women. But what he doesn’t know about his running buddy and the pretty barista might surprise him.

MIDNIGHT RUN is a contemporary romance inspired by Cinderella, and it's the first book in the Once Upon a Desire series.

Once Upon a Desire: contemporary fairy tales with a pinch of spice.

CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

Nora is a shy and insecure woman who is terrified of confrontation. She's pretty much content with her life; she's sharing an apartment with her gay best friend, has a supportive and loving family back home, and a promotion in the coffee shop she works for with her name on it. But life is full of surprises; some are bad and some are good. Hopefully she can deal with everything that comes her way.

Kingston is a true blue Texan; from the accent to his gentlemanly manners. He has always believed in happily-ever-afters so when he falls for two women, he doesn't know how to handle it. Especially since his sister's marriage is tumbling down. Will he be able to hold on to his beliefs or will pain and cynicism stop him from finding his own fairy tale ending?

REVIEW:

I didn't have any expectations when I started reading Midnight Run. But I wouldn't have thought that it will end up being this short. In more or less a hundred pages, the author was able to depict a modern day fairy tale-like love story. In this age, the term we can use is "insta-love". That is what Nora and Kingston's meeting was like. I'm honestly not a fan of stories like this because I don't believe in love-at-first-sight. Lust-at-first-sight, sure but I believe that real love can't possibly be determined in a few short conversations. 

In spite of all my reservations though I still ended up liking the book as a whole. The story tackles a whole lot of things; romantic relationships, family, career, and of course, running. I would love to kill Lauren (Nora's co-worker) in the most painful way possible but it's still a good book. 

I'm not sure if this is just the first installment in a series, but I hope it is. There were so many things left hanging; how will Kingston's career turn out, did Nora finally overcome her fear of Lauren, how's her best friend dealing with his ex, and so much more. 

I do hope a part 2 is released soon; I've never been one for delayed gratification.

SUMMARY:

Midnight Run receives 3.5 stars from me. It's a romance-filled book with realistic characters in a complicated situation. It's a quick read with a good ending. Come check this out guys. 

RATING: 


PURCHASE LINKS:


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Charity Hillis has always had a thing for fairy tales. She is the author of the ONCE UPON A DESIRE series, including MIDNIGHT RUN (out now), CUTTING LOOSE (coming fall 2015), and PRINCESS SUITE (coming winter 2015). She believes in HEA like she believes in chocolate.

AUTHOR LINKS:


TOUR ORGANIZED BY:


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Review of Sugar Baby Beautiful by J.J. McAvoy

August 28, 2015


My love for author J.J. McAvoy's books is no secret. She creates characters that I always end up loving, writes plots that are excellent, and throws in twists that has me reeling like crazy! So obviously I had to jump on the chance of reading and reviewing her latest release, Sugar Baby Beautiful. Before I start my review, let me just tell you...this has been one hell of a ride. 


Title: Sugar Baby Beautiful
Author: J.J. McAvoy
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Publication Date: August 21, 2015
Source: ARC Given by Tour Organizer


SYNOPSIS:

When twenty-four-year-old Felicity Harper is dragged to a sugar party, an event where wealthy men and women seek “companionship,” she never expects this one simple decision to drastically change her whole life. 

Her past is nothing but broken dreams and heartache. Her present is detached and dull. And her future? Well, before meeting Theodore Darcy, the famed film director, writer, producer and CEO of Darcy Entertainment, she would have expected more of the same. Love is just a fantasy and she wants no part of it—even if she can’t deny the undeniable attraction between the two of them. 

So their arrangement is simple: sex with no strings attracted. But as their intimacy becomes more powerful, so do Felicity’s demons. Can Theo really shoulder her past and his own? And could Felicity even let him?

PURCHASE LINKS:


CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

Felicity Harper is the epitome of the word "enigma". There are so many things about her that people easily falls in love with and yet she's emotionally distant and mentally closed-up. She has a hard time trusting people and letting them in because she believes that she'll only end up hurting them. She's jaded and broken but is willing to give love a chance for the first time. But what if she ends up being hurt and hurting others in the process, in more ways than one?

Theodore Darcy or Theo is the kind of man everyone is after. Women want to be with him and men want to be him. He has all the material things anyone can ever ask for; but he feels hollow inside. He's yearning for something more in life and he found that in the form of a woman playing his piano like the world doesn't exist. Perhaps there's still hope for happiness. Or maybe happines is just an illusion after all.

REVIEW:

Let's break this down, shall we? 

Characters: Creating heroines who are strong willed and heroes who are not afraid to compromise is one of J.j. McAvoy's signatures. I have no qualms about this because I prefer it that way. Theo and Felicity's chemistry is off the charts, and I just can't get enough of them. Same goes with Felicity's "best friends" (noticed how I put a quotation mark on that?), the friendly banter between the three of them is hilarious and will have you wishing for that kind of camaraderie. I must note though that there were a few characters I hated: Felicity's father, Theo's step-parents, and his ex-fiancee. 

Story: The thing with J.J. McAvoy is she's not one to make things easy for her characters. She also doesn't create a story with a single plot; there has to be many layers that readers will unravel while delving deeper in the book. As usual, I was once again thrown for a huge loop here in Sugar Baby Beautiful. The twist McAvoy sprung in about 2/3 of the book was beyond anything I could have imagined. I can confidently say that I have not read anything like it all. I was actually waiting for something more to happen because like I said earlier, the author won't settle for a normal and easy love story. More than half way through when Felicity and Theo were already doing so well, I knew that something big was headed my way. And I was right. 

Technical: I received an uncorrected copy of the book so whatever typographical or grammatical issues I noticed is considered null. One thing I have to say though is I feel like there were scenes that weren't described as vividly as I would have wanted them to. I would have liked to paint a clearer picture of the setting; what was the place like? What's the weather? What were they wearing? It would have been nice to have those questions answered.

SUMMARY:

Like another favorite author of mine, J.J. McAvoy can never do wrong in my eyes. I love all her work and this is no exception. Sugar Baby Beautiful will take you on a rollercoaster ride that is sure to make you laugh, cry, fall in love, and believe in happily-ever-afters. I give it 4.5 stars, and the only reason I won't give it 5 is because I'm left with a lot of questions. I felt as though the story is yet to be labeled as Finished. So I am looking forward to future updates on this. Come check this out guys. You will not regret it I promise you all.

RATING:


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. J. McAvoy first started working on Ruthless People during a Morality and Ethics lecture her freshman year of college. X number of years later, she is an insomniac who has changed her major three times, and is a master in the art of procrastination. If you ask her why she began writing, she will simply tell you “They wanted to get their story out.”

She is currently working on her next novel . . . so please bug her on Twitter @JJMcAvoy

AUTHOR LINKS:


TOUR ORGANIZED BY:


Book images provided by Indiesage PR

Review of Hello, My Love by E. Journey

August 27, 2015


Hello, My Love is the first installment in the Between Two Worlds series from author E. Journey. From reading the synopsis alone, I had a feeling that this would be a sophisticated story that holds numerous smart conversations. At the same time I expected it to be boring and stiff also basing it on the blurb. But were my assumptions correct? Find out in a bit.

Title: Hello, My Love! (Between Two Worlds #1)
Author: E. Journey
Published by: Sojourner Books
Publication Date: September 30, 2013
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Source: Copy Given by Publisher and Tour Organizer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25477864-hello-my-love


SYNOPSIS:

This thoughtful woman’s romance novel explores the inner life (thoughts, hopes, and doubts) of a couple as they contend with the realities of compelling relationships.

A modern-day pastiche of Jane Austen novels. Elise is a bright, beautiful law student, focused on a career and distrustful of men. She butts heads with Greg at her parents’ dinner parties. Dark, good-looking, internet-business owner, he finds Elise intriguing, so unlike the dark-haired seductive beauties he used to escort around. 

Specter of revenge. Unable to deny their attraction for each other, they spend an unexpected night together two days before he is to wed someone else. Lori, the jilted fiancée, exacts revenge, tearing Greg and Elise apart and forcing them to face who they are and what they really want.

An accident. Older and wiser, Greg and Else reunite two years later. He is in for a surprise. Later, their lives are thrown again into disarray when Elise becomes the victim of a hit-and-run. Is Lori back to haunt them again?

A delicious romance with a literary slant, spiced with a twist of whodunit.

REVIEW:

I'm going to say this with the risk of being hated by thousand of people: I've never been a fan of Jane Austen. I've only read one of her books because a friend of mine told me I should give it a shot; I didn't finish it because I found it serious and lifeless. The reason I'm sharing this with you guys is because when I read the blurb, I figured that Hello, My Love will hold some resemblance to the famous author's work. That scared me somehow; but I decided to give it a shot and see if I'll like it. Here's my short answer: I didn't hate it but I wasn't crazy about it either.

For me the book started out strong. Elise is a strong character; she is smart and does not fall for men's BS. But then a few pages later she's sleeping with Greg, who is already engaged to be married by the way. I understand the feelings that may have developed during their brief conversations, but things got out of hand way too fast. There were also more than a few times when I felt like the book was jumping and not changing from one scene to another. The switch between POVs also made my head ache as it was unorganized and sudden. 

But putting all those things aside, I actually see the potential of the story. It may not have worked out for me but there is a certain charm to it that some people might like. It's classy and sexy with some humor, drama, and suspense. There's a tinge of darkness floating about in the story that keeps the characters on their toes. I will be giving Hello, My Love 3 stars. 

RATING: 


PURCHASE LINK:

Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

EJourney is a realist who thinks she has little imagination. Credit that to her training (Ph. D., University of Illinois) and work in mental health, writing for academics and bureaucrats, and critiquing the work of others. She’s been striving ever since to think and write like normal people.

She’s a well-traveled flâneuse—a female observer-wanderer—who watches, observes, listens. And writes. A sucker for happy endings, she finds enough that depresses her about real life, but seeks no catharsis by writing about it. For her, writing is escape, entertainment. She doesn’t strive to enlighten. Not deliberately. But the bias of her old profession does carry over into her writing. So, instead of broad shoulders and heaving bosoms, she goes into protagonists' thoughts, emotions, inner conflicts, insecurities, and struggles to reach balance and grow.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: http://evyjourney.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/search?q=%40eholychair&src=typd
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Thoughtful-Womans-Romance-Novels/382436745126631

TOUR ORGANIZED BY:


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Review of Mind Over Bullies: A Mob Forms by DK Smith

August 24, 2015

Before I go to my review, I'd first like to share a wonderful and heart-warming thing I have experienced with Khamicom Publishing...and the tour in general. 

When I signed up for the tour of Mind Over Bullies: A Mob Forms, I wasn't really expecting anything. I assumed it would be like all other tours I have been a part of; I'll get the tour materials, get an ebook copy of the book, and do the review. So imagine my surprise when I was notified by our local post office that I have a package I needed to claim. I was like, "What? I wasn't expecting anything to arrive." 

The paperback, wristbands, and bookmark I received

I picked it up a couple of days later, still clueless as to what it could be. When I got home, I opened it up and teared up a bit. Inside was a signed paperback copy of the book, three wristbands with the MOB logo, and a MOB bookmark. I was so touched by the gesture, especially since it's my first ever signed copy of a book. It may be a small thing for other people so let me point out that I am from the Philippines. Publishers or tour organizers don't usually send us stuff in the mail. It's too expensive and risky. Anyway, I just wanted to share that. 

Onto my review!

Title: Mind Over Bullies: A Mob Forms
Author: DK Smith
Expected Publication Date: August 31, 2015 
Published by: Khamicom Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Suspense
Source: ARC Given by Publisher and Tour Organizer
 

SYNOPSIS:

People that feel bullied just need to toughen up. That’s what Margo Rios used to think. Margo is pretty, popular and unsympathetic to just how intense bullying can get. As a counterfeiting plot sweeps through the city of Oak View however, life for Margo changes dramatically. 
 
With the mystery unfolding, an unlikely group of heroes emerges. Bullied teens love them, the police hate them and bullies fear them. Together they will try to get to the bottom of the counterfeiting mystery while ingeniously teaching a few bullies a lesson or two along the way… that is, if the police don’t catch them first. 

“Mind Over Bullies: A MOB Forms” follows the lives of several teens chronicling the emotional and psychological changes they experience as a result of their encounters with bullying. The lives of the characters play out while an elaborate counterfeiting mystery unfolds making for a fast paced, action-packed read. 

REVIEW:

Mind Over Bullies tackles two big subjects: bullying and counterfeiting. Not the combination one would normally expect, but it works. Though a little extreme, I still liked how the members of the MOB were all trying to make a real difference and stop bullying. Their tech skills were awesome; I'm not even going to question if their abilities are plausible in real life because kids nowadays are just...talented, I think is the word I should use. Now the money laundering scheme added a lot of darkness and danger to the story. It's still connected to the bullying though so it didn't really feel like reading two different books. 

From the very first page, Mind Over Bullies already moves at a fast pace. Characters were introduced here and there, plots unravel at every chapter, and someone is being beaten-up somewhere. To be honest, I had a hard time relating to the characters, especially Margo. We had one thing in common: the mature way we think. We both don't like to dwell on typical high school drama. However, she came off as a cold and unfeeling character for me. But that was just in the first few chapters. Eventually, she grew on me and I saw her blossom into a more likeable person. All of the characters in the book are important to the story's entirety, just like each and every one of us plays a crucial part in the betterment of the world. 

The book is kind of long though. I don't have anything against books that are lengthy, considering I've read the entire Harry Potter Collection in three days. It's just that there are scenes that could have been cut from the book or even shortened, at least. But that's just a minor thing, nothing to change my perspective on the book.

SUMMARY:

Mind Over Bullies is a complex, mysterious, and exciting book. I was very entertained and at the same time encouraged to help stop bullying. I give it 5 stars, and I'm looking forward to reading DK Smith's following book which is already underway if his answer in Goodreads is anything to go by. 

P.S. Still no picture of the author? Dang, it. I wanted a face to go with the voice I heard in his interview. You should go listen to that snippet guys. It's short (because it's a preview) but very enlightening. 

RATING:


IMPORTANT LINKS:

Read the first three chapters! http://tiny.cc/MOBPreview 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A 38-year-old native of Los Angeles, Mr. Smith began his writing career after getting news that he would soon become an uncle. Wanting to create stories and characters for his expected niece, he created the children’s book series “Sock n Boots Adventures.” The two characters (three-year-old Sock and five-year-old Boots) began to make names for themselves, generating downloads in countries around the world. 
 
When asked about his motivation to tackle the subject of bullying in a 108,000-word novel Smith said, “One day I came across a story in the news about a young girl that jumped in front of a subway train after weeks of bullying. As I investigated further, I was shocked at the number of similar stories I encountered. Bullycide, the news was calling it. I thought, wow, what if these young people had been shown that the pain of bullying can be handled without hurting themselves or someone else.” 

Ultimately it was thoughts of his now four nieces and three nephews dealing with bullying as they get older that weighed heavily on the decision for Smith to write the story about bullying. “I recognize that the characters and situations in the book may not represent every bullying situation and that realistically the book won’t change the world, but I do sincerely hope that it sends a subtle message about there being life after bullying. We’ll just have to see how the public receives it,” Smith said. 
 
A lover of mystery and espionage stories, Smith is a fan of everything James Bond. A favorite scenario is to see a character in an impossible situation get out of it at the last second or have the odds against them and see he or she turn the tables. Acting on the love of espionage and mystery, Smith has a new novel in the works centering on a James Bond-type character of his own creation. 
 
IMPORTANT LINKS:


TOUR ORGANIZED BY:


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Review of Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid

August 21, 2015

My heart is hurting right now. I feel like a jackhammer is pounding my heart after a bulldozer ran it over. I just wrapped-up Never Always Sometimes, and I'm feeling very violent towards Adi Alsaid. I'm not even going to try to be mysterious or whatever -- I absolutely loved this book. But it doesn't change the fact that I am in pain right now. Adi... come on, man. Is that really it? I know you're trying to stick to the non-cliche theme, but I am suffering right now. *sigh* Since this isn't about me let me proceed with my review. 

Title: Never Always Sometimes
Author: Adi Alsaid 
Publication Date: August 4, 2015 
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
Source: Bought
 

SYNOPSIS:

Never date your best friend.

Always be original.

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they’d never, ever do in high school.
 
Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never dye your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he’s broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It’s either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.

Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they’ve actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.

CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

Julia is a beautiful, fearless, and carefree girl with a don't-care attitude. She's used to making light of things, being reckless, and doing things her way that she sometimes loses perspective of the important things. But no matter how tough she seems, her heart is made of solid gold. She likes making the people important to her happy no matter the cost. Even if it causes her great pain. 

Dave has always been loyal to his friendship with Julia and the love he felt for her. His world revolved around her, and he has always hoped for the day she'll realize that she feels the same way. However, things don't always go the way we plan. Then he realized that maybe fate has something amazing planned for him. He just has to know pain. 

REVIEW:

Oh, goodness. Where do I begin? First of all, Adi Alsaid is now officially one of my favorite authors. The way he writes appeals to me in a way that very few authors do. The humor he infuses in his books is almost exactly the kind I have, his vision (in this book) is something I can truly relate to, and he's very unpredictable. I'd love to read all of his books (which I will do soon) just to see if he's... consistent, for lack of a better word. 

Never Always Sometimes, if you judge it by its cover, seems to be cliche. Two long-time friends with one in love with the other, embark on a journey together and develop a deeper understanding of things, including love. However, there is nothing typical and predictable about this book. I got kicked in the face every time I assumed I knew what was going to happen. Because of this cycle, I started worrying... a lot. 

I committed a bookworm sin due to the suspense and my fear of not knowing what to expect--I skipped to the last chapter. Don't worry, I still went back to read everything else. I just needed to know what I am in for. Can I just say that the author owes me? I am not going to say why, though some of you guys may already have an idea. I want something more and I hope I will get that "more". There are still many things left hanging in the story, and I believe that gives Adi a huge space to work around in making it up to me. I say "me" because I'd like to pretend I'm selfish, and because he has affected--and scarred--me deeply. You know what I'm talking about, you sly author you. 

I loved all the characters and I mean all of them. From the main characters to the support ones, even the extras. They were all very significant in the story's progression, and without them, I think the book would be a little less colourful. 

SUMMARY:

Adi is a very talented author, and I will definitely be following his updates. Never Always Sometimes is the first one I've read of his work, but I assure you all that I will be checking out the past and future ones. I give this tear-jerking, gas-inducing, heart-warming book 5 stars. I recommend this to readers who love stories of unconditional friendship, love, growing up, and letting go. You will be taken on a wonderful ride, this I promise.

RATING: 

 
PURCHASE LINKS: 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, then studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While in class, he mostly read fiction and continuously failed to fill out crossword puzzles, so it's no surprise that after graduating, he did not go into business world but rather packed up his apartment into his car and escaped to the California coastline to become a writer. He's now back in his hometown, where he writes, coaches high school and elementary basketball, and has perfected the art of making every dish he eats or cooks as spicy as possible. In addition to Mexico, he's lived in Tel Aviv, Las Vegas, and Monterey, California. A tingly feeling in his feet tells him more places will eventually be added to the list. Let's Get Lost is his YA debut. 


AUTHOR LINKS:

Twitter: @AdiAlsaid

Book image from Goodreads

Review of Code of Honor by Missy Johnson

August 21, 2015

Ever since I've read author J.J. McAvoy's Ruthless trilogy, I had this interest in books involving the mafia or mob. "It's not a very good fascination," I can imagine some of you saying. But I can't really shake it off. When the opportunity to read Code of Honor arose, I jumped on it like a PMS-ing woman would a chocolate cake. So what's the verdict?


Title: Code of Honor (Spontagio Family # 1)
Author: Missy Johnson
Release Date: August 25, 2015
Published by: Loveswept
Source: ARC Given by Publisher and Tour Organizer


SYNOPSIS:

In a series debut for fans of Tracy Wolff and Sylvia Day, New York Times bestselling author Missy Johnson asks a burning question: What happens when love is undeniable—and taboo?

Pietro Gustovi is loyal, polished, and hard as stone, the kind of guy women want and men respect. At twenty-three, he’s survived tragedies that would break men twice his age. And he owes it all to his father’s closest friend, Giovanni Spontagio, who took him in as an orphaned teenager. Pietro would give his life for Giovanni . . . but his heart belongs to Giovanni’s daughter.
 
Raised in Chicago under the spotlight of power and privilege, Lucy Spontiago feels most alive on stage. Determined to become a prima ballerina, she escapes her father’s protective gaze long enough to audition for the ballet in New York City. Soon, however, Lucy realizes that she is not alone. Pietro is watching her back. And though he’s like a brother to her, Lucy cannot deny the thrill she feels knowing his eyes are on her.
 
Pietro could never betray his mentor by sleeping with his only child. But Lucy follows her passions, no matter how forbidden. Soon their nights are consumed by explosive, red-hot temptation—a dance that will expose shocking secrets and burn everything else to the ground.
 
IMPORTANT LINKS:


CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

Pietro Gustovi experienced one of the most horrible things in the world--witnessing his parents murder. But no matter how much he wanted to seek revenge, he was never consumed by it. He's selfless, trusting, and caring. He's a normal guy trying to get his degree who also happens to be madly in love with a woman he feels he can't have. Despite everything he's been through, he still trusts in love and hope. If only it were enough. 
 
Lucy Spontagio grew up with everything any young woman could ever ask for. But that's not what she wants. She yearns for freedom and independence; both of which she has been deprived because of her father's business. Dancing has always been her solitude, but when she's given the chance to reach her goal, a chance at love comes along. Will she accept it with open arms or will she choose to follow her dream?

REVIEW:

Code of Honor started off really strong for me; with Pietro's parents getting killed and all. I was expecting it to continue at that pace and will present more thrill. I have to say though, I was sort of disappointed. It's still a good book, don't get me wrong. But it was just too sweet and less exciting, in my opinion. I mean obviously the love story between the two main characters is the major player here, but I also thought I would get more action, you know? It's the mafia so I was waiting for more bang bang! 
 
Focusing on the positive side of the book; the story is actually quite fetching. There's an underlying mystery in the death of Pietro's parents, and it's hard to know who the enemy is. I liked how the author didn't create stereotypical characters. Aside from Giovanni who's pretty textbook, the others were somewhat unpredictable. Pietro isn't your usual tough guy who projects his anger towards the world and his sexual frustrations onto willing women. He's almost the exact opposite actually. It's a given that he wants to be a part of "the business" since "it's in his blood", but he doesn't mind getting his degree in Economics just in case things don't go the way he planned. He also has a group of normal friends, a regular apartment, and he doesn't treat women as his plaything. He's overall a wonderful man. Now, Lucia, I get the need for independence and freedom, especially since her father knows not the meaning of boundaries, but she's taking the danger she may be in too lightly. I don't know, I just figured that as a daughter of a powerful man with dangerous enemies, she'd be more careful and prepared. I have one word for her--sheltered. 
 
The passion between Pietro and Lucy was quite hot, I admit. They're very good together and I'd love for them to have a happy ending. However, I don't think that'll happen anytime soon. What does that mean? Yep. Cliffhanger!! And a major one at that. 

SUMMARY:

Whew! Okay, so all in all a good book. I will be keeping tabs on the following installment(s), because I just have to know the truth behind all the secrets. 4 solid stars for Code of Honor, and for Code of Love (did I get that right?) I hope there will be more action and intensity. I'd really like to see Pietro kick some a**. Come check this out, guys. It's a pretty good read.

RATING:

 
PURCHASE LINKS:

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Missy Johnson is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in a small town in Victoria, Australia, with her husband and her confused pets (a dog who thinks that she is a cat, a cat who thinks he is a dog . . . you get the picture). When she’s not writing, she can usually be found looking for something to read.
 
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Review of Blurred Lines by Lauren Layne

August 17, 2015

I have always been a fan of love stories that rooted in friendship rather than those inta-lust/love things. There's just a sense of realism that I don't get from the latter, you know? So when the opportunity to read Blurred Lines presented itself, I immediately grabbed it. 

Judging by the synopsis alone, there doesn't seem to be anything special about this book. However, once you delve into the pages, you would understand why I liked this... a lot.


Title: Blurred Lines
Author: Lauren Layne
Release Date: August 25, 2015
Published by: Loveswept
Source: ARC Given by Publisher and Tour Organizer through NetGalley


SYNOPSIS:

In a novel that’s perfect for fans of Abbi Glines and Jessica Sorensen, USA Today bestselling author Lauren Layne delivers a sexy take on the timeless question: Can a guy and a girl really be “just friends”?

When Parker Blanton meets Ben Olsen during her freshman year of college, the connection is immediate—and platonic. Six years later, they’re still best friends, sharing an apartment in Portland’s trendy Northwest District as they happily settle into adult life. But when Parker’s boyfriend dumps her out of the blue, she starts to wonder about Ben’s no-strings-attached approach to dating. The trouble is, even with Ben as her wingman, Parker can’t seem to get the hang of casual sex—until she tries it with him.

The arrangement works perfectly . . . at first. The sex is mind-blowing, and their friendship remains as solid as ever, without any of the usual messy romantic entanglements. But when Parker’s ex decides he wants her back, Ben is shocked by a fierce stab of possessiveness. And when Ben starts seeing a girl from work, Parker finds herself plagued by unfamiliar jealousy. With their friendship on the rocks for the first time, Parker and Ben face an alarming truth: Maybe they can’t go back. And maybe, deep down, they never want to.
 
CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

Parker Blanton is a tough, laid-back, and intelligent woman. She's the kind who doesn't even try, yet garners attention anywhere she goes. Planning and organizing are two of the things she does best, and she doesn't handle mess--in every sense of the word--all that well. She's good with safe and steady. That's why when her world is knocked over on its axis, she ended up at a loss for what to do next.

Ben Olsen is fun, playful, and kind of an a**. He's the very definition of a player and not afraid to own up to it. He's easy going most of the time, but when it comes to Parker he's willing to do everything. Committing to one woman has never been in his plans; but when he started feeling things he never felt before, suddenly he wants to give love and relationships a chance.
 
REVIEW: 

Blurred Lines is very well-written. I found myself laughing a lot throughout the book, and I can clearly imagine myself having the same witty conversation Lauren wrote. The story, though seemingly common, is very engaging and somewhat realistic. Parker and Ben didn't have sex because they started feeling things for each other, no. They're too awesome for that. They were just very physically attracted to one another and the deeper kind of love just sort of sprouted from that. 

There were a couple of points that made me think deeply; 1st, what would you do when you have to choose between a stable future, with a family and everything, and the person you couldn't live without? 2nd, how much pain can you take for the person you love more than anyone? 

These questions were brought on by Blurred Lines, and 'till now I still don't have an answer for either one. I'd love to hear some of your thoughts though.

Their names. I mean, Parker is a pretty cool name for a woman but I just can't picture a Victoria Secret-esque image with that name. More worrisome, however, is Ben. I don't find the name sexy at all. I feel like it fits a man in his 40's, still a bit fit, with 3 kids (one is in college), and a dog named Bruce. Was I too specific? Also, I want something more for the ending. I felt like this deserves another book, a short one though. Kind of like a detailed epilogue that would give readers a solid conclusion.

SUMMARY:

Blurred Lines might seem like a cliche to some people, but the way Lauren Layne delivered the story was simply amazing. It's very romantic, funny, sweet, and dramatic. You will be taken on a roller coaster ride, that's a guarantee. Because of all the reasons I stated, I give this book a solid rate. 

RATING: 



EXCERPT:

My sophomore year of high school, I had a short-lived friendship with this girl named Korie Hamilton.
 
She was nice enough.
 
A little too much purple eyeliner, a few too many likes sprinkled throughout her constant chatter, but we had every class together our first semester, so we kind of became friends by default.
 
Anyway, Korie was forever yammering on and on about how her best friend on the entire planet was Stephen Daniels, a boy she’d known for all of four weeks before promoting him to BFF status.
 
Apparently it was, like, ohmigod, like, the best thing ever to have a guy she could talk to without complicating things with romantic entanglements.
 
Please.
 
Real best friends can generally go more than a couple hours without mentioning each other’s name, but Korie found a way to fit Stephen’s name into every other sentence.
 
Just friends my ass.
 
I guess technically they were platonic for a while. Stephen had a girlfriend named Libby Tittles, or something unfortunate like that, and Korie had this on-again-off-again thing with her junior high boyfriend.
 
But anyone who’s ever seen a movie, or watched TV, or just had basic awareness of human interaction saw exactly where Korie and Stephen were heading: Humpville.
 
Even though Korie swore up and down that she didn’t like him like that, both of their significant others were long gone by Thanksgiving of sophomore year.
 
By Christmas vacation, Korie wasn’t uttering quite so many likes. Why? Because Stephen’s tongue was in her mouth before school, after school, and every freaking weekend.
 
But we all know how this ends, right? Just a few short months later, not only were Korie and Stephen no longer dating, they sure as hell weren’t best friends.
 
Their short-lived romance and ensuing breakup barely even registered a blip on the gossip chain, but I’d like to think it taught some of us high school girls a valuable lesson:
 
Guys and girls can’t be just friends. Or not best friends, anyway.
Shit gets too complicated.
 
But let’s fast-forward a few years, shall we.
 
I’m now twenty-four, and I have a public service announcement to make: I was wrong.
 
Guys and girls really can be best friends.

It is possible to have a platonic relationship with a guy where there are no romantic inklings, no sexual fantasies, and no naïve proclamations of I don’t like him like that in a torturous attempt to hide an agonizing unrequited love.
 
How do I know this? How do I know that a guy and a girl can be best friends without romantic entanglements?
 
Well, let’s see, I’ve been on the female end of one such platonic relationship for six years now.
 
Six. Years.
 
True story:
 
Ben Olsen and I met the summer before our first year at University of Oregon during freshman orientation. We were assigned to the same group in one of those terrible ice-breaking activities where you have to put a sticky note on your head and guess what kind of safari animal you are, or something, and we just . . .
Clicked?
 
I don’t know why we clicked in the Hey, you’re cool but I have no interest in boning you kind of way, but we did.
 
Maybe it was because I was in stupid insta-love with another guy in our group. Or maybe because my ovaries were hyperaware that Ben’s ridiculous good looks would lead to heartbreak. But whatever the reason, we did the implausible.
 
We became best friends.
 
And, yes, every single one of my female friends has given me the exact same warnings I gave Korie Hamilton way back when: It won’t work.
 
My friends are split down the middle on how it will actually go down, but they’re all convinced that it will go down.
 
Half think that Ben and I are soulmates who are just biding our time until marriage and babies.
 
The other half think that we’re going to have too much to drink one night, have awful sex, and never speak again.
 
Ben and I proved them wrong when freshman year ended and our friendship was still intact. Sophomore year? Repeat.
 
Junior year, we really upped our game. Not only were we closer than ever, but we became roommates. It happened sort of by accident when one of his housemates backed out at the last minute, and I belatedly realized I couldn’t bear one more year of dorm food, so I moved in. And it worked. So we did it again senior year.
 
Here we are, two years after graduation, still living together, although we’ve upgraded from crappy off-campus housing in Eugene to a slightly less crappy two-bedroom house in the Northwest neighborhood of Portland.
 
And yes. Still platonic as ever, with not so much as a hint of change in the air. I’m crazy in love with Lance Myers, my boyfriend of five years, and Ben . . .
 
Well, Ben’s on a rather awe-inspiring mission to seduce the entire female population in western Oregon.
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.
 
Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren's gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.
 
Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you'll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.


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