Rogue Rider

Larissa Ione writes amazing books with steamy males and fiery females who match them every step of the way and in her latest book, it's no different. This latest book in the Lords of Deliverance series is the one I've been waiting for.

Reseph.

He is one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and the series starts with his seal being broken. He changes from the charismatic man into an evil creature known as Pestilence who loves destruction, blood and death. His savage nature has been something his siblings have been struggling with as they try to keep their own seals from breaking.


Here's my review of

Rogue Rider

Rogue Rider by Larissa Ione
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Larissa Ione has created a stunning world of the four Horsemen of the apocalypse. In this latest installment, Reseph- formerly Pestilence- is found naked, freezing in the snow after being freed from Sheoul by Reaver. He has no memory of his prior life and Reaver sent him into the wilderness with the hope that his mind has time to heal so he can gain his strength and fight off Pestilence’s influence with is still inside him.

His weak and near frozen body is found by Jillain, a woman with her own past which includes a savage demon attack a year ago that has left her a shell of the woman she used to be. Terrified of the demons that ravaged her body and still haunt her nightmares, Jillian drags the naked man into her house against her better judgment and cares for him until he awakens. When the disoriented Reseph regains consciousness, he remembers his name, but little else. He senses danger nearby but doesn’t understand why. Two of Jillian’s neighbors are savagely murdered and law enforcement becomes suspicious that they might have been killed by a demon even though demons had all but disappeared (after Pestilence’s ‘death’) in the human world. When demons attack Jillian’s animals, she knows that demons are still out there and waiting for her. Her terror is amplified when she and Reseph learn the truth about who he is and the horrors Pestilence has wreaked on the Earth.

Can Jillian keep separate the man she knows and loves as Reseph from the vile being known as Pestilence and find happiness? Can Reseph continue to wage war against Pestilence and keep him from hurting anyone again? What will the other horsemen say when they realize their brother/Pestilence is not dead like they thought but off in the human realm, living with a woman?

Rogue Rider is a great story of the power of love. I think one of the things I liked most after seeing the evil side of Pestilence was to get a glimpse of who Reseph was and understand why his siblings loved him so and struggled with the thought of killing him (as Pestilence) to save the world. I think in this we see the charisma Reseph possesses and understand their feelings more. Also, the dynamic between the siblings as they try to find a way to let go of their hatred for Pestilence and come to terms him being Reseph again is so… human. And touching.

Larissa Ione created a fascinating world for these amazing characters she has created. Even the characters you hate, you want more of. Harvester, who had me gritting my teeth in prior books, I wanted to know what happened to her. From the angels who are some of the biggest jerks in existence to the horsemen and their mates to the humans who fight beside them, you’re left wanting more.

An excellent series that I cannot recommend highly enough!

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Alice in Zombieland

I know, I'm on a Zombie kick, right? I guess I am. I go my whole life never reading a single Zombie book and then back to back Zombies. Must be all the Walking Dead I'm watching...

I can't believe this is the first Gena Showalter book I'm reviewing on the blog. I need to get on the ball because her books are great. Fun, witty with the right hint of snark/sarcasm. I highly recommend them because I've read them all. She writes steamy romance and intriguing YA that will keep you turning those pages.

Her books are on my "Books I'd read any day of the week" list and if you haven't read her yet, what are you waiting for?

Here's my review of

Alice in Zombieland

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I preface this review with I love Gena Showalter and I'm not afraid to admit it! I think she is funny, smart and writes one hell of a great story. I've read her other YA books and I think she's outdone herself with this one!

From the cover to the title, you are drawn into this world that you are expecting to be unique and dark and Gena turns that all on it's ear by having Alice be your typical girl who, yes, she has a bizarre family situation (to put it mildly) but for all intents and purposes she's you or me, just trying to get through the day. She tries to deal with her father and all his rules and still be 'normal' even though it's impossible. She she has a sister she adores and she does what she can to make everything seem alright for her.

Then one night, everything changes and Alice realizes that the world isn't at all as harmless she thought. It's turned upside-down and in the tiniest of moments, her eyes are opened to what is truly around her and it's as terrifying as her father said it was.

Once again, Gena Showalter pulls me in, drags me down into her world, and leaves me breathless. The characters and the relationships, especially those with Alice's family- you feel them. The pain, the guilt and all she does to protect the people she loves. Even the ones she can't.

Great book, wild ride and another home run for Gena Showalter. Check out not only Alice in Zombieland, but all her books!

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The Infects

I love it when a book surprises me, and this one did! Truth be told, I thought the plot sounded interesting and my husband has this thing for zombies so I gave it a try. In the first few pages, I loved Nick. I wanted to hang out with him, I wanted to play video games with him, I wanted to fight zombies and kick ass with him. The way Sean Beaudoin writes his characters is with humor, sarcasm and heart. Sounds like an odd combination, I know, but it works!

The books had so much to like about it that I even found myself enjoying the unique formatting things he did inside the book with adding menus, notes, and police reports and the 'drops' at the beginning of each chapter. Unique and interesting. I'm a fan!

Please, put this book on your to be read list. Pick it up when it comes out. You won't be sorry- unless a zombie gets you then you're kinda screwed...

Here's my review of

The Infects

The Infects by Sean Beaudoin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this book from NetGalley.

Nick is your typical teenage boy. His parents are divorced, his dad has gone off the deep end so Nick helps take care of his sister Amanda who has Aspbergers, when he’s not in high school or working at Rebozzo Aviraculture. (aka a chicken factory) Things in his life are moving along: There’s a girl he wants to ask out, he gets a promotion at work, slices open his hand, gets fired- then arrested and sent to a camp for troubled youth where he is given the handle Nero. And if that’s not enough, the camp's attacked by zombies. Nothing too strange, right?

The Infects is an unusually awesome book that is funny, irreverent, campy and clever. And I love clever. The story is told in a great, masculine, voice that is very authentic. You want to hear more from Nick/Nero and get his take on things. Where many teen/YA books are geared toward girls and romance, this story will grab both male and female readers a like. Girls will most definitely want to date Nick, and guys will want to follow him into the book and take on some zombies.

If you want to go on a wild ride through a zombie filled camp for troubled youth, this is your book.
If you want to read a book that looks at the messed up world world from the view of a teenage guy, this is your book.
If you love chicken, laughter, adventure, gore, girls and zombies, don’t walk, RUN out and get this book. But keep one eye open for zombies when you do…

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Close Enough to Touch

Victoria Dahl is an author I've wanted to read for a while now, but other things have seems to have kept getting in my way. Then one of her books popped up at NetGalley and I was lucky enough to give it a read. I have to say, I'll definitely be reading more of her books. Close Enough to Touch had great characters, an interesting town full of personalities that made you smile and a couple that couldn't have been more different. but somehow she weaved everything together into a believable attraction and rocky relationship.

Here is my review of

Close Enough to Touch

Close Enough to Touch by Victoria Dahl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Grace Barrett leaves LA in a whirlwind of trouble. An ex she owes money, a job she was fired from, and no family to speak of- except a great-aunt in Jackson, Wyoming. Out of options, she packs her all her worldly possessions into a duffle bag and catches the first bus out of LA, never looking back. Guilt and shame follow her to the small town as she realizes she has no idea where she’s going or how to contact her aunt. The locals help her find her way, get her on the bus and send her to her great-aunt’s place, cheekily known as the “stud Farm’ because the aging woman only rents the apartments in her building to young men who are easy on the eyes. With great apprehension, Grace decides to stay, but only for a month as a stop-over on her way to Toronto where she feels she will be able to find work in the film business like she had been working as a makeup artist in LA before her rapid departure. Wanting nothing more than a roof over her head and a place to try and earn a little money over the next few weeks, Grace’s plans are complicated by the sexy cowboy in the apartment across the hall.

Cole Rawlins’ life wasn’t all rodeos and cowgirls. Recovering from a very serious accident he was still on restrictions because of his recovering leg and pelvis fractures. Physical therapy hadn’t cured him yet and most days it felt like things might never go back to how they were, before that horse had trampled on his leg, ruining his plans. Cole had worked at Easy Creek for years and had plans to buy the place once Mr. Easy retired, which was going to be any day now. He had worked his way through the ranks of the ranch until his injury sidelined him from everything he loved. Not one to sit still, he pushed himself physically to recover, but deep down he was terrified he might never be the same. When a purple-haired woman blows into town and catches his eye, she becomes a nice distraction as he awaits word from the doctor about if he will ever be able to ride again.

Secrets from both their pasts cannot be avoided and trouble has a way of following Grace and Cole. Running away from things hasn’t worked for either one of them in the past and when a movie production team comes to town scouting locations to shoot a few scenes from a movie, things come to a head. Ex’s cause trouble and fears keep Grace from being able to commit. Together they struggle to keep their feet beneath them in this fragile relationship as the urge to run grown in Grace rather than fight for what she wants.

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I love Lori Foster Day!

So here's my day:
Wake up early
Work all day
Pick up kids from everywhere
Sit down for the first time since 5:30am and turn on the computer
See an email
Click on Goodreads
I DIE

I recently posted my review of Run the Risk by Lori Foster her newest book that comes out next month and who liked my review on Goodreads? None other than Lori Foster herself!! Now at this point in my day you must insert my huge grin, wild flapping of hands and the odd look on my husband's face as I try to explain why I'm acting like a lunatic.

So in honor of Lori making my day I feel the need to say that she is hands down one of my favorite romance writers. Her books are the ones I have on my Nook and my Nook app and in paperback- just to cover all bases. Hers are the ones I've read 5-6 times each and love them more each time.

 I even remember my first Lori Foster book - Back in Black which is the 5th book the her SBC fighters series.

I admit the cover is what made me pick up the book ;) but her characters made me fall in love. I went back and got the first in the series and read them straight through.

My next series of hers was the Buckhorn Brothers and it did not disappoint. She write such rich characters that you can't help but feel like you know them after a few pages. I wanted to go to the town where they lived and explore the world she created.

I've read all her single titles and anthologies. I loved her Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Series, the Winston Brothers and Visitation series.

She also is very good about wrapping a series up, not making it linger too long which we all know is my pet peeve. She doesn't fall into the 10-15 book series trap. She gets in there, writes a solid series and ends it before it gets stale or repetitive. Just one of the many reasons I adore her writing.

The men in her books make you swoon, they get your heart racing and make you sigh. She can fit the most unlikely of pairs together and somehow make them fit in the most wonderful of ways.

Yes, this entry has been full on gushing about Lori, I realize that. But come on..... it's LORI FOSTER!

I hope the next time you're out shopping and you see one of her books, you'll remember this insane blog entry and pick it up. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you Lori Foster for 'liking' my review- you made my day!

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A Fool's Gold Christmas

Summer is a time for books. Every so often an easy, breezy read is exactly what you need, and this book fit the bill. The Christmas angle pulls at the heartstrings in all the right places.

Here's my review of

A Fool's Gold Christmas

A Fool's Gold Christmas by Susan Mallery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was received from NetGalley.

This one was an easy read, low angst high sweetness factor. I haven't read the other books in the Fool's Gold Series yet so this was my first taste of Susan Mallery.

Evie was a professional football cheerleader before a freak accident broke her leg and changed her life. As she was released from the hospital and in a drugged haze from all the pain medications, her family moved her to Fool’s Gold in an attempt to ‘help’ her. Even though it was the last place on Earth Evie wanted to be. One thing she did discover while she was there that she had a passion for teaching dance, so she was hired as an instructor at Dominique’s School of Dance. Her job was fun and she loved working with the girls until one day, the head teacher ran off with a man and left Evie with the job of planning the dance school’s annual Christmas program, The Dance of the Winter King for the entire town- a program she had never seen before or had the slightest clue what the choreography was. Add in a horrible relationship with her mother and Evie’s stress level was at an all- time high when Dante walked into her life.
Dante Jefferson was a college friend of Evie’s brother, Rafe, and had moved to Fool’s Gold just after Evie. He lived in the townhouse next to her and worked in the same building as her dance studio. Inevitably in a town that size, his path intersected with Evie’s and sparks flew. The two explored the town and their feelings for one another which only grew the more time they spent together.
Family situations, work entanglements, and the past constantly cause tension in their relationship. As Christmas approaches, things become more complicated and hearts are broken. Will a Christmas miracle to fix everything? Or is the damage beyond repair?


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Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed

Can you guess what I've been doing this summer? By the pool, on the couch, in the car. Wherever I was, I've been reading and loving every minute of it! My Nook has definitely gotten a workout over the last few months, but there's nothing better than stumbling upon a new book or series and getting lost in it.

This was my first book by Anna Campbell and I have to say I will be looking for her next one. She had great banter between the characters and wrote believable interactions between them. Castle Craven lived up to it's name and scared/enticed the reader just as much as it did poor, out of work, Sidonie.

Here is my review of:

Seven nights in a Rogue's Bed

Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed by Anna Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley.

I have been reading a lot of historical Romances lately and this one by Anna Campbell was hard to put down.


Sidonie Forsythe arrives at Castle Craven desperate to help her sister, Roberta, repay a gambling debt she has accrued through an unfortunate game of cards. To settle her debt to Jonas Merrick, Roberta is to ‘give herself’ to this man who also happens to be her brother in law, the illegitimate brother of her husband William. William and Jonas however, despise one another.

Sidonie knows that William often takes his temper out on his wife, so to save her sister, Sidonie decides to sacrifice herself and her virginity to the man her sister has described as the cruel, scarred, Jonas Merrick.

Jonas is surprised when Sidonie shows up in her sister’s place and does his best to intimidate her into submission, but Sidonie holds her own and refuses to be dismissed. She is going to see this thing through to the end and repeatedly offers herself to Jonas, despite her terror. She isn’t intimidated by him, or his scars which she hardly notices after their initial meeting. She’s more frightened of the feelings he awakens in her.

Jonas does the unexpected and refuses to bed the fair Sidonie as she lay naked in his bed. Instead he asks her to spend 7 days with her and allow him to convince her to willingly sleep with him. If she resists him, she is free to leave, her sister’s debt repaid and her virtue intact. And if she cannot resist him, then they will share a wonderful night together and if she becomes pregnant she must let him know. He makes her promise this so that his child will not have to grow up with the stigma of being a bastard as he has faced his entire life.
Sidonie agrees to the terms and even though she hardly knows Jonas, she is confident he will not force himself upon her, rather he will use his hands and his kisses to seduce her body and mind. Her overconfidence is tested to the limits over the next days at Castle Craven and what she and Jonas find together is more terrifying and exciting than either imagined.

Anna Campbell writes a wonderful story of sacrifice and redemption. Her characters come to life from the moment of their first interaction. The banter between Jonas and Sidonie will put a smile on your face as they try to protect themselves from what they are beginning to feel for one another. Sidonie is a strong woman who is not easily intimidated and Jonas, for all his bluster, is intrigued by her to no end. Where bedding Roberta would have been about disgracing his idiot brother, seducing Sidonie is about saving himself from his demons.

Trust, lies, and love become tightly intertwined in Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed by Anna Campbell. Give it a read and fall in love with Jonas and Sidonie as I did.

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Run the Risk

I love Lori Foster- I need to say that. Her books are amazing and she writes some of the best men in romance. So when I saw this one on NetGalley, I had to request it and dropped everything when it came through to read it. (Fangirl moment over)

This is the first book in a new series for Lori, and I couldn't be more excited to read the next one! Here is my review of Lori Foster's

Run the Risk

Run the Risk by Lori Foster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley.

Run the Risk is a book full of romance, intrigue and action. Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to bring down the slimy, but well-connected Morton Andrews the man who is responsible for the murder of Jack Carmin, a friend of his. Morton owned a local club called Checkers and had plenty of cops on the take and looking the other way as he conducted his illegal activities. After Jack’s murder, a man named Rowdy Yates who worked as a bouncer at Checkers gave an interview where he named Morton as the one responsible for Jack Carmin’s murder. But before the story could be printed, the reporter was murdered and Morton was never brought to justice.

It’s two years later and Logan hasn’t given up on bringing Anderson to justice. He’s been researching Rowdy Yates but he proves to be a ghost of sorts, one they can’t find. However Logan believes he’s found Rowdy’s sister Pepper Yates managing an apartment building under an assumed name. He rents the room next to her and assumes the identity of Logan Stark. He’s willing to do anything, including seducing Pepper if that’s what it takes to get information on her brother and use him to take down Morton.

Pepper, aka Sue Meeks, is forced to live a most boring and solitary existence. She knows how important it is to stay hidden, her brother has hammered that into her head for years. She hides behind baggy clothes and a quiet demeanor, hoping no one will figure out who she really is so she can protect herself, and her brother. Things seem to be going well until the super sexy Logan Stark moves in next door. Every day she sees him, standing shirtless on his porch, watching her come home from running errands and every day he gives her a sexy smile and insists on a conversation. His heated stares and gorgeous body make it hard for Pepper, living as the mousey Sue, to keep her distance.

Logan finally breaks through all of Pepper’s defenses and makes progress, only to find out nothing about her or her situation was what it seemed. Even more surprising than that were the genuine feelings he begins to develop for her. When Logan and his partner Reese finally get Rowdy into custody, the truth comes out and they realize how much danger Rowdy and his sister are in and the two officers are forced to join forces with Rowdy so the truth can come out and Morton can be finally brought to justice.

Run the Risk is sexy, action-packed romance that takes countless twist and turns. Nobody is what they seem in this story and Lori Foster does an amazing job slowly peeling back the layers to reveal who each of the characters truly are.

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An Outlaw's Christmas

About 6 weeks ago I received this book from NetGalley and enjoyed it so much, that I was compelled to go back to the beginning of the McKettrick series and get to know all of the McKettrick men- since Sawyer stole my heart with his quiet confidence and charm.  This book also made me a fan of Linda Lael Miller and I have enjoyed reading her books more than I can say.

From beginning to end, this one had me.
Here's my review of Linda Lael Miller's

An Outlaw's Christmas

An Outlaw's Christmas by Linda Lael Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great holiday read!

An Outlaw’s Christmas is a sweet and endearing story about two people finding love in the most unusual of places.

Sawyer McKettrick arrives in Blue River, Texas looking to get away from some things in his past. His cousin Clay lives nearby and Sawyer is going to take over his job as town marshal for the time being. As soon as he gets off the train, he is shot by an unknown assailant. Spooked, his horse takes off and Sawyer, injured and barely conscious hangs on until the horse come to a stop beside a tiny building in the middle of a raging snowstorm. Sawyer falls from the horse and passes out in the snow.

Piper St. James relocated from Maryland to take the job as the schoolmarm in Blue River. Her home consisted of a small room built off the back of the one room schoolhouse. It wasn’t much, but it was all she had. Her cousin Dara Rose had recently been married and sang the praises of Blue River, causing Piper to make the long trek across country to be near her only family. However when she got to Blue River, it wasn’t all she thought it would be so she was saving all her meager earnings to buy a ticket back to Maryland. Everything changed one night in the middle of a snowstorm when she sees a horse standing outside her window. She rushes outside and finds a man, shot and unconscious in the snow at her feet.

Using all her strength and resources, Piper manages to drag the man into the schoolhouse and tends to his injuries as best she can. He weaves in and out of consciousness over the next day, but to Pipers relief, he stays alive until help arrives. Clay, Dara Rose’s husband comes to check on her when the weather clears and is shocked to discover his cousin Sawyer passed out on the floor of the schoolhouse. He gets the doctor and they quickly tend to Sawyer’s injuries but determine if they try and move him, Sawyer will not survive the trip so much to Piper’s chagrin, they carry him to her bed and leave her, a single woman and schoolmarm to tend to this stranger’s injuries. Piper is terrified what the town gossips will say about her, but knows helping Sawyer is the right thing to do, so she concedes.

As Sawyer slowly recovers, he and Piper slowly grow an awkward situation into a blossoming, sweet romance that ends with true love.
An Outlaw’s Christmas is a charming story of hope, dedication and redemption that will have to smiling and bring tears to your eyes. Linda Lael Miller weaves a beautiful Christmas tale that hits all the right notes to warm your heart.

This was my first novel by Linda Lael Miller and I was hooked! After this, I started with book one of the McKettrick Series and have enjoyed them more than I can say.

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McKettrick Series

I stumbled into this series by getting an ARC of one of Linda Lael Miller's other books in the series from NetGalley and have been completely sucked into the world of the Triple M Ranch and the McKettrick men. I devoured High Country Bride and the second book Shotgun Bride and am taking a break to write this review, then I'm picking up my Nook and jumping into Secondhand Bride. I hope you give this series a chance and pick up the first book.

Here's my review of

High Country Bride

High Country Bride (McKettrick Cowboys, #1) by Linda Lael Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So I LOVED this book and have fallen in love with this series! I was lucky enough to get and ARC of one of her other books in this series (review coming closer to release date) but after reading and enjoying it, had to start at the beginning. I'm happy to say, I wasn't disappointed!


High Country Bride is about the McKettrick men Rafe, Kade, and Jeb who live with their father on the Triple M ranch in Indian Rock which is in the middle of the Arizona territory in 1884. Their father, Angus McKettrick is tired of their wild ways and wants them to settle down. He tells his sons that whichever of them gets married and gives him a grandchild first will get the controlling interest in the ranch. His sons, not wanting to answer to one another, grudgingly scramble to find themselves a wife first.

In Kansas City, Emmaline Harding lives with her Aunt Becky in a brothel. Her aunt has sent her to the finest finishing schools and protects her from 'the business.' One night, Emmaline, feeling not herself dresses up as one of the working girls and goes downstairs to have some fun. She meets a Texan who she flirts with and drinks a little too0 much whiskey with. She kisses him in the hallway and stumbles into a room with him. The next morning she wakes up, in a bed wearing her underclothes, with a pile of coins on the night stand. She has no recollection of what happened but when her aunt finds her stripped and sees the money she screams at Emmaline and throws her out. Hurt and shamed, Emmaline signs up to be a mail order bride and is sent to Indian Rock as Mrs. Rafe McKettrick.

Rafe and Emmaline have many struggles in this entertaining western historical romance but eventually find love only to have that one indiscretion from Kansas City follow Emmaline to Indian Rock complicating and threatening to ruin everything she has built between herself and Rafe.

Linda Lael Miller creates an entertaining family in the McKettricks with a wonderful supporting cast of characters in town that add color and humor to the story.

What I liked: The McKettrick men- all gruff and stubborn with no idea how to handle women. And the housekeeper, Conception, doesn't shy away from putting them in their place when they get out of line. Emmaline is a great character with brass and balls.

What I didn't like: I figured out the big secret right away, so there was no aha moment for me when the truth came out, but watching it all play out was very entertaining.

I highly recommend this series if you enjoy western historical romances. I've read the second books and am getting read to crack into the third book and they keep getting better. I've laughed, I've cried and I've thoroughly enjoyed High Country Bride by Linda Lael Miller. I hope you do too.

Thanks for Reading my Mind.

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You Don't Want to Know

Even the title sounds creepy....

I was lucky enough to get this book as an ARC from NetGalley and when I saw a Lisa Jackson book, I jumped at the chance to read it. She comes up with the greatest ideas wrapped in the most interesting cast of characters. In this book, Ava is a woman going through a terrible time. Her son is missing and she has lost almost two years of her life grieving, searching and mourning. Anti-depression drugs, hospitals and misery are all she knows. She can't remember the events of yesterday let alone things that happened months, or weeks ago. All she can think about in her haze is finding Noah.

Here is my review of

You Don't Want to Know

You Don't Want To Know by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this ARC from NetGalley

You Don’t Want to Know is a suspenseful novel filled with an intriguing cast of characters who will keep you guessing until the bitter end. Just when you think you have it figured out, Lisa Jackson throws another twist into the mix that turns everything you thought you knew upside down.
Ava Garrison is a woman tormented by the disappearance of her son, Noah two years ago. She’s been in and out of mental hospitals as she tries to deal with her loss, heavily medicated and for the most part has lost contact with reality. She can’t remember things happen in her daily life, she loses time and has little connection with people anymore. Sequestered in the family/s home on Church Island, Ava is constantly plague by visions of her missing son and questions about what could have happened to him.

Church Island has also had its share of tragedy and infamy. There was a mental hospital for violent criminals which was housed on the island. Lester Reece was a serial killer with money and an excellent attorney who got him placed as a patient at Sea Cliff. He escaped and was never found. His escape ruined Ava’s uncle, who ran the facility and he had to retire in shame. Locals for years have reported sightings of the serial killer, but he has never been caught. When the sightings start again, everyone is on edge.

On the island Ava is surrounded by people, all with an opinion on what is best for her. Her husband Wyatt, her cousin, the doll-carrying Elvis loving Jewel-Anne who is confined to a wheelchair because of a boating accident but never misses an opportunity to make a dig at Ava and her lose grasp on reality. Add to the mix a bitter friend, a sketchy psychiatrist Ava is convinced is having an affair with her husband, servants, therapists and various relatives and spouses and you have all the makings of a nervous breakdown for an already fragile woman.
Convinced she’s again seen her son standing on the edge of the dock, Ava races out into the night and throws herself into the sea, only to be rescued by a mysterious man her husband recently hired by the name of Dern. Ava’s family is convinced she’s again on a downward spiral but Ava fights through the fog of her drugs and makes the decision to find out what happened to Noah. She secretly stops taking her medication and her head begins to clear. She is still missing large block of her time and events from her past but slowly, she beings to put the pieces together and finds out the people closest to her aren’t as trustworthy as she thought.

As she becomes more of her old self, she discovers someone is trying to drive her crazy. She begins hearing Noah crying and a calling for her in the middle of the night, but no one else admitted to hearing it. While outside she saw movement at the window in what had been Noah’s room. As she raced inside she found a soaking wet pair of Noah’s shoes on the floor. As she tries to put the pieces of the puddle together, she hits wall after wall. On the mainland her friend Tanya helps her get some recording equipment so she can find out who is messing with her head and why.

Dern continues to watch over Ava, popping up whenever she’s in trouble. Her marriage to Wyatt is in name only with them bickering more than getting along so she begins to develop feelings for Dern and his protective nature, but Dern has secrets of his own that will rock Ava when exposed.
You Don’t Want to Know is an action packed novel. Lisa Jackson created an intriguing cast in this book, many of whom you will love to hate. Ava doesn’t know who to trust or where to turn and you can feel that as you read. Everyone is suspect, everyone is less than kind to Ava in one way or another, but the real question is who hates her enough to torture her with her loss. And what actually happened to Noah? Will she ever have closure on that horrible day two years ago?

I highly recommend You Don’t Want to Know, especially if you’re looking for some heart pounding action that will have you cautiously looking around dark corners for days.

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Within Reach

Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this ARC from NetGalley


Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry

Within Reach is a beautifully written book by Sarah Mayberry that looks at people finding love after a tragedy. Angela and Billie are best friends and have been since their days in boarding school. Angela designs jewelry, travels and lives the single life while Billie is a woman who has it all: a wonderful husband, two wonderful kids and a life full of fun. On her thirty-second birthday, Billie suffers a heart attack and dies. Her husband Michael and her two children Eva and Charlie are left to pick up the pieces and find a way to carry on.

Angela spends as much time as possible with Michael and the children, providing support and heling them get through the days immediately after Billie’s death. Ten months later, Angela shows up at Michael’s house and finds him and the children living what she calls a ‘half-live.’ She goes out on a limb and tells him as much and encourages him to go back to work and start living again, that Billie wouldn’t want him to be miserable.

Eva and Charlie are Billie and Michael’s amazing children and both Angela and Michael do everything they can to support the children and get them through their loss. Eva is a whirlwind, much like her mother, and often sees more than the adults do within the story. Angela loves spending time with the children and Michael, it helps her feel like she is doing something to help them all move forward.
What began as a tentative friendship between Angela and Michael grows into something much more. Both are shocked and scared of the feelings that develop between them as time goes on, but in the end they find it’s far more painful to be apart than to wade through their murky feelings and see what they really mean. In the end, they find a love that is real and based on the future, without forgetting Billie and how important she was in both of their lives.

Within Reach had me laughing and crying through and through. The way Angela interacts with Billie and Michael’s children and deals with the harsh realities of their loss is amazing and very human. She isn’t perfect, she makes mistakes as does Michael as they try and understand the new feelings they have for one another. What Sarah Mayberry wrote is a beautiful story of overcoming loss to find what is waiting in the future. I highly recommend it, just make sure you have some tissues nearby…

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Cinder

I've had this book for some time now and I've been hesitant to pick it up. I admit the cover art drew me to it, and the title leaves little to the imagination about the story line, but still I had it, looking at me on my shelf and I finally decided on a rainy day to take a chance and gave it a read.

And I was glad I did.

I think Marissa Meyer wove an interesting tale using elements from Cinderella in a very blatant way but in a new setting and with so much more to it than a girl who is mistreated by her family and lands a Prince in the end. There is no fairy-godmother for Cinder who makes her dreams come true. The closest she comes is a doctor who ends up providing her with information she needs to stay alive.

Here is my review of

Cinder

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm giving this one 3.5 stars...
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I have to admit, when I decided to read this one I was a bit leery of the whole "Cinderella" premise and how it would work in this story. I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised how Marissa Meyer used it in a unique way to enhance her story.


All the girl wants is a foot that fits.

A plague is killing countless people. Once someone shows signs of the plague, black spots on their skin, medics are called and the infected are taken away. To be quarantined. To die. In the midst of this plague, Cinder is a cyborg who works as a mechanic in New Beijing. Her reputation and skill leads to a very special request from Prince Kaito who happens upon her booth and asks her to see if she can fix a robot of his. He hints it might have important information on it, then reveals it's a robot he's had for many years and it has sentimental value. A flustered Cinder agrees to look at it and get back with him. And so begins Cinder.


What I liked about it: I liked how Marissa Meyer didn't shy away from the references to Cinderella in her book, even going so far as to name her lead character after her. Many authors would have written a story line similar to this, but given the character a different name and played it off as it's own creation. I liked how she went back to small pieces of the story of Cinderella, but they were more accessory pieces to the main story line. I liked the relationship between Cinder and Kaito, it seemed very true to the situation they were both placed in.

What I didn't like: Many of the characters on the book are not what they seem. The first one, I bought, the second one, was a stretch, by the third one I was wondering how anyone with 'powers' could be so dense. I also am not a fan of the "big cliff-hanger ending" in a book. Especially because in this book, nothing is settled as it ends. Many things are set up, but nothing comes to conclusion. It ends with more questions raised than answered. I also figured out the big secret early in the story because it was a bit predictable, but it didn't matter it was interesting to see it all play out.

I think this one is definitely worth a read just to see how Marissa Meyer weaves elements of the classic Cinderella tale into a futuristic, cyborg setting that is far more like Star Wars than Disney World.

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Ghostwalkers Continued...

I love reading a good series by an author. Why? I like seeing the vision unfold, I like watching all the pieces and characters fall into place. I enjoy learning more and more about each of them as they grow and mature and evolve. I love trying to guess who the next book will be about or waiting and wondering when a certain character will fall in love and who it will be with. Will it be someone I already know? Or a new face that appears in a later book. All those things keep me reaching for the next book and when it's well done, it's a magic ride for a reader.

Not all series have that. Not all series can keep a smooth transition and introduce new characters in a way that the reader has time to develop feelings about them or they are thrown into the picture and you are flipping through earlier books wondering who this person is. When that happens, it feels disjointed and it takes time to fall back into step with the series.

In talking about series, the Ghostwalkers has a definite point where it breaks off from the smooth transitions from book to book. That point is the 8th book in the series - Street Game. In this book, we are abruptly introduced to a whole new set of characters and it is jarring. Don't get me wring, I still love the series and will continue to read it again and again because of the world Christine Feehan has created and I simply have to be there when Peter Whitney is found and finally gets what's coming to him!

 Here is my review of

 Street Game

Street Game by Christine Feehan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Street Game is the the 8th book in the Ghostwalkers series and the reason for the 3 stars instead of 4 like I gave the previous books is because the series takes a jump here and goes from the the characters in the first Ghostwalker Team to a new set of characters (Ghostwalker team 3) that haven't been in the series at all until now so it feels a bit disjointed from the rest and I had to become invested in them and their story much more than I had to in previous books. The plot is fine, but that blip in the arc of the series really throws me.

Mac and Jaimie are solid characters. I like that Jaimie is a different kind of Ghostwalker, not at all a warrior like many of the women at times seem to be. She is more wary of their powers and enhancements and chooses to fight not with weapons, but with her brain- and is just as capable.

I still enjoy the series, but I wish the transition into this new group of characters was handled smoother like when the Nortons came into the picture as part of the second Ghostwalkers team in earlier books.

A good book, worth the read for sure!

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Ghostwalkers

As I hide inside from the scorching heat that is burning up the area, I have my AC cranked and my book in had. I recently cracked open one of my favorite series for a re-read because I can't get enough of it. It's the Ghostwalker's series by Christine Feehan. Her elite group of military men and the stories she weaves for them are always a good read. Her latest book Samurai Game came out last week and I wanted to refresh my memory before digging into that one. So here is my review of  the first book in the Ghostwalker's Series:

Shadow Game

Shadow Game by Christine Feehan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Christine Feehan is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of her books, and the Ghostwalkers is one series I return to time and time again.

Shadow Game centers around a woman, Lily Whitney, who is brought onto a project by her father as a consultant. The day she is introduced to the Ghostwalkers, an elite military group who signed up for Dr. Whitney's psychic enhancement experiments, her father is brutally killed. Before he dies, he issues a plea and apology to her, asking her to help the Ghostwalkers, who are all being held more or less as prisoners at the lab with horrible side effects from the enhancements and to forgive him for what he has done. As Lily forms an immediate connection with the leader of the group, Ryland Miller, she finds out they are all in grave danger and need answers. Her life is torn open when she learns the truth of her childhood and how far her father's experiments have gone. Lily also struggles with her powerful feelings for Ryland, wondering if they are real or more of her fathers scientific manipulations.


What I liked about it: The premise behind it is great. Enhancing psychic powers to make an elite military unit. Lily Whitney and her warped childhood and the lengths she goes in this book and future ones in the series to right her father's wrongs. Ryland and his men pull you in with their personalities and make you want to see who the next book is about.

What I didn't like: Because the characters often use their senses, there are times where everything is described to the last detail. Again, that is in part a function of the story line, but it had me skimming back to character interactions. Description lovers will enjoy it, but for me it at times was a bit much.


This series has action, it has emotion, it has heat and it has laughs. Christine Feehan has a great style to her writing that draws you in and makes you fall headlong into her series. As an opening book, this is a strong one that I know readers will definitely want more of.

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Summer Series Rec - Virgin River

So I finished my first series of the summer and I have to say, this was a good one. On a whim I checked out the Robyn Carr series- Virgin River- and fell in love. Read the review because to be clear- this is my definition of a fun, summer read. If you're looking for something gritty, new, fresh or risque, this isn't it. This is a book about a place, and people you want to meet, hang out with, and share a beer with in the local hangout. Here's my review of

Virgin River

Virgin River by Robyn Carr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Definitely 3.5 STARS!

The Virgin River series is what I would call a great, light summer read. If you're like me and want to get caught up in a series for the summer, one that won't keep you up at night or stick you in the middle of messy love triangles, this was a fun one to spend time in. Is it cutting edge new, angsty to the point you can't breathe writing? No. It's calm, it's fun, it will make you smile and swoon and want to pack up your car and drive to Virgin River and check out Jack's restaurant or Doc's office and cross paths with the rest of the gang you grow to love over the course of this series.

Virgin River is about a woman, Melinda, who leave the hustle and bustle of her big city life in the ER after her husband's death and in a desperate attempt to wipe the slate clean and start over, she takes a job offer from an ancient busy-body named Hope McCrea in the tiny town of Virgin River to work as a nurse midwife. When she arrives, things aren't exactly what they seemed. From the nearly falling down house that looks nothing like the picture promised, to the cantankerous town doctor who had no idea he was 'in need of help' and disliked her right away. Ready to bolt before she even unpacks, she wanders into Jack Sheridan's bar/restaurant and her future changes.

What I liked: The cast of characters. From Preacher - who isn't a even preacher, to Mel, Jack, Rick, Doc Mullins the grumpiest guy you ever want to play a game of gin with, To characters that come in later books like Paige, Brie, Walt and Muriel. The list goes on, each tugging at your heart in a different way.

*This part contains tiny spoilers*
What I didn't like: everyone in the town is fertile- hyper fertile. Men look at a woman, and she's pregnant against all odds, one their first try, condoms break and the like. BUT again- think light, summer read at the pool... and that's not a terrible thing ;) The series goes long, over 15 books. The last ones feel like random people thrown into a town you love because she's married off all the 'regulars' if you will.

I liked this series, loved Robyn Carr's easy writing style. Think low stress, low angst, lotsa hunky men (who mostly happen to be ex-military types) and a series full of HEAs then this is the series for you. I adore Jack and Mel and their story starts in Virgin River, but with each book in the series, they make an appearance and their story continues to grow. I laughed, I cried, I want to go to Virgin River... I hope you do to.

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Shadow and Bone

The drought is over!!

The last few books I've read have left me feeling like they were okay, nothing to write home about. This book - Shadow and Bone - was a complete page turner that I found myself thinking about all night and desperately waiting for the next book to come out. It was a dark, exciting, adventure I think many people will be talking about.

Here's my review of:

Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Let's say 4.5 stars really...

Shadow and Bone I have to say pulled me in from the very beginning. Leigh Bardugo created a unique world that kept me turning the pages. Before I knew it, hours had passed.

Two orphans, Alina and Mal grow up together and are the best of friends- the only things they have in the world. As they grow up, Alina's feelings grow into more, but she never tells Mal. He's the outgoing one, people are drawn to him and she is more of the loner, the outsider who doesn't quite fit in, but Mal doesn't seem to mind. They stay close to one another even as they become part of the Second Army where she works as a map maker and he is a soldier/tracker.

Their regiment is assigned to cross the Shadow Fold which is described as "a swath of nearly impenetrable darkness that grew with every passing year and crawled with horrors." Volcra are the terrifying creatures that inhabit the Fold, waiting to kill. Knowing the dangers, their regiment is ready to cross the Fold in order to get to the port city on the other side. It's during that crossing that they are attacked by volcra and Alina has her world turned upside down and she becomes pulled into the world of the Grisha and the Darkling.

Shadow and Bone is dark and chilling fantasy book. Alina is taken on a roller coaster of a ride and you are right along side of her. There were times in the book where I found myself just as shocked as Alina by something that happened because of Leigh Bardugo's writing. All of the characters jump off the page and keep you guessing about their intentions toward Alina. I loved Genya and the Darkling too.

The biggest drawback to this book- it's a trilogy, and this is book one. Now I have to wait (impatiently for sure) for the next one to come out. Here's to hoping Leigh writes fast ;)


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What I liked about this book: The characters- she wrote a rich cast of personalities. Some were good and some were bad, but all left you wanting to know more about them. I almost read the whole book in one sitting, it was that good and for me- a self admitted skimmer- I read every word. And this will make sense after you read the book but - I love the color black.

What I didn't like about this book: There were a lot of 'terms' that were unique to her world and it took a while to straighten out in my mind what things like a corporalki, etherealki and materialki and verious others were and how they were different. But they were labels given to groups of people and the story usually showed you what they were if the word was confusing.


This was a great book, I highly, highly suggest this one!

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Summer Series

This summer, I want to start reviewing different series of books. I think there's something that so many of us go through that we don't often talk about. Have you ever read a book, loved it and wanted to read the next one in the series, and the next and the next? You fall in love with the characters and keep reading. At some point however, in most series you end up being disappointed somewhere along the line. It's impossible to write a series that's 10 or 20+ books long and have each one be a home run. Knowing that, I always wonder why do authors keep a series going past it's expiration date? Are there series that go the distance? Should there be a series longer than a trilogy?

I'm going to review a number of series in the romance and YA genres that I have read, and reread in many cases. Some of what's to come is:

Immortals After Dark Series by Kresley Cole 
Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward
Dark- Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Wilderness Series by Sara Donati
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
The Bridgertons by Julia Quinn
Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon 
And many more.....


Check back soon for my first series review - The Immortals after Dark

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Outlander

Summer approaches and as it does, the one thing I always get excited to think about is "What am I going to read this summer?" I remember two years ago, when a friend of mine suggested this series to me. I looked at the two inch thick book and rolled my eyes but she told me to trust her- and I did. It was then that I was introduced to a wonderful Scotsman by the name of Jamie Frasier and spent the next few weeks wrapped up in his story and the adventure of the Outlander series.

Here is my review of:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Outlander is one of those books/series you can easily lose yourself in for weeks and not regret a second of it. When you are done with book one, you will be reaching for the next in the series without hesitation.

Claire Randall is a woman who seems to be living a comfortable life with her husband when they go to Scotland for a second honeymoon after being separated for six years while she served in the army. On the trip, her husband Frank begins to research one of his family members who was known as Captain Jack Randall. Everything changes when Claire pays visit to the standing stones of Craigh na Dun. During her initial visit with her husband and some friends they witness a pagan ritual as they hide and play observers to the women. The next day, Claire an ex-army nurse with an interest in botany, goes back to the stones alone to investigate a plant she saw there the day before. While at the stones, she is overwhelmed by a buzzing sound that begins the moment she touches one of the rocks. She passes out and from that moment on, everything changes.

Claire's world is tossed upside down when she regains consciousness and after a series of confusing events, finds herself having traveled back in time to 1743 where she meets not only her husband's relative, the infamous Black Jack Randall, but she also crosses paths with an endearing young man named Jamie Frasier who changes her future and captures her heart in a way her husband never could. Trapped in 1743 Scotland, Claire must find a way to reconcile what has happened and make a life for herself in the past.

Outlander is an adventure from the moment Claire goes to the standing stones and doesn't stop until the last page of the book. The series will suck you into Scotland as easily as it did Claire Randall.

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What I liked: I enjoyed the differences between Jamie and Claire's personalities and how they fall in love. At first I thought it would be difficult to forget Claire had a husband in the present but Diana Gabaldon did  wonderful job of making it believable. The adventure of the book, the cast of characters will keep you turning the pages.

What I didn't like: Diana Gabaldon is a beautiful writer, but she describes everything the characters see, feel, encounter, and are thinking down to leaves on the trees and the grass on the ground. I admit, I am a skimmer when I read if it doesn't move the plot. I have to say, I did find myself skimming at times. Part of it is it's just that's how I read, and part of it was I was so endeared to Jamie and Claire's relationship that I wanted to skip the stuff that wasn't about them. As the series goes on, there were more things about the plot that bugged me than in Outlander, so I will save that for another time.


When you pick up Outlander, be ready to read. It isn't something you get through quickly nor is it something you find yourself wanting to put down. You have been warned ;)

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A Discovery of Witches

This next book I'm going to review, I have to admit, the first time I read it, I hated it. I saw it in the back of Entertainment Weekly and it had the tag line of 'If you liked Twilight, you'll love A Discovery of Witches' so I bought it, and was underwhelmed.  I saw pieces of Twilight everywhere in it, from the dialogue to the characters to the plot points. About a year later, I decided to re-read it when the next book 'Shadow of Night' came out. I'm not sure why, but I did and was pleasantly surprised with how I felt the second time around.

Here's my review of:

A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was struggle to get through the first time. Because it had been mentioned in the same breath as Twilight when I saw a review of it, all I could see were the similarities and it made me shake my head. When I read it again with a different eye (and the sequel was out by then) I found myself enjoying the story more and actually liking the characters where before I was bored by them. It's actually one of the main reasons I read books twice before reviewing them.


*SPOILERS START HERE*




Diana Bishop is a witch who doesn't want to be a witch. She's researching an alchemical manuscript- Ashmole 782- that hasn't been seen in years and somehow it appears in the library Oxford. She senses the magic in it the moment she comes in contact with the book but because she's been denying her witchcraft, she ignores the warnings and doesn't realize the importance of it until it's been returned to the stacks, and vanishes. While in the library, she meets Matthew Clairmont a vampire with an interest in her because of her ability to have called the book from the stacks. He knows the importance of the book, the secrets it's rumored to be carrying and gets close to Diana to see if she can call the manuscript again and try to get his hands on it.

Needless to say, Diana and Matthew fall in love but because of the laws of the Congregation they are forbidden to be together. (of course) The book that was touted to be 'like Twilight' ends up being 'like Outlander' too because for reasons you'll have to read the book to find out, they end up going back in time to stay alive.


*END SPOILERS*




What I liked: I liked the world Deborah Harkness created, the idea behind the story. A witch, intent on denying her craft, who needs to learn more about it in order to save herself and Matthew. I think the Ashmole 782 itself is really interesting- and the scene where she has the encounter with it in the library is well written. Matthew is of course a perfect, wealthy and gorgeous vampire with the patience of a saint to put up with Diana at times. I liked the character of Matthew's mother and her protective ways.

What I didn't like: The book dragged. Often. And I really had to make myself not think Twilight/Outlander as I read it because there are many similar threads within it. I found myself skimming at times because nothing was happening. Diana at the end of the book is still a very inept witch with 'great powers' but has no idea how to use them.


The next book in the trilogy, Shadow of Night is, in my opinion, a better book. It still drags in places, but thee seemed to be more action in it even though the plot still progresses slowly. I am actually looking forward to the next book, interested to see where the story goes. And that is more than I can say after my first read of A Discovery of Witches.

That's why I'm glad I gave it another chance.

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One for the Money

As I go through all the books I've read that I want to review, this one has to be next. One of my all time favorites, this book (Romance/Mystery) puts a smile on my face just thinking about it. I should preface this review with the fact that I love to laugh- and this book had me laughing so much, my family eventually asked me to read somewhere else, because I was disturbing them. To me, that's the sign of a great book- when you're enjoying it so much you can't help but let everyone around you know it!

Here's my review of:

One for the Money

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One for the Money is hilarious. Hands down one of the funniest things I have ever read. Janet Evanovich has some of the most interesting, demented, over-the-top, ridiculous, delicious, and crazy characters I've ever read and somehow, it works! The situations Stephanie Plum gets herself into (and out of) will make you laugh out loud.




*SPOILERS START HERE*




Stephanie Plum is living in New Jersey, and down on her luck. Divorced and barely scraping by she seeks out her sleazy cousin Vinnie for a job in in bail bonds business. Needing money, she decided to try her hand at it and begins chasing down criminals so they can appear in court. She charges into the unknown and hilarity ensues. Add to it, the hunky Joe Morelli, a local cop who gets himself accused of murder and jumps bail. Stephanie somehow finds herself on his case and over her head. The two of them have a bit of unfinished business from high school that leads them into a laugh out loud game of cat and mouse.

What I liked:
The characters are over the top and fantastic. Joe Morelli makes you melt, Grandma Mazur steals the show time and time again. Lula gets better as the series goes on and you love her more and more. Stephanie's poor parents just want her to get married again, and are mortified by her outlandish shenanigans. The plot moves, is funny, and it's a yummy romance with a little mystery thrown in.

What I didn't like:
At times I would skim the mystery to get back to the romance. I liked the interactions between the characters so much more than 'solving the mystery.'


In the end, what I wouldn't give to have dinner with the Plum family, with a little Joe Morelli for desert ;)

Great read, fun read. If you've had a bad day, THIS is the book to pick up for an escape and a laugh.

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Delirium

So I spent a few days trying to decide what to make my first book review. This YA book, I had recently re-read and decided it would be a good place to start. It would help people to see what I mean about being honest in a review. This book is quite popular and seeing how many times I've seen people reading it in person or on Goodreads, I thought I should check it out. So I did.  And here is my honest review of:

DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'll start with the positives:
Cool premise- Love as disease to be cured.
I liked the relationship between Hana and Lena, I thought it was well written and loved them going for their runs together.
The chapter intros from different books in the world of Delirium were very cool and gave a neat perspective of where people's thinking was.


After that, it gets sketchy. The book was a slow start. I really had to make myself keep going and that's unusual for me. The biggest problem I had was with the way the plot rolled out.


*SPOILERS START HERE*


Love is bad, it's a disease. Lena can't wait to be cured. Until she meets Alex, and she falls in love. Not an unusual story arc. Actually it's not unusual for any teenager to believe they are in love with someone. Most do experience that, or an extreme crush they call love- however fighting the need to be 'cured' is somehow portrayed as on the rare side in this book. I would think it'd be quite the opposite. Hana is experiencing all these new things, freedoms, breaking curfew, going to parties and associating with boys *gasp* but is willing to undergo the cure because that's what is expected? That's a pretty atypical teen perspective.

"You said this is what I should do? Okay." It's not what most teens would do, no mater what the consequence.

Even more confusing is that, for Lena's mom, the 'cure' didn't take. She had to be 'cured' three times and then commits suicide. Lena has all these memories of her mom, basically, loving her. She has experienced love (without it being labeled that), yet she's willing to throw that away and have it taken from her- like her sister did.

Even if you accept all that, why would people ever undergo the 'cure' to begin with all those years ago? As a society, we don't want people taking guns, cigarettes, and alcohol away from us, but we'd willingly turn over our capacity to love?

Nope.

I debated reading the next book Pandemonium because I thought, "Maybe it's me. People really like this series." So I peeked at the summary and saw a love triangle was going to develop and went, "Yeah, no." Lena is so desperately in love with Alex that she leaves everything she knows... only to meet up with another guy when they are apart who she despises and she falls for him? Doesn't follow the whole 'in love' thing with Alex so I'm going to save my money and keep looking.


I suppose if angst and love triangles are your thing, this might be a series you'd enjoy. But if you've ever truly been 'in love', I think you will see how a number of things in this just don't quite add up.

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I'd love to hear your thoughts and feel free to disagree with me. I love a good discussion!

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Welcome

I'm so excited that I'm finally doing this! I read books all the time. As a mom, my Nook is with me everywhere I go so as I camp out in the car waiting for one of my kids at some athletic practice, I can read. I enjoy reading reviews of books, especially ones that are getting good word of mouth to see if it's something I might enjoy. Unfortunately, so many of the reviews I read are five star ratings and then I'm disappointed when the book doesn't even come close. What I hope to do, is give an honest opinion, look at more than just the book's popularity, the author's following and the happily ever after. I want to see if the idea is unique or overdone, is the series still going strong on book 10 or should it have ended three books ago.

I love romance books, so that will be a lot of what I review, but I do enjoy YA books as well. I'm also not going to review something I've only read once or write a review immediately after I've finished reading it. I want to take the time to think and digest.

I hope you will follow along with me on this new and exciting journey. I know my reviews won't be for everyone because I'm not going to say everything is five stars. But my goal, is to write and honest review that even the author would read and think to themselves, "Yep, she's right."

Thanks for Reading My Mind!