Monday, December 30, 2013

AXEL ~ HARPER SLOAN




Fate, karma, 1 husband, 1 ex-love interest. You name it, this book has it. On top if that, there are military men, Marines. What more can you ask for.

What a wonderful book this was. I hate typos but somehow the storyline overcame that for me. The debut book from Harper Sloan stole my heart. I found myself cheering and jeering throughout the book.

I am planning to read the rest of the series. If they are anywhere near as good as this book, I'll be a happy camper.

5 stars

Saturday, December 28, 2013

UNTIL FOUNTAIN BRIDGE ~ SAMANTHA YOUNG


Although this book/novella was so totally different than the last 2, I found myself drawn into the book.

This book gives us an in-depth look at Ellie's love of Adam from a young adult to an adult. It is written with such intensity, emotion and such a heartfelt story, there was no way that I could not love it. I definitely wanted more, but know that there is more coming in the books and I'm anxious to read them.

On the other hand, you can see Adam's struggle to keep his feelings in check so that he does not do anything to endanger his relationship as it stands with either Ellie or Braden.

This book showed raw emotion and I absolutely adored it.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS


Wishing you all a Merry Christmas.

For me Christmas is about spending time with those we love. I celebrated both Christmas Eve and Christmas surrounded by my family and loved ones.

I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday.



Thursday, December 12, 2013

BEHIND HIS EYES CONSEQUENCES (COLLAGE) BY ALEATHA ROMIG

I'm so excited for this to come out. Take a look at the teaser........

A PUPPY FOR CHRISTMAS



I love anything to do with puppies. They are so cute and cuddly.

All three of the novellas were stories having to do with a puppy or puppies.

I think my favorite was the second book because how could you not like Fizz and a hometown hero, although I thought setting the third book in a zoo was unique and the first book featured a child and a dog. How could you go wrong with any of these stories.

All three books were light, fluffy Christmas reads and I enjoyed them.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Thursday, November 14, 2013

COVER REVEAL ~ COME TO ME SOFTLY



Title: Come To Me Softly (The Closer to You Series, Book 2)
Author: A.L. Jackson
Expected Release Date: Summer 2014
Genre: New Adult Romance
Cover reveal organized by: Shh Moms Reading, Literary Mania Reviews, and Brandee’s Book Endings




From the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Me Quietly comes
a scorching new adult romance in the Closer to You series.

A second chance at life…
A second chance at love…

Jared Holt never thought he deserved either—until he found both in the arms of Aly Moore. Aly has loved Jared for as long as she can remember, and she’s more than ready for the future they’re making together. But Jared can’t help remembering his own family. And he’ll never forgive himself for what happened to them. How can he allow himself the very happiness he once destroyed?
To live a life worthy of Aly, Jared knows he has to stop running and finally put his past to rest. But when he decides to face his demons head on, he encounters more than he bargained for: a dangerous mix of jealousy, lies, and dishonest intentions. When those intentions threaten Aly, Jared loses all control, giving into the rage that earned him his bad boy reputation years before. And he’ll fight to protect her no matter what it costs…even if he destroys himself in the process.

Excerpt from Come to Me Softly
I gasped when strong. arms wrapped around me from behind. Then I melted when he buried his face in my neck. Jared spun me around and pressed me up against the cool metal of my car door. His hands were on my face, in my hair, slipping down my sides before he brought them back up to force me to look at him. “Thank you.” Desperation poured from him, his hold increasing as he stared down at the shock I felt lining my face. “Thank you for fucking believing in me, Aly. For getting me.”

Fear lashed across his face. Or maybe it was remorse. He swallowed hard, his voice hardened with strain. “I’m scared to think of where I’d be right now without you.”

That fear that had flashed on his face coiled in my stomach. Because I didn’t know where he’d been. Had no idea where the last three months had taken him. How far. How low.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

“You’re here with me now.” I had to believe that was all that mattered.

He grimaced. Gripping my face, he leaned down and kissed me, hard and demanding. There was no soft affection, none of the playfulness from upstairs. This was a seal. A branding. He jerked back. A storm raged in the blue of his eyes. “Don’t think I can’t see all those questions burning in your mind, Aly. And I may not have all the answers right now, but we are going to figure this out. Do you understand me? I promise you that.”

And I saw it all there, the torment that plagued Jared, this beautiful man who had lost his way, the one desperate to find his way home.

Coming Summer 2014!
Goodreads
http://bit.ly/ComeToMeSoftlyGoodreads
Amazon
http://bit.ly/amznaljackson
Barnes & Noble
http://bit.ly/nookjackson

Join us for the COME TO ME SOFTY Cover Reveal Party happening all day today! A.L. will be hanging out talking books, boys, and giving away a ton of special prizes from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm MST!
http://bit.ly/CTMSCoverRevealParty

Be sure to enter the COME TO ME SOFTLY Cover Reveal Giveaway!!
Prizes include an A.L. Jackson Ultimate Signed Paperback Collection, signed COME TO ME QUIETLY paperbacks, treats from Sweets by Steph, and prize packs from Molly McAdams, Gail McHugh, Raine Miller, Gretchen de la O, Kim Karr, and Madeline Sheehan!









Rafflecopter Link (Bloggers, please add the Rafflecopter code into the “text” section of your post so the actual Rafflecopter shows up rather than just the link  :
a Rafflecopter giveaway


And don’t miss COME TO ME QUIETLY, Book One in The Closer to You Series


From the acclaimed bestselling author of Lost to You and When We Collide comes a new adult novel of one woman’s obsession: a man who’s as passionate as he is elusive—and as tempting as he is trouble.…

Aleena Moore is haunted by Jared Holt. It’s been six years since she’s seen her brother’s best friend, the self-destructive bad boy she secretly loved in high school. As the years pass, she knows it’s time to move on. Time to decide between a practical nursing degree and her true dream as an artist. Time to get over Jared and give another guy a chance…

Just when she opens her heart to her friend Gabe, Aly returns home to find Jared sleeping on her couch. The teenage boy she loved has grown into a man she can’t resist. Covered in tattoos and lost in rage, he’s begging to be saved from his demons—the memories of the day he destroyed his family. As the two reconnect, their passion is hot enough to torch Aly’s judgment. But can she risk her future for a man who lives on the edge of destruction?

“Exquisite, beautiful, poignant…A.L. Jackson is in a league of her own.” S.C. Stephens, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Reckless


http://bit.ly/CTMQPreorder


A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Pulled, When We Collide, and If Forever Comes.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

Look for Come to Me Quietly and Come to Me Softly coming soon.

www.aljacksonauthor.com
www.facebook.com/aljacksonauthor
http://bit.ly/ALJacksonGoodReads

Monday, November 11, 2013

CURRENTLY READING

In honor of Veteran's Day, I am currently reading:



This Military genre is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Most of the authors are new to me authors, with the exception of J.M. Madden, and I am loving each and every story.

Uniform Desires (Make Mine Military)

by Melissa Schroeder (Goodreads Author), Delilah Devlin (Goodreads Author), Sharon Hamilton, Cat Johnson (Goodreads Author), Elle James (Goodreads Author), J.M. Madden (Goodreads Author)

4.57 of 5 stars 4.57 · rating details · 7 ratings · 6 reviews









UNIFORM Desires: Six Military Romances

Infatuation by USA Today bestselling author ] Melissa Schroeder
To prove her love and save her man, she has to go above and beyond the call of duty

SEAL's Honor by award-winning author Elle James
Two Navy SEALs jeopardize their lives and hearts in a battle-torn land when they vie for the love of one sexy Night Stalker helicopter pilot

SEAL the Deal by national bestselling author Sharon Hamilton
A SEAL's nightmare of a promise given at his sister's deathbed gives him the woman of his dreams

Dangerous Liaison by national bestselling author Delilah Devlin
A pampered travel agent escapes through the jungle with an undercover DEA agent when a drug lord mistakes her for a rival's daughter

Her Forever Hero by bestselling author JM Madden
When the boss's pregnant, unwed daughter needs rescuing, disabled Marine Grafton Parks proves he's still a hero

Cinderella Liberty by NY Times & USA Today bestselling author Cat Johnson
A weekend liberty leads to unexpected passion between a Marine and his best friend's sister, but he must survive seven months in Afghanistan to get back to her.

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY



This tradition comes from a battle fought in what is historically referred to as “Flanders Fields”. It was those fields that were mentioned in the first line of one of the most famous poems of World War I, “In Flanders Fields”.

“In Flanders Fields the poppy grow,
“Between the crosses, row on row…”
by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army

Remembrance Day, Poppy Day, Armistice Day or Veterans Day (depending upon where you live) is observed on November 11, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. It was on that day back in 1918 when the major hostilities of WWI formally ended. On Remembrance Day people around the world remember the sacrifices by members of the Armed Forces, as well as civilians, in times of war.

To this day, many veterans will wear a red or scarlet poppy on that day to commemorate the day and honor those who were lost in war, that day and every day.

So when you see a poppy, any color poppy, know that the poppy is a symbol of peace and remembrance. Treat it with respect and admire it well.

Monday, November 4, 2013

JUBILEE'S JOURNEY ~ BETTE LEE CROSBY



I was among the lucky individuals who received an ARC of this book.

I absolutely LOVED Spare Change and was thrilled there was a sequel to it, Jubilee's Journey. One of the characters in these books is named Ethan Allen and I am so in love with this precious little boy.

This book is written with a wealth of southern charm and the story is fabulous. There is no way you can read this book and not come to care of each and every character. This book has a magical allure to it and as you read it and fall deeper in love with the plot and characters, it is almost like you are in the book with them. I laughed and cried and was thoroughly entertained throughout the entire book.

By no choice of her own, Jubilee is plunked down in Wyattsville on a bench and told by her brother to wait there until he returns. After hours of waiting for her brother, a young boy, Ethan Allen, enters Jubilee's life and this is the telling of Jubilee's story and her faith in her brother.

If you have not read any of Bette Lee Crosby's books, I would tell you that I've enjoyed each and every book that I've read.

Definitely a 5 star read

SECOND HONEYMOON ~ JAMES PATTERSON



I am absolutely thrilled when I feel like one of Patterson's books are "old school". This book was no exception.

I enjoyed every minute of it and time flew by as I read it.

This is the story of the John O'Hara killers intermixed with honeymooners on their way or on their honeymoon being killed. There were twists abound in this thriller and I enjoyed every last word.

Kudos for going "old school".

Definitely would suggest reading Honeymoon prior to reading this one.

5 Stars

THE ENGAGEMENTS ~ J. COURTNEY SULLIVAN



Unfortunately, I just never really got into this book. It is a layered book spanning a period of time and I really did not connect with the characters. The fascination of diamonds had me picking this book up. There were some redeeming qualities and I can tell a lot of research was put into this book, but it just was not my cup of tea. I found it too drawn out and even though everything came together in the end and the relationship were clarified, I just was not intrigued enough with it.

3 Stars

FREE FOUR ~ VERONICA ROTH



What a great scene to select from Four's prospective.

This was a really quick read and very enjoyable and I loved that it shows a side of Four that we don't get to see a lot of.

4 Stars

THE TRANSFER ~ VERONICA ROTH



I am so not a fan of novellas, but this one is the perfect accompaniment to [book:Allegiant|18710190], which I am excited to read.

This just gives us a view into why Four choose Dauntless and how he came upon his nickname. Fun, cute, sassy and a quick read.

4 stars

CONVICTED ~ ALEATHA ROMIG



Still struggling with my star review on this book.

I did enjoy this final book in the series. Although I thought there were a few unresolved issues, it was definitely not enough to turn me off of reading the book.

After reading the first chapter I had no idea how anything was going to come together. It was totally mind blowing. The depth of each of the stories and the emotional toll these books took on me was absolutely amazing. There were so many highs and so many lows. Loss, love, forgiveness, cliffhangers. After reading them all I can say is WOW!

I am definitely a fan of this author and this series and will read anything she writes.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

BLOG TOUR: IF FOREVER COMES by A.L. JACKSON

IF FOREVER COMES
BY
A.L. JACKSON
BLOG TOUR
 
 
 
 
MY REVIEW OF IF FOREVER COMES - 4.5 STARS
 
Let me preface this by saying that I absolutely love all of the [author:A.L. Jackson|5784542] books that I have read.  This one was no exception.
 
I gave this book 4 stars, but it really should be more like 4.5 stars and I hate that there are no 1/2 stars to give out.
 
This series is so emotionally charged and this book was too.  I loved how the book changed POVs and went between Past and Present.  This book was filled with more angst than the other two books and I really wanted more direct contact and tender moments between the characters.
That being said, the writing was beautiful and the story was wonderful.  When I picked up the book, I was immediately shocked by the storyline and kind of figured out what was going to happen, but I had to read to find out the details.  I think Christian and Elizabeth are two of my favorite characters in a series.
 
***SPOILERS***
I was taken in from the start of the story but was trying to figure out how Elizabeth and Christian had drifted so far apart.  I loved that it was love lost and then found and now the added component of a marriage and a baby to make the family complete.
 
I definitely felt for Elizabeth throughout the book, but there were definitely times I wanted to smack her and ask her to come out of her "grieving" period.
 
Christian was all man throughout the book and did everything he could to make Elizabeth see that he still loved her.  The neighbor was "sleazy" but I thought the story could have had a little more depth were the fight for Elizabeth was concerned.
 
I was so afraid there would not be a HEA ending for Christian and Elizabeth and was thrilled that there was and that they got the family they wanted.
 
Excellent and enjoyable read by one of my favorite authors that is on my "JACKSON IS ON MY MUST READ AS SOON AS HER BOOKS COME OUT" list.
 
 
If Forever Comes Blog Tour Schedule

October 6th – October 20th

 

Schedule

October 6th


Aestas Book Blog – Review, Author Interview

Brandee’s Book Endings – Review, Excerpt

Fiction and Fashion – Review, Excerpt

Love N. Books – Review, Dream Cast


October 7th

Book Reader Chronicles – Review, Excerpt

First Class Books – Review, Author Interview

Rate My Romance – Review, Dream Cast

Romance Addiction – Review, Dream Cast

The Autumn Review – Review

Vilma’s Book Blog – Review, Excerpt

October 8th

As the Pages Turn – Review, Excerpt

Literary Mania Reviews – Review, Character Interview with Christian



October 9th

Angie’s Dreamy Reads – Promo Only

Book Nerds Anonymous – Review, Excerpt

Nose Stuck in a Book – Review, Author Interview

Rude Girl Book Blog – Review, Excerpt

October 10th

Jax’s Book Magic – Review, Dream Cast

My Secret Romance – Review, Excerpt

Sugar and Spice Book Blog – Review, Excerpt

Wolfel’s World of Books – Review, Excerpt

October 11th

Into the Night Reviews – Review, Excerpt

Swoon Worthy Books – Review, Excerpt


October 12th


The Book Avenue – Review


October 13th

Brianna Lee Book Reviews – Review, Author Interview

Nicely Phrased – Review


October 14th

Book Boyfriend Reviews – Review, Excerpt

Book Crush – Review, Excerpt


October 15th

Word – Review, Excerpt


October 16th

Winding Stair Book Blog – Review, Excerpt


October 17th

Becca the Bibliophile – Review, Playlist



October 18th

Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Character Interview with Christian, Elizabeth and Lizzie

Naughty and Nice Book Blog – Review, Character Interview with Christian and Elizabeth

The Little Black Book Blog – Review, Character Interview with Elizabeth


October 19th

The Book Enthusiast – Review, Excerpt


October 20th

Shh Moms Reading – Review, Alt POV
 
-

Blurb (from Goodreads)

If Forever Comes, the final chapter in the New York Times Bestselling Regret Series (Lost to You and Take This Regret).

Christian Davison’s life is complete. With a ring on Elizabeth’s finger and his daughter at his side, he’s ready to run headlong into their future.

Elizabeth Ayers never believed she would again find this kind of joy—the joy of a family and the wholeness found in the touch of the man she’s always loved.

Their love is intense and their passion only grows as they set out to rediscover each other.

But life is never easy.

Rocked by the unforeseen, Christian and Elizabeth will find themselves fighting for the one thing they hold most important—family.

 

EXCERPT





I put the car in drive and headed toward her school. Maybe it was completely out of the way, an irrational chore to travel all this way to drive her a mile to her school every morning. I didn’t care. I needed this time with her, this connection that promised I was still an integral part of her life.


“Just okay?” I prodded, struggling to keep my voice from cracking. I hated seeing her this way. Her mood constantly fluctuated, up and down, back and forth, hints of my sweet baby girl emerging then receding just as quickly.

“I was just bored. Uncle Maffew and Auntie Natalie didn’t come over all weekend, and Mommy didn’t want to go to the beach,” she almost pouted. She paused, grimaced as she continued on, seemingly grasping for the good things that did transpire over the days we’d been apart. “Mommy did play with me a little bit, but then she got tired and took a nap. And she let me pick out dinner and I helped her make it, too.” She smiled a little as her attention flitted up to meet mine in the mirror. “I got lots of time to play with my new dolls you got me, Daddy. And I got my dollhouse all set up.”

We’d gone shopping Friday night, searching out a dining room set for her prized dollhouse that was tucked in the corner of her room. We’d ended up with a tiny dining room set, and I couldn’t say no when Lizzie had asked me to add two new members to the ever-growing miniature family. Lately Lizzie seemed to spend more time lost in the sanctuary of their world than in her own.

Sorrow swamped me, because I could feel my daughter’s own. I hated it. I would do anything to be able to take it away.

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” I made a feeble attempt at encouraging her.

She sighed, slumped her chin in her hand as she rested her forehead on the window, her attention focused on the blur of the passing street. “I just don’t know why you can’t sleep at our house. It’s better when you’re there, Daddy.”

Her words cut right through me. I fought to gather myself, to keep it under control, because I knew I had to stay strong for my little girl.

I forced myself to speak. “We already talked about why I can’t right now.”

The problem was all of those reasons had come with little conviction. I didn’t believe them myself.

“Just tell Mommy you’re sorry,” she begged quietly. I heard the tears building in the vulnerability that wound its way into her angel voice.

God.

How was I going to get through another conversation like this? We had them often, and I’d give just about anything to offer her a different answer, to come up with a different result.

I wanted one myself.

Sighing heavily, I scrubbed my palm over my face, blinked as I tried to focus ahead through the sorrowful haze that clouded my vision.

“It’s not that simple, Lizzie.” God, how much did I wish it was.

Silence hovered in the car before she finally spoke again. “Your voice was so loud, Daddy. You made Mommy cry.” Her words came as a whisper, a memory that so clearly traumatized my little girl.

That day had been the first emotion I’d seen from Elizabeth in weeks. It’d been charged, the moment when Elizabeth had finally broken and I’d cracked.

I’d said things I never should have.

But Elizabeth had said them, too.

“I hate that you heard that, Lizzie, but sometimes grown-ups have fights and we raise our voices. None of that was directed at you.”

“But then you left,” she countered. “You’re supposed to say you’re sorry when you do something bad.”
 
-

My Dream Cast

 
 

 
Bio

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Pulled and When We Collide.

 

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student.  She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

 

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

 






 
Giveaway

Amy is giving away:

·         GRANDPRIZE: iPad mini

·         2nd Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card

·         3rd Prize: 3 signed copies of If Forever Comes

 

Buy Links


 


  

 

 








SIX YEARS by HARLAN COBEN

I am a huge Harlan Coben fan and love the way he layers his books with mystery, suspense and twists.  That being said, this book was not one of my favorite and I think it is because I felt a bit confused throughout the entire book.

I did enjoy the storyline of a woman who breaks the heart of a man, marries another man and asks that he have the courtesy to leave her alone and then promptly disappears.  Six years later he reads an obituary that her husband died and he goes to see the funeral to get a glimpse of her only to find it is not her, but someone else.  They mystery heats up from there and Coben takes you on a journey of intrigue, murder and mystery and he takes you down windy roads of his mind.

Definitely a decent book, but not one of my favorites.

4 stars

Saturday, October 5, 2013

BLOG TOUR: STARRY NIGHTS BY DEBBIE MACOMBER



  Book Tour Schedule for "Starry Night" by Debbie Macomber

October 1st -  My Home of Books
October 2nd - A Book Addict's Musings
October 3rd - Creative Madness Mama
October 4th - Griperang's Bookmarks
October 5th - Jax's Book Magic
October 6th - Tidbits of Experience
October 7th - My Recent favorite books
October 8th - The Book Bag
October 9th - Deco My Heart Reviews
October 10th - Mary - Andering Creatively
October 10th - Mary-andering Among the Pages

 ’Tis the season for romance, second chances, and Christmas cheer with this new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author.

Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a megabestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.

Digging deep into Finn’s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart.

Filled with all the comforts and joys of Christmastime, Starry Night is a delightful novel of finding happiness in the most surprising places.


RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY OF A PRINT COPY OF STARRY NIGHTS

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 


Monday, August 19, 2013

THE COVE ~ RON RASH

TAYLOR SWIFT ~ LIV SPENCER

DIRT ~ STUART WOODS

DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS ~ MO WILLIEMS

ALWAYS WATCHING ~ CHEVY STEVENS

NEW YORK DEAD ~ STUART WOODS

THE HERO ~ ROBYN CARR

ON DUBLIN STREET ~ SAMANTHA YOUNG

THE KISS ~ JAMES PATTERSON

MIDNIGHT ~ ALEXANDRA LANC

ETERNAL DARKNESS ~ ALEXANDRA LANC

SKINNY BITCH ~ RORY FREEDMAN

NO EASY DAY ~ MARK OWEN

EMBATTLED MINDS ~ J.M. MADDEN

UNSEEN ~ KARIN SLAUGHTER



This is one of my very favorite series.  The only thing I don't like, is waiting for the next book in it to be released.

I feel like I am back with family and some of my favorite characters.

This book starts out with the first twist being Jared and Lena are attacked in their home.  Lena tries to thwart the attack, but Jared lands in the hospital.

Will is an undercover, riding a motorcycle and posing as a con-man named Bill Black and trying to infiltrate himself into a gang of drug dealers.. The problem with this....he hasn't told Sara!
Jared's mom and dad come to town while Jared is in the hospital and it makes for some interesting conversation.  I loved getting a more in depth look at Nell.

I love the depth of her stories and the twist and turns, some expected, some not to expected.


5 stars

CRANK ~ ELLEN HOPKINS



This was one of those books I almost gave up on since it was a book in verse.  I listened to it on audio and was not enjoying it at all.  The longer I listened to the book, the more I enjoyed it and I am so glad I stuck with it.

This is the story of a good girl named Kristina who goes to visit her father in New Mexico and comes back a not so good girl as her alter-ego, Bree.  Bree is hooked on drugs, specifically, the Monster, lies to her family and makes very bad choices.

I would almost wish that all younger teens were "required" to read this in school as it gives in depth information, emotion and lessons learned throughout this book. The question is, do the choices me make define us or do we learn from them?

This is a very powerful, disconcerting book but the message came through loud and clear, but I thought the book was down to earth and relatable.

I would definitely recommend this book.


4.5 stars

BUSTED ~ KARIN SLAUGHTER



I am not a huge fan of novellas, but I really enjoyed this one.

In it we have an old lady, a punky girl and motorcycles.

Bill Black (Will Trent) is on his way to see his parole officer when he stops for an Icee and is impatiently waiting on the machine to work when a robbery of that convenience store happens.  Will becomes embroiled in the aftermath of the robbery with Amanda and Faith stepping in.

This is a great lead in to the next book in the series, Unseen.

I really enjoyed this novella.

4.5 stars

12TH OF NEVER ~ JAMES PATTERSON



In this installment of WMC we have a quacky Professor who sees murders before they occur, but not 100% correctly. A football player for San Francisco, who is accused of murder, Claire losing a body and having to step back in her role as medical examiner and Cindy and Rich having difficulty in there relationship. Did I forget to mention that Lyndsay just gave birth to her daughter and quickly goes back to work.

I found some twists and turns in this that I liked, but I also found parts that just didn't sit well with me. I thought Claire stepped back a bit too easily and that Cindy need to fight harder for the love of her life.

I hope I am not getting tired of this series, because I've always enjoyed it but didn't think this one was a good as some of the others.

4 stars


THE EDGE OF NEVER ~ JA> REDMERSKI


 I enjoyed this book with the exception of the slow start to it.

I love the journey that Camyrn and Andrew took.  I like that trust was gained little by little and that during the coure of their seperate journeys, they learned more and more about one another.

It is always amazing how and author can make a book come together and as I read this book I was wondering how a trip on a greyhound bus would even be of interest.

Camryn has had a rough time of it lately, her boyfriend passes away, her brother is in jail.  She loses her best friend because of an unfortunate incident at a club.  Off she goes to try to do something out of the ordinary and boards a bus for Boise, Idaho because she saw a potato at the bus station and had no pre-set destination in mind.

On the bus she meets Andrew Parrish who is headed to Texas.  Andrew is annoying Camryn, but can he turn her head around with his ways?  Does he have what it takes to get Camryn to just step outside of what she know.

The adventurs is definitley worth the ride on this greyhound bus, but will Andrew's secret be their destruction?
4.5 stars

11TH HOUR ~ James Patterson





I am definitely a James Patterson fan, but for some reason this book felt a little disjointed for me and part of the book felt too rushed with not enough information.

The book was almost solely about Lindsay and not much on Yuki, Cindy or Claire. I believe that when the four of them get together, the are unstoppable and who doesn't love powerful women fighting for what they believe in.

With two high profile cases on the burner and Lindsay being pregnant, this book heats up fast. There is someone out there taking out high level drug dealers who is dubbed "Revenge", beginning with one at a school during a recital. While that is going on skulls are found on the lawn of a prominent family.

Lindsay and her partner, Conklin jump right in to both cases trying to solve the reason for the murders and who is behind them.

Danger follows Lindsay, but she holds her own. At one point, fueled by hormones, Lindsay kicks Joe out. In my opinion, she let him of the hook very easily.

I just need to know what Cindy was thinking. I won't give it away, but "has she lost her mind?"

I'm anxious to see what will happen in the next book with Lindsay and what she will decide to do once the child is born and how will this impact her life with Joe.

Enjoyed this book but overall I think it is somewhere between 3.5-4 stars.

Friday, August 9, 2013

SORRY :(

Due to some unforseen family medical issues, I have not been keeping up with my blog.  I plan to try to rectify that in the next week or 10 days.  I have gotten things settled down and hope to have more time to devote to reading and blogging.

Thank you for sticking with me during this difficult time.

Jackie

Thursday, July 4, 2013

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY



Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the National Day of the United States.

Today, I spent the morning as the driver of one of our 3 Military Vehicles in a 4th of July parade. The other two drivers were my husband and father-in-law, pictured below: