Karin Slaughter--Unseen (Will Trent #7)

Thriller-suspense

 Bill Black is a scary guy: a tall ex-con who rides to work on a Harley and trails an air of violence wherever he goes. In Macon, Georgia, Bill has caught the eye of a wiry little drug dealer and his cunning girlfriend. They think Bill might be a useful ally. They don’t know that Bill is actually a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent named Will Trent. Or that he is fighting his own demons, undercover and cut off from the support of Sara Linton—the woman he loves, who cannot be told of the risk Will is taking.

Sara herself has come to Macon because of a cop shooting: Her stepson, Jared, has been gunned down in his own home. Sara holds Lena, Jared’s wife, responsible: Lena, a detective, has been a magnet for trouble all her life, and Jared’s death is not the first time someone Sara loved got caught in the crossfire. Furious, Sara finds herself involved in the same case that Will is working without even knowing it, and soon danger is swirling around both of them.

In a novel of fierce intensity, shifting allegiances, and shocking twists, two investigations collide with a conspiracy straddling both sides of the law. Karin Slaughter’s latest is both an electrifying thriller and a piercing study of human nature: what happens when good people face the unseen evils in their lives.

{3.5 stars}

ARC provided by publisher via netgalley

I have been a fan of Karin Slaughter's for some time, and have loved each book, even when she killed off a beloved main character. KS managed to blend 2 series into one, and it stills makes sense, with gripping thrillers. She always comes up with storylines that keep me mesmerized page after page. With thriller topics take a dark turn and are always edge of my seat gripping. That being said, I have never liked Lena. Everyone who gets to close to her gets hurt, or killed. She is a magnet for disaster. And in this one, we return to Lena's world because she and her husband have been attacked.

As much as I love this series, this one didn't work for me. The base storyline was a good thriller, but the way we jumped back and forth in the timeline didn't work for me. And there seemed to be some parts that left me scratching my head going "huh?" This all could be because this is an ARC and these details will be ironed out in the final product, who knows. Or all of my "less than happy" feelings about this book is because I just don't like Lena. But for Lena, this one seems to be her "wake up" moment and maybe the time for her to reflect on her life and decide what, and how, she wants to live it moving forward. Does she want to continue down the destruction path or grasp the love she has in Jared and move on to be a better person, cop, and maybe a mom. I guess we'll see what happens in the future.

**This book can be read as a stand alone, but it really should be read in the order of the series. Start with Grant County and follow the order so you can learn the history or Will, Sara, and Lena.

Tiffany Reisz--The Mistress (The Original Sinners #4)

Adult Romance-erotica

There's punishment-and then there's vengeance.

Nora Sutherlin is being held, bound and naked. Under different circumstances, she would enjoy the situation immensely, but her captor isn't interested in play. Or pity.

As the reality of her impending peril unfolds, Nora becomes Scheherazade, buying each hour of her life with stories-sensual tales of Søren, Kingsley and Wesley, each of whom has tempted and tested and tortured her in his own way. This, Nora realizes, is her life: nothing so simple, so vanilla, as a mere love triangle for her. It's a knot in a silken cord, a tangled mass of longings of the body and the heart and the mind. And it may unravel at any moment.

But in Nora's world, no one is ever truly powerless-a cadre of her friends, protectors and lovers stands ready to do anything to save her, even when the only certainty seems to be sacrifice and heartbreak....

{5 stars}
ARC provided by publisher via netgalley. Release date 7/30/2013

This is the 4th book in the Red Years Quartet, and it's all about the journey. The synopsis holds true to the fact that the journey is told in stories by Nora to buy her more time. Some of the stories we already know, but it doesn't make them any less important and special. We come to understand, in a whole new way, her love for Soren, and how Kingsley and Wesley play a part in her life. It's beautiful, emotional, and hilarious at times. Nora's sarcastic sense of humor always shines through at the right moment. We also get 2 new surprise players in this one (i won't spoil the surprise). I wasn't at first sure how they fit in to it all, but TR pulls all the unraveled ends back together for us. A beautiful journey, one I am very happy with. The ending was perfect....

If you have not become an obsessed fan of Tiffany Reisz yet, start at the beginning with The Siren. It's a dark journey, (you have to be open minded and willing to go on the adventure), but one I loved every step of the way. This series, on the surface, could just be another erotica romance. But it is sooo much more than that. The characters are so well developed, you can't help but become addicted to them. It's emotional, painful, and beautiful all at the same time. I could go on and on about this series, but I don't want to spoil your discovery of them. Enjoy!

Abbi Glines--Too Far series books 1-3

Contemporary Adult Romance

Fallen Too Far #1

To want what you’re not supposed to have…
She is only nineteen.
She is his new stepfather’s daughter.
She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.....

Never to Far #2

He had held a secret that destroyed her world.

Everything she had known was no longer true.

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.
Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again.
What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately?

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

Forever Too Far #3

Rush promised her forever... but promises can be broken.

Torn between his love for his family and his love for Blaire, Rush has to find a way to save one without losing the other. In the end one has to be more important. Letting go isn’t easy.

Blaire believed in her fairytale... but no one can live in a fantasy.

Her love for Rush and desire to have a family keep her believing...morRush promised her forever... but promises can be broken.

Torn between his love for his family and his love for Blaire, Rush has to find a way to save one without losing the other. In the end one has to be more important. Letting go isn’t easy.

Blaire believed in her fairytale... but no one can live in a fantasy.

Her love for Rush and desire to have a family keep her believing that they can find a way for this to work. Until she has to make the right decision for her and the baby. Even if it breaks her heart.

Can they find the forever that they both want or has it all just gone... too far?

 {5 stars}
(reviewing all three in one)

Sometimes the perfect family is the one you choose, not the one you are born into.....

This is one twisted, screwed up family tree. Wow. I was hooked from the first page. So I couldn't stop to review the first two books, I had to power on. And thankfully, all three were out or I would be having a melt down waiting for the next one. I actually stopped functioning as a human, I was so mesmerized by this story. Could not put the kindle down if my life depended on it. And believe me, that rarely happens to me. There aren't any great life or death scenes, no action movie drama, just real life. Albeit a drama filled life, but regular life all the same. The cast of characters are great (except Nan), they pull Blaire and Rush's story together nicely. Rush screws up, a lot, he didn't have good examples as parents and has never really "dated" anyone. And when he screws up, Blaire runs. She wasn't looking for a fairytale when she landed on his doorstep. She was looking for her father, and a place to crash until she got back on her feet. She also didn't expect Rush. She has never met anyone like him, coming from a very small southern town, she only had one boyfriend. So Rush is an enigma of sorts. Rush has never met anyone like Blaire, she is not in awe of him like every other girl. She doesn't care, or even know who is Rock Star Father is. And could care less about his money, she is no mooch. She is sweet, loving, and thankfully forgiving. That intrigues Rush. Their love story isn't easy, it's filled with heartache, but also happiness. We get to follow them from first sight on. (trying not to spoil anything). I laughed with them, and cried with them. (it was a happy, sweet cry). I was completely immersed in their story, unable to look away until I reached the end. Amazing!!! Can't wait to read Grant and Woods storylines....

Tessa Bailey--Officer Off Limits (Line of Duty #3)

Contemporary Adult Romance

His need to possess her is non-negotiable.

Story Brooks’ fiancé just called off their wedding two weeks before the happy day. As if that isn't bad enough, her semi-estranged father, an infamous NYPD hostage negotiator, has suffered a heart attack. Not wanting to examine her lack of emotion over the broken engagement, she hops on a plane to reconnect with her father before it’s too late.

Playboy hostage negotiator Daniel Chase has never, not once, been refused by a woman, so when a debate over hospital snack foods with a delectable kindergarten teacher ends in flat-out rejection, he makes it his mission to seduce her. His only obstacle? She’s the daughter of his mentor who implicitly forbade Daniel from pursuing her.

Despite her father’s warnings and Daniel’s troubled past, Daniel and Story can’t resist their intense attraction to one another. But when the reason for her fiancé’s abrupt wedding cancellation comes to light, can Story and Daniel's already forbidden relationship survive?

{5 stars}


Tessa Bailey is an amazing story teller! And this book has become my favorite in this series (each book is a stand alone). It was refreshing to see the story flipped, and have the Alpha male have the insecurities and issues, while still maintaining his Alpha status. I caught on early that Jack was playing match maker, but the extend to his game was a surprise. Story and Daniel are a great couple, awesome chemistry, great sense of humor. And endless amounts of toe curling passion. Great read, looking forward to more from Tessa Bailey!

Kristen Ashley--Fire Inside (Chaos #2)

Adult Contemporary Romance

Lanie Heron isn’t looking for love—no surprise, considering her last serious relationship nearly got her killed. So when Lanie propositions Hop Kincaid, all she wants is one wild night with the hot-as-hell biker who patrols with the Chaos Motorcycle Club...

For Hop, Lanie has always been untouchable. She’s too polished and too classy for his tastes. But when she gives Hop the once-over with her bedroom eyes and offers him a night in paradise, he can’t say no. And he doesn’t regret it when he finds that Lanie is the best thing that’s ever happened to him—in or out of bed. Now the trick will be to convince her of that.

{5 stars}

ARC provided by Netgalley

Lanie and Hop's story runs parallel to Shy and Tabby's story. Hop and Lanie are "getting to know" each other while Shy and Tabby are working on their own drama filled timeline, then we all get caught up during Natalie's rescue.

Usually I like a little more life and death action to go along with the Biker Bad Ass, but Lanie and Hop are an unusual couple and their story never got boring for me. I kept flipping the page no matter what stunt the other was pulling, so I could race to the inevitable HEA KA always delivers. Hop is incredible. You would think with his history with women, that he would have walked away from Lanie's drama. But no, he never gives up. Even when you think he's walked, he comes right back, essentially giving her time to "get it together".  They make an incredible couple. Must read for fans of this series (even though this only the second). Love, Love, Love it!! Can't wait to see who's up next.

Jacquelyn Frank--Forever (The World of the Nightwalkers #2)

Paranormal Romance

After being brought back from death, police officer Jackson Waverly receives the shock of his life: he has become host to a Bodywalker, a spirit that is reborn in flesh and blood, and part of a proud, ancient race that uses its extraordinary gifts to battle dark, evil forces. Jackson’s spirit is a powerful one—none other than the Egyptian pharaoh Menes, who longs to reunite with his eternal love, the Egyptian queen Hatshepsut.

While Menes is obsessed with finding the perfect vessel for his queen, Jackson cannot stop thinking about Dr. Marissa Anderson, the gorgeous precinct shrink who keeps pushing him to confront his grief over the loss of his K-9 partner. But what Marissa really arouses most in Jackson is intense desire, which is exactly what Menes is looking for. To fight a great enemy, pharaoh and queen must join; but to host Hatshepsut, Marissa will first have to die. Fate has given Jackson a profound choice: save Marissa from Menes’ plan or keep an entire species from the brink of extinction.

{4 stars}
Jacquelyn Frank has an incredible imagination. She creates very intricate worlds. And I have to say she makes me really use my brain. A lot of authors will slip in to slang or "easy" vocabulary that you can just about read on autopilot. But not JF, she uses the whole dictionary and I appreciate that, gives my brain a work out along with my imagination.

We left off in the first book with Jackson dying and becoming a bodywalker. So what does he do now? He has to slowly pull out of his life as a human and move towards ruling the Politic. What he doesn't count on is how hard it's going to be to leave Marissa behind. He's been watching and wanting her for years. But circumstances beyond his control thrusts her into his new world and he has to reveal what he has become. That's all a little hard to swallow for the uptight Marissa. But after another incident with Leo, Jackson takes her to New Mexico to hide out and regroup. There their romance really kicks in and Menes goes about convincing Marissa that she should give up her life and become his queen. On the other side of this was the war between the Templars and the Politic, things are heating up and the Templars have made a grave mistake.

Great book, my only complaint, is it seems we are going to be left "hanging" to find out what will develop in the war and where we go from here. Ugh! Can't wait for the next book to come out.

Elisabeth Naughton--Bound (Eternal Guardians #6)

Paranormal Romance

TITUS—To most his gift seems like a blessing, but for him it’s a curse the other Eternal Guardians—those who protect the mortal realm from threats of the Underworld—seek to exploit. One he would gladly trade for the chance to be free…

Obsessed. Her touch is like a drug. From the moment he met her, Titus knew she was different. Even dangerous. Yet though his guardian brethren are convinced Natasa is working for Hades, Titus can’t stop thinking about her. Can’t stop fantasizing about her. Can’t stop craving the one thing he knows could lead to the downfall of his world.

Possessed. Faced with stopping Natasa or joining in her quest, Titus falls to temptation and is thrust into a world of lust, deception, and deadly treachery designed by the gods. Her touch—only hers—frees him from his bonds, but desire may just condemn him. Because before the end he’ll have to decide which is more important: duty and honor to those he took an oath to defend, or a woman who could very well be the biggest curse to them all.

{4 stars}
Great romance for anyone who loves Greek Mythology...

If you don't have at least a basic understanding of the Gods of Greek Mythology, this series might be a little confusing. But it's not complicated, and each romance becomes a part of the whole series. It did take me awhile to remember where we left off in the last one, but EN gets us caught up fairly quickly. A lot happens in this one, Isadora's baby, problems with Nick, the list is endless. But it all falls seamlessly into place while we follow Titus and Natasa as they try to solve (and rid) her of the fire that could consume her and the world. The Gods make their plays to win, against the Argonauts and each other. But in the grand scheme of things, they just shuffled the deck for a new game. Great series, love it!