Monday, October 10, 2016

Mystery Monday

Rose Gardner Mystery Series - Denise Grover Swank

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If you have not read this series ... STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND READ IT NOW! Denise Grover Swank knocks it out of the park with this series. Rose Gardner is the perfect main character and her two admirers Joe and Mason could not be any more perfect in their own ways. These books are the perfect mix of paranormal (if that's what you want to call her visions), romance, suspense and drama. Never a boring chapter, yet no lack of detail and depth in the characters. I have listed eight books above but the series continues past that point and I promise you will read every word as quickly as possible and then wait impatiently for her to release the new book. Trust me, these reads are worth every minute and penny you will spend with them. 

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Sunday Suggestion 10/09/16

Sex, Lies and Sweet Tea by Kris Calvert
available free with Kindle Unlimited 




This book truly deserves a standing ovation. So well written and the characters were developed beautifully. Kris Calvert is the real deal. The cliffhanger had me frantically searching for the second book and I promptly began reading. If you have Kindle Unlimited the first book is included for free. I believe all of them are on Scribd and I promise its worth using one of you book allotments.

As I said on my previous post I am a sucker for a single mom fairy tale and this one happens to be set in my home state of Alabama so of course it had that going for it from the beginning.  Mac Callahan is a single, smoking hot, FBI agent who happens to have a mother living at the nursing home Autumn Valley, the same one he is investigating for suspicious activity. At his first visit to the nursing home he manages to create a ruckus and literally runs into Samantha Peterson. Sam's grandmother is also a resident of the facility and she has accepted a job in the administration office. Sam is a widowed mother who is not interested in dating anyone due to the loyalty she has to her late husband but she can't deny the instant attraction to Mac and soon they begin to explore the attraction. Mac keeps working his case and Sam tries to deal with her quirky coworkers and balances being a single mom. Of course, they fall in love but their are plenty of obstacles they must both overcome.

This is a good begining novel to a series. The clifhanger I mentioned is the type that you have enough of an ending to stop if you choose but to me the wriring is so enjoyable to read I couldn't help but keep going. I highly recommened this read to anyone who enjoys a romantic book with plenty of suspense and family drama to keep you captivated.










Not Quite Dating by Catherine Bybee

Overall Rating: ♔♔♔(3)
Romance Rating: ❤❤❤(4.5)
Action Rating: ➹ (1)
Drama Rating: ★★★  (3) 

I found this book on Kindle Unlimited while in search of a light, quick audiobook. I had just finished up two other books and felt like that was what I needed to read. I found it! Nothing special about this book but I was able to get interested enough in the main characters to speed on through it.  The narration was good with plenty of emotion and depth by the reader. 

This book is a bit cliche but the happy ending will give you goosebumps. I personally have a weakness for single mom finds fairy tale love for herself and her children story lines but this one went above and beyond. Jessie is waitressing at night and struggling to make ends meet so that she can be at home with her son during the day. No matter how hard she tries she just cant seem to get ahead. With Christmas right around the corner the last thing on Jessies mind is dating but one late night at her shift at Dennys in walks Jack and his closest friends after a obviously long night of partying. Jessie has vowed to only date men from now on that can support her and her son and relieve some of her stress but there is something about Jack she can not ignore. Jack feels it too but decides he would like to keep his secret millionaire status and plays the game well. He invites her to a dinner at the hotel he owns where he is hosting a staff swap dinner. He secretly makes sure her needs are always taken care of. The lies grow just as quickly as his love for her.  He knows he must tell the truth but finding that perfect moment proves hard. Jessie is very straight forward with Jack about her wishes and continues to avoid his advances. Will Jack confess in time? Will Jessie overcome her fears and allow Jack to love her? 


This book is part of a stand alone series. The second book is about Jack's sister so no cliffhanger. 


Sunday, July 31, 2016

Sunday Suggestion 07/31

The Memory Thief by Emily Colin 

One beauty in reading is you never really know what you are getting. You can read the cover slip details and the reviews available online but perception is so different for everyone that you find those certain books with the average reviews that you just connect to. This was one of those books for me. I think this is a good adult read. I do not believe I would have appreciated this novel 5 or even 3 years ago! 

Maddie and Aiden are a married couple with a little boy, Gabe. Aiden is an avid mountain climber and Maddie's biggest fear is losing him to a climbing accident. On one particular climb Aiden lost a close friend and Maddie watched as Aiden mourned the loss and fretted that next time it would be Aiden. Time passes and Aiden lets Maddie know that he has planned another climb on that Alaskan mountain and Maddie immediately begs him not to go feeling like he would never make it home. Late one night her son wakes up and the dreaded call comes through letting Maddie know Aiden had in fact died in a climbing accident.

Nicholas Sullivan wakes up in a hospital to find all his memories have been erased. He has dreams of a beautiful woman of whom he loves so much but not much else in life is making sense for him. He is engaged but feels no love. Works but feels no passion. 

What happened on that mountain? Why does Nicholas Sullivan keep dreaming of a woman he can't seem to find? Why was Gabe so aware of what happened to his father?

I have read very few novels with any paranormal elements that I have enjoyed but the ones I do are the ones that have so many realistic elements it blends in and becomes believable. This novel is one of those done to perfection! Emily Colin has written a debut novel that has me super excited to see what else she has up her sleeve! 



Monday, May 25, 2015

Romance Readers Reading Challenges



Duration: June 1st - June 30th 


1. 'J' is for June: 


2. Member of the Month:  Finding It by Cora Carmack     Completed 06/02/15
Overall Rating: 
                            3. Featured Author Challenge (FAC):

4. Audiobook Month: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Overall Rating: 

5. LGBT Pride Month:

6. June 1st: Dare Day:

7. June 6: D-Day:

8. June 21: Fathers Day:

9. June 26: Take your dog to work day:

10. Readers Choice: 

Friday, May 22, 2015

Covers of the Rainbow Reading Challenge

Covers of the Rainbow Reading Challenge

Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2015 



Blue: Just Friends with Benefits by Meredith Schorr

Red:
Orange:
Yellow:  Drop Dead, Gorgeous by Mary Janice Davidson

Green:
Purple:
Pink:
White:
Black:
Brown:
Grey: Marrow by Tarryn Fisher   

Multi:

Monday, April 27, 2015

Romance Readers Reading Challenges


2015 May Monthly Challenge - GoodReads link to join in the challenge! 

Challenge Duration: May 1st to May 31st, 2015     Completion Date: 05/19/15


1. 'M' is for May:  Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover    Completed- 5/1/15


“My heart made it's choice, and it chose you.”  

Colleen Hoover is one of my all time favorites.  She can't write a book that isn't enjoyable and this one is absolutely no different. Sydney and Ridge are amazing characters and she throws in unexpected spins that make the novel interesting and different. I LOVE DIFFERENT!! I cant pinpoint what single thing prevented me from feeling like this was a 5 star read but I just couldn't give it the 5 stars but would still highly recommend any book by Collen Hoover because I just LOVE her!!! 
Overall Rating: ♔♔♔♔

2. Member of the Month:  Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan   Completed - 5/8/15

“Maybe there was no right or wrong, no black or white, only a thousand shades of gray when it came to pain and what we each held ourselves responsible for.” 

This book has been on my TBR list for far too long so when I saw it on the member of the months read list with a 5 star rating I went ahead and downloaded it, THANK GOD!! This book was an awesome read. Interesting that I read it right after Maybe Someday because they have a similarity that I loved. Archer was absolutely perfect though and totally made me get the butterflies when reading about him. He had been through so much and been ignored for so long it was heartbreaking but the love story will mend that heartbreak you feel right up. If your wandering what to read next then you should read Archers Voice! I did not give it five crowns due to some of the writing that I did not like. It wasn't enough to make the book unbearable and it didn't take away from the amazing characters but it prevented me giving it the last crown.
Overall Rating: ♔♔♔♔


3. Featured Author:  Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott    Completed - 5/6/15

“My mother taught me to believe in silver, to believe in things, but I think it's more important to believe in me.” 

This had to be the most predictable book I have ever read. I was so interested in the new aspect of the book with her mother teaching her and using her to rob homes of their silver collections but my 35% through or so I knew what was coming and there were very few variations to give me any interest in the conclusion. Every challenge has that one book that would be a DNF if it wasn't part of the challenge. Well this is that one!! It was very disappointing. Since the novel was good for a little while I did give it two crowns but if it hadn't been for those few good chapters it would have most certainly been a one crown rating and those are very rare for me. Save yourself some time and don't read this book.
Overall Rating: ♔♔

4. 3rd May - Paranormal Day: Accordance by Shelly Crane     Completed -5/5/15

“Everything we'll accomplish, we'll do it together or not at all.” 

This book is the second novel in the Significance series you learn more about the abilities of the characters and there is plenty of suspense to keep you on edge about what might be happening to each of the characters. There are some interesting developments in some of the relationships of the supporting characters  that also throws some spice in the mix. I have never in the past been a fan of the paranormal genre but Shelly Crane has done a phenomenal job with this series and the believability quality is there.  If you enjoyed Significance then you should definitely continue with the series. 
Overall Rating: ♔♔♔♔


5. 15th May - Chocolate Chip Day: Slim to None by Jenny Gardiner    Completed 5/10/15

Very funny light read with a Food Critic who has weight issues that are interfering with her ability to do her job. This book has plenty of humor to keep you laughing and plenty of real life topics to keep you thinking. Jenny Gardiner introduces marriage dilemmas, job dilemmas, and family dilemmas for the main character all at the same time and the main character struggles with her self worth through all of it until she has an eye opening moment. I think is a great read for any woman who has ever or is currently facing a lot of hurdles you feel you will never overcome.  Book did not get five crowns because many chapters ended with recipes that would be 2-3 pages long. I would have much preferred those to be in the back of the book. 
Overall Rating: ♔♔♔♔


6. 18th May - Museum Day: Twin Willows by Kay Cornelius    Completed 5/18/15

“Not loving you—that would hurt more.” 

This is my first historical romance novel, EVER. I know that is crazy but I did not in the past think I would enjoy them so I avoided them like the plague. This novel was nothing like i expected. I was so interested from the very beginning and it only got better as the novel progressed. Kay Cornelius was able to write with such detail I felt like I was in the same time as the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of the the twin sisters separated at birth and the struggles they had to endure to find each other.  
Overall Rating: ♔♔♔

7. 20th May - Be a Millionaire Day: Charade by Gilbert Morris    Completed 5/13/15
If you don't like reading a christian book then I would avoid this one but if you enjoy novels with a godly spin then this might be just the book for you. Ollie, an overweight computer genius, develops a very successful software and comes into a ton of money. With the money comes all the thing Ollie ever thought he wanted but he still isn't happy. Then Ollie falls in love and gets married but its all a big setup. His life from that point forward is completely devoted to revenge until he meets some new people who put a new perspective on life. He find the Lord and he changes his life... But can he reverse what he started? How many lives will be lost in the process? This novel was just OK to me. A lot of time passed and a lot happened but there wasn't any interesting developments for the entire middle part of the book and the ending was very abrupt. 
Overall Rating: ♔♔♔


8. 22nd May - Goth Day: Marrow by Tarryn Fisher   Completed 5/19/15

“The loss of innocence is the most severe of growing pains.” 

Holy Shit!!! I knew I loved Tarryn Fisher after reading The Opportunist and Mud Vein but this novel turned my love for her into an obsession. I am obsessed with anything she writes!! This novel is dark no doubt and it is not your happily ever after book but it is so much better than that! I dont want to give anything away so I am simply going to say STOP WHATEVER YOUR DOING AND GO BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating: ♔♔♔


9. 23rd May - Turtle Day: The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank  Completed 5/19/15
I had very high expectations of this novel based off my past experience with the author and the reviews I had read. I don't want to say I was disappointed but the book was very predictable and boring. The novel touches on some very important topics and the writer does a good job bringing attention to these topics from every aspect and scope of life but the book just fell short for me. Still a 4 star book simply because of the topics and Dorthea Benton Franks pure writing talent. 


Overall Rating: ♔♔♔


10. Reader's Choice: The Selection by Kiera Cass   Completed  5/16/15
While everyone else on my goodreads page was raving about this novel I avoided it because I have never been a fan of dystopian novels but this series has changed that belief. I loved the first novel in The Selection Series. I felt like I was reading a mix of Hunger Games and The Bachelor. Very entertaining characters with a love triangle to keep plenty of action in the mix. The rebel attacks add a level of suspense that balances out the novel perfectly. I would recommend this book to anyone on my reading list because it is such a well written novel. Kiera Cass has a new avid fan!! 
Overall Rating: ♔♔♔


Feel free to join in at the link above if you are a GoodReads member or just join in and comment on my blog!