Month: June 2017

Vanishing Act by A.M. Madden

~ Jolie ~ Leave a comment

Vanishing Act

Title: Vanishing Act

Author: A.M. Madden

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: June 20th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 312

POV: Alternating 1st person

Where you can find Vanishing Act: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In this captivating standalone romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Stone Walls, Hollywood’s hottest actor meets his dream woman: a free spirit who has no idea who he is.

After personal heartbreak and professional setbacks, Landon Price is running on empty. If he doesn’t take a break from the public eye soon, he’ll risk becoming another cautionary tale in a town that’s full of them. So in between film projects, Landon asks his agent to clear his schedule and then he simply . . . vanishes. Renting a discreet home on a remote Hawaiian beach for the summer, Landon begins to recharge. And in the process of finding himself, he meets a beautiful, feisty local who challenges everything he thinks he knows.

Zara Jobert has no interest in being a conquest for a cocky playboy from the mainland—even one with undeniable charisma and movie-star good looks. So she’s pleasantly surprised when the handsome newcomer’s persistent advances mellow into cozy banter and sneakily seductive intimacy. When Landon reveals his true identity, Zara’s hurt that he lied, but she doesn’t care that he’s famous. Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same way. And falling for Landon might come with a heartbreaking choice—between Zara’s old life, and a new love.

My review:

I was pleasantly surprised by Vanishing Act.  I wasn’t expecting to do be sweet as it was or for it to get as emotional as it did.  Maybe I have been jaded by the last few books that I have read because I honestly went into Vanishing Act expecting it to be a boy meets girl, boy and girl have hot explosive sex for chapters and chapters and maybe some action or drama is thrown in. Instead, what I got, was a well-written book that explored grief, how it affects people in different ways and of course love.

Continue reading “Vanishing Act by A.M. Madden” →

I Knew You Were Trouble (Oxford: Book 4) by Lauren Layne

~ Jolie ~ 1 Comment

I Knew You Were Trouble (Oxford, #4)

Title: I Knew You Were Trouble

Author: Lauren Layne

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: June 13th, 2017

Genre: Humor, Romance

Number of pages: 215

POV: 3rd person

Series: Oxford

Irresistibly Yours – Book 1

I Wish You Were Mine – Book 2

Someone Like You – Book 3

I Knew You Were Trouble – Book 4

Where you can find I Knew You Were Trouble: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

New York City’s hottest bachelors are stirring up trouble in this fun, flirty Oxford Novel, as a love triangle forces a feisty beauty to choose between winning back Mr. Right or giving into Mr. Wrong.

Taylor Carr has it all—a sleek job in advertising, a stunning Manhattan apartment, and the perfect man to share it with Bradley Calloway. Even after Bradley dumps her for a co-worker on move-in day, Taylor isn’t worried. She’ll get her man eventually. In the meantime, she needs a new roommate. Enter Nick Ballantine, career bartender, freelance writer—and longtime pain in Taylor’s ass. Sexy in a permanent five-o’clock-shadow kind of way, Nick knows how to push Taylor’s buttons, as if he could see right through to the real her.

Nick’s always trying to fix people, and nobody could use a good fixing more than Taylor. Sure, she’s gorgeous, with mesmerizing silver eyes, but it’s her vulnerability that kills him. Now that they’re shacking up together, the chemistry is out of control. Soon they’re putting every part of their two-bedroom apartment to good use. Then Taylor’s ex comes crawling back to her, and Nick figures she’ll jump at the chance to go back to her old life—unless he fights for the best thing that ever happened to him.

My review:

I really enjoyed reading I Knew You Were Trouble….even though it was book 4 in the Oxford series. Reading books out-of-order from the series that they are in usually annoy me. Unless they are standalone and I Knew You Were Trouble is definitely stand alone. While the other people from the other stories are in the book, they do not overwhelm the book with their stories. Instead, Taylor and Nick’s story is allowed to follow its own path.

What really made this book enjoyable to me was that the author took the time to have Nick and Taylor build up their relationship by starting the story almost a year before their relationship took off. You got to see them both grow into their feelings for each other. Honestly, on that, I didn’t think that they would. They were like oil and water and there was always verbal fallout when they got together. You did get to see a softer side of Nick and Taylor when her aunt died but that was the only niceish interaction until  Bradley chickening out and breaking up with her by letter (who even does that????) scene.

I liked Taylor but I didn’t like how cool she was with Nick. You could feel the sexual tension every time they were together, regardless if they were in relationships or not. There was one point in the book, before the trench coat scene, where I kinda wanted to reach through my Kindle and shake her. Why? Because she was fighting her attraction to him and I thought she was being stupid. So I was pretty happy when the trench coat scene happened. I am going to say that I think that she could have handled Bradley showing up unexpectedly at her apartment a bit better. Look what happened. A huge misunderstanding that almost cost her the man that she needed.

I love Nick. He was such a wise guy and kept Taylor on her feet. He also was the only one who was there for her when her aunt died and then again in different parts of the book. It didn’t take me long to see that he was falling for her (I think I figured that out before he did). Another thing I liked about him was that he was a nice guy. A genuinely nice guy who got hurt pretty bad by his ex. So I wasn’t surprised at his reaction to Taylor’s news. Honestly, I wouldn’t have expected him to act any other way.

I was a little taken aback by certain events involving Taylor and Nick. Honestly, I didn’t see Taylor’s news happening and but, like I said above, I could see what Nick reacted the way he did. I just think that maybe a week was too long but then again, Nick needed time to process what he was told. He did make it right but I was so afraid that he was too late. Of course, the book wouldn’t have had its happy ending if he didn’t but still I worried.

The end of the book and the epilogue was perfect. Not going to give anything away but I loved…..well you need to read the book to find out what I loved about the epilogue (haha).

How many stars will I give I Knew You Were Trouble: 4

Why: Sweet romance with likable characters that had oodles of sexual tension

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Alpha Grayson (Alpha: Book 3) by Midika Crane

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Title: Alpha Grayson

Author: Midika Crane

Publisher: Inkitt

Date of publication: June 11th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal

Number of pages: 213

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Alpha

Alpha Landon – Book 1

Alpha Kaden – Book 2 (review here)

Alpha Grayson – Book 3

Alpha Jasper – Book 4

Alpha Malik – Book 5

Where you can find Alpha Grayson: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A rebellion to take down the Alphas has begun…

Lexia has been an unwilling member of the Vengeance Pack since she was kidnapped by Alpha Kaden at the age of thirteen. Previously a member of the Discipline Pack, she now plans an uprising to take down the Alphas and unify the 13 Packs.

But Fate has other plans for her. Lexia finds her mate in Alpha Grayson, from the Pack of Freedom; a man whose silver eyes leave Lexia without control over her carnal desires. But their romance becomes secondary when Cyprian, an evil source with magical powers, puts them both in grave danger on his mission to ignite a war.

Will Lexia and Grayson stand against Cyprian and prevent his schemes from coming to pass? Will they ever be able to consummate their newly found love?

My review:

When Inkitt approached me to review the 3rd book in the Alpha series, I was thrilled. I had enjoyed reading Alpha Kaden. Like I said in my review of Alpha Kaden, I enjoyed that this was an unwerewolf story (not phrased like that). What I mean is that I enjoyed that while it was understood that everyone in this series is a werewolf, they rarely shift but they keep their werewolf abilities and sense. It is a breath of fresh air.

So I was a little disappointed when I read the book. While the plot, itself, was fairly easy to follow, I didn’t like all the twists and turns that it took. I also didn’t like that a whole new pack and another set of characters were introduced almost halfway through the story. While it went in line with the plot, it was still very hard to follow. If the author had kept to maybe two Alpha’s and the main bad guy, I would have been fine with it. But everything else, in my opinion, was not needed.

Lexia, I didn’t like. She was either hot or cold and there was no in between with her. What I mean by that is that either she hated the Alphas and wanted to overthrow them or she was working with them and mated to one. I kinda wanted to say “Make up your freaking mind, girlfriend”. Her reaction when she found out that Grayson was her mate was pretty bad too. Poor guy’s ego had to have been shot.

While Grayson came across as this totally mysterious, hot Alpha in Alpha Kaden, he came across as totally different in this book. I don’t know exactly how to explain how he was different but he wasn’t like he was in the other book. Which disappointed me.

The romance in this book really wasn’t there. While it had the fire of Alpha Kaden, it fizzled out and when they did come together, I didn’t see the mad chemistry that was wonderfully exhibited in Alpha Kaden. Again, disappointed me.

Also what bothered me were the many twists to the plot. Normally, I wouldn’t complain but I counted 3 major ones. I got turned around by the end of the book because the plotline was not the same as the book started out with.

The end of the book was left open for book 4. All the major plotlines were wrapped up but there were a couple there were not. Regardless of how I feel about this book, I think that the series is different and I can’t wait to read book 4

How many stars will I give Alpha Grayson: 2.5 (rounded up to 3 for Goodreads/Amazon)

Why: Fizzling romance, unlikable heroine, the hero was not the same person as in other books and too many twists in the plotlines.

Will I reread: No but I will read other books by the author

Will I recommend to family and friends: No

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence and sex

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Hard Stick (Breakaway: Book 1) by L.P. Dover

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Title: Hard Stick

Author: L.P. Dover

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: June 13th, 2017

Genre: Suspense, Romance

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Breakaway

Hard Stick – Book 1

Blocked – Book 2 (expected publication date: October 31st, 2017)

Where you can find Hard Stick: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

He carries a big stick. And he’s not afraid to use it.

On the ice, I’m Kellan Carter, powerhouse enforcer for the Charlotte Strikers. Off the ice, I’m just a regular guy. The last thing I want is to get mobbed by a bunch of groupies who are only after me for my fame and money. My ideal woman knows how to enjoy a little good, clean fun—and maybe some not-so-clean fun too. That’s the kind of girl I’d never let go.

When Kristen Robinson, the gorgeous, down-to-earth bartender I’ve been crushing on, agrees to let me take her out, I’m thrilled. We have an amazing night together, culminating in the most electrifying kiss of my life—and that’s it. Kristen tells me we can’t see each other again, but I know that kiss meant as much to her as it did to me. What I don’t know is that Kristen has a dangerous secret. . . .

I’ve proved to Kristen that she can trust me with her body and her heart. But when her past comes back to haunt her, I need to prove that she can trust me with her life. And I might have to get my hands dirty after all.

My review:

I had to sit back for a few minutes after reading this book because it totally is not what I expected. From the cover (which I am definitely not complaining about, I love abs) and the blurb, I thought it was going to be a light romance centered around hockey. And you know what, I was going to be OK with that because I have read and reviewing some pretty heavy books lately. Instead, I read a book that took me in the other direction. Now, I am not complaining about it (see my rating at the end of the review) but man, I wish that there was more of a hint in the blurb. Because this book is so much more than a hockey romance. I am going to add suspense and intrigue to my tags and to the genre group above.

I felt awful for Kristen. She had a boyfriend who was obsessed with her. He had people watching her and if her best friend, Cole, would come over….he would show up. She was crippled with fear until the night where she decided, with Cole’s help, that she was leaving. And then the unthinkable happened. The boyfriend ran Cole off the road when he was on his motorcycle….killing him. That’s when she disappeared and the FBI, who was aware of her boyfriend but couldn’t pin anything on him, put her in the witness protection program and then faked her death so she could be free….once and for all. Now, if that had happened to me, I would have issues with men and trust. Which she did but still.

I liked Kellan. He was just an ordinary guy. Well, ordinary if you consider that he was the captain of the Charlotte Strikers and was a buff, badass with a temper. What I liked was that he was 100% believable as the hero of this story. He was an ordinary guy who got the girl, learned her secrets and vowed to protect her. He was so alpha male, it wasn’t even funny and I loved it. I also liked that his issues were more true to life than the other books that I have read. His mother and himself had bad blood and guess what, she deserved his hate. Normally, you wouldn’t hear me say that but that woman was unbelievable. She did come through for him, though, when it counted and I guess that matters (still don’t like her).

The romance part of this book was off the chart. The chemistry between Kristin and Kellan was burning hot and when they did have sex, it burned a hole in my Kindle. Just kidding, but if it had been real, there would have been smoke coming off the sheets. When the romance turned to love (no Instalove here, it took a month or so), poor Kristin fought it so hard. Kellan didn’t and I liked that. He was one with his feelings but Kristin, understandable, wasn’t.

I also couldn’t get enough of the storyline with Kristin’s ex. He had to have been the slimiest, disgusting character that I have ever read. I will admit that I did guess about his connection to Kellan. I actually guessed it pretty early in the book, when they started dating. But it didn’t take away from the book. I will also say that he, the ex, got what was coming to him and I cheered when everything went down.

I loved the ending and yes, I ugly cried through it.

I can’t wait until I read Blocked (I just got the e-ARC from NetGalley). It is going to be Dallas’s story and I hope that it is as good as Kellan’s.

My questions for the next book:

Will Dallas get a girlfriend?

Will we see more of Kellan and Kristin?

What about the skating rink, will there be more scenes there?

How many stars will I give Hard Stick: 4

Why: Great storyline and great characters. I was a bit surprised that this was more romantic suspense than romantic sports but it did not take away from how good the book was

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Addicted to the Duke (Imperfect Lords: Book 1) by Bronwen Evans

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Addicted to the Duke (Imperfect Lords, #1)

Title: Addicted to the Duke

Author: Bronwen Evans

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: June 13th, 2017

Genre: Historical Romance

Number of pages: 260

POV: 3rd person

Series: Imperfect Lords

Addicted to the Duke – Book 1

Where you can find Addicted to the Duke: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A lovestruck lady charms the Duke of her dreams during an expedition on the high seas in this sexy, swashbuckling novel from USA Today bestselling author Bronwen Evans.

Alexander Sylvester Bracken, Duke of Bedford, has a mission: sail to the Mediterranean and track down Lady Hestia Cary’s missing father. It is a straightforward task, but for two rather vexing complications. First, the sea holds painful memories; second, for her own safety, Hestia is to accompany him. As Alex battles the demons of his past, he must also resist Hestia’s surprisingly skillful attempts at seduction. After all, Alex has sworn to leave her untouched, and he intends to honor that vow—until he can properly ask the Earl’s blessing.

Ever since His Grace rescued Hestia from the arms of a Turkish pirate six long years ago, her heart has belonged to Alex. So when he agrees to help find her father, Hestia is thrilled. Although Alex tries to hide it, there’s passion in his eyes—and a frisson of desire in the air—whenever they meet. On board ship, miles from home, Alex won’t be able to deny her any longer. But with scoundrels lying in wait, she may not live to tell the tale of her conquest.

My review:

Do not judge Addicted to the Duke by its cover. Why you ask? Well because the cover doesn’t do this book any justice. While it is nice to look at, and who doesn’t like a bare-chested man who is in the process of ripping his shirt off, I do think that the cover should have included Hestia. Normally, I am like “No women on the cover” but Hestia earned a spot in my heart because of everything that she went through and how she loved Alex unconditionally. Actually, thinking about it, maybe Hestia should have been featured instead of Alex. Just saying…

Continue reading “Addicted to the Duke (Imperfect Lords: Book 1) by Bronwen Evans” →

The Halloween Children by Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss

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Title: The Halloween Children

Author(s): Brian James Freeman, Norman Prentiss

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Hydra

Date of publication: June 13th, 2017

Genre: Horror

Number of pages: 189

POV: Alternating 1st person and 3rd person

Where you can find The Halloween Children: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

The Halloween Children are watching—they’re always watching in this chilling novel of suburban horror from Bram Stoker Award winner Norman Prentiss and Brian James Freeman of Cemetery Dance Publications.

The accommodations at Stillbrook Apartments aren’t exactly glamorous, but they’re quiet, affordable, and well maintained. The handyman is usually available to help with a leak or a broken bulb, his wife and two adorable kids often tagging along. When occasion dictates, the neighbors gather to wish each other well and spread the requisite holiday cheer. Everything’s very nice. Very normal.

But as Halloween approaches, strange occurrences are happening all around Stillbrook. The children tell disturbing stories, bizarre noises bleed through the walls, and one abandoned unit is found to be inhabited by something sinister—something that’s no longer alive.

For the safety of the tenants, the Halloween party has been canceled. There will be no decorations or masks, no candied apples or witch’s brew. But without treats to divert the Halloween Children, they have no choice but to play some very nasty tricks.

My review:

The Halloween Children left me going “What happened that night” after I read it. I am not one to spook when reading horror books unless they are about zombies and then forget it, but this one had me jumping at the house settling, BK snoring and my cats being kitty brats. The book is told from Harris and Lynn’s point of view with some chapters being told from the investigator’s and honestly, that is what made the creepiness factor go way up.

I was genuinely creeped out from the first chapter when the investigator was speaking to Harris about what exactly happened that night. There is plenty of foreshadowing but it isn’t until the very last chapters when it is revealed who did what. Now, I know that the kids were involved but I really wasn’t expecting….well you need to read the book.

I really can’t get into the story, as much as I want to, because if I do I will unintentionally give away some of the plots. Let’s just say that everything that you read up until the end of the book is not what you think. Because I was very surprised when certain facts were revealed. And honestly, it made the creepiness factor of the book go up.

Now I know that this is a short review but like I said in the previous paragraph, I can’t really write about what happened. You really need to go read the book!!

How many stars will I give The Halloween Children: 4

Why: Creepy book that kept me up at night. There is a twist in the plot that I didn’t see coming at the end and it made the book even creepier.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence and language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Fata Morgana by Steven R. Boyett and Ken Mitchroney

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Fata Morgana

Title: Fata Morgana

Author: Steven R. Boyett and Ken Mitchroney

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Date of publication: June 13th, 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: 3rd person

Series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

At the height of the air war in Europe, Captain Joe Farley and the baseball-loving, wisecracking crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress Fata Morgana are in the middle of a harrowing bombing mission over East Germany when everything goes sideways. The bombs are still falling and flak is still exploding all around the 20-ton bomber as it is knocked like a bathtub duck into another world.

Suddenly stranded with the final outcasts of a desolated world, Captain Farley navigates a maze of treachery and wonder—and finds a love seemingly decreed by fate—as his bomber becomes a pawn in a centuries-old conflict between remnants of advanced but decaying civilizations. Caught among these bitter enemies, a vast power that has brought them here for its own purposes, and a terrifying living weapon bent on their destruction, the crew must use every bit of their formidable inventiveness and courage to survive.

Fata Morgana—the epic novel of love and duty at war across the reach of time.

My review:

This book made me a little sad in spots because my grandfather was a gunner on a B-17. He didn’t serve in Europe, though, he served in the South Pacific. It wasn’t until my son, then 5, started expressing an interest in airplanes, that he started talking about the war. Of course, he didn’t tell my son everything, just the names of the planes he flew on and he had pictures of “the ladies” as he called the planes. My son was fascinated that planes had people painted on them and was fascinated that Papa shotguns out of the back at the bad guys. He didn’t understand why Papa got weepy eyed when talking about people he served with who were KIA.

When he passed in 2015, we found his medals as we were cleaning his apartment. Among them was a Purple Heart….that was buried in the bottom of a draw. My mother wasn’t surprised and said he was injured during the war. We also found the pictures he had hidden away of his squadron with the dates of death and names written on the back. Everything was saved, I believe my mother has the pictures and the Purple Heart in a bank deposit box.

What I liked about Fata Morgana is that it was on point with everything that my grandfather had told my son and myself. From what the crews wore, to how the gunners were strapped into the shortwave radio operator to the people who handled the bombs, 100% accurate.

The science fiction aspect of the book was well written too. I liked that the Fata Morgana was taken 200 years into the future. A very bleak future, might I add, where the remnants of human society are forced to live in two domes in a crater. They are also fighting each other in a war that is as old as the domes themselves. Very surreal.

The B17 crew had to be my favorite characters to read. The personalities of each one come across the pages and make you smile. What I also liked is that the authors stayed true to how men from that era acted and their views on women and people of nationalities/color. I also like that they all smoked like chimneys.

I did like the romance between Captain Farley and Wennda. It was innocent, with only a kiss but it was real and I liked it.

There are a couple of twists that are thrown into the book that took me by surprise as I read it. One of the twists was big and it changed how I viewed the world that Wennda lived in. There was so much action and at one point, I was on the edge of my seat chanting “You are going to make. You are going to make it”. Want to know why I was chanting that? Read the book!!

The end was very bittersweet. I have a theory about what happened at the end of the book but I refuse to ruin the book for people. It is best that you read the book for yourself. Because I feel that people will have the same theory as I do.

How many stars will I give Fata Morgana: 4

Why: This is a book that will go on my keeper shelf. It was action packed with memorable characters who quickly got under your skin. The storyline was pretty good too. It did lag in a couple of spots but the authors did a great job of getting the book back on track.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older teen (16+)

Why: Violence and some language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Sleuthing with the Enemy (Unnatural Alliances: Book 2) by Danielle Hardgrave

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Sleuthing with the Enemy (Unnatural Alliances Book 2) by [Hardgrave, Danielle]

Title: Sleuthing with the Enemy

Author: Danielle Hardgrave

Publisher: Caldwell Publishing

Date of publication: June 9th, 2017

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: 1st person

Series: Unnatural Alliances

To Trust a Wolf – Book 1

Sleuthing with the Enemy – Book 2

Where you can find Sleuthing with the Enemy: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Somebody just stole a valuable artifact from the Helsen archives, and Annemette Helsen—a very pissed off werewolf—is going to make sure they pay for it.

There’s just one problem: Anna’s only suspect is the arrogant vampire prince, Jonas Weiss. He’s cocky, frustrating, and a little bit sexy. Okay, a lot sexy.

He also claims to be innocent, so the fact that she just broke into his home and attacked him is problematic.

And his price for keeping silent about the whole debacle? Downright devious.

Disclaimer:

The short novel you’re about to consume is quick, quirky, and delicious. Get ready to enjoy the main course of romance with a side of adventure. Buckle up, it’s about to get sassy!

Sleuthing with the Enemy can be enjoyed as part of the Unnatural Alliances series or on its own

My review:

Sleuthing with the Enemy is one of those books that would be perfect to read by the pool or on the beach. It doesn’t have a complicated plot, is a standalone book in the Unnatural Alliances series, the characters are relatable and the sex was hot.

Continue reading “Sleuthing with the Enemy (Unnatural Alliances: Book 2) by Danielle Hardgrave” →

The Party bv Robyn Harding

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The Party: A Novel by [Harding, Robyn]

Title: The Party

Author: Robyn Harding

Publisher: Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books

Date of publication: June 6, 2017

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Number of pages: 352

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find The Party: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In this stunning and provocative domestic drama about a sweet sixteen birthday party that goes horribly awry, a wealthy family in San Francisco finds their picture-perfect life unraveling, their darkest secrets revealed, and their friends turned to enemies.

One invitation. A lifetime of regrets.

Sweet sixteen. It’s an exciting coming of age, a milestone, and a rite of passage. Jeff and Kim Sanders plan on throwing a party for their daughter, Hannah—a sweet girl with good grades and nice friends. Rather than an extravagant, indulgent affair, they invite four girls over for pizza, cake, movies, and a sleepover. What could possibly go wrong?

But things do go wrong, horrifically so. After a tragic accident occurs, Jeff and Kim’s flawless life in a wealthy San Francisco suburb suddenly begins to come apart. In the ugly aftermath, friends become enemies, dark secrets are revealed in the Sanders’ marriage, and the truth about their perfect daughter, Hannah, is exposed.

Harkening to Herman Koch’s The Dinner, Christos Tsiolkas’s The Slap, and Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, The Party takes us behind the façade of the picture-perfect family, exposing the lies, betrayals, and moral lapses that neighbors don’t see—and the secrets that children and parents keep from themselves and each other.

My review:

The Party is one of those books that when I finished, I exhaled and thought “What the heck did I just read”. I thought it showed perfectly how relationships can be destroyed when pressure is put on them….more so if they are already fracturing. It was an intense read and I did just sit there and think about the book for a while after I read it. It got that under my skin. As a mother of an 11-year-old girl, I often wonder how high school is going to be for her and if she is going to feel like she is going to have to be something she’s not to fit in. I will tell you this, I will not be like Kim or Lisa. Too extreme on either end. One wants to control her daughter and the other letting her daughter having too much freedom.

I am going to admit that Kim bugged the crap out of me the entire book. She was self-righteous. Everything that she did had to be better than everyone else, she was extremely condescending to her husband and kids and she basically thought that she was above everyone. She rubbed me the wrong way. Even when I was supposed to feel bad for her, I didn’t. I almost felt that she brought this on herself by being the stuck-up snob that she was. But then again, greed was a reason in the lawsuit too.

Lisa, however, I did feel bad for, at first. Her daughter was disfigured and hospitalized. But her greed started showing very early in the book and by the time they went to court, I felt disgust for her. She had convinced herself that her daughter wouldn’t be able to do anything in life because of her injury and she refused to listen to Ronni when Ronni begged her to drop the lawsuit. At that point, Lisa was out to ruin Kim and Jeff, professionally and publicly, because they didn’t offer to pay for Ronni’s hospital bills right away (which they should have done right off the bat, to be honest). Even her boyfriend got clued in when she declined a settlement….because she wanted the full amount in the lawsuit.

Honestly, in my eyes, Ronni was the only one who lost in this book. She was mercilessly bullied by people she had once considered friends and didn’t have any friends, she lost her eye and her mother had turned into someone who she didn’t even know. So when certain events happened in the book about her, I truly wasn’t surprised. I actually figured that what happened would happen and expected it to happen earlier.

I am really not going to get into the storylines because they all crisscross with each other, but I will say that I found them all very compelling. Actually, the storyline with Lauren and Jeff creeped me out….a lot. But I did think that he did the right thing in the end.

The end of the book wasn’t a happy ending. While some storylines were resolved, other’s weren’t and that is what made the ending good. I was taken by surprise by the slight twist at the end. I actually wished that there was an epilogue or something because I wanted to see what happened.

Now my questions for the book:

Why were certain events about that night not revealed until almost until the end of the book? I mean, it makes sense with what happened but I wish that the author made those characters make their scenes sooner

Why the total 180 with Lisa? I mean, I kinda liked her as the laid back, pot smoking mom. But when she morphed into Ms. Greedypants, I just lost interest and empathy for her.

Why didn’t Hannah try harder with Ronni? She went to the same school and she had to of seen her. If she missed her that much, she should have tried harder. But, then again, she is a teenager and we all know how they are.

How many stars will I give The Party: 4

Why: I really liked the story and the messages that it got across. Even with my dislike of Kim and Lisa, the story was beautifully written with compelling storylines and hot topics. I couldn’t put the book down.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language, violence. Also, triggers for bullying

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

An Unnatural Vice (Sins of the Cities: Book 2) by K.J. Charles

~ Jolie ~ 1 Comment

An Unnatural Vice (Sins of the Cities, #2)

Title: An Unnatural Vice

Author: K.J. Charles

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: June 6th, 2017

Genre: LGBTQIA, Historical Romance

Number of pages: 250

POV: 3rd person

Series: Sins of the Cities

An Unseen Attraction – Book 1 (review here)

An Unnatural Vice – Book 2

An Unsuitable Heir – Book 3 (publication date–October 3rd, 2017)

Where you can find An Unnatural Vice: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In the sordid streets of Victorian London, unwanted desire flares between two bitter enemies brought together by a deadly secret.

Crusading journalist Nathaniel Roy is determined to expose spiritualists who exploit the grief of bereaved and vulnerable people. First on his list is the so-called Seer of London, Justin Lazarus. Nathaniel expects him to be a cheap, heartless fraud. He doesn’t expect to meet a man with a sinful smile and the eyes of a fallen angel—or that a shameless swindler will spark his desires for the first time in years.

Justin feels no remorse for the lies he spins during his séances. His gullible clients simply bore him. Hostile, disbelieving, utterly irresistible Nathaniel is a fascinating challenge. And as their battle of wills and wits heats up, Justin finds he can’t stop thinking about the man who’s determined to ruin him.

But Justin and Nathaniel are linked by more than their fast-growing obsession with one another. They are both caught up in an aristocratic family’s secrets, and Justin holds information that could be lethal. As killers, fanatics, and fog close in, Nathaniel is the only man Justin can trust—and, perhaps, the only man he could love.

My review:

An Unnatural Vice in the second book in the Sins Of The Cities series. I had previously read and reviewed An Unseen Attraction and really enjoyed that book. So when I saw that book 2 was available on NetGalley, I had to request it. I am glad I did because this book was fantastic.

I am going to come right out and say that this book is not a stand-alone. You need to read An Unseen Attraction to follow the events in An Unnatural Vice. The events in An Unnatural Vice closely intermingle with the events in An Unseen Attraction. Actually, the storyline in An Unnatural Vice is the same time as the events in An Unseen Attraction. Several scenes from An Unnatural Vice were rewritten to be from Nate and Justin’s point of view. I know it sounds confusing, reading what I wrote, but it actually worked. I got to see what was happening to Clem and Rowley from another point of view….along with Nate and Justin’s main storyline. It was different and again, like I said above, it worked.

I enjoyed reading about mediums in that time period and the length’s that they went through to convince their clients that they were actually talking to spirits. From the setup to picking their apprentices to the real senace, it just fascinated me. Justin was pretty good because he had me, a reader, convinced that there was something supernatural going on for a couple of chapters…lol.

Nate was still grieving for his lover, Tony. Tony died in a freak accident 7 years earlier and Nate was devastated, as any normal person would be after losing a loved one. So when he attends a senace to expose Justin Lazarus as a fraud, he wasn’t expecting to be attracted to him and it threw a wrench in his plans. While I felt bad for Nate, I absolutely loved seeing him come alive in this book. Not only was he hell-bent on exposing Justin as a fraud but he was working to help Clem with what I will call family issues (read the book because it is so much more). But both of those worlds collide, in a big way.

I did like Justin, even if he was a fraud. He was doing the only honest work that he knew how to do. So he is intrigued when Nate keeps coming around. I did have a giggle over how much of a foul mouth that Justin had, which again was a breath of fresh air. Also, he protected those he considered his….which meant that Sukey and Emma (a 12-year-old and a mentally challenged 15-year-old) were under his protection. It showed that under his façade of not caring, he was a very caring man. The scene where he was panicking over the girls being in the house was very telling because, at this point, the author chose to portray them as only servants/apprentices.

The romance between Justin and Nate was not a slow burn. I wouldn’t dare say that it was Instalove but it bordered on it. To be honest, it was pure lust. The first sex scene was mad sex. The men were arguing and one thing led to another. They were even arguing during sex, which did make me giggle. It was almost like they were having makeup sex while fighting. The other sex scenes were just as hot.

The storyline with Clem and the storyline with Justin did merge about halfway through the book. Like I said above, it was pretty interesting to read the events of An Unseen Attraction from another angle. It answered a lot of questions about certain events. I have a feeling that book 3 will do the same and honestly, I can’t wait to read it.

The end of the book was a HEA, for the most part. The book did wrap up, for the most part, Justin and Nate’s storyline but left Clem’s wide open. I can’t wait to see where it goes in book 3!!

How many stars will I give An Unnatural Vice: 4

Why: Great characters with a compelling storyline.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**