Review: Escaping Reality (Secret Life of Amy Bensen #1) Lisa Renee Jones

Escaping Reality

The Secret Life of Amy Bensen

book 1

Lisa Renee Jones

Adult, Romance, Mystery

Catch up with the New York Times sexy, thrilling bestselling mystery THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN SERIES, before the highly anticipated books 3 and 4, FORSAKEN (Aug. 18th) and UNBROKEN (Sept. 7th), release! Both available for pre-order now!

Infinite possibilities….
Infinite passion…..
Infinite danger….

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need.

At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loves to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she’s finally dared to believe she is forgotten–even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets down her guard, the ghosts of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run.

On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take “no” as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes?


Review:

I'm really enjoying the mystery of this series, but at the same time I know nothing and that is irritating after 21 chapters!

I love Liam, but he seems to good to be true and that is usually the case. All the other characters are acting suspicious and I have no idea who to trust. I find myself wanting to pull Amy through the book and yell at her for being stupid. I get that she's tired of running and wants to feel normal, but you don't know him and everything is different this time. Why aren't you trying to find answers? Your handler isn't going to just up and change his mo, so something is off and you need to figure it out! ugh. /rant over.

I am downloading book two as I type this and I can't wait to see what is in store for our mystery woman!


 

Review: Just One Night (book #1) by Kyra Davis

Just One Night

Book 1

Kyra Davis

Adult, Romance

In this New York Times bestselling erotic enovella trilogy, a buttoned-up businesswoman takes her friend’s advice and has a fling with a stranger on a trip to Vegas—only to find herself under his mysterious, sexy power both in the boardroom and the bedroom. 

Kasie Fitzgerald knows who she’s supposed to be. She’s a rising-star-workaholic at a global consulting firm. She’s the fiancée of a well-connected man who’s won the approval of her parents. People know that she’s reliable, serious, proper, cautious, pragmatic, and yes, a little predictable. She’s who Dave and her family want her to be.

But as her thirtieth birthday looms, buried feelings begin to resurrect. Her friend takes her to Vegas for one last wild and crazy night. In a dress much shorter and sexier than anything she has ever dared to wear before, she hits the blackjack tables. And meets him. Under the tailored clothes it’s clear that this is a man who is intense, powerful, and maybe even a little dangerous. With a touch of trepidation she accepts his invitation to get a drink, and before long, she’s in his hotel room.

She never gets his full name. Perhaps his anonymity is one of the reasons she’s able to give herself over to him and to the moment so completely. Perhaps it’s why she’s just had the most exquisite and passionate sex of her life. Shaken by her own behavior, Kasie tries to chalk it up to one crazy night. But when the mysterious gentleman she’s just had a fling with shows up in her office—as the CEO of a firm her company does a billion dollars of business with a year, demanding that she handle his account, and so much more—things will never be the same again. And there’s no telling where this will go…


Review:

I give this 3 stars... I loved some parts and didn't care for others making this just a good read for me.

It started out really good, I loved the characters and their interactions, then something happened and it just kind of went flat for me. I've read that this was originally written as a serial series with 3 installments, I think there should have been a little editing done where the segments were joined together so we weren't reading a recap of the previous chapters. Each time a new segments was introduced it felt like they were written at different times, like the author wasn't in the same mindset or something.. I just think with some clever editing this would be a solid 4 star read.

I started out in love with Robert, then as the story progresses he becomes more of an ass, and not the hot kind either, he becomes the kind of person you need to get away from as soon as possible or you'll find yourself sucked in and then tossed to the side when he's done. I found that there were very few characters I did like by the end of it, but its what made the story work.

Some of the characters were one dimensional; while Robert had layers, you just scratch the surface with him, and it's a shame because there is so much potential there. I said before this would be a 4 star read with editing, add in some character depth and this could easily be a 5 star book.

For me it's a 3, but I enjoyed my time, it did it's job in entertaining me for the weekend.  
 

Review: Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) by Jamie McGuire

Walking Disaster

Beautiful Series

book 2

Jamie McGuire

New Adult Romance

The highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster.

Can you love someone too much?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster; the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.


Review:

I really enjoyed this book!

I read the books back to back and despite reading the same story twice but from different pov's, I never once felt like I was reading the same story. I mean, yes I knew the the basics of what was going to happen, but the story was told in such a way that it kept things interesting!
The author did recount every single thing that happened in the first book, just the important parts and then added so much more that we had no idea was going on behind the scenes in the first book. I loved it.

I've read several series where authors try to write the same story from another pov, but none have been quite as well planned out as this one. A huge thumbs up to Jamie McGuire for pulling it off flawlessly.

This book had me falling in love with Travis all over again. 

 4.5 Stars

Review: Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Disaster

Beautiful Series

book 1

Jamie McGuire

New Adult, Romance

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.


Review:

 
I really enjoyed this book, it definitely keeps you on your toes.

I couldn't put it down, and found myself irritated with reality when it interrupted! The story was full of suspense and clumsy college romance. I didn't know it was possible to pack that much suspense into one book but Jamie McGuire pulled it off beautifully. It was a roller coaster of emotions and I loved every second of it!

I love Travis and his family, plus the relationship between Abby and America is great. The characters all worked together well and added so much depth to the story.

I just couldn't get enough.

You definitely can't judge the book by it's cover, honestly the cover is confusing to me - I'd imagine a different winged creature to be featured front and center...

Review: Mine (Real #2) by Katy Evans

Mine

Real Series

book 2

Katy Evans

adult, romance, fighter

He's mine, and I'm his. Our love is all-consuming, powerful,
imperfect, and real...

In the international bestseller REAL, the unstoppable bad boy of the Underground fighting circuit finally met his match. Hired to keep him in prime condition, Brooke Dumas unleashed a primal desire in Remington "Riptide" Tate as vital as the air he breathes... and now he can't live without her.

Brooke never imagined she would end up with the man who is every woman's dream, but not all dreams end happily ever after, and just when they need each other the most, she is torn away from his side. Now with distance and darkness between them, the only thing left is to fight for the love of the man she calls MINE.


Review: 

(Beware of Spoilers)

This one is 3 1/2 stars for me...

I love that this book picks up basically where the first one left off.
I still love Remy, but Brooke kind of got on my nerves after a while. I feel like all the characters grew except Brooke and Nora... You can't be pissed about something when you left, it's not cheating when your not together.

There were a few twists and turns, but I feel like there could have been more when it came to scorpion. Seems like there was this huge build up and then nothing, he just disappears from the story until the very end. We spend a good portion of it focused on the pregnancy, and maybe that is why I didn't love this book. I don't have kids, I don't want kids, and I surely don't want to read about the process.

Not sure if I'll be continuing with the series, while I really do love the characters and the story I am just not a fan of family stories. For me it takes away from the fantasy and makes it less interesting.  

 

Giveaway: Twin Flames by Cassandra L. Shaw

Twin Flames

Katoom Series

Book One

Cassandra L Shaw

Genre:  Paranormal Romance / Suspense

Publisher: Black Opal Books

Date of Publication: 25th July, 2015

ASIN:  B011CN2YM0

Number of pages: 316

Word Count: 100 000

About the Book:

She’s in grave danger, but she doesn’t want his protection…

After a long and bitter world-war for pure human supremacy, humans and two sub-species the Eli and Crea reside on Earth in an uneasy harmony. One morning on a jog, Bliss Jacobs finds a murdered fellow Eli. She scents the killer on the body, but other evidence is washed away by a savage storm, leaving Bliss as the sole witness and the target of an assassin—and forcing her back into the world of the man who shattered her heart.

He believes she is his destined mate, but he knows there are no second chances…

Kaid Sinclair is chasing more than his best friend’s murderer. He wants Bliss in his bed and in his life, but after their relationship went south several years ago, he knows he has to tread carefully. So how can he keep her safe, while still proving to her that they are destined to be mates, and he doesn’t just want to control her? All he wants is for her to be safe—but with a killer who sees her as Kaid bait, Kaid may have to choose…his life or hers?

Amazon US     Amazon UK     iBooks

Smashwords     Barnes and Noble     Kobo

About the Author:

Cassandra L Shaw writes Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense, & Contemporary Romance. She lives in a small farm on the Sunshine Coast of Australia. Her eclectic past includes fashion design, environmental science and years of drudgery as an office worker where she dreamed of NOT being an office worker.  She discovered writing a few years ago and has decided that with its mix of art, writing craft, and study she’s at last found the career that suits her arty and academic mind.  

http://www.cassandralshaw.com

http://www.facebook.com/cassandralshawauthor

http://www.pinterest.com/cassandralshaw
http://www.twitter.com/cassandralshaw

Tour giveaway

$50 amazon GC

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entry link

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112ffc1148

 

Review: Real (Real #1) by Katy Evans

Real

book 1

Katy Evans

A fallen boxer.
A woman with a broken dream.
A competition...

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting...

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I've ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I've never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong—but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents...

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?


Review: 

Last month I read the Manwhore series by Katy Evans and enjoyed it, so when I found myself searching for a new book to listen to while working this weekend I came across Real and decided to give it a shot.

I have to say, I loved it! Generally its not my genre, I tend to stick to paranormal romances but I'm running out of good books there so I've been venturing out. So far I'm happy with what I'm finding.

I love that in Katy's books there isn't a standard hero, or character in distress that needs saving. Both characters are flawed but confident in themselves. They save each other even though no one really needed saving. They are both kind of oblivious when it comes to reading other people and the situation, but that is what makes for an interesting story, because had they gotten together in the first chapter there would be no need for the 13 that followed.

The story is filled with action, both in the ring and in the bed... and occasionally a restaurant.
There is comedy, drama, romance, frustration, suspense, and so much more. It's an all around good story that kept me up until 3am when I just couldn't keep my eyes open anymore, and had me grabbing my kindle first thing the next morning to finish!

On to book 2. It is a 3 day weekend after all.
 

Review: Hunting Season (Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter #4) Nikki Jefford

Hunting Season

Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter

book 4

Nikki Jefford

It’s better to be a hunter, not prey.

Ever since her partner was kidnapped, Aurora Sky has been on a personal mission to get him back. To do that she needs the vampire responsible for destroying her life.

In order to have a snowball’s chance at success, she’ll have to team up with her most loyal friends, including a certain vampire in black with a provoking talent for distraction.

Old cravings aren’t easily quenched, nor past passions.

With knowledge comes danger and Aurora is at risk on all sides.



Review:


I'm absolutely in love with this series.

I recently took a trip to Alaska and visited several of the places mentioned in the books and it's really cool to have my own memories of the place to visualize while reading the story!

The book does a good job of quickly recapping the story so you aren't trying to remember what happened in the previous books. Sometime I feel like I'm rereading a book during a recap, but this was done perfectly, just enough to jog your memory but not so much that your reading the last chapter again.

The story was full of action, adventure, and romance. I'm still team Fane, and Dante needs to be friend zoned. The agency secrets are slowly being revealed and I'm starting to think the enemy isn't who they think it is... I can't wait to learn more.

Click below to find out more about this book: 

   

My reviews of books 1-3. 

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter (#1)
Aurora Sky: Northern Bites (#2)
Aurora Sky: Bad Blood (#3)

Spotlight: Imperfect Love (4Ever Series) Isabella White

Imperfect Love
The 4Ever Series
Book One
Isabella White

Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing

Release Date: July 2015

ISBN: 978-0-9946536-3-5 

At 24 years old, Holly Scallenger has the perfect life. Everything a girl could want; a beautiful man, a stunning home, as well as being in the midst of preparing for the wedding of her dreams. This all vanishes the night she catches her fiancé, Brandon Morgan, in bed with her worst nightmare, Donna Sinclair, just a week before Holly is set to walk down the aisle.

Attempting to recover from his betrayal, Holly swears off the affections of men in order to pick up the pieces of her crumbling life. Unfortunately, meeting Jake 'Hooligan' Peters is not part of her plan. The tall, dark-haired and handsome as hell med student, sweeps Holly away from the pain of her past and reveals to her the bright future that lays ahead. That is, until she falls pregnant just as Jake begins his internship at P and E; his family's hospital.

Will this love at first sight lead her to the fairytale she has always craved? Or, will she fall victim to a betrayal of the heart yet again?


Excerpt One

Holly climbed out of the plush chair and gingerly walked across the soft carpet. Grasping the metal handle, she opened the closet door with a flourish and pulled out the suitcase. Flapping it open, she began arranging all her clothes haphazardly. Lucky for her, it was a big suitcase. When she’d bought it, she knew the size would come in handy one day; she just never thought that it would be used for this.
Pausing in her frantic packing, she fell back onto the white carpet, letting her hair swirl around her, reflecting the tornado of emotions swirling inside her. How could he have done this to her? They’d had so many dreams. They could have been such a great couple, if he would have just kept his dick in his pants. Heaven knew she loved Brandon, but she refused to marry Donna, too.
Tears began streaming down her cheeks, leaving a hot path that burned into her very soul. She inhaled deeply, trying not to lose it as she pushed her hair back. She knew that as soon as his Audi pulled into the driveway, he was going to start with his begging again. Especially now; a week before the big day.
She had to stand her ground. She owed it to herself, and deserved so much more than a two-timing whore! Yes, if women were called whores when they did it, men could be labeled in the same manner.
Suddenly, her phone began buzzing frantically. As she looked at the polished glass screen, a beautiful picture of him and her smiling greeted her. Damn... they looked so happy.


About the Author:

Isabella White was born and raised in South Africa, where she still lives with her husband and two beautiful little girls. She always knew she was going to be a writer, but it only started to really happen about four years ago. In her free time―if she gets any because moms don’t really have free time―she loves to spend it with friends, whether it’s a girls night out, or just watching a movie. She’s a very chilled person.

Her writing career started with Firebolt, book one in the Dragonian series under the pen name of Adrienne Woods. Her other series, Dream Casters, will be released mid 2015. She also writes in different genres, The Pregnancy Diaries, You and Me 4Ever has a total of 3 novels. More to come in the Pregnancy Diaries soon. And then, she has a paranormal series by the name of the Aswang series, which will consist of about ten novels. And if that wasn’t enough, there is another series, Guardians of Monsters, which will be released in 2016. Both novels are written under another pen name called Kristen Ping.