Blagica Jankuloska

Sisterhood?

This is my first book by Hannah Mary McKinnon and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I will say that I picked this book off the Netgalley because the blurb was very intriguing. However everything that the blurb said and everything I thought would happen in the book was completely not what happened or an extreme stretch from what I expected. Which for someone who reads as many thrillers as I do was a great surprise and gem of a read so I give the author lots of credit for being able to surprise me.

Eleanor Hardwicke has not had an easy life. Her mother and perfect younger sister belittle her at every opportunity and when her beloved father dies, she is left adrift. Finding out that he was not her biological father, Eleanor imagines starting over with a new family, her other family. Her father Stan wants nothing to do with her, but her sister Victoria might be another story. Victoria is the complete opposite of Eleanor; she has a father that offers her every advantage possible yet wants nothing to do with Eleanor. This has enabled Victoria to lead a privileged life and become who she is today. Why shouldn't Eleanor have some part of this fairy tale life? So when a stroke of luck happens and Eleanor finds out that Victoria needs a websites she goes above and beyond to try and befriend Victoria so she could at least have a relationship with one person from her new family even if that person has no clue of her existence..

She can't believe that her plan worked and she not only has a job that is paying money and she can afford her bills but under a guise of a web designer she can finally feel like she belongs somewhere and doesn't feel like a black sheep. The more time that passes the harder it is to tell Victoria and the more she likes her and Victoria genuinely seems to like Eleanor and the risk of losing it all is too great. As Eleanor gets drawn deeper into Victoria's perfect world, the facade she has built of the perfect life starts to look a lot less perfect. But helping Victoria comes with a price. A price that might be more than she ever thought possible.

What I will say is that this is one of those books where the explosive ending is not one that you will see coming. You will also learn to love and hate some of the characters very early on in the book but every person and every act is perfectly placed to make this a great read. I apologize for my delay in reviewing this book; I enjoyed this very much and would read more books by this author in the future.
I received an arc from Harlequin Trade Publishing through NetGalley.

Pleasant Surprise

Have you ever picked up a book that just was not your cup of tea? This was what this book was for me. I picked it up because I am a big fan of Kat Bastion and love her writing style. I have to say that when I started it was not my cup of tea but by the time I finished it today it was like a treat that I could not get enough of. Born of Mist and Legend is an epic tale that explores the journey of Skorpius and Brigid that are both destined for greatness. For me the word choice and imagery make this an amazing read. I can also say that the ending is something you will never see coming!

Skorpius has a duty to time and an order he must fulfil. There is no halfway with Skorpius and that is one of the aspects of the character that I loved. He must follow the path set before him and nothing can change that. Brigid in comparison is such a strong female that in the beginning I was hoping that the two of them end up together in the first few pages. Brigid like Skorpius knows that there is something she must do that is ingrained in her bones. She cannot change it; she cannot stop it so what she chooses to do is embrace it. What I loved about this book is the journey that transpired for Brigid. Will she fulfill his destiny or will she live a life that is half of what she could do?

What is beautiful is watching Brigid find herself and her path while Skorpius watches over her to make sure everything is as it should be. It shows that we must as people be more aware of the people in our lives and what they add to it. It shows that making mistakes and having people who will love you despite them is a part of life. This entire book had an optimistic feel to it which I loved.

Kat Bastion and the love of her other books is the reason I picked this story up. But the characters and the beautiful descriptions is the reason I stuck with it. The words flow effortlessly off the page making this a joy to read. The only thing I am upset about is not reading the two books that come before this one. I will be adding those to my growing pile of books to read. A five star read all the way for a story that is so outside of my usual read that it made it even more enjoyable.

This is one of those reads that I didn't see coming from a mile away. When I first started reading I was thinking that this was going to be the first novel by this genius pair of authors that I was disappointed with. The whole idea made me so sad. Since I was so impressed with the two books that came before this one. I am so glad I gave it time because the Big Reveal paid off and everything I thought didn't make sense came together beautifully.

“You Are Not Alone” is a suspense novel, told in first person by the heroine Shay, who shares the storytelling duties with a few of the other main characters. The tale begins innocently enough, and early on I could feel the danger that was creeping up on Shay. She is not ordinary and has a few character quirks that are endearing and understandable, traits that cause a reader to identify with her and easily pull the reader into the story even more. I will say that I was not a fan of some of the characters and found myself waiting for the Shay chapters.

The story is told differently than others, with the pertinent facts slowly revealed through flashback chapters. Shay's character, while mostly revealed in the text, is also spotlighted in her chapters by allowing readers a glimpse into her Data Book. Crammed with facts that she considers important, this “fact diary” shares the inner workings of Shay's statistically-oriented brain. I felt as though the fact diary added more depth to the story and actually enjoyed the concept.

I am a big fan of slow burn kind of reads where the author drops clues that could be deciphered if you pay close attention. This was one of those reads where the confusion added to my enjoyment of the story. While I followed the events that tied everything together, the authors dropped enough clues in plain sight while somehow still blocking the ending from my sight line. The brilliant work of both Ms. Hendricks and Ms. Pekkanen makes storytelling look effortless and should be applauded for this contribution into this genre of books. A five star read with no question. My sincerest apologies for my delay with this review; it is not a reflection of this book at all. Thank you Netgalley and all parties involved in my receiving this arc.

One look at this stunning cover, and you know I wanted to examine this title further and get inside The Golden Cage. When I read the blurb I assumed it would be a different type of book for me but after actually finishing this book I can see why it is in the Mystery and Thriller category. The book alternates between Faye's past and present and is completely told from her point of view. I loved that aspect of this book because I love a novel that has strong female characters and this book has that in spades. She's given up everything for her husband, Jack, and their daughter, Julienne. And while she's not quite bitter about any of it she is desperate enough to do whatever it takes to keep Jack happy and keep her family together. To make matters worse she has nothing to her name after the divorce and the company that was started largely by her ideas and her sacrifices. The only thing left for her to do was serve a nice cold plate of revenge to those who have wronged her.

My only pitfall with this novel is that I had a hard time liking any of these characters. The only one I enjoyed to her fullest extent was Chris. There was a lot of bitterness and unwillingness to attempt forgiveness here, which I can understand because I think it is those two elements of the book that propel the story forward. I will say that Faye knew exactly how to use her feminine charms to her advantage and she used them very often when it gained her something. But, because of the flashbacks from her past it is very hard to root for. Faye's characterization was a bit hard to wrap my head around at times, because there were moments she felt like a borderline nut job and I wanted to ask her if she needed meds, but others where it was clear she cared about those around her.

I loved the pacing and found the story engaging and even though my theory on the ending was wrong I preferred the author's concept over my imagination. I do not want to give anymore away then I already might have but I will say that this is a solid four star read. I see on Goodreads that this is part of a series and I can not wait to see where this story goes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and all parties involved in my receiving an arc of this book.

My sincerest apologies to the author and Netgalley for my delayed review. This is an amazing book from page one until the last I. Let's get into what I liked about this read. Victoria Helen Stone knocks it out of the park again for me with Problem Child. THis is book two in the Jane Doe series if you haven't read that then I would stop reading right here and go pick up book one. It is an awesome and quick read.

I loved reading “Jane Doe” last year, the female sociopath, who decides to go on a vendetta mission to avenge the death of her best friend, by bringing down the guy who drove her friend to kill herself in the most subtle way possible. This author, who has an uncanny ability to really get inside of her characters heads, shines a light on the differences between people. I have said so many times that I need a bit of a twisted book between all my romance reading and this fits that oh so well.

In this book, Jane is at the top of her game, underhandedly giving her colleague a much needed kick in the pants, and just enough rope to hang himself with at work. But she also shows a somewhat compassionate side when her 16 year old niece goes missing and nobody around her hometown seems to care.

Jane makes it her mission to teach some child predators a lesson they will never forget.
Sometimes I think Jane appeared more than a little mean-spirited, especially with unwitting strangers whom she seemingly stalked for pleasure, but overall, this was a fun, satisfying read. I loved the dialogue and the witty comebacks and loved the twist at the end. I really do hope there is a book three in this series because this was truly a fun read. Thank you again to Netgalley and all those involved in my receiving an arc of this book.

My Vampire Fix

As the title says this is the series and the author for when I need a vampire fix. I loved Jacob and Lyssa's story and inhaled it quickly but I have to say I think that this series has a charm that makes me think that I will love each installment in different ways.
Devlin is the epitome of the tortured alpha hero (he is everything you need sexy, loyal, dependable and charming); Lady Daniela is as strong and self-assured as they come. She wants to do it all her way. (very strong, capable, and deadly). This dynamic is quite different from the first two books in the series. It is dark like the first two, though, and even more heartbreaking. The villains are true villains, cruel and ruthless even by Joey W. Hill's vampire standards. The writing is wonderful, of course. The setting Australia, 1953—the past, for readers of books one and two is richly drawn as the characters, their emotions, their developing relationship. We also get to a better (earlier) view Lady Lyssa and Lady Daniela's relationship, and get to meet Thomas in person. The book does contain some extreme BDSM elements, no different from the other two. Everyone knows that Joey Hill writes great books and this one is no exception. Devlin and Lady Daniela's story is very sweet and very provocative. I can say with this series that There is no happy ever after without real blood and pain and a little bondage goes a long way to proving trust and love between these powerful couples. Four stars read all the way I will be continuing this series for sure.

Could Not Wait for This One

When I find out about B.A. Paris has a new book coming out, I get giddy. When I actually get the book on my kindle to actually sit down to read it, it's like my happy place for the few hours or days that it takes me to read it from start to finish.. I just have so much fun reading her books, and this one was no exception.This one took me about three days. I wouldn't say any of her books are perfect and I realize she is not everyone's cup of tea, but an amazing reading experience always counts for something and that's why I'm placing this in the 5 star category. When you can put your life on pause to enjoy a book then you know it's worth the high praise.

I 100% agree with other reviewers who said this book is a bit different than anything she has written before. I don't want to get into spoilers and I do think the less you know going in, the better it will be . If you can appreciate a slow burn of a story this might be the book for you because most of it takes place over the course of a day. I also think that if you love a thriller and are looking for something outside the box that this is the book for you. Livia got married and had her first child at a young age. Now that she is turning 40, she wants to finally do something special for herself, so she throws a big party to celebrate her birthday. This party has been in the works for a long time and she doesn't want anything to ruin the day, so she thinks it's best to just wait until after the party to share a secret with Adam, her husband. Adam has something rather important to tell Livia as well, but he knows how important the party is to her so he's going to have to decide when to change his wife's world forever . The story alternates between Livia and Adam on the day of the birthday party.

So who is most likely to enjoy this book? Well, if you have liked other books by the author, then give this one a chance but just go in knowing that it is different from her other novels. Anyone who enjoys a good thrill ride is bound to find this fun and unique. Also, I do not recommend reading the back cover the less you know the more you will enjoy this one in my honest opinion.

If you haven't read a B.A. Paris book before I recommend you start with the older ones and work your way here. I know that this book may not be everyone's cup of tea because people who read lots have a long list of favorites. This author just happens to be very high on my favorites list. I can't wait to see how outside the box or on par with her writing style the next one is because I forsure I am here to stay!.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Coming up Aces

I have to start by saying I am so sad that I ever put this series down. I am such a big fan of Olivia Wildenstein that almost felt like I was coming home to a long lost family with this read. I can't even begin to describe how much I loved this book, but I'm going to have to try.

The third installment of this series embodied everything I loved about the first two, but also managed to bring things up even more. The stakes are higher, the romance is steamier, and the enemies are much more deadly. If you thought that Catori and the gang had already been through the wringer, you haven't seen anything yet. I had some seriously sweaty palms reading some of these scenes. Also, while we're on the topic of sweat, let's talk about romance. There are some sexy and steamy scenes in this book. Like. It gave the book a more mature feel and I am totally here for it.

I loved the character development and the relationships that form throughout the story. I refuse to give any huge spoilers, so I can't actually talk about two of my favorite characters that bloomed so nicely in this book, but I can talk about the friendship that forms and really strengthens between Lily and Catori. I love female friendships, and theirs is one of my favorites. Seeing two women who are so strong in different ways come together and support each other is truly the best. It actually reminded me of me and my bestfriend and that made it even better. There is nothing better than having a friend who you can truly be yourself with. I also suggest if you havent read anything else by Olivia Wildenstein you go ahead and do that. Her Masterful series is what hooked me to her writing and it is an awesome read.

Now, as far as Rising Silver Mist it rounds out this series perfectly. The author does have a spinoff planned for Lily, so I'm going to be bringing that up top to my TBR pile just to see how things pan out for Lily. Rising Silver Mist however gets a 5 out of 5 star rating from me.

Color Me Impressed

Broken Grace opens with the main character, Grace, racing away from something that has her terrified. She views another car behind her in her rear-view mirror just before losing control on an icy road and crashing. She wakes up in the hospital with no memory of her past. She is soon informed that her boyfriend was killed the morning of her crash, and detectives are working to find out who is behind the murder. Could it be Grace? Could it be a robbery gone wrong?

I would love to read more thrillers like this. Grace is a likable character and you really feel for her as she tries to piece her memories back together as she encounters people from her past. The detectives investigating the case are clichés but it seems like that is always the case, but the cast of characters overall are well developed and believable. The only person I don't like is her sister she has creepy written all over her from the first time the reader meets her.

The action moves along at a steady pace. This is not an edge of your seat thriller, but the story stays on task at all times so I never lost interest in the story at all. The author did a good job of creating characters with just enough reason to want Grace's boyfriend dead to keep the reader guessing all the way through the story. I love sitting and thinking who did what and guessing who did what crime in the story. Just as I suspected the story was wrapping itself up, the twists came that I didn't expect. The ending took a 3.5-star book and made it 4 stars! Excellent story! I will for sure be looking for more books by this author I am always on the hunt for new thrillers.

This is surprisingly my first book by Britney King and I am not even sure how I came across this book but I am so thrilled I did. I love a good thrill ride and this checks all the boxes for me. It is different well crafted and is fast paced and enjoyable.

George is the primary caretaker for his mentally ill wife. That kind of responsibility does not make a good environment for finishing a book. This story starts off with George in trouble with his publisher. His drinking problem made me wonder how unreliable of a narrator he would be. Liam is introduced as ‘the book doctor', a well-respected and charismatic guy with a reputation for getting results. Together they are tasked with finishing the book George has been procrastinating on and rebuilding George's brand and author status. I have to be fully honest I was not a fan of Liam as a character. Not because there was anything wrong with the character, I just found him self absorbed and a bit annoying. I have read many opinions of Britney King books before I picked this up and I have to say for the most part this was a crazy train wreck that I couldn't keep my eyes off of. I have already recommended it to two people.

I have to say I am a person who needs bloody books between her romance novels and this novel has it all. The creative deaths in this book kept me turning the pages trying to figure out what would happen next. I love being able to just read books like this and being entertained to the point I forget to put the book down.

The beginning was rough. Do not read if you are sensitive. After reading the book my mind was blown by the ending. Was not expecting the self-destructive behavior. The rest of the book is intense and fast paced. Loved it. If you're a fan of reading about murders and don't mind the violence-pick up this read. I plan to go back and read more books by Britney King.

One of My Tougher Reads

I want to start off by saying that I had a hard time both reading this novel and trying to process my thoughts enough to give it a fair review. I picked it to read because it received such high praise from Stephen King and I am a devoted fan to a fault. This review will not address any of the controversy surrounding “American Dirt,” or its author, and will focus only on how well it tells a story and how well it kept my interest. I will try and keep the politics out as much as possible. That being said let me tell you my impression of Lydia and American Dirt.

Lydia is a middle-class, Mexican wife, mother, and bookstore owner whose entire family minus her young son is murdered by the cartel. She makes friends with the head of a Mexican cartel only to have it end in death for retribution for an article her husband wrote, she decides that the only way to escape with her young son is to join the wave of South and Central American migrants heading for the US. The novel relates in vivid detail her journey which includes a multitude of harrowing experiences for her and those with whom she travels.

I was absolutely absorbed by the first half of the book. I liked and cared about the characters and believed what I was reading. Certain scenes actually had me holding my breath, which is rare. Author Jeanine Cummins is excellent at creating situations of maximum risk and danger.

But there's only so much of that you can take before becoming exhausted. Somewhere around the novel's midpoint, I found myself really wanting it to be over. I'd gotten the point as to how hard and cruel the migrant's journey can be; and I wanted the novel and its characters to progress—somehow to grow—which is essential for any good novel. Instead, author Cummins decided to keep on going from danger to danger and to finally come to a resolution that was neither very clear nor particularly satisfying. I am glad however that the story had an ending and didn't leave me guessing about the safety of the characters.

Furthermore, all the characters seem to have the same basic motivation for coming to the United States: fear. They're all trying to escape whatever it was that made their living situation unbearable. We don't see anyone who's migrating for another reason, which means the novel is somewhat single-layered, which adds to the exhaustion factor. I promised not much talk on the political side but I will say that I enjoyed the Authors note where she explained her personal motivation for writing this novel. While it is popular for book club and the like this book was just not my cup of tea. All in all, a three-star performance and that is being generous.

His Blue Bedroom



“Watching you pretend to hate that nickname is the best part of my day.”

I decided to start my review of the hating game because it truly reminds me of the play ground in grade school where guys would pick on the girls as a way to show they were interested and while some girls truly hated it some actually secretly loved it. I think there should be a bit of Lucy Hutton in all of us and I will tell you why. Lucy Hutton always dreamt of working in the publishing industry, as an avid reader her love for all things books was greater than anything she'd ever known, being hired by Gamin Publishing was everything she had ever imagined, but when her beloved company was on the brink of collapse and merger with another struggling publishing house, Bexley Books, became her reality, her career goals stayed alive, just barely, with a host of personnel cuts and the loss of her best friend Val, her work world was rocked. The day she met Joshua Templeman seemed like a possible new beginning, but his cool disregard of her almost immediately sent shockwaves through her usually cherry demeanor, a war began that day and with every day that past their mutual dislike of each other grew. He tries to break her and she lives to hate him. it's a rollercoaster that I didn't want to get off of until the very end. I started the journey with Sally Thorne a bit backwards because I was first introduced to her with 99 Percent Mine. I however am so glad that I ended up coming back around and reading The Hating game because it is pure perfection.

“You've broken me down so completely, I can't even handle it when a guy tells me I'm beautiful.”

The Hating Game written in the first person point of view painted Lucy as both incredibly smart, and extremely funny, every snarky thought, every snappy comeback, every moment of despair mixed with joy as Joshua slowly became Josh in front of her eyes and ours. Every moment in this book served to cement my love of the author's words, I was invested immediately, but each new chapter brought with it feelings of awe, the more I read the deeper in love I fell, the more real Lucy and Joshua felt, the more their personalities jumped off the page and straight into my heart.

“I'm about to lose something I never had to begin with.”

The Hating Game is slow burn in the very best way, Thorne builds not only the connection between her hero and heroine but the readers attachment to them, their witty dialogue assisted to entice the reader into losing themselves in one of the best bouts of drawn out verbal foreplay that I have ever experienced. Usually when I enjoy a book it only serves to make me want to devour the words, here however I simultaneously wanted to speed read my way to end, and slowdown in order to savor every moment. I loved every second here, I wanted to drown in Thorne's words, I wanted to escape into Lucy and Joshua's world, stand in the corner, watching them like a creeper, I wanted to befriend them, I wanted to relax with Lucy over a glass of wine after a long day at work and get book recommendations from them both. , I wanted to know everything that happened in between every moment, every lost look, every sigh, every secret smile. I have slowly fallen in love with the beautiful and easy writing style that seems to be Sally Thorne's way and I can't wait to read more.

Bear is my new favorite so sorry King!

I have come to terms that I am a book nerd and a book addict and this series is making all my reading problems worse. I came across this series thanks to Scribd and it is one of the better ones that I have read. Now I gushed about how I loved King and I do now let me tell you how much I love Bear. I have gotten to know Bear as biker and a loyal friend to King & Preppy (side note I love that Preppy is still such a large part of the series). But now it's his turn for his story to be told. After the events in Tyrant, Bear is in a very dark place. He is trying to drown himself in alcohol, drugs, and women. Everything changes when he gets a phone call and is forced to sober up.

what do you do when you save a young girl from death and make her a promise you hope she forgets? Thia first met Bear when she was 10 years old. He left her a ring and a promise that if she ever needed help that all she had to do was show up with that ring and cash in. Years later she goes to the Beach Bastards MC looking for help but what she found was not at all what she was looking for. Luckily, a bad situation did not turn even worse and she was able to get to King. When she is reunited with Bear, it's not the reunion that she was expecting or one that Bear had planned for. However, a promise is a promise so Bear agrees to help Thia but her situation quickly becomes more complicated than they first thought. Add in the fact that now the MC knows about her and her connection to Bear, and she is a wanted woman with a target on her back.

I know that many readers would say that Bear was very cold and unkind to Thia in the beginning and I don't disagree but I understand to an extent. When you went through what Bear went through in Tyrant you are entitled to dark moments and bad decisions. Thia is also not a naïve girl. She went through a big transformation in this book first with her parents then with Bears dad and then with Bear

That being said Lawless is just like all of the other books in this series, you will be on the edge of your seat waiting to read what is going to happen next. I didn't see the ending coming and the cliffhanger was just WOW. Soulless is where this story continues, I sadly have other things on my kindle that need attention or I would be reading that tonight.

My Guilty Pleasure

I have a friend who I mention in almost every review that I do for these books and I feel like I owe him a big thank you. I have finished book two and three all in one day so let's get started and let me tell you what I loved about this series. As with the previous book in the series, I was very much drawn into the story and did not want to put it down, wanting to know “what happens next” Again, as with the first book, there are some very intense BDSM passages as well as what some might consider gratuitous violence and or abuse, so if you're not able to immerse yourself into another culture (the Vampire's) and the BDSM community where that behavior truly is accepted and even expected by both the Masters/Mistresses and their servants, I would suggest this book may not be for you. For those of you who want to keep an open mind and give this genre and author a chance I cannot wait to see what you think.
In my honest opinion I felt that in some ways that the relationship between Lyssa and Jacob jumped farther forward from the ending of book one to the beginning of the second than I would have expected to happen immediately, but it was a minor bump and quickly passed as I got further into the story. Nothing that disrupted my enjoyment of the story at all What makes this book so very erotic and almost charming for me is the overwhelming passion and devotion of Jacob. Despite his own dominant personality, the fact that he truly needs to submit to his Mistress because that is what she needs is beautiful. I would not suggest reading this book without having read the previous story The Vampire Queen's Servant. I think it would be too difficult to understand the devotion of Jacob without that background. I also would not start this book unless you have time to sit down and devote to it considering I finished this in one long sitting. A complete five star read.

Manson the Devil

Not only does Greg King give us a chilling account of the murders themselves, he also gives us great insight to what's happened to the victim's families and the heartless killers themselves in the 32 years since these senseless murders were committed. It is heartbreaking to learn how the victim's families must continue to relive the gory details of the murders every time one of the convicted killers' whines before a parole board about how they have changed and should be set free and given a second chance. The victims will never get a second chance, why should the killers? I read after finishing this book I had the urge to watch Evil lives Here. I feel like so much hate was described in this book and such a star's light was dimmed to soon and it made me sad.
It's incredibly offensive to hear the killers say that the only reason they haven't been paroled yet is because these were such “high profile” crimes and if this had not been the case, they would have been paroled long ago. While that may be true, let's not forget that it was the killers who chose these particular victims BECAUSE they wanted these to be “high profile” crimes so the world would listen! Well, the world did listen, and the vast majority of a decent, law-abiding society is determined that people who are capable of committing such a senseless crime (no matter the reasons) shall never be free to walk among us again.
Greg King's focus in this book is on the victims, not the killers, and that's how this case should be remembered. So many times, books and articles are written to try and obtain sympathy for the killers. They should be grateful that they beat the gas chamber and face the fact that a life, even though behind bars, is still a life. That's much more consideration than they ever gave any of their victims. I enjoyed this very much and will be looking into more books by Greg King if he paints the victims so much better then the evil people who committed them. I have a friend who loves serial killers too I will be recommending this to her as soon as I talk to her next.

Stranger Dangers!
I am never disappointed with a Mark Edwards book and I tend to go through them super quick which is another bonus. He's a talented writer who likes to put his very normal characters into very unusual and challenging situations and I love what he does! This is by far my favorite book that I have read from him so far. I am a book junkie and this author has made my fix list. Adam and Ruth are house sitting for Mona and Jack who they met while on a cruise. Jack and Mona are going on to New Mexico. One stormy night Adam answers a knock on the door and finds a young woman, Eden, standing at the threshold soaking wet. Eden explains that she is a friend of Jack and Mona and she was expecting to stay a few days in their home... the home owners gave her an open invitation. Adam allows her to stay since she is the home owner's friend and the three young people become fast friends. But everything is not as it seems. Adam and Ruth are a happy couple and Ruth is an up and coming star. What about Eden who is she what does she want? Need? there is also an old grey-bearded man who seems to be watching the house... who is he and what does he want. There are examples where I feel like Eden is a Mess and I was so right! Ruth ends up going missing and Adam works with the bearded man to find her and the story unfolds. There are so many layers to this story that I couldn't put it down. Although this review is short there is so many layers to it.

Who's the Tyrant
I like many readers enjoyed this much more then the first book King. I will say however if you did not read book one stop here please do that NOW because this book will make no sense otherwise. This series is a wild ride, filled with hidden secrets and shockers at every turn. I am now convinced that T.M. Frazier is a little bit twisted but that is okay because it makes for extremely great reading for you and me! Let's put it this way I finished Tyrant and have already got my hands on Lawless. If you all remember we are left hanging with our mouths hitting the floor, cursing at our kindle. It is always great when an author makes us look like a crazy person, yelling at an inanimate object. I do this more often then not with a Dark Romance or a good Thriller. Do not stress you will get the answers you were looking for and then some with this series. King! Oh, sexy and dangerous King. Our dark leading man is an unexpected hero for Doe. The rough around the edges King of the Causeway is everything we could want in a book boyfriend King is a man who plays life by his own rules; this may mean he breaks a few laws but in his rule book the bond he has with the people he cares for is important to him. Mess with him or the people he cares about... well he just may hunt you down and make you pay in blood.

Pup, Doe, Ray... She is a woman with a lot of names but not a lot of memories. She does not need her memories to tell her that she loves King and that the house on stilts is her home though. Doe is left trying to put together the pieces of her life and combine her past and her present. I loved that she had a son and she tried so hard to make things work for him. The way T.M Frazier artfully weaves Preppy back into the story is beautiful because he is the one character that I wish never met his end.

I will say that this series is worth every minute you spend reading it and nothing is what it seems. I am lucky that the next couple books are out otherwise I would be one of those readers sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment like an addict needing my bookish fix. I love how the characters work so well together and that there is much more than just your hero and heroine and the supporting characters are amazing. I can not what to see what is next.

Who D.I.D. it?


Having studied psychology in college when this book came to Netgalley I rushed to request it. This type of mystery is completely up my ally. So, thank you to all parties involved in my getting a copy of this book. A.F Carter you have a new fan with me I really enjoyed this new twist to a thriller so thank you. Carolyn Grant had been subjected to extreme and horrible sexual and physical abuse from her biological father, then by the foster family, she was sent to. Even after she aged out of the system, she continued to be exploited by others around her. She had fractured into several different people all sharing the same body, all with the goal of surviving one day at a time. Their lives are put at risk when Eleni the rather promiscuous personality gets picked up by the police and their freedom is questioned. The story takes an even more interesting turn when the father who abused Carolyn for so many years is paroled after serving a large part of his sentence. I don't want to give two much of the story away but I will say someone does die and we don't know who did it until the very end.

This is one of those novels that will do well with book clubs and friends because it opens the discussion for mental health. I love how the author treats the subject with respect and gives the reader a proper insight on treatments. I enjoyed that the separate personalities had a great deal of details and independence to them. Who I hated was the psychiatrist that the court appointed I will say that I enjoyed that he made all the personalities work together to better support the collective but that is about all I liked of him. Overall a 4.5 star read. I will continue to support this author in the future because I enjoyed the original concept.

Another Solid Thriller from Teresa Driscoll

I have read all four books that have come up on my Amazon feed by this author and this by far is my favorite because lots of what happen was unexpected. Teresa Driscoll's “I Will Make You Pay” is a fast-paced, heart-thumping thriller. My initial reaction to the early parts of the book was that, although it was heavy on plot, it was too thin on developing the characters, but there was method to Ms. Driscoll's madness, because exploring some of the characters in more detail would have ruined the surprises that await the sure-to-be-enthralled reader. Herself a journalist, Driscoll imbues protagonist news writer Alice with those “got to get to the bottom of this” instincts. From the beginning of the book, someone is tormenting Alice on Wednesdays. Who is the stalker? Why her? Why Wednesdays? Eventually, readers will know the answers to all three questions, but Alice will only know the answers to two of them. Alice supported in her quest by intriguing characters, including a private detective named Matthew who I loved, a very pregnant police detective named Mel Matthew's friend from his days on the force, and her family, coworkers, and boyfriend. How many people will go down before the truth comes to light? Every chapter is beautifully done and adds to the tension of the story. I have to say that there are many things that you will not expect with this book and I suggest not picking it up unless you have the time to read the entire book in one sitting.

New Author to Love

The heroine, Sloan McPherson, a PhD candidate, and a local police recovery diver, is diving in a Southern Florida canal looking for archaeological finds for her advisor. When she surfaces, she discovers a body floating in the canal that was not there when she started her dive. She calls 911, and police show up. They asked her for her driver's license. Since she still is in her wet suit, she goes to her car to get her purse. She discovers that her driver's license is missing. Sloan says to herself, “The killer knows who I am. The killer knows where I live.” My attention captured right there.

The main storyline proceeds with high tension scenes with adequate twists, turns, and misdirection's that kept my interest. The author stacked the deck for tension not only with the antagonists but also within the protagonists. Sloan is very independent and will do what she thinks best at the time even if it goes against her training and surely test her physical limits. Her father who taught her how to scuba dive took her out on many treasure-hunting expeditions, some of which he may not have reported to the state of Florida. He also helped a friend built custom boats with hidden compartment. There is Run, a nickname, for the father of Sloan's young daughter. He helps significantly in parenting responsibilities, but Sloan will not marry him. Lastly, there is George Solar who was the lead investigator of Sloan's uncle Karl for drug smuggling who now lives rent free at the pleasure of the State of Florida. Eternal hatred would be too light of a description of Sloan's feelings towards George. At times, the internal conflict seems greater than the external conflict. Most of the above is provided by extensive B-storyline threads significantly in the beginning of the novel but still throughout the novel.

There are not any intimate scenes in the novel, but Sloan has the mouth of a sailor. Also, Jackie, her young daughter, has a mouth on her also. There is some violence but even though much of it is described as it happens, it was not near to being over the top. So, if you are offended by excessive language, reader be warned.

The only aspect of this novel that left a little questioning was several of the underwater scenes. I am not a scuba or free diver, but they seem stretching the envelope of credibility, but this is a work of fiction. They kept the tension high and the story line flowing. Overall, my assessment of this book is an action thriller. It was quick and easy and a series that I will continue to read the next book comes out in 2021.

Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown
T.M. Frazier is a new author for me. It seems 2020 has been a year of new authors for me. I have a confession however this has been on my kindle for three years and I had completely forgot about it. To be fair I buy more books then I will ever read. That isn't really an excuse or a good one at least. But how T.M. Frazier can write something that is painful and yet at the same time it makes you fall in love with the bad guy, or in this case the King. I am going to start by telling you that this book is not a happy go lucky unicorns and rainbows type of happily ever after, it is so far from that it's not even funny. It has drug use, sex, abuse, lies, violence and death, so if you have an issue or struggle with any of the topics listed then I suggest you skip King. However, if you are like me and you love a book with an edge to it and have no issues with a bit of danger then you won't just like King you will love it!

King is an @\(%^&*, a bad boy, he could be the poster child for being the epitome of an @\)%^&. Look up the definition of @$$%^& and his picture should be right there with it. But he is so much more, and when we can peel back the layers surrounding King, you see that he is so much more than what people see. He has a reason for being how he is, and he isn't going to apologize for that and he shouldn't.

Doe has no memory of who she is, she's homeless and is barely surviving. She ends up at King's coming home party with the hope of finding a bed and food and at this point she really doesn't care what she has to do to achieve that. When something happens and King collects her as payment she doesn't know if should be scared, pissed, or relieved. She has a mouth on her that can get her in trouble in a heartbeat, and she has no problems telling King what she thinks. Slowly a relationship between them forms and it is a complete roller coaster wrapped up in some secrets. I don't want to give too much of the story away by diving into too much detail but there is so much to unpack in three hundred some odd pages and it is worth every minute. What I want to commend the author on is that her cast of supporting characters is amazing. I would say go get Tyrant today because I can not wait to see how this story continues. I have two books that are up next for me tomorrow. Tyrant has just replaced them both.

Another Quick Installment

I am big on reading books with friends this year. I have a friend who pretty much inhaled this series without even taking a break so now I am just playing catch up. I enjoyed Olive and Nicholas in book one and I had no trouble picking up book two what so ever. I have already started book three so that review might be up before the end of the day. This series keeps getting better. Olive is back in Maui and I was so happy to see that but I am not happy with the circumstances of which she had to go back and why it happened. But I don't want to give away too much of the story. This storyline is filled with plenty of intrigue, sex, fun, anger, surprise, twists, and turns. Nicholas and Olive work out a plan together, but can she trust him? Will their relationship survive everything that has happened in this book? So many questions left in such a quick read that I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Playing Catch Up in this Series
TELL ME TO STAY should not be read as a standalone as it picks up immediately after the events of installment number two TELL ME TO GO.

SOME BACKGROUND: When an unknown benefactor pays off Olive Kernes' student loans, our heroine doesn't question but soon discovers that the mystery donor is looking for something more.

Told from dual first-person perspectives Nicholas and Olive TELL ME TO STAY follows Olive as she continues to ‘work' for Nicholas Crawford. The promise of one-million dollars effectively keeps Olive under Nicholas' command but her brother Owen's release from prison reveals some surprising information that Nicholas forgot or refused to acknowledge. But not everyone is happy with Owen's release, and some powerful people have targeted the man with whom she is falling in love, and the brother she hasn't seen in close to ten years. I felt that this story has had a bit more meat on its bones compared to the others that made the story more enjoyable. I have rated everything five stars so far because I enjoy the quick pace of it all but this has to be my favorite so far.

Olive Kernes is struggling with the direction of her current relationship, both personal and professional with Nicholas Crawford. Nicholas has not been truthful or forthcoming with his ongoing issues, issues that are placing Olive in difficult positions. The difficulty that the two of them are experiencing is making them much more dynamic characters in my eyes.

TELL ME TO STAY is another quick read; a fast-paced episode that reveals a little more of Nicholas' backstory, a backstory that hides a multitude of sins and offenses. The premise is captivating; the romance begins to heat up; the characters are broken, in trouble and struggling but need each other to survive.

Reviewing a serialized story is difficult at best; a battle to remember the previous information which is why I read the third installment as I was writing the review for the second one that I also finished today. I will most likely be reading book four tonight or tomorrow so that I can keep everything straight.

What would you do with over $100,000?

So, this is another one of those books that my best friend decided we should read so I did. I enjoyed it much more then I thought I would. The concept is not new but the characters are likeable and they go quick. Olive Kernes receives a check in the mail for the exact amount she owes on her college loans. She does not recognize any information on the sender but she is in dire need of money. She talks to her best friend & roommate, Sydney about the check. .... Olive did not grow up in a rich family or much of a loving family. After she pays off her student loans Olive's mystery man invites her to Maui. During the trip things are a bit of a roller coaster and the mystery man asks her to spend a year with him in exchange for 1 million dollars.... What would you do? Would you go would you stay did she? Find out in book two.

Solid Thriller

Once again, Stephen King refuses to be pigeon-holed in a genre category. In the last few years, he's written a long epic with a large cast of characters (Under the Dome), a time-travel love story (11/22/63), a new Dark Tower novel, a creature-filled sequel to the Shining, and now a detective-based thriller. This book does not have any supernatural elements, though some of the descriptions of gore are classic King writing.

The characters are mostly fully fleshed out, with the unfortunate exception of one female character who I felt had a lot of quirks, but didn't feel completely real. Hopefully King will work on that character in the next book that I plan on reading at some point this year so I can remember my plot points and it all makes sense. I have had this on my Goodreads account for a as long as I have been on the site.

The plotting and pacing of this book is excellent. King seems to set it up one way, then constantly pulls the rug out from under the reader. I loved the journey, though the ending felt a little limited, with one character getting sidelined before the big finale. I do not think this is a 5-star book, mainly because it feels too much like a standard thriller (a well done one, but nothing that will make forget all the things that I have read that he has done better.) I highly recommend this book to all fans of King and all readers who enjoy a good detective thriller. I am and always be a die-hard King fan I can not wait to see how this series continues.