Review of Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

July 2, 20169 Comments

Goodreads/Amazon/Author Website
Release date: July 12, 2016

Publisher: Redhook

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Goodreads blurb:
Held captive for eight years, Lily has grown from a teenager to an adult in a small basement prison. Her daughter Sky has been a captive her whole life. But one day their captor leaves the deadbolt unlocked.

This is what happens next…

…to her twin sister, to her mother, to her daughter…and to her captor.

Review:

Most missing persons mystery novels primarily deal with the main characters abduction and what happens next. This book puts a unique and clever twist on the general concept and begins with Lily and her daughter Sky’s escape. I’ve often wondered how characters in other similar novels coped in the aftermath of horrific abuse and this book shed some light on this. How does one move on after having their entire life cruelly taken away from them?

Right from the start this book is fast paced and addicting. The chapters are on the shorter side and are told from many different perspectives; Lily who has been held prisoner in a basement for eight years, her twin sister Abby, their mother Eve and her kidnapper Rick. While I enjoyed seeing everyone’s viewpoint, I had a sick fascination with Rick’s narrative. He is unapologetically evil and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

The relationship between Lily and Abby was heartbreaking and honest. They share a completely unbreakable bond that not even something purely evil can break. The power of sisterhood and especially twins is revealed beautifully throughout this novel. It deals with how far one would go to protect loved ones?

There is so much I could say about why I loved this book but secrets would be revealed. There is a constant barrage of unexpected twists and turns that never lets up. The characters lives are intertwined and twisted together in unfathomable ways. This book is fresh, unique and full of suspense.

Thanks to Netgalley and Redhook for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Book blitz/Giveaway: Aligned By Ella Miles

July 2, 2016Leave a comment

Aligned: Volume 4
Ella Miles
Publication date: June 30th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

I know who tried to kill me.

The same man that raped me is the same man that tried to kill me. Twice. I have some evidence, but not enough. I want revenge, but every step I take towards getting that revenge I feel myself drifting further from Landon.

I’m going to lose him.

I’m going to lose everything that I care about. All I can focus on is revenge. Maybe then I will be able to put the past behind me. Maybe then I can truly heal. I just hope I don’t lose him and myself in the process.

__ __

She’s pregnant.

Caroline has always held my deepest darkest secrets, but now she thinks she has another one. One that could control me. I can’t be a father though.

I’m a monster.

The baby can’t be mine. If it is, I already know my future. I’ll lose the woman I love. The only woman I’ve ever wanted.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

SNEAK PEEK:

I tried to get rid of the monster. I thought we could escape the darkness by starting over. I thought we could put our pasts behind us.
The demons found me, though. The urges came back. There is no such thing as redemption. I can’t be saved.
I tried to put my urges to rest. But the need to inflict pain is too strong to resist. I can’t hold back any longer.
I can’t be saved from the monster because I am the monster.

Author Bio:

Ella Miles writes sexy romance with strong females that could kick your butt if you piss them off, which they often do to the men that fall for them. She’s currently living her own happily ever after near the Rocky Mountains with her high school sweetheart husband. Her heart is also taken by her goofy two year old black lab that is scared of everything, including her own shadow. Ella is the author of the Aligned series. Get a free book by visiting her website. Or by stalking her on Twitter or Facebook.

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Review of The Sister by Louise Jensen

July 1, 201611 Comments

Goodreads/Amazon/Author Website
Release date: July 7, 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Goodreads blurb:

Grace hasn’t been the same since the death of her best friend Charlie. She is haunted by Charlie’s words, the last time she saw her, and in a bid for answers, opens an old memory box of Charlie’s. It soon becomes clear there was a lot she didn’t know about her best friend.

When Grace starts a campaign to find Charlie’s father, Anna, a girl claiming to be Charlie’s sister steps forward. For Grace, finding Anna is like finding a new family, and soon Anna has made herself very comfortable in Grace and boyfriend Dan’s home.

But something isn’t right. Things disappear, Dan’s acting strangely and Grace is sure that someone is following her. Is it all in Grace’s mind? Or as she gets closer to discovering the truth about both Charlie and Anna, is Grace in terrible danger?

There was nothing she could have done to save Charlie …or was there?

Review:

This book is not one that instantaneously grabs you and doesn’t let go. No, instead it slowly pulls you in until it has you right where it wants you. And then, BAM! Twists and turns galore. While it’s not a book where you are flying through the pages at warp speed, you are still slowly and methodically pulled in to this fascinatingly concocted novel. Told from two different times; Then and Now, you know that Charlie is dead but you have no idea how she died. Was she murdered? Did she simply vanish? And why is Grace so overwhelmed with guilt?

Grace thinks she may be going crazy. Or is she? She feels like someone is constantly watching her and she swears she keeps seeing a red car behind her. In her grief stricken state after the devastating loss of her best friend Charlie, Grace isn’t actually sure about anything. She is extremely innocent thinking and naïve, yet I still found myself caring about her. There is a vulnerability and tenderness surrounding Grace that tugged at my heart strings. She has very childlike qualities, especially in the scenes with her absolutely precious grandparents. Her boyfriend Dan, while so annoying to me, was very protective of Grace and I can see why. She has that air about her, as if she’s always a bit of a damsel in distress, moments away from needing to be saved.

Lexie is Charlie’s train wreck of a mother. My god how I loathed this woman throughout many parts of this book. She’s a cruel drunk, but although there were relatively few times I felt sympathy towards her, I admit I did. Her life hasn’t been easy. Then there is Anna, Charlie’s long lost sister. From the minute she was introduced she gave me a single white female vibe. I mentioned Dan earlier, and I really wanted to like him. I can’t. I don’t wanna say much more about these characters as it would spoil the plot twists, however if you’re anything like me you won’t trust any of them for a second.

The suspense in this book is a slow build up and I was playing guessing games the entire time that Grace’s life was torn apart and ruined. I made many incorrect guess along the way but that thrills me! Quite proud of myself for having things all figured out, then whoops totally wrong. Onto the next theory.

If you like an intense psychological thriller, give this book a try. A few times over the past couple of days while reading this I had to look over my own shoulder to make sure I was not being watched. Always a good sign of a suspenseful thriller if I feel this way!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cover Reveal: Broken Soldier by Alison Mello

July 1, 2016Leave a comment

My Broken Soldier
Alison Mello
(Love Conquers Life, #2)
Published by: Limitless Publishing
Publication date: July 12th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance

Patricia Fitzgerald is finally ready to bring her relationship with Carter into the limelight, despite what her mother thinks…

Patty is prepared to face the consequences and announce her relationship at her first public fundraiser with Carter. But when a strange woman makes a move on him, and she finds them in what appears to be a mutual, passionate kiss, Patty can’t believe she’s been so foolish. She should’ve known better than to trust a man.

Carter’s been set up, but he can’t get anyone to believe him…

Floundering under the stress of losing Patty, the PTSD nightmares start in again, leaving Carter no choice but to turn to the only thing that will numb the pain. Alcohol—and lots of it. His family quickly intervenes and takes him to the hospital to kick-start his road to recovery. Carter knows burying the pain isn’t the answer. He has to heal…and save his relationship with Patty.

Outside forces work to keep Patty and Carter apart…

Suspicious of her mother’s recent actions, Patty pushes her to come clean about the setup at the fundraiser. Her jealous ex, Ben, has been blackmailing her mother into helping him ruin her relationship with Carter, and it doesn’t stop at that. Ben shows up at the lake house unwilling to accept no for an answer.

Carter needs to piece his broken life back together, but he’s running out of time…

With so many who want to destroy their happiness, he has to be strong enough to save Patty from an empty, loveless future—or he’ll be nothing more than the broken soldier she used to know.

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*Designed by Deranged Doctor Design*

Author Bio:

Alison Mello is a wife and stay at home mom to a wonderful little boy. She lives with her amazing family in Massachusetts. She loves playing soccer, basketball and football with her son.

After having her son, Alison started reading again and fell in love with Contemporary Romance. Reading made her happy and gave her something to do when she had downtime. As she started to read more, she started to noticed things she really enjoyed in a book and things she didn’t. She began to have ideas for writing one of her own. One day she literally woke up and started writing. She realized that if there was ever a time for her to write, it was now. She had a part time job to give her something to do. The hours at work were slow and she was bored with what she was doing, so while her son was off enjoying his friends over summer vacation she got started.

Alison finished the first book in two weeks and decided that she really enjoyed writing, so she kept going. She already had ideas in mind for books two and three, so she kept writing. That is how the Learning to Love Series was born. Somewhere along the line, one of my Beta readers convinced me that Michael, a character from Finding Love, needed his own story. That is when Alison added the fourth and final book. Alison hopes you enjoy her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.

She’s so glad she started this writing journey and hopes you will stay with her for the ride. Chasing Dreams is scheduled to release in April and the first two books of the Love Conquers Life series will be out this summer!

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Review of The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin

June 30, 20161 Comment

Goodreads/Amazon/Author Website
Release date: February 2, 2016

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Mystery

Goodreads blurb:

Noah wants to go home. A seemingly easy request from most four year olds. But as Noah’s single-mother, Janie, knows, nothing with Noah is ever easy. One day the pre-school office calls and says Janie needs to come in to talk about Noah, and no, not later, now – and life as she knows it stops.
For Jerome Anderson, life as he knows it has stopped. A deadly diagnosis has made him realize he is approaching the end of his life. His first thought – I’m not finished yet. Once a shining young star in academia, a graduate of Yale and Harvard, a professor of psychology, he threw it all away because of an obsession. Anderson became the laughing stock of his peers, but he didn’t care – something had to be going on beyond what anyone could see or comprehend. He spent his life searching for that something else. And with Noah, he thinks he’s found it.
Soon Noah, Janie and Anderson will find themselves knocking on the door of a mother whose son has been missing for seven years – and when that door opens, all of their questions will be answered.

Review:

The premise of this book pulled me in. I have not given much thought about the idea of reincarnation, but it is undoubtedly an interesting topic. What makes it interesting is that not one of us actually knows if it is possible, or what really happens to us after death? This debut novel explores these questions and more.

Janie has always know her son Noah is “different”. He says strange things and has odd habits. As a single mother she is navigating parenthood the best way she knows how to. Noah is complicated and Janie has a desperate desire to help him. She’s been to countless psychologists and is not comfortable with any of the so called answers she’s receiving. When she meets Jerome, she allows herself to cling to a light glimmer of hope that maybe he will be the one to finally help her son.

This book deals with the power of our memories and how they impact our daily lives. It asks profound questions regarding death and the afterlife that are thought provoking and deep. Interspersed throughout are short tales about experiences with reincarnation that I found fascinating. The whole idea of reincarnation itself gave me much to ponder.

Per usual, I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling things. I did enjoy this read and thought there was some beautiful writing throughout. However, I wasn’t blown away as much as I was expecting. I had heard great things about this book and Guskin as an up and coming novelist, but unfortunately I was left wanting more. More what exactly? I wanted to relate more to the characters in a sense. Generally I tend to know I really enjoyed a book if I find myself thinking of the characters even when I’m not reading. An attachment of sorts. I didn’t have that here. I can’t quite put my finger on it, I just know that I was anticipating that I would give this book a 4 or maybe even the elusive 5 star review.

Overall rating: 3/5

Review of The Singles Game by Lauren Weisberger

June 28, 20161 Comment

Goodreads/Amazon/Author Website
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit

Release date: July 12, 2016

Publisher: Simon&Schuster

Goodreads blurb:

Charlotte “Charlie” Silver has always been a good girl. She excelled at tennis early, coached by her father, a former player himself, and soon became one of the top juniors in the world. When she leaves UCLA—and breaks her boyfriend’s heart—to turn pro, Charlie joins the world’s best athletes who travel eleven months a year, competing without mercy for Grand Slam titles and Page Six headlines.
After Charlie suffers a disastrous loss and injury on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, she fires her longtime coach and hires Todd Feltner, a legend of the men’s tour, who is famous for grooming champions. Charlie is his first-ever female player, and he will not let her forget it. He is determined to change her good-girl image—both on the court and off—and transform her into a ruthless competitor who will not only win matches and climb the rankings, but also score magazine covers and seven-figure endorsement deals. Her not-so-secret affair with the hottest male player in the world, sexy Spaniard Marco Vallejo, has people whispering, and it seems like only a matter of time before the tabloids and gossip blogs close in on all the juicy details. Charlie’s ascension to the social throne parallels her rising rank on the women’s tour—but at a major price.
Lauren Weisberger’s novel brings us exclusive behind-the-scenes details from all the Grand Slam tournaments: the US Open, the French Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon. Charlie Silver jets around the globe, plays charity matches aboard Mediterranean megayachts, models in photo shoots on Caribbean beaches, walks the red carpet at legendary player parties, and sidesteps looming scandals—all while trying to keep her eyes on the real prize. In this sexy, unputdownable read about young tennis stars who train relentlessly to compete at the highest levels while living in a world obsessed with good looks and Instagram followers, Charlie must discover the secret to having it all—or finally shatter the illusion for good.

Review:

This will one of the best summer reads, I’m calling it now. It has all the required elements; drama, gorgeous and wealthy characters, sex, gossip, and exotic locations. It’s literally the perfect beach/vacation read. I’m almost a little mad at myself for not waiting to read it until I go on vacation next week.

Charlie is such a fun character. She’s smart, spunky, like able, hip and fun. Yes, she’s serious about tennis. She’s a high level competitive athlete after all. But she’s more than stoic, fierce and determined. I basically want to be Charlie. Except without the intense training she does. It’s insane. I loved the peek into the life of a high profile professional female athlete. It was fascinating to read about all the time, blood, sweat and tears that are necessary to perform at the top levels of the world. On top of the physical demands, Charlie had to battle her way to the top while facing sexism and downright bitchy,catty and cutthroat fellow women pros.

The book follows one of the toughest years in Charlie’s life. She seriously injured herself during a match at Wimbledon and the story continues as she strives to make her comeback. While tennis is the primary focus, you also get a tantalizing glimpse into A list parties and events full of delicious and egocentric characters. There’s Natalya, Charlie’s biggest rival who takes bitchiness to a whole new level, Marco the playboy men’s tennis champ who has spicy and sexy scenes with Charlie, Jack, Charlie’s brother and manager, Todd, her new coach who is insanely intense and who pushes Charlie to the brink on and off the court,Dan, her hot new training partner, and finally Charlie’s dad. There are some sweet and totally relatable scenes between the two that bring a tenderness to the book.

If you want a light, fun, scandalous and sexy read this summer, pre order this one.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon&Schuster for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review of My Girl by Jack Jordan

June 26, 201612 Comments

Goodreads/Amazon
Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Release date: July 4, 2016

Publisher: JJP

Goodreads blurb:

Paige Dawson: the mother of a murdered child and wife to a dead man.
She has nothing left to live for… until she finds her husband’s handgun hidden in their house.
Why did Ryan need a gun? What did he know about their daughter’s death?
Desperate for the truth, Paige begins to unearth her husband’s secrets.
But she has no idea who she is up against, or that her life isn’t hers to gamble – she belongs to me.

Review:

Let me start off by saying I’m not one to gush. Fair warning, this will be a very gushy review.

I started this book last night with no intention of finishing it in one sitting. I was simply trying to unwind for the night and read just a few chapters. Well, joke is on me because I completely devoured this book in less than two hours!

Paige is such a tragedy. She’s like a train wreck that you can’t possibly tear your eyes away from. She is so damaged and broken that it’s heartbreaking. She is at the very end of her rope and is clinging onto what’s left of her sanity for dear life. And who could possibly blame her? She’s been dealt some devastating and unimaginable blows that would break even the strongest of people.

I really want to talk about this book in depth, but alas I would spoil it for everyone. Let’s just say that it is shocking, twisted and addicting. One of the twists blew my mind. I actually had to pause from reading and let what just happened sink in. I even said, no effing way! out loud. This book has a secure spot on my must read least for this year.

Keep in mind, this novel is not for the faint of heart. It’s very dark and terrifying in so many ways, but Jordan is one hell of a storyteller and his writing is compelling and totally drew me in.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Netgalley and JJP for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review of Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger

June 25, 20161 Comment

Goodreads/Amazon
Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Release date: June 7, 2016

Publisher: Touchstone

Goodreads blurb:

Twenty-year-old Finley Montgomery is rarely alone. Visited by people whom others can’t see and haunted by prophetic dreams, she has never been able to control or understand the things that happen to her. When Finley’s abilities start to become too strong for her to handle – and even the roar of her motorcycle or another dazzling tattoo can’t drown out the voices – she turns to the only person she knows who can help her: her grandmother Eloise Montgomery, a renowned psychic living in The Hollows, New York.
Merri Gleason is a woman at the end of her tether after a ten-month-long search for her missing daughter, Abbey. With almost every hope exhausted, she resorts to hiring Jones Cooper, a detective who sometimes works with psychic Eloise Montgomery. Merri’s not a believer, but she’s just desperate enough to go down that road, praying that she’s not too late. Time, she knows, is running out.
As a harsh white winter moves into The Hollows, Finley and Eloise are drawn into the investigation, which proves to have much more at stake than even the fate of a missing girl. As Finley digs deeper into the town and its endless layers, she is forced to examine the past, even as she tries to look into the future. Only one thing is clear: The Hollows gets what it wants, no matter what.

Review:

Mysteries and thrillers are my hands down favorite types of book to read. Nothing excites me more than discovering a new to me author and I seriously cannot believe it took me this long to get my hands on one of Lisa Unger’s books! Her writing style is right up my alley and I’m quite sure she’ll be right up there next to some of my other favorite mystery/thriller novelists.

This book is absolutely gripping and had me completely drawn in and consumed from the first few pages. I was immediately connected to Finley and Merri right from their first appearances. They are both haunted individuals, but for completely different reasons. Finley is tormented by her “gift” of prophetic dreams. She’s struggling to navigate this unknown path in her life that she never asked for.Merri is living every parents worst nightmare; her daughter Abbey,has been missing for months. As a parent to young children myself, there were several moments throughout the book where my heart was fluttering as I could feel Merri’s panic and anxiety through the pages.

The setting that Unger creates in the Hollows is stunning. You can feel the chill of the woods and at times I would swear that I could almost hear the whispers of the woods. She paints a picture of a terrifying forest that demands things of its residents. The addition of paranormal phenomena only seeks to add to the intense and chilling atmosphere. While paranormal/psychic encounters play a large role in the book, Unger brings it to a basic human level that is completely relatable even if you are a skeptic.

As usual, I don’t want to give too much away as the twists in this novel are shocking and fantastic. It was a wild ride that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. If you like a good psychological thriller with intrigue and suspense, then this one is for you.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Touchstone for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review of Friends Like Us by Sian O’Gorman

June 24, 2016June 24, 20161 Comment

Goodreads/Amazon
Genre: Chick Lit, Women’s Fiction

Release date: July 1, 2016

Publisher: Aria

Goodreads blurb:

Is it ever too late to take charge and live your life on your terms?
Life for school friends, Melissa, Steph and Eilis, hasn’t quite worked out the way they once imagined it might.
Melissa may be professionally successful but inside she’s a mess of insecurities.

Steph is lonely and lost, balancing the fragile threads of family life and walking on eggshells around her philandering husband and angry teenage daughter.
Finally, Eilis, a hardworking A&E doctor, utterly exhausted by the daily pressures of work and going through the motions with her long-term partner Rob.
It’s crunch time for all the friends…
A light-hearted and emotional novel about family, friendship and coming to terms with your past. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Amanda Prowse.

Review:

I love a good chick lit novel. Emily Giffin, Lauren Weisberger, Mary Kay Andrews, etc. When I saw this on Netgalley I was instantly drawn to it because of the lighthearted description and lovely cover. Superficial, I know. Turned out to be fitting as this book was a tad superficial. I just wanted to be drawn in a little bit more. I didn’t feel a true connection with the characters.

Three friends from high school reunite to plan their twentieth high school reunion. Melissa, Steph and Eilis meet several times to plan things but that is not actually relevant to the plot. Instead the book focuses on the unraveling of the three women’s lives. All of them are facing heavy issues in their lives and they lean on each other for support. Divorce, infidelity, angsty teenagers, work woes, death and more all try and drag the girls down.

Told alternately from Melissa, Steph and Eilis point of view works nicely. You get an intimate glimpse into all their lives and the book flows well. Even though they are dealing with some heavy subject matter, it still has an overall lighthearted tone. There are many sweet moments between the girls and O’Gorman was able to capture the power of true friendship.

While it definitely had its good moments, it was slightly clichéd and predictable. All that said, I did like the book, I just didn’t love the book. It is a nice, easy summer read though. If you’re looking for a book that is breezy and fluffy this might be for you.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Aria for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.