Vanishing Act by Liz Johnson

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VANISHING ACT
Author: Liz Johnson
Source: Author Submission–Thank you!
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

  • Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Steeple Hill (August 10, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0373444060
  • ISBN-13: 978-0373444069

SYNOPSIS:

Eighteen months ago, Nora James watched as her father was shot in an alley—and then she fl ed. She changed her name, her appearance and her job, hoping to keep her father’s shooter at bay. For months, it worked…but now her luck has run out. A ruthless assassin is on her trail, and soon Nora, now known as Danielle, will be found. But this time, she has FBI agent Nate Andersen by her side—right? The handsome agent would give his life to protect Danielle, but he’s wary of giving his heart…until a deadly confrontation leaves him with both on the line. 

MY THOUGHTS:

I was so excited to be contacted by the author to review this book.  I had been looking for an Inspirational read to experience stepping out of my normal reads of paranormal and romance.  I was genuinely surprised to find out that just because it is inspirational based, doesn’t mean it can’t have romance and intrigue.

This book had suspense and intrigue involved through Nora.  She changes her name after she sees her Father shot by a bad and dangerous man.  She is not only running from him, but from the FBI as well.  She is found by FBI agent Nate and has changed her name to Danielle.

Both characters were Christian people who attended church, so it holds true to a Love Inspired Steeple Hill book.  After all the romance and erotica books that I read, this was a wonderful romance to read without all the steamy involved.  It was sweet romance that still held its own against the erotica romance I am used to.

The story is a quick read, but one you should read slowly to enjoy the suspense and pure romantic feel the author has brought to it.  A wonderfully written book for this first time reader of Love Inspired Suspense.

MY RATING:


Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

(ARC Review) Freefall by Mindi Scott

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FREEFALL
Author: Mindi Scott
Source: Around the World Tours

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Simon Pulse; Original edition (October 5, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1442402784
  • ISBN-13: 978-1442402782

SYNOPSIS:

How do you come back from the point of no return?

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend’s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he’s ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth will soon realize he isn’t the only one who needs saving . . .
MY THOUGHTS:
The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. Something about the shattered glass and the title gave it the feel of angst, pain and hopefully redemption.
The characters of Seth and Rosetta were amazing.  I loved the gradual romance instead of it being immediate.  It was a slow build as they both worked through different yet painful history.  Rosetta is from the nicer side of the tracks where she is living with her Aunt and Uncle.  Her parents died in a car crash that was caused by a drunk driver.  She has a fear of riding in cars because of it and is trying to find a way to work through it.  Seth is in a downward spiral after finding his best friend Isaac dead after a party.  He feels responsible for it and it has even made it difficult to perform in front of people with his band.  
The summary above does nothing to really describe the intensity of this book.  You can actually feel the pain that Seth is going through and want to help him through it.  The one and only problem I had with this book is that Isaac is such a focus in this book for Seth, yet we never got to really know Isaac.  It would have been nice for a few chapters in the beginning to have seen a glimpse of what his demeanor was like and had some interaction with him so the reader could understand better what Seth was feeling.  To me, Isaac was just a name in the book, not a character that could have come alive in my head. 
This book has the romance of teen love, teen angst, and high school drama that makes this authors debut story a great read with a great plot.  I personally can’t wait to see what the author can bring to us in the future and hopefully sooner rather than later.  A raw but well written view of high school years and young love that will keep you captivated until the last page.
MY RATING:


Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

(ARC Review) Monster High by Lisi Harrison

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MONSTER HIGH
Author: Lisi Harrison
Source: Around the World Tours

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Poppy (September 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 031609918X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316099189

SYNOPSIS:

The monster community has kept a low profile at the local high school, but when two new girls enroll, the town will never be the same. Created just fifteen days ago, Frankie Stein is psyched to trade her father’s formaldehyde-smelling basement lab for parties and prom.

But with a student body totally freaked out by rumors of monsters stalking the halls, Frankie learns that high school can be rough for a chic freak like her. She thinks she finds a friend in fellow new student Melody Carver-but can a “normie” be trusted with her big secret?

MY THOUGHTS:

Who could not want to read a book with a character named Frankie Stein? It is such a cute name for her and yes it is for the reason you think.  She was created just 15 days before starting school.  She is what they like to be referred to as a RAD. Her parents inform her that she will be attending school with normie’s.  We get a treat of alternating POVs between Frankie and Melody.  Melody is a normie and brings the human side to the book.

I loved the cover of this book. I admit that it is what made me want to sign up for the tour in the first place.  I liked Melody and her sister. I loved the bantering between the two just like sisters would be like.  Frankie was cute considering she was only 15 days old and was programmed to be 15 years old. It was cute seeing both sides of the story.  With character names like Draculaura, Cleo and Lagoona Blue, you know that there is going to be laugh out loud moments.

At times, the book did seem a bit predictable and childish.  Yet, I still couldn’t put the book down because I wanted to know what would happen.  Well, don’t expect a tidy and finished ending when you read it.  It leaves a cliffhanger for the reader to set up a sequel hopefully.

MY RATING:


Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS
 

NAUGHTY LITTLE SECRET by Shelley Bradley

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NAUGHTY LITTLE SECRET
Author: Shelley Bradley
Source: Purchased at store

  • Paperback: 212 pages
  • Publisher: Samhain Publishing (November 21, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1599982935
  • ISBN-13: 978-1599982939

SYNOPSIS:

By night, he becomes a mysterious stranger devoted only to her pleasure and discovers she’s hiding a naughty little secret. After divorcing her never-home husband, Lauren Southall plucked up her courage, dusted off her power suits, and returned to corporate life. Two years later, there’s just one six-foot three, testosterone-packed problem: her ex-husband’s good friend and her current boss, Noah Reeves. Lauren aches for him. No other man will do. But she can’t possibly measure up to the silicone-packed professional cheerleaders he dates. So she hides her desire behind a professional persona and fantasizes. For ten years, Noah Reeves has waited to make Lauren his. Once her divorce was final, he tracked down and hired the brilliant, dedicated woman. But when he’s with her, it isn’t spreadsheets and profit margins on his brain. Problem is, she’s never seen him as anything but her ex-husbands pal. Now that she’s finally a free woman and with him 40+ hours a week, well… he’d love to persuade her to throw in her nights and weekends. Noah decides to romance her by day. By night, he becomes a mysterious stranger devoted only to her pleasure and discovers she’s hiding a naughty little secret of her own. 

MY THOUGHTS:

While I am a HUGE fan of Shelley Bradley/Shayla Black! She has a special talent when it comes to writing erotica’s that leave you breathless, hot and panting for more.  While I enjoyed this book, I don’t see it as great as her other books.  I loved the characters when it was just Noah and Lauren.  When it was Lauren and Mr. Mysterious, it seemed more like a stalker doing bad things to a woman.  I couldn’t believe that Lauren found it exciting and sexy when Mr. Mysterious shows up at her apartment while she sleeps, handcuffs her to her bed and has sex with her after waking her up.  Me, personally, I would have screamed bloody murder and yelled rape!  Yet, Lauren finds it exciting and sensual.  Noah needed to just face Lauren head on instead of coming across as a stalker at night.  When they bantered and worked together during the day you could feel the sexual tension and need they both felt. 

While I am still a huge fan of this author, and will continue to read whatever she comes out with, I didn’t feel this book was one of her best. 

MY RATING:


Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

BLUSH by Opal Carew

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BLUSH
Author: Opal Carew
Source: Library Loan

  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin; 1st edition (June 24, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312367791
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312367794

SYNOPSIS:

Kama Sutra, Tantra, Ménage…are you ready to blush?

Hanna Lane wishes she could shed her inhibitions and unleash her wild side in the bedroom.  When she meets J. M.–a Kama Sutra and Tantra master–they embark on a sizzling path of discovery, exploring the ancient sensual arts and discovering new techniques that allow Hanna to unlock her naughtiest fantasies and make them a red-hot reality.  But when Hanna’s exboyfriend Grey re-enters her life determined to win her back, Hanna longs to share herself with both men.  But can she tell J.M. and Grey her most taboo fantasy?  And who will win her for keeps? 

MY THOUGHTS:

Hanna and Grey were the perfect couple on the outside. On the inside, however, things weren’t so perfect.  Grey had a childhood illness that caused him to be sterile.  He feels that if he tells this little secret to Hanna, she will leave him. So he keeps it bottled up inside until Hanna asks him if he loves her.  He never says the words to her and she feels that they should separate.

Hanna also has a problem behind closed doors.  She has never had an orgasm. Grey has tried everything to help her find out why and to help her achieve it.  Before they break up, he enrolled them in a class that helps with Tantra and Kama Sutra in hopes of Hanna being able to figure out why.

Hanna refuses to go to the class out of embarrassment, yet Grey attends it in hopes of learning how to help her and win her back.  The teacher of the class, J.M, gives him pointers and reading to help him on the journey. J.M. meets Hanna at her store and they have a wild fling. She doesn’t know that JM is the instructor for the course. Thus, giving us a triangle where none of the people know about the other.

I found this book to be good, but not great.  I loved all of the characters involved. I also understand that some women have this problem, so the plot is not what bothered me.  What bothered me is the fact of the characters not knowing about each other.  It seemed to get repetitive and drawn out. I wanted them to come together and figure it out sooner.  I loved the ending and the witty dialogue the most. The sensual scenes were hot, but I actually cared more about the characters than the sex in this one!

Overall a great erotic read if you love this genre. The author has a great knack for telling her story with just the right amount of love, sex and sensuality to keep you hooked.

MY RATING:


Very Good! I would recommend this book!

4 STARS