Stalking The Others by Jess Haines

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Stalking the Others
Series: H&W Investigations #4
Author: Jess Haines
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: Gift form Author
ISBN: 9781420124026

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

Vampires, werewolves, mages–the Others are very real, and wreaking havoc in Shiarra Waynest’s life. But now, she’s returning the favor…

Once, she was one of the good guys–or as close as a New York P.I. can get. Then Shiarra Waynest was drawn into the world of the Others. Every faction has its own loyalties and agenda. And Shia’s recent betrayal by her ex-boyfriend means that she may be on the verge of becoming a rogue werewolf at the next full moon.

Of course, with all the threats against her, Shia’s not sure she’ll live long enough to find out. The enigmatic vampire Royce wants her back in his clutches, as do two powerful werewolf packs, along with the police. Instead of going into hiding, Shia is enlisting the aid of her enchanted hunter’s belt and every dirty P.I. trick she knows. If she’s going down, she’ll take out as many of her enemies as she can–and hope that in the process, she keeps whatever humanity she has left…

MY THOUGHTS

Action? Check.
Kick Ass Heroine? Check.
Suspense? Check.
Another winner of a book? CHECKMATE.

Since I am not a regular reader of urban fantasy,  the books in this category better blow me away for me to keep reading them.  What author Jess Haines brings to this reader is excitement and holy amazing!  I loved the writing and the characters in this book.

I love how the author changed the character of Shia in this book.  Instead of the usual, we get a Kick-Them-In-the-Jewels Shia that is one seriously bad girl.  I loved it.  She was strong and fierce.  What made it better was all the action that was involved with this one.  Even with the most dire situations though, the author is able to give us witty dialogue to keep it just a touch light enough to make me not dread what could happen next.

Even though I came into this series on the second book, I have not had a hard time playing catch up.  I will eventually get around to reading the first book someday when I have time, but for now — I am just enjoying the ride.  I might have a better understanding of some things if I had read the first in the series, but the author writes so wonderfully that it hasn’t been a hindrance to me.

Even with the ending being rushed — although I will say that it is not too bad — I loved how it ended.  Now if I can just convince the author to finish up writing the next book.  I need more and that is no joke.

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Down To You by M. Leighton

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Down To You
Author: M. Leighton
Source: Author Submission
Genre: Adult Contemporary
ISBN: B009FG00N2
(Ebook Edition)

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

The scorching tale of one girl, two brothers and a love triangle…that’s not.

Olivia Townsend is nothing special. She’s just a girl working her way through college so she can return home to help her father run his business. She’s determined not to be the second woman in his life to abandon him, even if it means putting her own life on hold. To Olivia, it’s clear what she must do. Plain and simple. Black and white.

But clear becomes complicated when she meets Cash and Nash Davenport. They’re brothers. Twins.
Cash is everything she’s always wanted in a guy. He’s a dangerous, sexy bad boy who wants her in his bed at any cost. He turns her insides to mush and, with just one kiss, makes her forget why he’s no good for her.

Nash is everything she’s ever needed in a guy. He’s successful, responsible and intensely passionate. But he’s taken. Very taken, by none other than Marissa, Liv’s rich, beautiful cousin. That doesn’t stop Olivia from melting every time he looks at her, though. With just one touch, he makes her forget why they can never be together.

Black and white turns to shades of gray when Olivia discovers the boys are hiding something, something that should make her run as far and as fast as she can. But it’s too late to run. Olivia’s already involved. And in love. With both of them.

Both brothers make her heart tremble. Both brothers set her body on fire. 

She wants them both.

And they want her.

How will she ever choose between them?

MY THOUGHTS

When author M. Leighton asked me if I wanted to read and review Down To You before release date,  I immediately said yes and made my friends green with envy.  I might have rubbed it in that I was reading it before release date and became a child on twitter with “nahnahnah” and ” neinerneinerneiner” being tweeted to them.  I apologize for my actions, but I don’t apologize for my excitement.

Let me warn readers right off the bat — you will not be able to choose Team Cash or Team Nash.  It is just not possible for your heart to choose.  With that being said, can you imagine how Olivia felt having to choose?  I felt for the girl.  I wanted to help her so much.  Let us go over the details of characters first.

OLIVIA:  Shy but won’t-take-crap-from-mean-people heroine.  She is thrown into a love triangle she does not see coming.  Refuses to settle for a bad boy again.  Looking for the good guy that will treat her right, but seems to always fall for the bad boys. Can also make kicking cocktails because she is one great bartender.

CASH:  Sexy, tattooed bar owner of Dual.  Use to be the high school bad boy and screw up of the family.  Can make a woman drool from 5 paces and likes to flirt with women.  Doesn’t have a close relationship with his twin brother — or does he?

NASH:  The clean cut twin of Cash who is one hell of a lawyer-to-be.  Dating Olivia’s rich and spoiled cousin.  Instantly attracted to Olivia and flirts with her every chance he can.  Agrees to Olivia’s terms of not acting on the flirtations in respect to her cousin.  While he is the good boy of the family, he also harbors secrets that could crumble his good-guy image.

When Olivia is attending her friends party, Cash walks into the room to announce that their stripper has arrived.  Before he can make the announcement, the girls rush him and assume he is the stripper.  The girls convince Olivia to be the one to relieve him of his clothes.  She is hesitant and shy at first, but with Cash daring her on, she quickly gets into it.  Before she makes it to his pants though,  the real stripper walks in and Olivia figures out the mistake.  She is embarrassed and humiliated but just drunk enough that she hopes she won’t remember it morning.  Unfortunately, she wakes with a hangover and dirty thoughts of Cash.  She walks into her kitchen the next morning and sees her cousin with her boyfriend.  When she looks over to her cousins boyfriend, she gets a shock.  He looks exactly like Cash and accuses him of what happened.  Her cousin laughs when she realizes Olivia has just been introduced to the twin brother of Cash.  Her boyfriend is named Nash and he is the complete opposite of Cash.

Seriously, how is a girl not suppose to fantasize about two hot twin brothers who happen to flirt with her?
Oh there is a plot involved that does involved murder, mobs, and actual heartache,  but the guy factor alone is enough to keep a reader going.

I will give you a hint to this book though.  Just when you think you have your decision of who Olivia should be with, you are wrong.  Don’t argue with me!  You. Are. Wrong!  Also, pay attention to the smallest of details that the author provides in the narration and such.  It does mean something and is in no way words to fill pages to make a word count.  Again, everything you think will happen will be in the wrong and you will have plenty of jaw dropping moments that you will have bruises on your chin by the end of the book. Also be prepared for an ending that will be open for another installment.

Down To You brought sexiness and hot guys Down To Me and I want more!!!  I am just going to make my own Team Hashtag for this one and start using #TeamCNash !!!

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

*I received an ARC ebook copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review*

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

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Unraveling
Series: Unraveling #1
Author: Elizabeth Norris
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Amazon Vine
ISBN: 9780062103734

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed–as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, she knows–with every fiber of her being–that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something–but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened–the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life–points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets–and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl’s fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

MY THOUGHTS

Wow.  Yep, that about sums up my experience in reading Unraveling.  With action that starts from the first chapter, the reader is in for a wild ride of excitement, suspense and love at first page.  I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I am so glad that I gave it a chance!

I was first intrigued by the cover of this book.  Then I read the summary and thought that this one might be a little different then the normal and decided to order it for review.  What I found inside the covers was so much more than expected.  I loved the characters and the secondary ones were just as great.  The plot was different but well worked.  The romance was amazing and kept my interest.  The only flaw that I really had about this book was that there is so much happening in one book.  I figured that if it is going to be a series, the author should have spread it out more in the other books.  Even with everything that does happen in the book, I still didn’t feel too overwhelmed by it all.  I know most readers are wanting everything in the first book — and sometimes this frustrates a reader to no end — I fell that this book was one that needed it expanded to the next book instead of crammed into the 400+ pages of Unraveling.

On a final note, if you haven’t read this book yet, you are seriously missing out on a new read to add to your favorites collection.  Bring on the next one Ms. Norris because I am in love with your writing!

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

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The Marriage Bargain
Series: Marriage to a Billionaire #1
Author: Jennifer Probst
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Personal Purchase (ebook)

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

A marriage in name only…

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria
McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

MY THOUGHTS

I put off purchasing this book because of all the hype around it.  I am not a huge fan of marriage for money usually, and I just didn’t want the disappointment when I read it.  Now, I am kicking myself in the rear wondering what the heck I was thinking!

When Alexa finds herself needing money to help save her family from losing their home, she casts a spell to find Mr. Right.  While she isn’t so sure it will turn out the way she is hoping, she did try to put in specific details on what she is looking for in this man.  One of the main things is money to help her family.  It is the only reason she is even attempting to do this.

Nicholas Ryan is rich and a loner.  He doesn’t do commitment and he doesn’t want a family.  He is focused on his career and growing his business.  In order for him to inherit his father’s business, he needs to get married.  His sister, who is friends with Alexa, decides to intervene and propose a solution for both.  What starts out as a contract of convenience, quickly becomes a battle of sexual wills.

Alexa lies to Nick and tells him that she is going to use the $150,000 for an expansion to her book store.  She doesn’t want him to know the real reason she agreed to the contract.  Nick figures she is just out for money and doesn’t think he will have any problem with Alexa wanting a commitment.  What they think will be an easy year of being married in name only turns out to be a heck of ride for the both of them.

I loved the writing of The Marriage Bargain and the dialogue of each character.  I loved how they bantered back and forth while trying to fight the attraction between each other.  While the plot is something that has been around in romance books for decades, Jennifer Probst brings the characters to life with her wonderful writing.  I am now anxiously waiting the next book in the series and have added this author to my auto-buy list!

MY FAVORITE QUOTE

“I suck at it? You’re acting like this is some stupid play you’ve put together for the neighbors. This is real life, and I’m doing the best I can.”
“My plays were not stupid. We made a lot of money in admission tickets. I thought Annie was excellent.”
He snorted. “You can’t even sing and you cast yourself as Annie.”
“You’re still pissed because I wouldn’t let you play Daddy Warbucks.”
He plowed ten fingers through his hair and made a noise deep in his throat. “How the hell do you get me on these ridiculous subjects?”
–Alexa and Nick

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

Ecstasy Untamed by Pamela Palmer

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Ecstasy Untamed
Series: Feral Warriors #6
Author: Pamela Palmer
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: AVON
Source: Publisher
ISBN: 9780061794735

SUMMARY
(From Amazon)


Shattered by recent nightmarish events, Hawke feels his bond with his animal spirit weakening—and once it breaks, he’s finished. The arrival of Faith sends his life spinning even further out of control, for although she delights him and enflames his deepest primal passions, she’s promised to Maxim, the newest Feral Warrior.

Faith is drawn to Hawke from the start, but Maxim holds her in his thrall and has secretly bent her to his malevolent will. Though gravely damaged, Hawke is the only one who can end Faith’s slavery and protect the Feral Warriors from Maxim’s evil designs. But first they both must embrace the wild . . . and surrender body and soul to a forbidden, all-consuming ecstasy.

MY THOUGHTS

Hawke is back and be still my heart! I finally made it to my favorite Feral Warrior and his tortured story.  I think I didn’t eat, sleep or do much of anything while reading this book.  Even my kids steered clear of me.

Hawke has been rescued from the spirit trap and he is not the same as when he went in.  His animal is fighting with him and causing him to shift.  Even though he is trying to fight the rage and the unwanted shifting, when the animal does take over it takes him to the sky for hours.  When he is in his hawk form, he isn’t even remembering it.  If he doesn’t get his animal under control soon,  he will eventually die.

Faith is a Therian living in Poland.  When out one night she is attacked by Daemons.  A handsome stranger comes to her rescue and convinces her that they are mates.  He sweeps her away to the Feral House to claim his animal that he is marked with.  Maxim is not what he seems though.  He is cold, cruel, and definitely not the next Foxx.  Some animals were never reborn into the next Feral intended until the spirit trap was breached.  Now they are finding themselves being introduced to them rather quickly.  In this we see the true nature of Maxim and the true evil he is capable of.  Seriously, by the end of Chapter 6, this book becomes dark, dirty and flat out suspenseful.  Be warned and be ready to have your heart flutter in fear.

As if the author couldn’t torture us enough after that, the readers learn a secret about Faith that could change everything.  Will she reveal it to Hawke and the other Warriors? If she does, will she do it in time? Can she save Hawke and make him realize what is truly wrong with his animal spirit? Well, my lovely readers — you will have to read the book.

The ending was bittersweet for me.  It is left with a climatic ending that makes me scream in frustration because we have to wait for the next book!  Release day will not arrive soon enough for this fan. I wonder if I could bribe author Pamela Palmer for some hints and secrets?

MY FAVORITE QUOTES

“His legs are regrowing.  Along with everything in between.”
Several of the Ferals blanched.
“There’s nothing in this world more painful than regrowing a penis.” Kougar said quietly.
“It’s taking longer than the legs.” Olivia crossed her arms tight as if shielding herself as another of Jag’s yells echoed through the house.
“That’s part of the reason it’s so painful.  It takes forever.”
“How much longer?” Olivia asked.
“Another hour, maybe.”
Every man shuddered this time.  Olivia squeezed her eyes closed. “It better come back as good as new, that’s all I’m saying.”
–page 195

Vhyper shook his head.  “You couldn’t be the Wicked Witch of the West.  You have to be all Tinker Bell cute and sunny.”
–page 236 / Vhyper talking to Faith

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!