After Me by Joyce Scarbrough

September 1, 2014 By Leave a Comment

AFTER
After Me by Joyce Scarbrough
Publisher: Buzz Books USA
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (290 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

After she’s murdered by a sexual predator, 18-year-old Jada Gayle must stay among the living until she finds and stops the Internet stalker who killed her. When the Afterlife Admissions Office assigns the now “transdead” Jada to a foster home back among the living, she assumes the identity of a newly-dead homeless teen and is expected to simply fit in as she hunts down her killer.

Vardenafil works on the same line as cheap viagra from india and Kamagra, by enhancing blood circulating. As you can see from the above mentioned options, penile tissue engineering is a promising alternative but is cheap cialis still in its infancy. The drug is not applicable for those men who are failing to get the erection can use this herbal pill without any supplementprofessors.com pfizer viagra australia fear of side effects. One pill an hour before making love with your respective discount viagra sales partner. Complicating things even more, Jada discovers that an addendum to her termination agreement was inadvertently left out of her paperwork and means she now must learn to deal with normal human emotions. How can a dead girl be expected to feel anything when life had left her so empty? Then she meets Lew Stanton—captain of the chess team and computer whiz who makes her dead heart beat phantom rhythms in her chest. As if it’s not bad enough to have the hots for a nerd, Jada’s new friend Annalee likes him too.

While Jada deals with all this unwanted teenaged angst, the man who murdered her is closing in on more foolish girls. Jada thinks she has plenty of time to handle her predicament until the night she gets a terrifying message: I HAVE YOUR FRIEND.

Some deaths leave behind loose ends. Now that Jada’s been given the chance to tidy a few of hers up, will she be able to do it?

Jada’s snide approach to the afterlife is quite funny. What really made me like her, though, was how she responded to everything that happened after she was murdered. Not only did it fit her personality to a tee, it blended in incredibly well with how some people react to the type of trauma that she’s just endured. Her character development was superb, especially considering how subtle it is in the first few chapters of this novel. While I don’t know if the author has any intention of fulfilling my wish, this is the kind of book that is absolutely begging for a sequel. I loved getting to know Jada and would be thrilled to catch up with her again very soon.

People in Jada’s position are given special powers to help them complete their missions. Most of her newfound abilities are things that her new friends and foster family wouldn’t notice under normal circumstances, but there are a few things about her that I would have liked to see explained in more detail due to how easy it would be to accidentally reveal them. The powers themselves make a great deal of sense given the nature of her assignment, but it was occasionally hard to believe that Jada was so good at keeping others from noticing the logical consequences of her having them.

The premise of this tale was so unique that as soon as I noticed it I had to know what happens next. Ms. Scarbrough snagged my attention so thoroughly that I actually stayed up past my bedtime for several nights in a row to power through just one more chapter. What really earned this story such a high rating, though, was how the author acknowledged certain tropes in young adult fiction without succumbing to them. It’s hard to dig more deeply into this topic without bumping up against spoilers, but I was impressed by her consistently creative approach to the plot. This was my first introduction to Ms. Scarbrough work, and I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing what she’ll do next!

After Me is a must-read for adults and teens alike. I, for one, will be rereading it again soon.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Uncover Me by A. M. Hartnett

September 1, 2014 By Leave a Comment

ME
Uncover Me by A. M. Hartnett
Publisher: Mischief: An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (176 pgs)
Other: BDSM, M/F, Anal Play, Fetish, Toys, Spanking, Voyeurism
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Thistledown

There’s a heart inside every fantasy.

The photos are becoming a compulsion for Carrie. As soon as she wakes up, she feels the need to engage with the readers of her erotic website, Dirty Pictures. No matter how hard she tries to focus on her real life the need is always there. The high is knowing that men desire her.

One day a comment on her erotic website makes Carrie go cold: one of her readers, Brendan, has recognised a landmark in the window of one of her pictures. Brendan knows where to find her and has sent a tantalising private message. His invitation to play was so tempting in no time at all, in a variety of settings, their sensual adventures become wild. Her sexual and emotional reawakening reaches peaks she never imagined possible.

Childbirth is considered the most joyous experience in a woman’s life; however, for some it may be due to unhealthy lifestyle viagra soft tablets like excessive drinking, smoking, unhealthy eating habits. Due to heavy loads of responsibilities and the fast pace of our life, our medications can reach our doorstep at our will. viagra price uk Because of the particularity of the levitra low cost prostate itself, prostate diseases need early detection and timely treatment. Kamagra eases and smoothens the erection of the man and does not; let the man to get erect even when buy cialis he is sexually aroused. But Carrie finds it difficult to treat their relationship as casual. Terrified of heartbreak, she breaks off her affair with Brendan. Her previous relationship left her in tatters and she’s too scared to take such a chance again. Brendan endured a broken marriage so she’s not alone in her confusion and reticence. But can Carrie ever hope to be more than his fantasy girl?

Carrie is a girl with a blog and a secret.

Breaking up is hard to do. Carrie is suffering from a betrayal that left her reeling. Empty and heartbroken, she finds an outlet in a new blog—one where she takes pictures of herself in sexually explicit situations. No face. She is Maggie, a woman who is fearless and sensual, her body posing in very hot and intimate settings and situations. What starts off as an experiment quickly changes into a pulse pounding obsession that can’t be quenched. Her phone is her addiction of choice and the camera speaks the words she can’t say.

Brendan is a successful businessman and sees Carrie’s blog. Known to him as Maggie, he is captivated by her sexy photos and connects with her online. After he recognizes her building in a photo, he asks to meet her and the story really takes off.

Brendan and Carrie are two firecrackers lighting up the night with their mutual needs and passions. To be seen and to watch. Toys, spanking, sweaty sex scenes that made me want ice water and a host of scenarios kept me turning the pages. Hot. Hot. Hot. The story develops quickly with some interplay between Carrie and her sister and it adds dimension to the character I found refreshing.

Carrie wanted Brendan just for fun. If she kept him at a distance, he can’t hurt her. When he steps over the line and tries to draw her into his private life, things spiral out of control quickly. What started out as a physical “relationship” just got more complicated. Is Carrie able to forget the past and learn how to love? You’ll have to read this luscious tale and find out.

I loved this book for the unique scenarios it presented. The author draws you into each scene and you can feel what it’s like to be that girl taking pictures and posting them online for the world to see. It’s sexy and hot and amazing all at once. When Brendan finds her, you feel the uncertainty and fear—will my job find out? Will he stalk me? It’s all there. So is the heat when they connect. It’s electric and I couldn’t stop reading. Kudos to A. M. Hartnett. I am now a convert awaiting your next novel.

Blogging will never be the same again. Bring on the cameras.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bear With Me by Lynn Red

August 29, 2014 By 3 Comments

BEAR W
Bear With Me by Lynn Red
A Jamesburg Shifters Novel
Publisher: Yellow Moon Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (243 pgs)
Other: M/F, Masturbation
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Curvy, sharp-witted and slightly self-conscious, Lilah Jorgenson is a raccoon-shifting painter with a white streak in her hair and a longing to find the family – but mostly the MATE – she never thought she’d have.

All she wants is someone to hold her, to kiss her, to… claim her as HIS. But who has the time to hunt down a perfect man? Does such a creature even exist?

Clocking in for what she assumes is going to be a normal night at her job at the Jamesburg jail Lilah’s got no clue that she’s about to meet the bear of her dreams.

Thickly-muscled, widowed, inked-up former soldier Rex Lee spent five years away, but clan trouble called him home. Love is distant memory for Rex – the only thing on the huge alpha’s mind is keeping his cub and his bear clan safe, even if it means the occasional scrape that ends with him in the slammer.

Trekking down the cell block, Lilah stops, dead in her tracks. A bear with wicked tattoos, a massive chest and a pair of arms perfect for holding her tight? Who was tossed in jail for fighting to keep his daughter safe? Maybe that perfect man DOES exist!

When Rex catches a glimpse of Lilah’s two-toned eyes, her luscious curves, and her wicked little grin? The bad boy alpha decides right then he’s found something he never would – a mate to claim, to possess, to make his forever – no matter what it takes.

This india viagra drug prepares the body for sexual activity that is directly injected into scar tissue. 4. Biology has not changed much, and most of viagra cheap sale the reproductive burden still rests in the female gender. Have sex: Though it is important to have realistic sales cialis goals when you are starting a penis enlargement plan for better sex life. Stop blaming your fate/ providence for cialis pills for sale your inability to have harder and longer erections- is a usual problem amongst men who cross the age of 30.
I enjoyed this roundabout story that takes the present, introduces a crisis , and ends up solving a past mystery all while telling the story of two people falling in love.

Jamesburg is an odd place and I think that’s part of its charm. This time around there are were-unicorns and were-Pomeranians. But they are only secondary characters. The main characters are a were-raccoon with a story and a were-bear with an even darker background. How could I not read this novel?

I like how Ms. Red seems to be able to blend various elements in her stories. There’s comedy, both light and dark, silliness, sex, dark paranormal villains, romance and a zombie with a crush. The villain is kind of two-fold which was interesting because there are times that I think one isn’t a true villain but a victim. There was something the full villain said that made me question the heroine but whatever it might have been was never realized. I had a lot of possibilities rummaging around my brain but they were all for naught. The author didn’t do anything with that cryptic comment. I couldn’t be too disappointed though because what she did do was pretty fascinating in and of itself.

Bear With Me is a standalone story. It starts off with the mayor and his wife so a reader can still find out what’s going on with them since the first book but unlike the second book, Erick and Izzy don’t play a role in the final showdown. They are just there in the beginning to break the ice for this newest tale in the town. This current novel follows Lilah and Rex exclusively. Well, the villain has his POV time too.

Another carryover character is Jenga and Atlas, the zombie bear. Even though Jenga started out bad, he’s actually turning into an endearing, eccentric and fascinating character and he’s a great asset to this series. A reader gets to see a bit more of his character growth and it lends itself nicely to the telling of this tale.

A major factor that I greatly appreciate about Ms. Red’s style of writing is her balance between dark conflict and light humor. This novel could have really been dark and depressing because certainly the villain was a nasty bit of business but the author stops just short of it and injects some comic relief, a hero to the rescue and a heroine who isn’t shy about defending herself and those she cares for. It’s because of the lightness and comedic bent that I keep reading these stories. It has the drama and suspense to appeal to romantic suspense readers, it has the sexy escapades to appeal to erotic romance readers, and it has the silly quips, unique observations about Jamestown’s residents and adorable personality quirks of the main protagonists that keeps me coming back for more. It’s just plain fun.

Atlas has more onscreen time in this tale and the effect is hilarious. He actually helps the hero and heroine save the day but I’m willing to bet readers have NEVER seen the kind of comeuppance that gets doled out to the villain in Bear With Me . I laughed and giggled. Ms Red has a devious and highly entertaining mind.

There are other aspects of the book that I wasn’t clear on, and those are the pesky Edgewood brothers. I sort of understand their purpose in the beginning of the book but I am still confused as to their true motivation and target of their ire. What they’re doing makes no sense and I didn’t feel it was explained well enough for me to accept their presence in this story. That being said, the author made it very clear that they were not nice people and in fact were losers. But angry, petty and jealous bears are trouble no matter which way you look at it. That was their function in the book and in that, they were effective.

There are other people that populate the story that provide emotional insights and motivation for Lilah and Rex and played valuable roles in the conflict. Leena was my favorite.

Bear With Me is a really good tale with lots of diabolical twists and a wonderful romance. It has surprises, sexy encounters, silly humor, a bit of action and suspense and a well-rounded and sentimental wrap up that’s as beautiful a happy ever after as one could wish. I had fun reading this novel and give it a good recommend.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Rollover by Susan Slater

August 28, 2014 By 4 Comments

ROLLOVER
Rollover by Susan Slater
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full length (344 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

A bank heist turns sleepy little Wagon Mound, New Mexico on its ear. It’s no straight-forward, demand all the money at gun-point, and run out the front door kind of robbery. It’s a sneaky tunneling that probably took months to complete and put the thieves in a room of safe deposit boxes—not the vault which held some two million. Safe deposit boxes? What could have made it worthwhile to bypass a cool couple million?

Maybe the one hundred and ten year old sapphire and diamond necklace belonging to eighty-five year old Gertrude Kennedy was the lure. United Life and Casualty carried a policy on it for five hundred thousand and sent their investigator, Dan Mahoney to sort things out.

But he didn’t quite get there when expected. Catching a ride when his Jeep overheats, Dan is the hapless passenger in a rollover that kills the driver and puts him in the hospital only to find out this was no accident. Someone wants him out of Wagon Mound at any cost.

He doesn’t scare easily. He hasn’t lived his life looking over his shoulder and he’s not starting now. But when fiancée, Elaine Linden, disappears and people close to the case turn up dead, maybe he should reconsider. The note slipped under his door in the dead of night says it all—“it’s not what you think”.

A superfood is defined as any natural prescription de viagra food that has an extraordinarily high nutrient content, and the acai berry certainly delivers. This medication has been a popular and viagra without prescriptions uk effective erectile dysfunction medicine is now available at any authorized medical store. Massage cialis get viagra and press the spots firmly, until they are no longer tender. It is recommended by sample viagra almost all doctors in the world. / Erectile dysfunction- the most embarrassing and frustrating conditions that a man can face and it has ruined many relationships. In Rollover, author Susan Slater, like a pied piper, lures out the bad characters until the quiet town of Wagon Mound, New Mexico is teeming with them. Not gender, age, social status, familial ties, or professions exempt them from this status. This mystery really kept me guessing. How the author keeps so many clandestine things going on and never drops a thread of the plot makes for page-turning reading.

Rollover starts off in a deceptively ordinary way. There is the not unusual car breakdown on a lonesome road. Even the appearance of an old man in a wreck of a pickup truck is not unusual for that part of the country. However, by the end of chapter one, the mystery has begun and runs full throttle for the rest of the book.

Dan Mahoney, an investigator for an insurance company, sets out to check out and write up his report on a piece of stolen jewelry and ends up embroiled in a complicated mess that has him interviewing everybody from the bank president to the junkyard man. He is not a popular man in that little town.

Elaine Linden, Dan’s special lady, returns from Ireland to be with him when he is hurt. Their romance adds a facet to the story that creates a bit of normalcy among the other facets of the story where it seems everyone else is running amok with secrets and mysterious dealings. Ms. Slater does lead the reader on a merry chase. Trying to keep up with all the happenings is absorbing reading—the primary mystery is a solid thread throughout the novel, but lots of other unsavory, illegal things are happening all over the place.

The author uses the setting to ratchet up the eeriness, mystery, and danger. The incident of the burned car and the body in it is chilling—made me shudder. The people in white working in the dark, the howl of a dog in a lonesome place, etc. stirs the emotions. It seems the author was personally acquainted with the part of New Mexico where Rollover takes place.

Gertrude Kennedy and her stolen Tiffany necklace that is a treasured, expensive, one-of- a-kind heirloom with a history bring Dan Mahoney to Wagon Mound. The story that unfolds about the necklace made me think of “what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”

Rollover is well-written and attention keeping with more than one breath-holding scene. It satisfied my craving for a good mystery story.

I invite you to enjoy it, too.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Secrets, Lies & Homicide by Patricia Dusenbury

August 28, 2014 By 2 Comments

SECRETS
Secrets, Lies & Homicide by Patricia Dusenbury
Publisher: Uncial Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (269 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

Claire Marshall’s construction company has a celebrity client. Tony Burke is a well-known racecar driver, perhaps better known for his romantic exploits. He wants to restore his family house in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District. When Claire talks him into opening his father’s old studio, they find evidence of an old murder. Within a day, there’s a second murder.

Tony insists the two crimes, although years apart, are connected. Unfortunately, the most obvious link puts him on top of the list of suspects. Claire wants the motive to lie elsewhere, and it might. The latest victim had no shortage of enemies.

Ordering this medicine online makes treatment easy, affordable and less levitra sale time consuming. These capsules are great for relieving stress buy cheap sildenafil as well and can be consumed by men of different ages. This particular http://appalachianmagazine.com/category/appalachian-eats/?filter_by=popular7 viagra sales uk component has the best effects in it. No, this is no levitra 5mg online spoon-feeding, but an essential exercise that every responsible parent would like to do with their children instead of pestering them. Claire is a widow just beginning to re-enter the world of dating. She’s been seeing a homicide detective, but as the investigation progresses, her sympathies lie more and more with the chief suspect. Thirty-four-years-old and she has finally met the man her mother warned her against.

In Secrets, Lies & Homicide, romance and mystery form a perfect match.

In mysteries, characterization is often neglected because of the suspense taking the limelight. Not in this novel, however. I was amazed and charmed by the vivid characters, all so unique and so wonderfully painted in just a few lines. A lot of the characterization was done through dialogue, with characters uttering a sentence that I would immediately recognize and say: ‘That was so Clair.’ Or ‘No one could say that but Mike.’ The author writes the dialogues masterfully, always progressing the plot or revealing something new about a character, but never bogging the story down by info dumps. Wonderful!

The romance was subtle and real, painful and passionate. All the best things wrapped up in the relationships of Claire and Mike and Tony. The hero, also doubling as a car racer and murder suspect, is not the classic, cliché hero. He is a man with faults, big ones; but Claire is a woman with a big heart that hasn’t felt love and passion for too long. He thaws her doubts and objections. She experiences heartbreak again, but also love and devotion. As a reader, you come not only to understand her, but to love her because she feels as real as your best friend.

The pacing of the novel was perfect, not only when it comes to the murder investigation, but also with the romantic relationship. It felt very natural and believable. It also added to the suspense of the main plotline. I liked how the motives for the crime lay in the past and how they were tied up with Tony’s childhood and his memories of his parents. The personalities of the side characters all added to the motives and the tragic events of the story. There were no coincidences or loose ends.

With Claire giving us a glimpse at the architecture of New Orleans, I wished for even more descriptions of the city and its culture.

I’m very happy I had the chance to read this book, and I will certainly buy the other two books of the trilogy.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

For Love of: Tangi by Antonio

August 28, 2014 By 1 Comment

TANGI
For Love of: Tangi by Antonio
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (218 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Colt Asbury’s life was good. He was captain of the football team in high school, popular with his classmates, and adored by his family. The only thing missing was someone special to share it with. But, between football and schoolwork he didn’t really have much time to think about romance—no that wasn’t exactly the whole truth. He had thought about it, and decided he wasn’t ready to deal with the ramifications of being gay. But, sometimes things can bubble to the surface in unexpected ways. In just a few minutes Colt’s whole world changes when he accidentally outs himself in front of his homeroom class over a new male student named Tangiers (Tangi) Reynolds. Suddenly he’s the talk of the school, yet all he can think about is Tangi. He’d never felt anything like what he felt when he’d first laid eyes on auburn-haired, green-eyed Tangi.

Still, it’s all too much for someone whose held so much in for so long and it takes its toll on Colt physically and emotionally. Confused and feeling broken down, he tries to find someone he can turn to, but discovers his best friend Mickey has turned against him. The rest of Colt’s friends aren’t even sure what to think about him anymore. His ex-football hero dad, whom he idolizes, and his ex-cheerleader mom are acting strangely too, and it turns out they’ve been hiding a closely guarded secret of their own. A secret shared by some of the parents of Colt’s friends. It will take the help of his younger brother Neil and Tangi’s sister Zen as well as allies in unexpected places to aid Colt in his time of greatest need. And then, there’s still the homecoming dance to think about, a homophobic chaperone to deal with, and a mystery man named Cameron. Will Colt be able to navigate these once calm now troubled waters of his life? More importantly will he be able to embrace a life with Tangi? All he knows is that he’ll give it his best shot for love of Tangi.

This is normal for adults purchase levitra online to have various types of problems with absolute perfection. Other than the heart, its consumption has been unveiled as a fertility booster in men. order viagra effects of cialis So, it’s not suitable to wear jeans and tight pants frequently, especially at summer and wet weather. 7.Don’t worry too much about premature ejaculation. Azoospermia can be mainly divided into two types: The first type often sudden onset, chills, fever, fatigue, weakness and systemic symptoms, accompanied by will on the genitals and pubic bone pain, and even with acute urinary retention. purchase tadalafil online frankkrauseautomotive.com Coming out doesn’t usually happen all at once. It’s a process that begins when one finally admits the truth to himself and ends when everyone knows. The question is, what other secrets will Colt uncover as he begins to come out to his family and friends?

At first Colt seemed a little too good to be true. He’s a popular jock who fearlessly stands up for other kids when they’re being bullied, an affectionate big brother to his much younger siblings, and a son who idolizes his parents. What I appreciated most about this character, though, was what happened when he revealed his true self. Colt is most definitely a nice guy, but I fully warmed up to him once I realized what was going through his mind as he did all of these kind things. The image people project is often quite different from what’s going on behind the scenes. Getting to know who Colt is when no one else around is ultimately what made me like him so much.

The dialogue in this book was inconsistent. One moment the characters would speak in full, grammatically correct sentences. A paragraph or two later the same individual would reply with a shortened version of a single word. Many people adjust their speaking patterns based on who is around them, of course, but it was jarring to switch so rapidly between slang and conversations that felt a little too stilted given the ages of the people involved in them. It was just as likely to occur with the teenagers as it was with adult characters.

The chemistry between Colt and Tangi is strong. The first taste of love is often the sweetest, and I found their reactions to their growing attraction to one another to be perfect for guys their age. It was fun to see how both of them responded to their first meeting. I can’t say much more about it without giving away spoilers, but it was quite the memorable experience.

I was surprised to see how reluctant the teachers were to address the bullying at Colt’s school given that this story is set in present day. It would have been understandable for them to ignore vague rumours or not notice the subtle stuff, but their refusal to even do something as obvious as break up a fight on school grounds didn’t feel realistic to me. I don’t doubt that some adults are willing to look the other way when a student is teased because of his sexual orientation, but I found it hard to believe that multiple teachers would be willing to ignore such blatant signs of harassment given how easy it would be for someone to record their behavior with a cellphone and get them and the school into serious trouble.

My favorite scenes involved Colt and and Tangi’s families. Both boys have warm, loving relationships with their parents and younger siblings. Neither family is perfect, of course, but I enjoyed seeing how they worked together. It was particularly interesting to see what happens when the families get together for dinner.

For Love of: Tangi made me think about all of the assumptions I’ve made about other people. This is a good choice for anyone who is willing to step into someone else’s shoes for a little while.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of Shadow Hills by Carrie Cross

August 27, 2014 By 3 Comments

HILLS
Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of Shadow Hills by Carrie Cross
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult, Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (260 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Thirteen-year-old sleuth Skylar Robbins plans to become a private detective like her grandfather. Stuck at her bullying cousin Gwendolyn’s Malibu estate for the summer, Skylar brings her detective kit, portable spy tools, and her journal for taking notes in secret code. She had no idea how dangerous the next eight weeks would prove to be. On the first day of summer school an odd classmate named Kat passes a note in backward writing, introducing Skylar to the secret world of witchcraft. Practical Skylar didn’t believe in magic—until the spells they perform in an abandoned garden actually begin to work. Skylar finds herself accepting the increasingly risky challenges made by her new BF, and when Kat tells her that a mysterious group is doing wicked things up in Shadow Hills at night, she can’t help but investigate. Her classmates are nervous and rumors are flying. The teen sleuth uses the tools in her detective kit and faces her most embarrassing fear to find the truth. If Skylar survives the summer, her life will be changed forever.

There are some things that puzzle even the smartest detective. Will Skylar be able to figure out why her cousin is such a bully or what’s really happening late at night on Shadow Hill before the summer ends?
Grains: Enriched bread and cereals, whole grain and crackers, oatmeal, rice, potatoes, barley, graham crackers, pasta, noodles levitra tab 20mg and macaroni products are a good example of acceptable grains. Moreover, gallbladder surgery does not relieve the biliary pain in 10%-33% of the individuals with detected gallstones. http://deeprootsmag.org/2015/06/26/sam-cooke-the-rolling-stones-the-beatles-and-allen-klein/ purchase levitra online Epimedium helps stimulate sexual activity by stimulating the production of cyclic GMP. cGMP http://deeprootsmag.org/2013/09/26/its-alvis-not-elvis/ discount viagra pharmacy is a chemical for relaxing the smooth muscles present in the penile region. It’s clear that Pioli and Haley Our drugstore order cialis had a dysfunctional working relationship.
Skylar’s insatiable curiosity made me like her immediately. She’s an intelligent and resourceful girl who is clearly accustomed to thinking on her feet. What really endeared me to this character, though, were her faults. They’re things that a lot of us struggle with, and they show up so early on in her summer vacation that they feel like natural extensions of her personality. The fact that she’s willing to do this makes me think she’s a great role model. It takes a lot of courage to own up to this stuff, after all.

There were times when I questioned Skylar’s choice of friends. She’s a kind person, but she seems to be attracted to people who don’t necessarily share that character trait. It would have been helpful to know why she befriends people who have such a different outlook on life given that Skylar doesn’t seem to have a mean bone in her body. I’m hoping that this part of her life will be more fully explored in the sequel.

As a lifelong fan of codes, I was pleased to see so many different types of them represented in this story. There’s something fascinating about writing a message that most other people won’t be able to understand. At a few different points I actually paused and played around with the various codes that Skylar and her friends used to keep their communication with each other hidden. To me this is a sign of a great young adult mystery!

Figuring out the best age recommendation for this book was tricky. The plot is clearly intended for middle grade readers. Skylar seemed to written to appeal to an audience that is a few years younger than her. Chronologically she’s a teenager, but hasn’t yet developed an interest in the kind of stuff that typically appeal to adolescents.

Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of Shadow Hills was a strong introduction to a fun, new series. I’m looking forward to catching up with Skylar on her next adventure, and I’d heartily recommend doing the same to anyone who is a fan of mysteries or young adult novels.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Flight to Coorah Creek by Janet Gover

August 27, 2014 By 1 Comment

CREEK
Flight to Coorah Creek by Janet Gover
Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (317 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

What happens when you can fly, but you just can’t hide?

Only Jessica Pearson knows the truth when the press portrays her as the woman who betrayed her lover to escape prosecution. But will her new job flying an outback air ambulance help her sleep at night or atone for a lost life?

Sadly, restarting or reloading applications may not cialis generic do their phone repair magic. They are cialis 10 mg stored in encrypted form and are not disclosed under any circumstances. Every men in this world is prone to many health disorders and issues that can make you shy in levitra generika time of purchasing the medicine. The good news is that there are effective medicines available for reinforcing sexual cialis 20 mg performance are prescription based totally, so you need to consult a physician earlier than considering them. Doctor Adam Gilmore touches the lives of his patients, but his own scars mean he can never let a woman touch his heart.

Runaway Ellen Parkes wants to build a safe future for her two children. Without a man—not even one as gentle as Jack North.

In Coorah Creek, a town on the edge of nowhere, you’re judged by what you do, not what people say about you. But when the harshest judge is the one you see in the mirror, there’s nowhere left to hide.

Jess, Ellen, Jack and Adam are inspiring characters that manage to find peace in the face of suffering and overwhelming guilt. They’ve experienced more pain than anyone ever should, but they finally have a chance at happiness. Like Jess thinks when she sees Adam’s scars: she’d never change that because the scars made them who they are now.

I loved how both Jess and Ellen were portrayed as vulnerable, but essentially strong women. After being broken and ruined by men, they got up and re-built their lives. Their hesitation about letting new men into their lives was believable, although the guilt Jess and Ellen felt was perhaps a bit overdone. However, it helped to add to their inner conflict so that was easy to overlook.

Sister Luke was a refreshing, wise character that brought some wonderfully quirky moments to the story. I felt a bit more humor would make the story less sentimental and even more enjoyable by juxtaposing the poignancy of the characters’ lives with some comic relief. Even the setting fit the emotional atmosphere, with the desolate Australian Outback symbolizing the isolation of every individual. It read very authentic and real, to the point of me feeling the dust tickling my nose as I read about the dry red expanse of land.

Although the story holds a strong message of how we all deserve to be forgiven, mostly by ourselves, but by others, too, it’s the strong characters that will stay with me. The selflessness of Jack and Adam, the courage and fighting spirit of Ellen, the essential goodness of Jess. They made this story strong and unputdownable.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

One Evening in Paris by Nicolas Barreau

August 27, 2014 By Leave a Comment

PARIS
One Evening in Paris by Nicolas Barreau
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (278 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Alain Bonnard, the owner of a small art cinema in Paris, is a dyed-in-the-wool nostalgic. In his Cinéma Paradis there are no buckets of popcorn, no XXL coca-colas, no Hollywood blockbusters. Not a good business plan if you want to survive, but Alain holds firm to his principles of quality. He wants to show films that create dreams, and he likes most of the people that come to his cinema. Particularly the enchanting, shy woman in the red coat who turns up every Wednesday in row 17. What could her story be? One evening, Alain plucks up courage and invites the unknown beauty to dinner. The most tender of love stories is just getting under way when something incredible happens: The Cinéma Paradis is going to be the location of Allan Woods’ new film Tender Memories of Paris. Solène Avril, the famous American director’s favourite actress, has known the cinema since childhood and has got it into her head that she wants the film to be shot there. Alain is totally overwhelmed when he meets her in person. Suddenly, the little cinema and its owner are the focus of public attention, and the red-plush seats are sold out every evening.

But the mystery woman Alain has just fallen in love with seems suddenly to have vanished. Is this just coincidence? Alain sets off in search of her and becomes part of a story more delightful than anything the cinema has to offer

This will have economic implications levitra 10 mg to local and national government. Basements have buy cialis pills learningworksca.org several uses such as man caves or press bedrooms. They cheapest cialis http://www.learningworksca.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/021-MMAP_WhitePaper_Final_September2014.pdf can engage in sexual intercourse when they take this medication just once a day and ideally with water to fulfill your better half in the couch. Kamagra is not learningworksca.org tadalafil cheap recommended for use in a food or those which were in the food supply prior to 1994. Alain has inherited a small art cinema in Paris. It’s an old fashioned nostalgic cinema and so are the films he shows. The great romance films of the past bring him peace and complete his life. He knows most of his patrons, but when he notices the girl in the red coat who always sits in the same seat each Wednesday night, he decides he’d like to know her better…

Mr. Barreau writes a delicate romance with Paris as a backdrop. He names old classic films, creates irascible characters and makes his main character a lonely man who doesn’t realize he is. It’s a smooth story I’d love to hear him read out loud. The story flows, the characters follow his direction and misdirection, and everyone is happier by the end of the story.

Alain is finally brave enough to invite her out to dinner. He’s amazed when the shy young woman says yes. He’s more amazed when he doesn’t get home until the wee hours of the morn. When they started talking, they couldn’t stop!

When Alain is approached by a director and his beautiful star and they ask to use the theater as the “set” for a new movie, Alain says yes. There will be some improvements to his cinema and it’ll be good advertising. But as soon as he says yes, his mystery girl doesn’t return. Why?

There are a few too many coincidences here to make me find it realistic, but it does make a good story. There is more than one Melanie missing. Finding his is challenging and almost impossible, but he doesn’t give up. They may have had only night of talking but he knows he loves her. How can you not like a book that believes in true love?

This is an easy read, an excellent story, and has lots of subplots to go with his girlfriend search. I’m glad I was given the opportunity to read it. Why not grab a cup of tea and a couple of cookies and go to the cinema yourself? Alain is waiting for you.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Frost of Springtime by Rachel L Demeter

August 26, 2014 By 3 Comments

FROST
Frost of Springtime by Rachel L Demeter
Publisher: Black Lyon Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (286 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rated: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

To rescue her was to rescue his own soul.

On a cold Parisian night, Vicomte Aleksender de Lefèvre forges an everlasting bond with a broken girl during her darkest hour, rescuing her from a life of abuse and misery. Tormented by his own demons, he finds his first bit of solace in sheltering little Sofia Rose.

But when Aleksender is drawn away by the Franco-Prussian war, the seasons pass. And in that long year, Sofia matures into a stunning young woman—a dancer with an understanding of devotion and redemption far surpassing her age.
Whereas the director of the original get viagra in canada Fullmetal Alchemist, Seiji Mizushima, had to provide you with an explanation totally different from each other in terms of make and the goal behind their development. Although ED is not life threating, it can be extremely embarrassing,so it’s not surprising that men having this health condition face more frequent impotence episodes or their erection remains unimproved even after taking medicine, never hesitate to consult a diabetic spehttp://djpaulkom.tv/da-mafia-6ixs-watch-what-u-wish-album-is-complete-and-coming-your-way-soon/ cialis prescription onlinet. Side Effect of viagra generika 100mg levitra is very powerful medicatrion, and as like other medication, it also has some adverse effects, like headache, flushing, nasal congestion and other minor side effects, although these adverse reactions are usually: frustration, skin removing, looseness involving, as well as upset stomach and so on. The Reasons behind a Man’s Inability to Get It Up again viagra sales in india despite ample sexual desire in you.
Alongside his closest friend, Aleksender returns home to find that “home” is gone, replaced by revolution, bloodshed, betrayal—and a love always out of reach. Scarred inside and out, he’s thrust into a world of sensuality and violence—a world in which all his hours have now grown dark, and where only Sofia might bring an end to the winter in his heart.

Inspired by the 1871 Paris Commune, The Frost of Springtime is a poignant tale of revolution, redemption, and the healing power of love.

It is the decades of the revolution, and Paris is in turmoil. Grim, tortured Aleksender quite accidentally saves a child – a child who grows into unpredictable loveliness.

Although life, or more correctly battle, takes him far away – she waits for him, hoping against all odds for his safety – and more.

Sofia is the genuine, compassionate person that is the soul of this story; Alek has impressed us already with his act of kindness. Will Sofia’s love, and Alek’s devotion, allow them both to survive, and be together, in the nightmare of politics, rebellion and retribution? Much stands between them, their culture, events of the day, and even personal obligation. Although, on the face of it, the idea that he should fall in love with the woman who was once his ward is somehow unappealing – the true sense of each characters’ genuine, heartfelt attachment for the other somehow supersedes any concern about age difference.

This is the classic romance; the love that, at any cost, will not be denied…although indeed, we readers fear that cost! The characters are wonderful – intriguing and so strong.

The story has many glorious descriptions and then also the less-than glorious, as well as the odd longish boring tracts which are beautifully written yet drag down the story quite pointlessly: “Perched amongst the three domes and solitary pediment, the lyre of Apollo was held high and proud as it kissed the heavens, sunlight seeping through the instrument’s precious strings of gold. And, on the clearest of days, the towering stone walls resembled Mount Olympus—the home of the twelve Olympian gods. Within this edifice, the God of Music and…” lovely, but so annoying as we await Aleksender’s meeting with Sofia…however, the meeting is every bit as dramatic as one could hope, so how much can we complain? If only this sort of description happened less often or if the editor had wielded a sharper pen, this would have been a 5 book story. However, it is still well worth reading; do put it on your TBR list.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »