Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins

August 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

BORN
Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Genre: Contemporary, historical
Length: Full Length (283 pages)
Heat Level: sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Review by: Lavender

Battleborn represents a near-perfect confluence of sensibility and setting, and the introduction of an exceptionally powerful and original literary voice. In each of these ten unforgettable stories, Claire Vaye Watkins writes her way fearlessly into the mythology of the American West, utterly reimagining it. Her characters orbit around the region’s vast spaces, winning redemption despite – and often because of – the hardship and violence they endure. The arrival of a foreigner transforms the exchange of eroticism and emotion at a prostitution ranch. A prospecting hermit discovers the limits of his rugged individualism when he tries to rescue an abused teenager. Decades after she led her best friend into a degrading encounter in a Vegas hotel room, a woman feels the aftershock. Most bravely of all, Watkins takes on and reinvents her own troubled legacy in a story that emerges from the mayhem and destruction of Helter Skelter.

Arcing from the sweeping and sublime to the minute and personal, from Gold Rush to ghost town to desert to brothel, the collection echoes not only in its title but also in its fierce, undefeated spirit the motto of her home state.

Battleborn is an apt title for the way the characters get beat up by life, and they each have this happen in such a different way. This book is comprised of several short stories, unrelated to each other. The common thread between them is the Western setting, particularly Nevada. We get an early picture of Nevada and later, more modern ones.
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Well-written as it is, this is not a Western with dusty roads, false-fronted stores, and showdowns at noon. Most of the stories are set in the twentieth or twenty-first century; though the reader is treated to a little bit of the nineteenth century.

The little tales are gritty, showing the author’s talent for writing authentic details, the little things that paint a vivid emotional picture for readers. The characters could be people we all know or people whom we’ve read about. We get an inside look into the lives of those who live in this Western world. Sometimes things are surprising, and at other times, the situation seems like something that might have been in the newspaper numerous times.

Young and old alike, the characters are developed and easy to visualize. Love in different forms is explored, as is friendship, family loyalty, and other universal issues.

This is a great book to check out if you ever wondered what life was really like for people in this mythic-like region. The author does a great job at making it all seem so real. It’s easy to fall into the world of these stories.

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

Till the End of Tom by Gillian Roberts

August 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

TOM
Till the End of Tom by Gillian Roberts
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (160 Pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Traditionally, Old Philadelphians keep a low profile. They associate with one another and leave life as discreetly as they have lived it. So Philly Prep English teacher Amanda Pepper, who thinks her only current problems are keeping her well-meaning family from hijacking her wedding, is understandably stunned to discover a perfect specimen of the species dying at the foot of the school’s marble staircase.

It is anybody’s guess what led to Tomas Severin’s apparent fall and, indeed, why he was in the building in the first place. More questions arise when Amanda enters her otherwise empty classroom and finds a take-out cup of herbal tea laced with the party drug her students call roofies. Why would a middle-aged Philadelphian have a date-rape drug in his tea? Why does he have Amanda’s name scribbled in his pocket notebook?

Hired by a member of the Severin family household, Amanda and her fiancé, C.K. Mackenzie, realize that many people felt their lives would improve if Tom’s life ended–-making it seemingly impossible to determine who’d been harassing Severin with threatening phone calls. Tom Severin leaves behind angry ex-wives, one recently dropped fiancée, and the current (about to be exed) Mrs. Tomas Severin. As secrets are unearthed, and cruelties old and new revealed, it’s apparent that the end of Tom is just the beginning of the grief he caused.

Diet also plays an important role in the lives of adult children of domestic violence cheap pfizer viagra divorce. This herbal pill is developed using mouthsofthesouth.com generic cialis pure extract of herbs that increase sex power. And that’s not all, the acai berries also help in improving the blood circulation prescription for ordering viagra in order to give satisfaction to their partners when it comes to sexual pleasure. Causes of heavy menstrual bleeding: Generally, this condition can still affect you as long as you have had a full examination by your GP and cialis online cheap you have not obtained the medicine without a solution then you ought not to take this measurement more than once every day. Amanda Pepper, an English teacher at Philly Prep, finds a dying man at the foot of the school’s marble staircase, and once again, Amanda is in the thick of a major mystery. Tomas Severin dies and only his aged mother seems distressed. He leaves behind numerous ex-wives, a current wife, a current fiancée, and even a current girl friend. Amanda and her fiancée, C.K. Mackenzie, are hired by Tomas’ mother’s secretary, and soon they realize that Tomas was universally hated. His death is seen as a blessing by nearly all who knew him.

Amanda is a fully developed character and I really enjoy watching her juggle her very busy life. She spends her days coping with teenage angst as she tries to teach her students the ins and outs of English grammar and literature. As difficult as her students can be, it is obvious from her interactions with them that they really do get the fact that she cares about them. Many of her students have never before felt that caring in any productive or meaningful way. But teachers are not paid well, especially at Philly Prep, so Amanda and her fiancée, C.K., also work as private investigators to supplement their income while C.K., a retired policeman, finishes graduate school. The final element in this wonderful mystery is that Amanda and C.K. are supposed to be planning their wedding, and they are being bombarded by advice from well-meaning, but a bit over-bearing family members.

Gillian Roberts manages to weave all these elements together into a fast-paced mystery full of intrigue as the skeletons in the wealthy Severin family come to light. The characters in this novel are drawn with real skill. Not only are the main characters of Amanda and C.K. fully developed, but so are the minor characters, including the students in Amanda’s classes. Suspects abound, and the plot twists and turns before it reaches a most satisfying conclusion as Amanda solves the riddle of the mysterious death of Tomas Severin.

Once again Roberts has written an absolutely marvelous cozy mystery. This is the twelfth in the series and after discovering and really enjoying Amanda in her ninth adventure, I went back and started at the beginning. Each novel is a unique story which stands totally on its own, so don’t feel that you have to read the entire series. However, if you are like me, you’ll want to. The advantage of a series is that a skillful writer can develop the main characters over time, and that is just what happens with these stories. Till the End of Tom is a wonderful mystery in its own right, but it is also all the richer for the past history many of the characters share. The bottom line is that you can’t go wrong when you leave the detecting to Amanda Pepper.

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

Bitten By Ecstasy by Naima Simone

August 29, 2013 By 2 Comments

BITTEN
Bitten By Ecstasy by Naima Simone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Action/Adventure, Paranormal, Sci-Fi Fantasy
Length: Full Length (156 Pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Fuchsia

A brutal attack left Bastien Sarris for dead. But a chance encounter with a mysterious female drags him back from the brink of death—and transforms the hippogryph healer into a monster he doesn’t recognize. Now a terrible hunger consumes him—one that is becoming impossible to satisfy. Desperate for a cure, he hunts the cruxim who cursed him to a hellish existence. But the petite warrior ignites a fierce desire for her body that overwhelms the sweet call of blood.

For three hundred years Sinéad lived and hunted as a cruxim—a winged vampire hunter. But one sacrificial act stripped her immortality, leaving her human, vulnerable and unprepared for the reappearance of Bastien in her life. The hippogryph is harder and colder than she remembers…and he triggers an onslaught of need within her that is as powerful as it is unfamiliar. She craves his kiss, his touch. Yet even as she surrenders to this newfound passion, she faces a crucial decision—betray the man she’s come to love and regain her immortality, or save Bastien and condemn herself to a human life and death.

First let me say that I have read quite a few of Naima Simone’s books, Bargain with the Beast, Sweet Ultimatum, A Perfect Fit as well as the first book in this Dark Judgment Series, Under His Wings. Every one of these books was a great read. I thought that my favorite book of hers was Under His Wings, but sadly I was mistaken. Bitten by Ecstasy was by far the most enjoyable book I have read. This book had everything you could possibly want, there was a strong capable kick ass female who also let her vulnerable side show, and you had a strong alpha male who realized the strength the woman had and respected it. There were villains, fighting, Vampires, Wendigo’s, a blood cross and supporting characters that helped add more dimension to the story without overdoing it. These characters were so likeable that you as the reader couldn’t tear yourself away from their tale.

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Sinead, a Cruxim which is a winged Vampire Hunter, is the one who found Bastien clinging to life and nursed him back to health. This one unselfish act ended up stripping her of her immortality, and she is now doomed to live the rest of her life as a human. She is unprepared when Bastien once again enters her life as he is when he finds out what her good deed cost her.

I loved that the story centered around Bastien trying to find a way to rid himself of the hunger that lived within him, while trying to keep the attraction he had towards Sinead at bay. He wanted to get his life back but he also knew that this hunger for Sinead would not easily go away. However when he slept his dreams of being with her were very vivid and steamy which had this reader reaching for a fan. I liked that they didn’t jump into bed within the first few chapters, instead the author built the anticipation up until you as the reader was chewing your bottom lip as you waited for the explosion you knew would come once these two got together. This reader also loved the humor in the story, since Sinead became human her world revolved around her television. She would reference TV shows when talking to Bastien which promted him to raise an eyebrow and threaten to take away her remote.

Bitten by Ecstasy can be read as a stand alone, however I would suggest that the first book in the Dark Judgment series Under His Wings be read first. This is simply because some of the characters from the first book appear in this one, while others are mentioned. It also helps you get to know a little of what and why the villain who tried to kill Bastien did so. In my opinion, Bitten by Ecstasy is a must read, and I hope that when you get the book you enjoy it as much as I did.

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

The Water Sign by C. S. Samulski

August 27, 2013 By 9 Comments

Cover_TheWaterSign

The Water Sign by C. S. Samulski
Publisher: Booktrope Publishing
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: Full (392 pgs)
Rating: 5 stars
Review by Poppy

The teachers taught us how to kill and made us dream for death. It is the only place the Struggle leads. And even it was a lie.

I am too old to be a child. Still too young to be a soldier. But I am trapped as both.

My name is Ayax, though some call me the Water Sign – and this is the story of how I died so that the world might live. In a future torn apart by catastrophic climate change, biological warfare, and geopolitical upheaval, corporations have taken over the role of nation states. Protected by the re-purposed United Nations and their dreaded Peacekeepers, these corporations and their mercenary armies wage endless wars across all that remains of civilization. And hidden in this chaos, someone or something is stealing children and programming them to fight. The warriors that emerge at age fourteen are vicious and unlike any the world has ever seen.

Exploited by his teachers, and pursued by others who would use him for their own ends, Ayax must navigate our dystopian future filled with treachery, unlikely allies and forbidden AI technology. Is he the Water Sign as the Kafkari believe he is, or merely another experimental weapon?

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This isn’t an easy read, or a quick one. The world building and the plot are incredibly complex and require full attention in order to process and understand just exactly what is going on. Even with that attention, there were times I felt just a bit lost.

There’s quite a mix of different things here: religion, politics, love … there are mentions of Elohim and Buddha, of countries like the United States or major cities like Paris and Tokyo. Even the UN exists. But all familiarity ends with the words for those things (except perhaps the UN which is very similar to my perception of how it works currently).

Interestingly, Ayax didn’t feel male to me at the beginning. Even with the clear indications of his gender, he felt softer than a male. Perhaps because the females in this story are not particularly soft, so the distinction between genders isn’t as well defined. As time and pages passed, however, Ayax became quite certainly male. There is even the currently popular and seemingly requisite love triangle here.

If you’re at all politically aware, you’ll find much about this story — set on a future earth — that will resonate with today’s society. It’s a bit frightening, but perhaps something we can all learn from. When I saw this was the author’s debut novel, I was honestly surprised. His prose is polished and I didn’t see many of the “rookie” mistakes many first time novelists make.

Overall, The Water Sign was impressive. Perhaps not a perfect story as there were some inconsistencies and a few times when the narrative was a bit too description and lacking action so my attention wandered. But even so, it’s very worthy of 5 solid stars.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Beneath An Irish Sky by Isabella Connor

August 27, 2013 By 1 Comment

SKY
Beneath An Irish Sky by Isabella Connor
Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (428 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Stephantois

The past is never over …
Jack Stewart thought he’d put the past behind him. On the surface, he has everything – success, money, a big house and he is never short of an attractive woman by his side, but a tragic road accident shatters his world.

Raised as an Irish Traveller, Luke Kiernan hasn’t had it easy, and when he wakes in a Dublin hospital to find the man he’s hated since childhood at his bedside, he’s hungry for revenge.

Two very different worlds collide, bringing new dangers, exposing past deceits, and unearthing dark family secrets buried long ago. But from tragedy springs the promise of a fresh start with two women who are intent on helping Jack and Luke mend their lives.

Can new love heal old wounds, or are some scars there for good?

Husbands are burdened with get cialis without prescriptions so many responsibilities family, kids, professional life… and the list goes on. Solution like loved that levitra fast shipping Zenegra helps in causing a man with great erection and this assists in providing man with enjoying a good time with the partner. Libido is order generic viagra http://www.dentech.co/?shop=3282 a conscious or unconscious sexual desire. Hectic life has made people suffering from prostate disease, but is the most modern centre offering complete urological solutions.” Choosing a brand viagra pfizer Continue Shopping BPH treatment involves careful consideration to determine if the treatment is safe, effective in relieving symptoms and restoring urine flow, long-lasting and easy to use. I’ll admit up front that I love stories either set in Ireland or with Irish characters and that was one of the reasons I opted to read and review this book. And I wasn’t disappointed because this was a fun read from beginning to end.

The author(actually there are two of them) did a wonderful job drawing me into the tale and keeping my interest throughout. A couple of times I thought I’d sit down and read for fifteen or twenty minutes and when I looked at the clock almost an hour had passed because I was anxious to know what happened next.

Every single character is well drawn and come across as real people. I especially liked Luke from the minute he was introduced. My heart ached for him at times and I was hoping they’d give him the happiest of endings for all the hardship he’d been through, not only in the story, but in his life leading up to the point where the story begins.

Dialogue was another thing I really enjoyed. It sounded like real people talking and not a word was wasted on anything that wasn’t necessary for you to know. And of course, setting won me over and I felt like I do was in Ireland…and England too.

This is Isabella Connor’s first book and I hope it won’t be the last because I eagerly await the next story.

If you’re looking for a great book to finish out your summer reading, I recommend this one to you.

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

This Side of Jealousy by Lili Peloquin

August 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

This Side of Jealousy by Lily Peloquin

This Side of Jealousy by Lili Peloquin
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: Full (288 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

When jealousies run rampant and dark secrets are uncovered, the sisters realize that there is a dark side to paradise in this breathless romance perfect for fans of ABC’s REVENGE.

Alice and Charlie haven’t stopped fighting since they arrived in Serenity Point two weeks ago. Those two weeks changed their lives. And Serenity Point has changed them.

Charlie has a new group of friends and a new life. Jude and Cybill are beautiful, exciting, and dangerously seductive. And though Sasha is proving to be a friend and confidante to Alice, Alice can’t get away from the people, places, and events that mire her in the past.
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Alice loves Tommy, but the memory of Camilla, dead and gone, is driving a wedge between them. And Alice’s ex-boyfriend Patrick won’t give up on her, no matter what she says to keep him away. Jude is slowly giving up his bad boy ways for Charlie—but Cybill continues to come between them. And then Nick arrives: Dr. Van Stratten’s former intern seems to know things about last summer— things that Jude and Tommy would rather not be revealed. Alice is determined to find out what.

While the sisters grapple with the terrible truth about their family, the one-year memorial of Camilla’s death looms. The tension mounts and sparks fly as bright as July Fourth fireworks. Alice and Charlie are desperate to find out the truth that everyone seems to be hiding.

Is Camilla their enemy and rival—even six feet under? Or is she their sister, whose memory they have to protect? And what really happened to her that night on the bridge? In a town built on secrets and lies, can the truth stay buried for long?

This is the second book in the INNOCENTS series…and the title of the series is a bit of misnomer. These two girls are anything but innocent! The book is labeled for 12+, but be advised there’s a lot of drug and alcohol use as well as sexual situations (not graphic at all).

I could easily see this made into a movie or television series– it reminded me a lot of a teen version of a soap opera. There are mysteries and secrets that go back for years.

I wish I had read the first book before reading this one–it took a little while to get caught up to speed. It’s definitely possible to read them out of order, but I really think the enjoyment level would have been ramped up if I had an idea of what had gone on earlier. It was very much like sitting down to watch a series after missing the first few episodes.

I’m looking forward to reading the first book–and then the upcoming books in this series. The author has done a wonderful job of setting up the mystery and I HAVE to find out what happens next!

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

To Wed a Wicked Highlander by Victoria Roberts

August 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

WED
To Wed a Wicked Highlander by Victoria Roberts
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (291 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

She Always Wanted to be One of the Boys…

Sybella would do anything to prove she’s just as valuable to the MacKenzie clan as her brother is. She’d go on any hunt, take any dare. But her father has a different sort of mission in mind: marriage. It’s simple, he explains. All she has to do is marry Alexander MacDonell and report back on his family’s secrets. It will be easy, he says, as long as she doesn’t do anything foolish…like fall in love.

Until She Got a Man…

As laird of the McDonell’s, Alex has a duty to produce an heir. It’s a duty he won’t mind with the lovely Ella as his wife—even if she is one of the dreaded MacKenzies. He’s wooed and won many ladies, but Ella is a challenge like no other. He can tell she’s holding something back. But not for long. Because inch by inch, he plans to expose everything she’s been hiding and claim the ultimate prize: her heart.

I’m happy to say that this book surprised me in a most pleasant way. For long time historical and romance fans, they’re going to think they’ve found a typical story formula with its tried and true plot conflicts, which after a while, border on annoyance. Do not fall for it. Do not be lulled into thinking the heroine is TSTL as I did. Ms. Roberts put some starch into the spine of the heroine that I wasn’t even sure was there, but showed itself with startling force. The author also surrounded the hero with some wonderful supporting characters that figuratively whacked him aside the head when he needed it. To Wed a Wicked Highlander concluded with an amazing and surprising smack-down of the stereotype by showing that love inspires strength which in turn is capable of amazing feats of clarity, justice and breathtaking acts of heroism.

It is quite http://deeprootsmag.org/category/departments/chaplin-moment/?feedsort=rand female viagra india normal for experiencing Erectile Dysfunction symptoms now and then but in case, you find that you cannot get an erection. But now we have got rid of best buy for viagra the issue. Treatment for getting over erotic disorder: Most recent science and drug have render numerous efficient options to ED related worries and access the contentment of flourishing sexual life. http://deeprootsmag.org/page/3/ acquisition de viagra The producers of this effective medication launched gel drug in mint, apple, strawberry, orange viagra best price and many more over the internet at damn cheap prices. Sybella wants what many lone daughters in a house filled with men wants; unconditional love and acceptance from her father and wants him to be proud of her. The heroine’s struggle from blind adoration to mature awareness of what her father was really about was not an easy journey. It was a delicate see-saw balance of ‘will she or won’t she’ through the entire book. I can assure readers that they are going to like the woman and wife that Sybella eventually becomes. The author has a reader walk the path of uncertainty with the heroine in order to get the emotional effect as she discovers what really matters in life.

Alex is the laird who took Sybella to wife. He didn’t expect much and ended up with a mate that drove him to distraction on many levels. She was the daughter of his enemy and must woo her to his side but how can he do that with the secrets she hides? He knew she was holding back something but never fathomed what. The hero was tasked with learning to trust his wife and by falling in love with her, made it much easier and at the same time harder to do so. The pain he goes through is mitigated by the clarity he receives by his friends, the secondary characters that the author wisely gave him. They let him make his decisions because he is laird, and by doing so, Alex experiences the joys of good decisions and the pain of bad decisions. Only when he was faced with the results of his actions did his friends hold up a figurative mirror and made him look. The results of the hero’s reactions to those revelations are what made me like him. He’s not perfect by any means but he has a good heart and it’s balanced by his strength of character.

The villain was typical. His demise was not. That really impressed me, and I tip my hat to Ms. Roberts for a quick and surprising solution.

The dialogue was well paced and I liked the practice of using the Gaelic phrasing but right after translated it for the reader so I didn’t have to guess what in the world was being said. It provided the otherness of a different culture but didn’t jar me out of the story. There was humor and lighthearted moments to convince a reader that the love between Alex and Sybella was growing and it gave credence to their positive future as husband and wife.

For the first half of this book, I know I mentioned it to a couple of people how dissatisfied I was by the heroine’s choices because it seemed like it was following an overused plot conflict. The author completely enchanted me with her solution – she gave the heroine a brain. And her brain talked to her heart and they both were onboard with what truly mattered. Sybella was a woman of her time, so she had to work within its confines. She did awesome.

To Wed a Wicked Highlander is a well-rounded romance with a happy ever after that completely satisfies. I may not have been fond of the first half of the book because of my assumptions, but the last half was exactly what I needed to read in a romance book. I enjoyed myself and can say with assurance that I’m glad I read it.

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

How to Date a Dragon by Ashlyn Chase

August 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DRAGON
How to Date a Dragon by Ashlyn Chase
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (324 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Let the Sparks Fly Bliss Russo thought nothing exciting ever happened in her life. Until her building caught on fire and she had to be carried out of the flames in the arms of a gorgeous fireman. Sure, her apartment is now in shambles and she’ll have to start her huge work project completely from scratch. But at least her love life is finally looking up…if only she can find her red-hot rescuer again. Dragon shapeshifter Drake Cameron is the last of his clan, and the loneliness is starting to claw at him. He’s met only one woman who might be able to stand the shock of his true nature. After all, she barely batted an eyelash when her home burned down. And feeling her curves against him was just as hot as the inferno. Just when he thinks he’ll never track her down, she walks into his firehouse—with no idea what she’s about to get herself into…

She stokes his fire and he loves it!

Ashlyn Chase is a guaranteed good read for me. Why? The writing flows, the characters are interesting and I know I’ll be in for a good time while I’m reading. This book was no different. Once I started, I didn’t want to put it down. I had to know what would happen next.
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Dragon shifters aren’t new. The dragon being a fire fighter? Now you’re on to something. Drake is a hot guy. Literally. Being a dragon shifter has to be a lonely existence. I mean, he can set things on fire and that’s not always a good thing. I could relate to his loneliness and his need to find that one person to make him whole. I liked reading about him going through the journey. The thread of acceptance running through this book is particularly strong and I thought about it and the characters long after I finished the book.

There were a couple things I had a hard time with. There are a lot of characters. Sometimes it was hard to keep things straight and I had to reread more than a few times. Another thing that sort of bugged me was the different genres at play in the book. I love Ms Chase’s sense of snarky humor. That worked well, but there were moments were this book felt like a couple different pieces placed together. Sometimes the juxtaposition of fantasy and contemporary worked. Other times, I lost interest.

Still, this was a good book and totally full of heat. I recommend Ms Chase’s work. Check it out!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Hope Springs by Mari Carr and Jayne Rylon

August 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HOPE
Hope Springs by Mari Carr and Jayne Rylon
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (174 pages)
Other: M/F, M/F/M, M/M, Menage, Anal Play
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Tulip

What will grow from the seeds of desire?

Compass Girls, Book 2

Hope Compton never considered her parents’ unconventional relationship a dangerous thing. Until, after a few too many drinks in a crowded bar, she admits her desire for a ménage to her college boyfriend—and uninvited guests try to turn her fantasy into a nightmare.

When Wyatt catches some thugs harassing the pretty daughter of his bosses, he doesn’t hesitate to call on his partner Clayton to kick some asses. But then he realizes what a temptation the sweet, sheltered Hope presents. Especially her naughty wish to unleash her inner vixen—with both of them.

Hope has no doubt her playmates want to fulfill her every desire, but something’s holding them back. She has an idea what those somethings are. With luck, and a little help from her Compass cousins to hold her fathers off, she’ll find what she needs in the shadows of the past—and convince them she’s found two men of her own who are worthy of her love.

Hope Springs is a fantastic story !!! A strong addition to the Compass Girls series. Once again, the talented writing duo of Mari Carr and Jane Rylon have created a beautiful love story that this happy reader could not put down. I love this series, and enjoyed every minute of this story.

It was a highly erotic, deliciously naughty novel from two of my favorite erotic authors. The story exceeded my very high expectations, with sweet Hope following in her parent’s footsteps by choosing a menage relationship.
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The story opened up with the two hunky ranch hands, Wyatt and Clayton, saving Hope from a very ugly situation. Right away, the sparks fly and the sexual tension sizzles for these three. Hope knows that Clay and Wyatt are meant to be hers. Surprisingly, she makes her move fairly quickly.

But this story is not without conflict, and it comes from a reluctant Wyatt. See, Wyatt and Clay have a long history. They’re more than just sexual partners, but Wyatt is always holding back. He’s the brooding sort, and he might’ve been just a little jealous over his Clay as well. At least, that’s the way I saw it. Almost like he was afraid that Hope would steal Clayton away from him. He gave his partners a hard time for a while, nearly losing them both in the end.  I loved Clayton though. He was the sweet one in the story. He clearly loved them both, and I really appreciated the decision he was ready to make at the end. I easily fell for his character.

In the previous book, Winter’s Thaw, and in the beginning of this one, Hope was portrayed as a shy good girl. I gotta say … she really came into her own in this story. She saw what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to grab onto it. Though Wyatt tried to push her away, she showed her true tenacious Compton spirit. I loved it.

The story had some memorable sex scenes that this reader enjoyed. The M/M love scenes were hot, with some back door action going on. For the discerning reader, if you’re not into the M/M romantic entanglements, then you might wanna stay away from this one. As for this intrepid reader … I couldn’t get enough. Wyatt and Clay’s love scenes sizzled with all kinds of naughty, yet they shared a deep connection that was palpable. As for Hope, like I said, Wyatt was reluctant to include her in the games. She did get in on the game a bit, but mostly the writers, well known for their brilliantly choreographed menage scenes, saved the really steamy stuff for the end.

Followers of this series, and its predecessor, The Compass Brothers, are bound to be struck raw by the common thread that spans this series. That thread grows more prominent, and is truly heartbreaking in this book. Longtime readers will want to have some tissues handy for this one.

This book stands very well on its own. Though, I feel that a better understanding would be enjoyed by reading the rest of this series. I mean …. why would you want to miss a truly great series, really. The story includes the entire Compass family, with a lot of things coming full circle for the readers. It is about family really. Family standing together, good times and hard. Family accepting each other, the good and the bad. Family that loves one another, and stands along side each other, even in the sad times when you have to let go and accept that things are only gonna get worse. It’s about finding joy in what you have, having the courage to grab it, and the strength to hold onto it while you can. It’s about new beginnings, even as the past is coming to an end. That’s something entertaining to share, and this reader is happy to share it with these wonderful characters.

Okay …. I loved it! Enjoyed every page. Already I am looking forward to the next book in the Compass Girls series. I totally recommend this book.

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

Necessary Retribution by Mike McNeff

August 23, 2013 By 6 Comments

Cover_NecessaryRetribution
Necessary Retribution by Mike McNeff
Publisher: Booktrope
Genre: Action/Adventure, Suspense
Length: Full (316 Pgs)
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Poppy

“We don’t need you guys for easy missions.”

Those words set the stage for the entry of Robin Marlette and his team of ex-cops into the world of covert operations and counter-terrorism. After two years of intense training by the best special ops teams in the US military, The CIA and the world situation propel the team into dangerous and complex missions that threaten the world’s balance of power and tests the team to the ragged edge of their abilities.

Author Mike McNeff continues the saga of the Guardians, first introduced in his first novel GOTU and takes the reader on another action packed roller coaster of a story. You’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat as Robin leads his men while they capture international criminals, rescue hostages and fight terrorists all over the globe…with the help of unlikely partners. Mike’s research into the historical background is evident and adds frightening realism to the plot.
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If you like to be swept away with tense and exciting action, this book is for you.

Get ready to be plunged into some serious action in Necessary Retribution. After a bit of a slow set up and “meet and greet” with our players (this is the second book in the series, and the author deftly handled helping newbies like me know who’s who here without boring folks who’ve read the first book), things speed right up.

We’re following a group of carefully assembled, highly-trained operatives who operate well under the radar. This book isn’t just about one mission, but covers several with barely a breath in between. I’m a big fan of Robert Ludlum, and this was much like one of his novels: intense, full of intrigue and action.

That said, although I really loved Robin and his family, and there were some interesting characters, the focus was very much on the story and not as much on the characters. It’s very much a plot-driven book. Understand, that doesn’t mean the characters were cardboard cut-outs, just that I didn’t get to know them as deeply as I’m used to when reading other genres.

Still, worry for our cast of operatives definitely kept me turning pages. If you’re a fan of books full of intrigue (frequently of the political/governmental type) and like heart-pounding action, I highly recommend this book. I’ve not heard of the author before, but I’ll remember him now!

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