BOOK REVIEW - THE PROTECTOR by JODI ELLEN MALPAS - ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE - FOREVER

By: Jodi Ellen Malpas
Published By: Forever
Released: Available Now
Details : Netgalley from Publisher for honest review, 384 Pages

RATING: 3.75 - 4 STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

People think they have Camille Logan nailed: daddy's girl; beautiful, spoiled young woman with her father's bank balance to fund her lifestyle. But Camille is determined to have a life free from his strings. Out on her own, she's made mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press. Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father's ruthless business dealings. Caught between resentment and fear, Camille prepares herself for the measures her father will take to protect her. But nothing could prepare her for the ex-SAS sniper who crashes into her life.

Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell. He was distracted from duty once before, and the consequences were devastating--both personally and professionally. He vowed never to let that happen again. Accepting the job of bodyguard to Camille Logan isn't the kind of distraction from his demons he should take. Women and Jake don't mix well, yet protecting the heiress seems the lesser of two evils. But Jake soon discovers that she isn't the woman she's perceived to be. She's warm, compassionate, her presence settling, and his duty to protect her soon goes deeper than a well-paid job, no matter how hard he fights it. He needs absolution. He comes to need Camille. But he knows he can't have both.

BOOK REVIEW:

I read The Protector, some time ago and I held off writing my review. I haven't yet read the This Man series, it is still on my TBR pile. I have all the books. I have only read the first two books in One Night series.

Damn... I wanted to love this story, I truly did. I think that is why I held off writing my review, because it is written by Queen JEM.

I have to be honest with my reviews, and I always am, and this one crushes me a bit to write.

I simply didn't find the story original and I didn't connect with Jake until the end...then I was all sniffles.

It was mainly  a connecting with the two main characters thing, for me. 

I still enjoyed the read, but I wanted a protector story that I connected with both characters, and it worked for me as the reader.

This is just my one personal opinion, and I can see so many readers totally dug it with four and five star reviews, and some felt like me. And that is ok.

BOOK REVIEW - FOUR TO SCORE by JANET EVANOVICH - STEPHANIE PLUM # 4 - PAN MACMILLAN - MYSTERY CONTEMPORARY CRIME

By: Janet Evanovich
Published By: Pan Macmillan
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 311 Pages

RATING: 4 SHENANIGAN STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Stephanie Plum, Trenton, New Jersey's favorite pistol-packing, condom-carrying bounty hunter, is back - and on the trail of a revenge-seeking waitress who's skipped bail. With the help of 73-year-old Grandma Mazur, ex-hooker Lula, a transvestite musician named Sally Sweet, and the all-too-hospitable, all-too-sexy Joe Morelli, Stephanie might just catch her woman. Then again, with more mishaps than there are exits on the Jersey Turnpike - including murders, firebombs, and Stephanie's arch-rival bounty hunter chasing after the same fugitive - Stephanie better watch her back big-time if she wants to live to crack this case.

BOOK REVIEW:

Shenanigans abound.

Morelli vs Plum slides into some home runs.

Ranger just tickles my lady boner.

Sally Sweet is the new addition…rocker-transvestite.

Lula is… H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S.

Put Lula, Grandma Mazur, Sally and Steph on a short road trip to Atlanta and shit will go sideways…inevitable.

Throw in a biaatch from the past and you have another Stephanie Plum installment…well, also a few missing body parts and a murder and cars going KABOOM.

Janet has a way with describing her characters.



If people were cars, Lula would be a big, black ’53 Packard with a high-gloss chrome grill, oversized headlights, and a growl like a junkyard dog. Lots of muscle. Never fit in a compact place.



Ranger was waiting under the canopy. He was dressed in a black T-shirt and black assault pants tucked into black boots. He had a body like Schwarzenegger, dark hair slicked back off his face and a two-hundred-watt smile. He was drop-dead sexy, he was as sane as Batman, and he was a primo bounty hunter.


He was dressed in tight black leather pants held together at the sides with leather lacing that left a strip of pale white flesh from ankle to waist, and a black leather vest that molded around cone-shaped , eat-your-heart-out-Madonna breasts. He was close to seven feet tall in his black platform pumps. He had a large hook nose, red roses tattooed on his biceps and – thank you, Lord – he didn’t had a tongue stud. He was wearing a blond Farrah Fawcett wig, fake eyelashes and glossy maroon lipstick. His nails had been painted to match his lips.



Then put Lula and Sally together and the discussions on female attire and cosmetics.



He was wearing leather sandals, cut-offs that were so short he had a cheek showing, a sleeveless T-shirt top and a two-day beard.

“Not sure you totally got the hang of this woman stuff,” Lula said. “Think maybe you’d do better shaving your ass than worrying about lip gloss.”





“Jesus,” Sally said, “who do you think I am, Thunder the Wonder Horse? My gun wouldn’t fit in my purse.”

“You need to get a smaller gun,” Lula said. “Ruins your lines with that big Glock in your drawers.”

And because Debbie Reynolds passed away yesterday, and after seeing her as Grandma Mazur in the One For The Money movie, which I watched again yesterday, here is a quote.



“Pot roast,” Lula said. “Boy, I like pot roast.” She pulled a chair up and shook out her napkin.

“I always wanted to eat with a Negro,” Grandma said.

“Yeah, well, I always wanted to eat with a boney-assed old white woman,” Lula said. “So I guess this works out good.”

Grandma and Lula did some complicated handshake thing.

“Bitchin’,” Grandma said.


Another fun beach read that has me coming back for more.

R.I.P Debbie and Carrie.

BLOOD VOW by J.R. WARD - BLACK DAGGER LEGACY # 2 - PIATKUS - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: J.R. Ward

Published By: Piatkus, Hachette

Released : Available Now

Details: Paperback from publisher for honest review, 459 Pages ( Thank You! ) 

RATING: 5 AXE, RHAGE...nawww LASSITER STARS!

A tough vampire warrior in training and a quick-witted aristocrat develop an irresistible attraction and work together to uncover a mystery. The second in a new spin-off paranormal romance series set in the world of the #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Trainees at the Black Dagger Brotherhood' training centre continue to prepare for the fight against the Lessening Society, but fighting is the last thing on Axe's mind. Still plagued with the guilt of his father's death, the brooding loner finds himself battling an unlikely attraction to Peyton's bright, aristocratic cousin, Elise.

Elise feels it too - and when the two are thrown together in unusual circumstances Elise must decide whether she can trust Axe to help her uncover the mystery surrounding her sister's death.

Meanwhile, Mary and Rhage are in the process of adopting Bitty, a young pretrans orphan, until the appearance of a young male claiming to be Bitty's blooded uncle threatens to tear the new family apart.

BOOK REVIEW :

I literally get giddy when I receive a BDB book from the publisher and I have the oh-so-hard task of squirreling myself away to read it.

I worship every word J.R. Ward writes about these Vampire men, these sexy ass lovers who give all for their shellan.

This is the spinoff series, but at the same time I felt oh so comfortable like I was still in the original BDB series.

These books are thick and I virtually start having BDB-withdrawal when I get closer to the end, because I want them to keep going.

That’s how much I love the BDB world.

Rhage and Mary and Bitty share part of this book along with Elise and Axe and the trainees. 

I do love these new characters sliding into the BDB world. Peyton and Novo are becoming more and more faves of mine.

Axe is rawrrrr and I was purring reading his character...he almost appears like he is ready to step into those big shitkickers.

V and the other lads make appearances which is always humma humma and no less as BABU’s.

If we could all be so lucky.

And then there is Lassiter.

Oh…my…God…is he the funny bone in the latter part of The Warden’s BDB series of books. He really is one of the funniest sub characters brought into a long standing series.

He is THE BEST!

I really do want more of him in each book  from now on.

You are gonna so adore him when he pops in and out of this book. He really will tickle your funny bone.

Sometimes I think the BDB lads can be a little hard on the guy.



Vishious put both hands up to his face and rubbed hard. Like in his mnd, he was throwing a beat-down in the angel’s direction, but he knew he couldn’t draw blood in front of the girl -- and the self-control required was killing him.

“You can stay home,” V muttered. “You really can totally f-in’ stay the f home, you f’ed-up mother-f’ing f-twit.”

Lassiter clasped his breastplate, and swooned like Julie Andrews. “Don’t you love it when he can’t swear? Warms the cockles—it’s like watching a drunk on roller skates try to play dodgeball in the dark—"


I do love the banter between the BDB lads and Lassiter, but sometimes I wonder at why they can appear to dislike him so much and be a little mean/hard on him. He’s just hilarious and a bit of a big kid. Totally harmless, but underneath…there is a more serious side to Lassiter you get a little peek at on occasion and there is a lotta heart inside that angel.

I often wonder if the angel is lonely. * looks wistful*



“Hey,” Lassiter said as he opened the way through the vestibule, “will anyone slap a puck around with me to pass the time?”

“No,” everybody including Bitty, shot back.

“But I will slap the f-in’ crap out of something else,” V said under his breath.

“I love it when you talk dirty to me. Gimme a hug. C’mon, you know you wanna…”


All in all, this was another ripper of a read and I am so excited for The Chosen coming in April 2017.

Be still my heart...it's FINALLY Layla and Xcor.

*dances like Elaine from Seinfeld*

BOOK REVIEW - TEN THOUSAND SKIES ABOVE YOU by CLAUDIA GRAY - FIREBIRD # 2 - HARPER TEEN - YA SCI-FI ROMANCE

By: Claudia Gray
Published By: Harper Teen
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 426 Pages

RATING: 4.5 PAULS, THEOS & CONLEYS

Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions.

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared.

The second book in the Firebird trilogy, Ten Thousand Skies Above You features Claudia Gray’s lush, romantic language and smart, exciting action, and will have readers clamoring for the next book.


BOOK REVIEW:

Well, I will say, I LURVED this installment and I totally understood all the Pauls and Theos so much clearer.

I really do love what Claudia did with this book. She really shows the reader in a clever way her vision with the parallel dimensions, being the multiverses.

I liked having Marguerite help the reader with how she saw all the Pauls and Theos and even her own mums and dads and Josies.

Sending us with Marguerite to new and maybe an already visited multiverse *coughRussia*, brought familiarity.

Claudia has done a wonderful job making me love Theo more and I find myself questioning my allegiance to Paul.

WT?

Theo and Paul are so different in their behaviors. Sure they both love Marguerite and she them in separate ways. I think Claudia plays with the reader a little in that respect.

I know it is Paul all the way for Marguerite, because she does reason each of her multiverse Marguerite-emotions out for us.

We learn things about Paul in the erm…real? Universe, because of another multiverse. Which kinda makes me ask the Q, which IS the real VERSE, because technically everybody in each multiverse thinks theirs is.

Oh, I dig too deeply there.

Well done Claudia. I loved the chase, the twists, the Conleys.

The ending.

Whahhh.

Shit just got real.

BOOK REVIEW - THREE TO GET DEADLY by JANET EVANOVICH - STEPHANIE PLUM # 3 - MYSTERY - CONTEMPORARY CRIME - PENGUIN

By: Janet Evanovich
Published By: St. Martin's Griffin 
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 350 Pages

RATING: 5 HILAROUS LULA STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

A “saintly” old candy store owner is on the lam - and bounty hunter extraordinaire Stephanie Plum is on the case. As the body count rises, Stephanie finds herself dealing with dead drug dealers and slippery fugitives on the chase of her life. And with the help of eccentric friends and family, Steph must see to it that this case doesn't end up being her last....




BOOK REVIEW:

To date this is the BEST Steph Plum book I have read.

Why?

Lula and Stephanie together and their banter. Lula is freakin’ hilarious. She really shined in this book and I would go as far as to say, she stole a lot of the limelight.

I have noted all the pages in my review notebook and written, ‘Lula’ as the keyword and there's a lot of them. I shall share some Lula moments, but firstly an update on Lula’s description.



Lula was a former hooker turned file clerk. She’d just recently embarked on a makeover program that included dyeing her hair blond and then straightening it and recurling it into ringlets. The transformation had her looking like a 230-pound black kick-ass Shirley Temple.



Lula as a sidekick is magic.



“I’ll stake it out good,” Lula said. “I won’t miss a thing.”

I turned the key in the ignition and pulled away from the curb. “What will you do if you see Mo?”

“I’ll snatch the little fucker up by the gonads and squash him into the trunk of my car.”

“No! You’re not authorized to apprehend…”


The chemistry between Stephanie and Lula had me in fits of laughter all the way through this book. She is such a gem of a character.



“Remember,” I said to Lula, “I do the talking. And most of all, don’t shoot him.”

“Not unless he starts something.”

“He isn’t going to start something, and even if he does there will be no shooting!”

“Hunh,” Lula said. “No pocketbooks, no perfume, no shooting. You got an awful lot of rules, you now that?”


The way Lula approaches looking for a FTA with Stephanie is as funny as hell, which always evolved into so much more with other characters coming into play as they both get deeper into an investigation.



I approached the closed bathroom door with my pepper spray in hand. I flipped the door open and jumped back. The door crashed against the wall and Lula dove behind the couch.

I looked into the empty bathroom, and then looked over at Lula.

Lula picked herself up. “Just testing my reflexes,” Lula said. “Trying out new techniques.”

"Uh-huh.”


Joe and Steph have some awkward chemistry in this installment.



He stood and tugged at my hair. “Be careful driving home.”

He snagged a brown leather bomber jacket off a hook on the wall at the far end of the bar and left.

I stared after him, dumbstruck. He’d tugged my hair. First a chuck on the chin, and now a tug at my hair. This was a definite put-off. It was one thing for me to snub Morelli. It was an entirely different matter for him to snub me. This was not how the game was played.


Now let’s talk Ranger. He tickles my lady bone. He is such a gorgeous, Alpha character who is so good to Stephanie and playful.



“They’re setting an extra plate,” I told Ranger.

There was a moment of silence at the other end.

“You come from a long line of scary women,” Ranger finally said.

Water bubbled up from the boiling potatoes…

My mother stabbed at the potatoes. “The potatoes are done,” she said.

“I have to go,” I told Ranger. “The potatoes are done.”

“What’ll happen if I don’t show up?” Ranger wanted to know.

“Don’t ask.”

“Shit,” Ranger said.



“Boy,” I said when we were out on the street. “Mr. Charm.”

“In sweats, too,” he said. “You should see me work my magic in leather.”


"So why are you really here?" I asked Lula.
Lula's eyes never left Ranger. "I'm here 'cause he's the shit."
"The shit?"
"Yeah, you know...the shit. The king. The cool."
"Do we know anyone else who's the shit?"
"John Travolta. He's the shit, too."
We watched Ranger some, and I could see her point about Ranger being the shit.

Love Steph’s family who are always in the picture. Steph’s dad I am still trying to work out, but the women of the household are so real and warm.



He was staring at Ranger with the sort of dumbfounded confusion you’d expect of a man whose home had just been firebombed for no good reason.

Ranger was in his black mode today. Double gold studs in his ears, form-fitting long-sleeved black T pushed up to his elbows, black-banded diver’s watch at his wrist, black rapper slacks tucked into black combat boots, with enough gold chain around his neck to secure bail for murder one.


“Have some ham,” Grandma said to Ranger, passing him the plate. “Are you a Negro?” she asked.

Ranger didn’t blink an eye. “Cuban.”



The recipe for a Stephanie Plum read is shenanigans abound, mixed with some slow burning sexual tension along the way, FTA’s that need bounty huntering, sidekicks that add so much humor and some gorgeous Alpha men and a quirky family thrown in for good measure.

Oh...and always a bit of gorey description to add extra flavor.

I’m addicted.

I so could have seen this book as a movie. Lula was truly the star and that is okay because this is Stephanie’s long series and she knows how to keep us coming back for more.

Next up…Four To Score.

INESCAPABLE by AMY A. BARTOL - THE PREMONITION # 1 - YA PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Amy A Bartol

Published By: Amy A Bartol

Released: Available Now

Details: Kindle purchase, 368 Pages

RATING: 4.5 REED & RUSSELL & ZEPHYR STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

My name is Evie Claremont and this was to be the making of me–my freshman year of college. I’d been hoping that once I’d arrived on Crestwood’s campus, the nightmare that I’ve been having would go away. It hasn’t.

I may be an inexperienced seventeen-year-old, but I’m grounded…sane. I look for rational explanations to even the strangest circumstances. Since meeting sophomore Reed Wellington, however, nothing makes any sense. Whenever he’s near, I feel an attraction to him–a magnetic kind of force pulling me towards him. I know what you’re thinking…that sounds fairly awesome. Yeah, it would be…if he liked me, but Reed acts as if I’m the worst thing that has ever happened to Crestwood…or him. But get this, for some reason every time I turn around he’s there, barging into my life.

What is the secret that he’s keeping from me? I’m hoping that it’s anything but what I suspect: that he’s not exactly normal…and neither am I. So, maybe Crestwood won’t be the making of me, but it could be the breaking of me. I’ve been left to wonder if the dark future my dream is foretelling is…inescapable.



BOOK REVIEW:
I really dug this first installment in The Premonition series. The characters and storytelling was of the YA age bracket, but I thought it appealed very much to adults of various ages too.

Several times when reading Inescapable I couldn’t help but wonder if it was ever a Twilight fan fiction.

Maybe…maybe not, but I had really strong fan fiction moments while reading. I have read Sempre by J.M Darhower and I believe it was definitely Twilight fan fiction, but I gotta say I personally never saw it when reading Sempre at all. But, Inescapable I personally felt it was in there quite strongly, but eh, I could be wrong.

Not that it matters. I loved this book and am rather eager to read on.

Reed Wellington I really liked for many reasons. He’s just uber yummy book boyfriend material. Period.


His eyes narrow, “I wanted to destroy you,” he says, and a shiver goes through me, “and I wanted to take you in my arms and love you, and I wanted to tear you apart, and I wanted to crush anything that would harm you, all at the same time.”

“No one wants to be proven wrong more than I do,” Reed says tiredly. “Everything about you calls to me. Your skin begs me to touch it, and when I do it burns me like a drug and I want more. You are like a cut that never heals. I just keep bleeding,” Reed says while he disengages from my embrace.

I also liked Russell. It is so hard to not want him to be with Evie Claremont and on top of that they have a connection to start with.


When I thought I had some future things worked out, I wasn’t quite right and then I got a cool twist which I hadn’t factored in at all.

I love getting those.

I think this has everything for the YA reader and I am so looking forward to more.

Oh and that guy Zephyr…yeah…he’s pretty cool.

BOOK REVIEW - TWENTY-EIGHT AND A HALF WISHES by DENISE GROVER SWANK - ROSE GARDNER MYSTERY # 1 - COZY MYSTERY

By: Denise Grover Swank
Published By: Bramagioia Enterprises
Released: Available Now, FREE on AMAZON
Details: Kindle purchase couple years ago, 374 Pages

RATING: 3.5 ROSE & MUFFY STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

For Rose Gardner, working at the DMV on a Friday afternoon is bad even before she sees a vision of herself dead. She’s had plenty of visions, usually boring ones like someone’s toilet’s overflowed, but she’s never seen one of herself before. When her overbearing momma winds up murdered on her sofa instead, two things are certain: There isn't enough hydrogen peroxide in the state of Arkansas to get that stain out, and Rose is the prime suspect.

Rose realizes she’s wasted twenty-four years of living and makes a list on the back of a Wal-Mart receipt: twenty-eight things she wants to accomplish before her vision comes true. She’s well on her way with the help of her next door neighbor Joe, who has no trouble teaching Rose the rules of drinking, but won’t help with number fifteen-- do more with a man. Joe’s new to town, but it doesn’t take a vision for Rose to realize he’s got plenty of secrets of his own.

Somebody thinks Rose has something they want and they’ll do anything to get it. Her house is broken into, someone else she knows is murdered, and suddenly, dying a virgin in the Fenton County jail isn’t her biggest worry after all.

BOOK REVIEW:

Hot on the tails of reading my first two Stephanie Plum books I decided to keep up the mystery solving and dust off Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes which had been sitting patiently for too long on my Kindle.

As of today, with over 4,800 ratings on Amazon and over 20,640 ratings on Goodreads I felt it was time to see what Rose Gardner was all about.

I am finding I am very much enjoying these very clean ( in the sex department) sleuthing reads. They certainly get people reading and rating them.

Now I am gonna say, I found this first installment a little eye rolling in places and I had a bit of trouble working out what Rose was actually solving. It wasn’t that clear a line for a mystery with her name attached to the series title in this first installment. Others were solving things, but Rose was doing lots of different things.

Muffy was kinda hilarious. In Australia we had a TV show many moons ago called Skippy and how the kid talked to the kangaroo…well…hehehe. Muffy seemed a bit more clued in than Rose at times.

I did enjoy Rose's visions. I would probably react the same as she did and blurt out what I saw.

I think I need to not read a Stephanie Plum and a Rose Gardner close together as they both have Joe's in it. Note to self. 

I can see many, many more books come after this one, all with thousands and thousands of ratings, so it is an ever popular series.

I like to call this one the Pilot read for me personally. Like you have in a TV series when they first start up.

I am giving this read a solid 3.5stars for many reasons. I found connecting with Joe a little difficult. I wanted to feel more for him. I liked him, but I wanted to like him more.

Rose was a little over the top ditzy at times. I get there is humor thrown in, but I like my female lead to be a bit smarter and not so blase about things that are quite serious. I felt like we changed directions several times and the plot was a little transparent when it should be a real mystery.

I can see from review ratings that I am quite within the area that a lot of readers rated and then of course thousands and thousands of four and five stars.

I think with this first installment for me, it was just, okay, but I will certainly be plowing my way through this whole series as I am rather addicted now to these fade to black ( in the sex department) mystery reads where the chick has this male sidekick who pops up when needed and shenanigans abound.

It is currently FREE on Amazon, so give it a go for yourself. You may well be a five or four star rater when you have finished.

I think this one would float about all over the place in ratings, depending on what you want from a good and humorous mystery read.

Onto, Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons, next month.

BOOK REVIEW - TWO FOR THE DOUGH by JANET EVANOVICH - STEPHANIE PLUM # 2 - PENGUIN - MYSTERY - CONTEMPORARY CRIME

By: Janet Evanovich
Published By: Penguin
Released : Available Now
Details : Paperback from library, 301 Pages

RATING: 4 SHENANIGAN STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

This one's double the fun!

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is still learning the ropes at her cousin Vinnie's bail bond office, so when she sets out on the trail of Kenny Mancuso - a suspiciously weatlhy, working class Trenton boy who has just shot his best friend - the stakes are higher than ever. That Mancuso is distantly related to vice cop Joe Morelli - who is trying to beat Stephanie to the punch - only makes the hunt more thrilling...

Taking pointers from her bounty hunter pal, Ranger, and using her pistol packing Grandma Mazur as a decoy, Stephanie is soon closing in on her mark. But Morelli and his libido are worthy foes. And a more sinister kind of enemy has made his first move... and his next move might be Stephanie's last.



BOOK REVIEW:

I am quite addicted to the Stephanie Plum series. One For The Money set the bar for the style I was in for. Fun shenanigans, with a dose of ewwww moments and violence arise as Stephanie grabs her new bounty hunter job by the horns and basically does it her way. Which is not necessarily the smart way, but it is the Steph way.

Two For The Dough continues on with another lad to hunt down and shenanigans ensue.

It is all a poolside romp read and I dig it.

I don’t care these early books are written in the 90’s with all that out dated technology, it gives such a retro feel in reading it now.

Stephanie’s family are quite retro and Grandma Mazur takes some of the limelight in this installment. She’s a tough old broad, but she still can be shaken up, especially when cray-cray Kenny Mancuso is involved.

The story telling at times can be very Scooby Doo style with the mystery to solve and shenanigans, but it keeps me coming back for more.

Janet throws in a lot of missing body parts...that would be the ewwww part of her recipe in writing this series.

Morelli and Plum do get themselves into a big tease of a situation for the reader looking for a little more sexual...something, but Janet pulls back just in time.

I am not looking for that in this series because I have been told for a couple of thirty somethings, it is very tame and PG rated this series. None the less twenty three books to date, this series has stood the test of time without bringing in the graphic side of sexual content.

I’m in for the long haul in watching Janet bring the fun, witty, at-times-down-right-silly to her characters because life needs some Stephanie Plum.



Up next, Three To Get Deadly.

BOOK REVIEW - ONE FOR THE MONEY by JANET EVANOVICH - STEPHANIE PLUM # 1 - MYSTERY - CONTEMPORARY CRIME - ST MARTIN'S GRIFFIN - PENGUIN

By: Janet Evanovich
Published By: Penguin , St Martin's Griffin 
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 290 Pages.

My copy, the cover isn't even listed on Goodreads. Bahahaha

RATING: 4.25 RANGER & JOE CHUCKLING STARS! 

ONE FINE MESS
Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash—fast—but times are tough, and soon she’s forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family...

ONE FALSE MOVE
Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie’s bail bonding company. She’s got no experience. But that doesn’t matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants, to the time Steph hit him with her father’s Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water—wanted for murder...

ONE FOR THE MONEY
Abject poverty is a great motivator for learning new skills, but being trained in the school of hard knocks by people like psycho prizefighter Benito Ramirez isn’t. Still, if Stephanie can nab Morelli in a week, she’ll make a cool ten grand. All she has to do is become an expert bounty hunter overnight—and keep herself from getting killed before she gets her man...

BOOK REVIEW:

I have wanted to start this series for a while and damn it I had not, so books got swooshed to the side to make way for One For The Money which was first released in 1994.

I know! Way to go for this series to be living on and current with Turbo Twenty-Three just releasing in 2016.

*glove clap to Janet*

This first installment is such a fun, light read that had me turning the pages. I would call it a poolside read and I enjoy this type of easy read inserted into my reading piles.

Well in parts it was a light read as Janet does bringeth the gross too. I am raising my ewwww eyebrow at the man who decided to redecorate Steph’s door.

I am not gonna repeat what the book is about, but I will tell you Stephanie Plum has a quirky family and you gotta love Grandma Mazur. Stephanie is thirty years old and has some growing to do.

Enter Joe Morelli who is thirty two years old and has got himself in a spot of mistaken-for-a-crime-committed. He is a cop.

Miss Plum is a loveable ex lingerie sales lady with a penchant for getting herself into trouble and charging forth when she should be getting back up.

Ranger, oh Ranger. YUMMO! He is kinda Steph’s sidekick who pops up to help her out a few times and be the Obi Wan Kenobi of the two. Gotta say the lad in the movie who played Ranger was rawrrrrr... if not a bit older than first written and bringing the hair style into the more current 2011.


His full name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Second generation Cuban-American. Was Special Forces. Works for Vinnie now. He makes apprehensions other agents only dream about.


His straight black hair was slicked back in a ponytail. His biceps looked like they’d been carved out of granite and buffed up with Armour-all. He was around 5’10” with a muscular neck and a don’t-mess-with-me body. I placed him to be in his late twenties.


Steph needs employment as her assets are depleting around her as she lives from one day to another. Shenanigans ensue and she’s gotta learn the new job she has taken on with speed, being a bounty hunter.

The writing is easy, the plot not as predictable as I thought it might be. I got twisted! And I love a twist.

All in all you can’t help wanting to be Steph’s side kick because she is bumbling her way around, with a couple spunky men ready to help her out.

I must read on...Two For the Dough.

BOOK REVIEW - ROCK ME TWO TIMES by DAWN RYDER - ROCK BAND # 1 - SOURCEBOOKS - ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

By: Dawn Ryder

Published By: Sourcebooks

Released: Available Now

Details : Paperback from library, 309 Pages

RATING: 4 SYON, TAZ, RAMSEY, DRAKE AND A SIDE ORDER OF CONAN STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

A partnership with the hottest new rock band, Toxsin, is a major opportunity for Kate's small custom leather shop, but she's determined to resist her burning attraction to the lead guitarist, Syon Braden. Sex is a commodity in his world, and that's just not enough for her. Or so she thought.

With the multiplatinum success of his band, Syon thought he had everything he'd ever wanted…and then he met Kate. He knows that sleeping with her could distract him from his music and even interfere with his close bandmate friendships, but despite all this, Syon just can't seem to keep his mind—or hands—off of her…

BOOK REVIEW :

Alrighty where to start with Rock Me Two Times? Now bear with me as I explain my personal thoughts, that are mine and mine only.

I did enjoy this book and especially Toxsin’s (band) characters. I virtually read it all in one sitting, bar falling asleep for a few hours.

There’s gonna be the good with the grinding-on-me-as-a-reader-thoughts.

This book has rated fairly low on Goodreads with not a lot of ratings and I can understand the other reviewers thoughts. Not enough to give it lower than 4 stars because the majority of the read was bloody brilliant, sexy and all things I want in a rock star read...but...

I note when reviewing and this time by page 25 of my paperback I was admittedly reading out parts to hubs, who was admittedly asleep and snoring next to me and I thought, ‘Dang, am I gonna be able to get through this book?’ By page 50 I knew I was going to finish it pretty quickly. I had started to see the light and became hooked.

I am so glad I kept reading...hence the book virtually read in one sitting. I'm gonna hit you up with the grind-on-me-as-a-reader-thoughts first. Stick around for what kept me reading.

I could not get into Kate Napier straight off the boot for several reasons. It was just the way she was written, but then I loved her. 

There is something about a female character that is admiring herself that irritates me, in the whole context of the start of this book.



She pulled on a pair of leather pants and tightened the laces that ran up their sides from ankle to hip. They fit her like a second skin, and she admired the way the blood-orange leather cupped her ass.

Don’t ask me why, but Kate grated on my reading-female-nerves at first until I simply adored her. I liked that she was torn between letting herself enjoy Syon and professionalism and what it meant to her business, Timeless Custom Creations. I liked that she was holding on as best she could to her integrity, even though it was damn hard.

Then we have the book cover, a blatant marketing misrepresentation of Syon’s stage character, the Marquis. I quote.

But what made her feel dizzy was staring at her from a pair of caramel eyes. The lead singer of Toxsin had a head of dirty-blond hair that was spiked out and falling past his shoulders. His eyebrows were slashed that angled up. His shoulders were wide and cut with hard muscles that his thin T-shirt showed to perfection.

He looked like the Goblin King from Labyrinth.

Okay, from where I’m sitting, no real resemblance from dude on cover. I appreciate a creative courtesy, but dayum! On a side thought, I’m not seeing anything sexy about looking like the Goblin King. Is it just me? 

No offense David Bowie you legend, you.

I will be fair and say Syon really got on my ugh boyfriend list when I first met him, based on how he was written...but after page 40ish...

LAWDY hallelujah!! He redeemeth himself.

Then we had these weird words in a sentence that were meant to be descriptive, but day...um! I shall pluck out a few.


He leaned down, hovering over her ear. “Passionate,” he bit out, slipping his hand back to cup her nape with a grip that twisted her clit.

Erm...??? Twisted her clit? The power of grabbing ones nape?! It's not a pretzel.


He was being serious. Dead, hard serious.

Erm...??? How can you be hard serious? Or am I being picky?


She was gasping, so turned-on she was in a daze. 

Hmmm...not sure about this one. *scratches head* Let's chalk this one up to being picky. I am visualizing her being dazed, it felt odd and probably looked pretty funny too. Syon really should have been waving his hand in front of her face to see if she was still with the program.


It was like he was pushing the music out of himself, almost as if he were giving birth.

Okay now that one needs a standing ovation. WT??? Giving birth? *cocks head on side* I've had three children and the visual...gahhhh!


She arched up, her body tightening around his fingers as she climaxed. It wrung her like a dishcloth.

*looks sideways to see if everybody is with me on that one* A dishcloth? I kinda almost go ewwww here. I may never look at my dishcloth the same ever again when I wring it out. I get that there is such a thing as female ejaculation, which is brought up, nothing to be embarrassed about lady folk. But a dishcloth? Really?

Now those were some of my weirded-out small personal chalkboard scratchy moments.

BUT THEN!!!

*claps hands like a seal*

It all fell into place for me and praise the lawd these men were rawrrrrr. I just had some pages to hack my way through before it felt like a rock star book that I so loved...except for Cid who was a very weekly written character, for me. I really had to put that in.

Now to the good stuff.

OH MyyYyyYyy the band members, once I got over my initial Syon issues. They simply turned the pages and I was a biatch in heat. Once I forgot Syon could look like the Goblin King. I reverted to Mr. Spunky on the cover.

Kate realized why the crowd was roaring, why she was on her feet shaking her fist in the air. It was because he was a leader, setting them all free, saying exactly what was on his mind, singing it out without remorse for who was offended.

Everyone wanted sex, but Syon was bold enough to say it out loud. Ramsey backed him up, completing the moment as the lights flashed around them and the song came to an end.


Drake is the drummer, Syon is on guitar and lead singer, Taz is bass guitar and Ramsey is guitar.


Taz looked ready to kill.

His black eyes were like obsidian, his expression tight, and she realized the little zip she’d heard was a set of ultralight nunchaku. He flipped them a few times in the air as he pushed her back behind him.

I absolutely adore Taz, he is the wingman who brings the Asian gorgeous to this book.


Ramsey was a long-legged, lean hipped animal with dark hair that flowed over his shoulders in unruly waves. It wasn’t feminine in the least—just sexy in a savage, no-holds-barred sort of way. To her right were a pair of wide-chested guys spotting each other on a weight training bench.

Ramsey is the uber naughty one. There was a fans-one-self scene with Syon, Kate and Ramsey. I loved that it was a real tease to where the author could have gone.

When I first started reading this book and I saw Sylvia Day had blurbed the front with, ‘Deeply romantic, scintillating, and absolutely delicious.’ I really wasn’t believing this blurb...until I got past those first 40 odd pages. Then I was nodding away and appreciating Sylvia’s blurb as the truth. I certainly thought it was one of the better rock star books I’ve read of late as the writing (apart from the bits that weirded me out) was very good. 

Cid, really needed to be a better character because something was simply too easy and then the way he behaved...ugh.

I would recommend this first installment as the lads are so delicious once you get into the book, and I do have Ramsey’s book here, Rock Steady to crack open. Again, I see readers have been maybe a little harsh on Goodreads and Amazon. I would like to see more readers give this series a go and write their thoughts on those sites.

OOHHH! I nearly forgot!

Conan, the man with the chopper bike, I must point out as there is also a chopper helicopter in here too. Giddy up. I need more of him. Rawrrrrr, he tickled my lady boner.

I do hope this series is continuing because I want me a Taz book for sure! So people readeth and if you enjoy, review and there may be more.

BOOK REVIEW - ARCHANGEL'S LEGION by NALINI SINGH - GUILD HUNTER # 6 - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE - GOLLANCZ - HACHETTE

By: Nalini Singh
Published By: Gollancz, Hachette
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 374 Pages

RATING: 5 RAPHAEL AND A SIDE ORDER OF NAASIR, ILLIUM, RANSOM STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Angels are falling from the sky in New York, struck down by a vicious, unknown force.

Vampires are dying impossibly of disease.

Guild hunter Elena Deveraux and the Archangel Raphael must discover the source of the wave of death before it engulfs their city and their people, leaving New York a ruin and Raphael’s Tower under siege by enemy archangels.

Yet even as they fight desperately to save the city, an even darker force is stirring, its chill eyes trained on New York…and on Raphael. Rivers of crimson and nightmares given flesh, the world will never again be the same…


BOOK REVIEW:

Raphael and Elena are two of my prized characters to read, they are simply all that and a whole lot more.

I’m not going to babble on about plot, as that is not how I roll. You can read for yourself, but I will say the title of this book bringeth something wonderful and fascinating to this series.

Well done Nalini with that imagination of yours.

Shenanigans are going down all over the place in this installment with sub characters like Naasir coming more into the limelight...rawrrrr. He doth tingle my girl parts.

Jeffrey is still being Jeffrey (Elena’s daddy), but we learn more. Eve, Elena’s sis is getting air time and Michaela is still being an uber biatch with a side order of Tasha. *rolls eyes at these vixen wanna-bes*

Raphael has his woman and begoneth you vixens!

This series just has my heart. The characters all pull together to fight the good fight when blood is pouring from veins and villains are being very villainy and there is a mystery/problem to solve.

Nalini writes damn fine action scenes when angels are flying about, or dropping from the sky or having a private dance in the air...*waggles eyebrows*. 

I can visualize so well her words into this amazing picture in my mind that moves and feels. I simply am there in the page among all the chaos and sexy times...well those sexy times could be a bit awkies.

Now I must quote Aodhan and Illium. Sparkles and Bluebell.

O.M.G! *swoons*

I understand they just have a strong bromance...nothing more, but whahhhh...bless them when you read the whole scene.



The two angels were both tall, but Aodhan was perhaps an inch taller, and now his eyes locked with Illium’s for a long, quiet moment before he lowered his head very slightly. Illium raised his hand, the movement slow, hesitant...and then his fingers brushed Aodhan’s cheek just below the cut that had almost sealed. The first ray of dawn kissed the tear that rolled down Illium’s face, caressed the painful wonder on Aodhan’s as he lifted his hand to clasp the wrist of his friend’s hand.

That instant of contact, the power of it, stole her breath.

Then Illium smiled, said something that made Aodhan’s lips curve—Elena thought it might’ve been “Welcome back, Sparkle”—and they were separating to sweep off the Tower in a symphony of wild silver blue and heartbreaking light.

Swooon.

Another brilliant escapism for me. I really want a pair of wings and be able to find me a hottie with beautiful complimenting wings and maybe have me a private dance. *wink*

Onto Archangel's Shadows...

BOOK REVIEW - AFTERSHOCK by JILL SORENSON - AFTERSHOCK # 1 - HARLEQUIN - SUSPENSE ROMANCE

By: JILL SORENSON

Published By: HARLEQUIN HQN

Released :Available Now

Details : Paperback from library, 374 Pages

RATING: 3.5 STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

THERE'S A FINE LINE...

As an emergency paramedic, Lauren Boyer is dedicated and highly capable. Until an earthquake strikes, trapping her beneath the freeway with a group of strangers--including Iraq war veteran Garrett Wright... 

...BETWEEN PERIL AND PASSION

Handsome and take-charge Garrett aids Lauren in her rescue efforts, even as the steely look in his eyes seems to hide dark secrets. When a gang of escaped convicts goes on the attack, Garrett's bravery makes him more than a courageous bystander to Lauren. If they can save the others before time runs out, maybe, just maybe, they can explore the fire igniting between them--if the truth about who he really is doesn't pull them apart forever....

BOOK REVIEW:

This is gonna be a tough review for me to write, but from seeing many a review citing some of my own thoughts, I realize that I am well within my reasonable opinion on Aftershock.

This is my first Jill Sorenson read and it probably won’t be my last.

In Australia, Cyclone Tracy in 1974, Darwin was our last devastating catastrophe of that nature. We don’t get earthquakes, maybe a tummy rumble every X amount of years.

My point being I can’t imagine what it is like in an earthquake situation like what happens in Aftershock where freeways come toppling down on each other crushing cars and leaving people buried and fighting for their lives.

Lauren Boyer an emergency paramedic is trapped beneath a freeway. Enter handsome ex-war veteran, Garret and throw in some prisoners who escaped their bus and shit is gonna get bad. The author has thrown in a small group of survivors fending off Jeb and Mickey. An unlikely friendship follows with Owen and a pregnant girl.

The two lead characters who should have led the way,  I had trouble believing in. I needed something more from these characters and I kept looking for it. 

I really liked Owen and Penny and I could have read about them the whole book. Garret and Lauren weren’t connecting with me. Things felt too contrived or rushed, or something. 

I felt as a reader story line was unfinished in places. I needed some more fleshing out and more emotion.

I still enjoyed this read. It just felt too staged is probably what I am trying to say. I give kudos for the gore and violence as Jeb and Mickey played their roles well.

To me this book read like the characters were in an apocalypse. If you hadn’t read about the start and what happened and you came in a few chapters in, that is how it honestly felt for me personally. It was a real fight for survival in a dark place where you had to forage for food, water, power. Not that this is a bad thing how I felt. I think Jill wrote that aspect well.

It’s great to see Penny and Owen get a story in, Badlands, Aftershock # 3. Owen was a great character even though he could really have won the good guys over by simply explaining why he had the tattoos he had. Again, this is where I say the story in parts felt forced rather than organic.

I did mostly enjoy this read. Lots of five stars have been thrown down and lots of three’s have as well. I think you are either gonna dig it, or be simply okay with Aftershock.

BOOK REVIEW - MISAPPROPRIATE by KATHRYN KELLY - DEATH DWELLERS MC # 1.5 - ADULT BIKER ROMANCE

By: Kathryn Kelly

Published By: Kathryn Kelly

Released : Available Now

Details: Kindle, 199 Pages

RATING: 5 MISAPPROPRIATE STARS & 1 MORE FOR A CERTAIN SCENE THAT HAD ME GIGGLING!

Blurb: Goodreads

Megan 'Meggie' Foy Caldwell is finally getting everything she’s dreamed of, a child, a husband, and family (of bikers) that would truly do anything for her. Her life is finally on the right track. When Meggie asks her husband, Christopher 'Outlaw' Caldwell, MC President of the Death Dwellers’, for a church wedding, he agrees because keeping his new found love happy is everything to him.

But when a ghost from the past rolls into town and targets Outlaw Caldwell and his family, it forces him to make decisions that could cost them their happily ever after. Threatening their newfound peace, will Meggie and Outlaw’s love conquer all, or will they both fall back into their destructive patterns that could tear their lives a part?


BOOK REVIEW:

I absolutely loved Misappropriate.

LOVED IT!

Now when I say that, I am fully accepting these rough, crude talking bikers for who they are.

No judgement.

I adore these characters because they pull no punches, they don’t hold back, they make no apologies for who they are, their voices are so addictive.

Christopher and Megan are back and Christopher has fully grown on me. I love how much he stands out when reading him. The way his dialogue is written brings a very 3D character. The quote below doesn't show this, but I loved this quote.



“There’s my girl,” he whispered. “And, her beautiful fuckin’ laugh.” He kissed her again. “I’m your man, Megan. You’re like the air I need to breathe, so I’ll be the strength you need to carry you.”



So far Johnnie is my fave and I am indeed reading Misunderstood and loving him even more.

Wait to you read how he kisses...sure we read about oral a lot in books of the adult MC nature etc, but...woo...eee!



Johnnie’s blond hair, longer on top than on the sides, made his silver-gray eyes stand out. The heat of his gaze lasered her profile and she shifted her weight beneath his scrutiny. She didn’t have to look at him to know he studied her. He always did. And not in a brotherly way.

All the Death Dwellers have such individual voices.



Mortician, Enforcer of the club and the man with a variety of handy skills, folded his arms, muscles rippled on his dark brown skin, while the skull ring he never seemed to remove leered from his middle finger.


He was taller than his older brother, a little less broad in the shoulders, arms, and chest. Mortician was ripped. Digger was muscled but...she frowned. Was she actually sizing up her husband’s officers?


Dinah Nicholls shrank back when the biker with the bald head, silver beard, and eye patch swung the car door open and held out his hand to assist her out of Johnnie’s Navigator.

“Babe, I don’t have time for this shit,” he snapped. “Give me your fucking hand so we can get you the fuck inside.”

She thought his name was K-P, but she wasn’t sure. He was one of the older bikers, a little older than her forty-three.



Now the scene that earned an extra star from me, purely for its crude talking, hilarity, I can’t tell you what scene it is for spoiling, but I giggled so much and maybe shook my head a few times. It goes down as a most memorable scene in my mind.


I will admit Kathryn Kelly was a new author to me, but now I shout her praises from the roof top.

She takes chances, she won’t give you a fluffy biker book, she will bring the grit and bad behavior and I simply love being in her fictional world.

You simply can’t miss any of these in between books (.5's = #1.5, #2.5, #3.5 etc) . Each book in the series should be read in order.

Bravo Kathryn.

BOOK REVIEW - MISLED by KATHRYN KELLY - DEATH DWELLERS MC # 1 - ADULT BIKER ROMANCE

By: Kathryn Kelly

Published By: Kathryn Kelly

Released : Available Now

Details: Kindle, 290 Pages

RATING: 5 HELL YEAH! STRAP YOURSELF IN STARS!

Megan 'Meggie' Foy has had a tough life. Her home life is nothing as it seems. Living with her mother and step-father is a complete nightmare. They seem to have the perfect little family, but appearances can be deceiving and monsters are closer than you think. When her body and mind can take no more abuse at the hands of her step-father, Meggie finally decides to run, hoping her father, MC President of the Death Dwellers Joseph 'Boss' Foy, can save her and rescue her terrified mother from the clutches of her step-monster before it's too late for them.

Christopher 'Outlaw' Caldwell deals in a world of violence, sex, drugs, and crudity. As current president of the Death Dwellers' MC, he presides over a club in chaos after the death of their longtime president and his mentor, Boss. Outlaw is trying to keep everything with the club in his control. What happens when more trouble arises in the form of a blonde haired, 18 year old beauty with the same eyes as his former mentor?

Meggie discovers her daddy is gone and now there may be no one to save her and her mother. How will she feel when she finds out the man who killed him is the man she's falling in love with? Can Outlaw get past his demons to truly find love with Meggie and peace with the death of Boss?

Alliances will be made, loyalties tested, lives will be lost, but will love conquer all in the world of bikers and revenge?


BOOK REVIEW:

I LOVED this first installment in the Death Dwellers MC series. Kathryn is a new author to me and I'm ever so addicted to this series now.

Christopher ‘Outlaw’ Caldwell is a gritty character. He’s the new Prez of the Death Dwellers and this biker club is full of interesting characters. I love how real they each are. They say it as they call it and Christopher really grew on me.

The man holding the gun could be a sex symbol women all over the world drolled after. Muscles swelled from his tatted arms. Broad shoulders and a wide chest narrowed to ripped abs...and he stood tall and tempting and all but naked.

You just have to keep an open mind with him because he behaves unashamedly the way he wants and you have to keep up.

Johnnie is a bit of a fave of mine, Outlaw’s cousin. I’m starting his book shortly.

Kathryn had me turning the pages with the ups and downs between Christopher and Megan. There is an age gap of nearly 15 years, which makes for some interesting clashes. An eighteen year old girl with her own demons and a little naivety, as she should be for her age, mixed in with a gritty motorcycle club like the Death Dwellers.

Oh boy!

"I fuckin' told you I don't fuckin' hurt women," he growled. "I ain't into takin' pussy when I have so much of it thrown at me for free. Even if I didn't, that's your pussy. I have no right to it unless you give it up."

I gotta say, when Outlaw is more Christopher the panties melt off, but when he is Outlaw...he is showing us what would go on in a real to life hardcore club. 

Outlaw has a lot on his plate with Megan, his family, his own club and the other shenanigans going on.

Megan has got a lot on her plate with her past, her present and her future.

Divided loyalties and high emotions left the Death Dwellers in fucking chaos. Motherfuckers jockeying for power and offices. They were imploding, destroying themselves from the inside out. 

I was so excited to get onto Misappropriate # 1.5.

Bravo Kathryn.

It ain't but a thing.