Devil and the Deep (Ceruleans #4) by Megan Tayte & GIVEAWAY

STORM CLOUDS ARE GATHERING, AND THEY WILL RAIN BLOOD.



For starters, there’s the isolation. Being a Cerulean among humans is fraught with risk, so her time with people can only be fleeting. Which means being with Luke but not being with Luke.

Then there’s her Cerulean light, her power over life and death. Less awesome talent, as it turns out, and more overwhelming responsibility. And it comes with rules – rules that are increasingly difficult to obey.

But what’s really pushing Scarlett to the precipice is something much bigger than herself, than her life in the cove. A force to be reckoned with:

Blood.

When long-buried truths are exposed, will Scarlett keep her head above water – or will she drown in the blood-dimmed tide that is unleashed? 

Scarlett is living her happy-ever-after, back in the real world. Only the ‘happy’ part is proving problematic.

My Thoughts…

This is a series that has never left my mind.   From the very first book, Death Wish, to this book I have been anxious for more of these characters.   Scarlett, Luke, Jude… I cannot pick my favorite.   Then add in the secondary character of Si and Cara and you have met my new best book friends.  

I love the unknown.   The mystery of other worlds, the secrets of special beings, and the relationships that come between humans and these beings are all wonderful.     Megan Tayte does amazing things with these.    She makes the unknown known and explainable (somewhat), the secrets that are shared are what makes the story flow together, and the relationships are my favorite.    Even with the differences in Scarlett, Luke, and Jude their relationships are real.   The feelings are true and their reactions are real.       I am still torn who as to whom Scarlett should be with.   Luke who loves her even with her differences.    Jude who understands her differences and is helping her come to terms with them.     I just can’t decide.

This is a series that you have to read in order.   If you pick up this book before the first three it will not make sense to you.    I think you can still enjoy it because Megan Tayte is that amazing of an author but you will not get the whole story.   Each book hinges on the happenings in the books before.    There is one more book in this series and I will impatiently wait for its release.  

Buy links

Goodreads   |   Amazon UK   |   Amazon

Excerpt

It began with screaming. Shrill, ear-piercing, horrified screaming.

A girl shrieked, ‘Blood! Look, look – it’s everywhere!’ and pressed her hand to her mouth.

A man shouted, ‘Good grief!’ and another, ‘Great Scott!’

An old lady swooned gracefully and would have tipped over the balustrade of the riverboat had a lanky lad not caught her.

The cause of the excitement – a woman lying slumped on the long table on deck, cheek on her bread plate, headdress in the butter dish – twitched a little.

‘She’s alive!’ cried a lad beside her delightedly. ‘She moved!’

‘Did not,’ argued another.

‘Did too!’

‘Gentlemen,’ interjected a short, portly man with a twirly black moustache, ‘if you will forgive my intrusion, it must be noted that this woman has a bullet hole in her head and is logically, therefore, quite definitely deceased.’

Another old dear folded to the deck with a prolonged ‘Ohhhhhh’ and her husband grabbed a feathered fan and began wafting cool evening air in her face while calling, ‘Smelling salts – does anyone have any?’

I tried to keep a straight face. Really I did. I bit my bottom lip until I tasted my cherry-red lipstick. I pinched my leg through the cream satin of my gown. I dug my long cigarette holder into the sensitive flesh of my arm.

But it was no good.

The ‘What ho, chaps’ posh accents.

The buxom woman sagging in the arms of an elephant hunter wearing Converse All Stars.

The production of smelling salts in a bottle whose label read Pepto-Bismol.

The corners of the little round man’s moustache coming looser with his every word.

The fast-pooling puddle of pinkish blood on the bread plate, buffeted by the steady in-and-out breaths of the corpse.

Take it from a girl who’s really died – death on the River Dart, Devon, is hilarious.

‘Dear me, Ms Robson here appears to be quite overcome with shock,’ said the guy at my side suddenly, and he slipped an arm around me and turned me away. ‘Come, madam. Let us get some air.’

I smiled at him. Then grinned. Then choked back a guffaw. Thankfully, by the time full-scale hilarity hit me I’d been led to the rear of the boat, away from the rest of our party, and could bury my face in the bloke’s chest and shake mutely with laughter.

The gallant gentleman rubbed my back soothingly as I let it all out and said loudly, for the benefit of any onlookers, ‘There there, pignsey, there there.’

‘Pigsney?’ It was the final straw. My high-heeled sandals gave way and I melted into a puddle of mirth on the deck.

‘I’ll have you know, Scarlett Blake,’ hissed Luke, my boyfriend a.k.a. gallant gent, hoiking up his too-tight corduroy trousers so he could squat down beside me, ‘I Googled “old-fashioned terms of endearment” and pigsney’s a classic.’

I wiped tears from my eyes, dislodging a false eyelash in the process, and tried to catch my hiccupping breath as Luke went on.

‘Means pig’s eye. No idea why that’s appealing, but apparently in the seventeenth century, calling a lady pigsney was the very height of courting.’

Through his fake specs Luke’s blue eyes fixed me with a stare so earnest I almost managed to stop laughing.

‘But this is a Death on the Nile-Stroke-Dart murder mystery night, Luke,’ I managed to get out. ‘Set in the nineteen thirties, not the seventeen thirties.’

‘Ah,’ he said, ‘but my character tonight, Mr Fijawaddle, is a historical fiction writer, isn’t he? So as well as dressing like a brainy recluse – and I’m warning you now, I won’t hear another slur against this tweed jacket – he’d know all kinds of obscure terms. Like ginglyform and jargogle and nudiustertian and bromopnea and farctate and quagswag and philosophunculist.’

His showing off sobered me just enough to control the giggles. ‘You made those words up,’ I accused, poking a crimson talon into his mustard-yellow shirtfront.

He blinked at me innocently. ‘Did not. I told you before we left the house, I did my homework.’

I narrowed my eyes. ‘All right then, Mr Fijawaddle, what does that last word you said mean?’

‘Philosophunculist?’

‘Yes, that.’

‘Er…’ Luke gave me a sheepish grin.

‘Spill it,’ I said menacingly. As menacingly as a girl dressed up as a vintage Hollywood starlet with cute little pin curls and rouge aplenty can be, that is.

‘Philosophunculist,’ recited Luke. ‘Noun. A person who pretends to know more than they do in order to impress others.’

I threw my head back and laughed. ‘Busted!’

Luke slipped an arm around me and pulled me close. Really close.

‘Bet you like it when I use long words,’ he said huskily, eyes fixed on my too-red lips.

‘Bet you like it when I wear a clingy nightgown as a dress,’ I replied, eyes fixed on his too-kissable lips.

‘Brazen hussy,’ he growled at me.

‘Randy boffin,’ I murmured back.

Then neither of us said another word for quite some time.

 

 Megan Tayte bio

Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. ‘Write, Megan,’ her grandmother advised. So that’s what she did.

Thirty-odd years later, Megan is a professional writer and published author by day, and an indie novelist by night. Her fiction – young adult romance with soul – recently earned her the SPR’s Independent Woman Author of the Year award.

Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in Robin Hood's county, Nottinghamshire. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a palaeontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she's not writing, you'll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.

You can find Megan online at:

http://megantayte.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478850.Megan_Tayte

https://www.facebook.com/megantayte

https://twitter.com/megantayte

https://plus.google.com/+MeganTayte

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),  product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review.

 The books I review on this site ( A Soccer Mom's Book Blog) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. .This is a very common practice.  I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

A World Elsewhere: An American Woman in Wartime Germany by Sigrid MacRae

Published September 4, 2015 by Viking       

Sigrid MacRae never knew her father, until a trove of letters revealed not only him, but also the singular story of her parents’ intercontinental love affair. While visiting Paris in 1927, her American mother, Aimée, raised in a wealthy Connecticut family, falls in love with a charming, sophisticated Baltic German baron, a penniless exile of the Russian revolution. They marry. But the harsh reality of post World War I Germany is inescapable: a bleak economy and the rise of Hitler quash Heinrich’s diplomatic ambitions, and their struggling family farm north of Berlin drains Aimée’s modest fortune. In 1941, Heinrich volunteers for the Russian front and is killed by a sniper. Widowed, living in a country soon at war with her own, Aimée must fend for herself. With home and family in jeopardy, she and her six young children flee the advancingRussian army in an epic journey, back to the country she thought she’d left behind.

My Thoughts…

This is the story of Aimee and her marriage to Heinrich and their life together.   While there is a personal side to this story, there is a TON of history.     There were times I felt lost with all the names of towns and places that were discussed.    I am not familiar with much of Germany, Russia, and the surrounding areas.   This definitely worked against me.      I also felt that there were times that too much attention was given to the different towns and locations and the story of Aimee was lost.    The story was there and it was wonderful, there were just times I had to dig a little deeper into the text of the story to find her tale.  

I LOVE WWII.    This is my favorite era to read about.  Usually I have read about it from an American participating in the war’s point of view.   The fact that this was told from someone living in Germany was extremely interesting.    To hear how Hitler was able to change the world starting in Germany and how it continued from there was a different perspective for me.     I really enjoyed it.   It was eye opening into all that was going on before the US even joined the war. 

I cannot wait to share this book with my fellow WWII readers.   Any history buff should pick up this book.   

Book Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Barnes and Noble   

Praise for A WORLD ELSEWHERE:

“A remarkable and touching book… Although Aimée may not have thought her life was remarkable, her daughter’s book proves otherwise.” —New York Times Book Review

“Lovely and poignant…an elegant writer with a sharp eye for revealing details…A WORLD ELSEWHERE becomes a vivid tale of voyages through war-torn Europe.”

—Christian Science Monitor

“A riveting book… MacRae wrote the story so objectively that it reads more like a gripping novel than a traditional memoir. The writer did prodigious research…By showing us the warmth and love and concern her parents had for each other—even in the midst of aterrible time—

MacRae has created a classic war story.”—Connecticut Post

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),  product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review.

 The books I review on this site ( A Soccer Mom's Book Blog) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. .This is a very common practice.  I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Never Say Never by Emily Goodwin Release Blitz

Title: Never Say Never

Author: Emily Goodwin

Genre: Full length, stand-alone contemporary romance

Release Date: September 28, 2015

BUY LINKS 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1R9wOzU

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1PHHjt7

 

Blurb

My life was full of nevers.

It was never supposed to go this way. I was never supposed to lose Mom so soon. I was never supposed to worry about making ends meet, to worry about losing the farm. I never thought I’d be working a job I hate, with a boss who was more interested in what was under my shirt than in my head. Saving neglected and abused horses had been my whole life. It was my reprieve, my sanity, my last saving grace in a cruel world. I never thought I’d grow to resent it, but I guess there is a first for everything.

Then I met him.

The Hollywood playboy. The entitled, cocky asshole that I can’t get out of my head. I never thought there could be more to him than sex appeal and an infamous reputation of loving and leaving. I never thought I’d fall for him, put my heart on the line, and risk letting him completely destroy me.

But you know what they tell you…never say never.

Excerpt

A tear rolls down her cheek and she bites her lip, trying not to cry. Then her face breaks and her shoulders slump forward. I stand there, shaking, terrified of the raw emotion. My heart breaks for her and I rush forward, wrapping her in my arms as she sobs. It’s beautiful and it’s tragic, and in that moment, I’ve never felt anything more real. The pain. The sorrow. Her loss. The darkness I try to hard to keep out, that I fight tooth and nail but can never fully avoid. I hold her and feel it all. It swarms around me, filling me, hurting me, opening my eyes. I realize everything I’ve done to desperately hold it together slowly chipped away at me until there was nothing left, nothing but a shell of a man with an empty heart that I never though was capable of feeling anything but hurt. A heart I thought was never worthy of a second chance, was never capable of redemption. It’s then that I realize I never, ever want to let her go. And it’s crazy, because I don’t know her—really know her—but there is something so intimate about holding someone as they cry. It exposes so much, and you can’t hold back as the tears fall and the sadness comes out in waves. I feel my own eyes mist over. I close them and cradle Haley close to me. “There’s nothing wrong with you,” I tell her. “I promise you that.” “Look at me,” she repeats. “Have you ever had a date end this way?” “Our date didn’t even start,” I say. “And hey, you didn’t go crazy and shave your head, so I say you’re doing all right.” She laughs, and her arms slowly wrap around me. Something inside me relaxes. I sit and pull her onto my lap and we stay there in silence for a few minutes. Gently, I push her hair out of her face. “Want that drink now?” She laughs again and nods. “I need that drink now.” She stands up and wipes her eyes, smearing her makeup across her cheeks. “And really, I won’t hold it against you or call the tabloids on you if you drop me off at home and call it a night.” Tabloids? The word is jarring. For a few minutes I was the real Aiden again…and I didn’t mind. “It’s up to you, Haley. I’m not mad or upset, so don’t worry. I don’t like seeing you sad, and if you’d like, I want to try and cheer you up.” “I’d like that.” I stand and drape my arm around her. “Are you hungry? I can go get the food.” “I am. And thanks, Aiden. I…I don’t know.” “What?” I probe. “I’m surprised by your kindness.” “Ouch,” I say with a chuckle. “Thanks?” She smiles and takes a step toward the restaurant. “Hey, you can’t really blame me, can you?” I can’t, because I’ve fooled the world—and at times, myself—about who I really am. The partying, the women, the excessive spending, and run-ins with the American law…okay, so maybe I had a reputation. “No, I can’t. But I’m glad I surprised you.”  

About the Author

Facebook | Goodreads | Website

Emily Goodwin is the author of the twice banned dark romance, STAY, as well as over a dozen other titles. Emily writes all types of romance, from love stories set in the zombie apocalypse to contemporary romances taking place on a western horse ranch. Emily lives in Indiana with her husband, children, and many pets, including a German Shepherd named Vader. When she isn't writing, Emily can be found riding her horses, designing and making costumes, and sitting outside with a good book.


 

Uncontrollable (The Key West Series Book 3) by C.A. Harms

Title: Uncontrollable

Series: Key West Series #3

Author: C.A. Harms

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: September 15, 2015

Avery Nolan’s father has never been a part of her life. As a result, she finds herself becoming a caretaker. Always trying to please other people, willing to tuck her own concerns aside for the happiness of others. She is selfless. She is a nurturer. On the outside, it appears Kade Thomas has it all, but no one can understand the guilt and ache he feels daily. He is haunted by his past. Every time he closes his eyes, he finds himself reliving the same nightmare, over and over again. He blames himself for the loss of Jenna. He pushed her too far and she paid the price. Avery saw something special in Kade, from the first day she met him—she could feel it. But the darkness that consumes him is… Uncontrollable. Will she finally be the one to break down the walls he’s built around his heart and soul? Or will she find some walls are just Indestructible… 

My Thoughts…

Talk about a rollercoaster.   Uncontrollable had me in tears, laughing, shaking my head, and loving every single word.   I was lucky enough to have read the first two books in this series right before getting my hands on the third book.    The characters had become my friends, I cheered for them, I cried for them, and I wanted them to be happy. 

Kade and Avery’s story is my favorite so far.  The attraction between them has be obvious for so long, yet Kade has fought it.   His history kept him from being happy again.  Even when his happiness is right in front of his face.    I enjoyed that C.A. Harms did not make it easy for them.   They worked for their relationship.   They had to learn to trust each other and work through their history before happiness could be achieved.    

The Key West Series is amazing.    I, of course, recommend reading them in order but they can be stand-a-lone books. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.   

Book Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads

Avery POV

“Oh yes,” I moaned much louder than I anticipated. The problem was I didn’t feel the slightest bit embarrassed. “Yes, right there, a little harder, deeper,” I instructed as my eyes rolled back into my head and I fisted the sheet beneath me.

“Does that feel good right there?”

All I could do was nod. I was entirely too invested in the pleasure to form complete, meaningful sentences.

“Wow.” Harper’s voice broke through my euphoria. “If I didn’t know better myself, I would think there was a whole lot of kink going on in here. My customers are gonna think I’m running a secret sex shop in the massage room.”

I wanted to yell at her to stop killing my buzz, but the words got hung up when I tried to force them out. The only sound I could make was moan after moan of ecstasy.

I hadn’t even noticed the moans coming from Quinn on the next bed over until that moment. “Harper, you are without a doubt the most amazing sister-in-law.” Quinn groaned as the massage therapist, Greg, rubbed her lower back, digging in just a little deeper.

“I’ll also be your dead sister-in-law if you keep moaning like that. Jett will kill me if he hears you. It already took hours to convince him to let you come today. Last week when you girls came in, he stood guard outside the doorway.”

“Greg thought he was going to die a slow death. Jett scared the hell out of him.” I caught the alarmed look on Greg’s face and buried my face in the headrest to hide my laughter. Jett was a caveman to begin with, but his behavior had only intensified after the wedding.

“Okay, okay, enough about Jett,” Quinn whined. “Greg can’t concentrate when you’re scaring him. Please do not kill my massage.”

Harper snickered and turned back to me, her gaze scanning over me. “How are you feeling?” It was a loaded question. She was asking about the pregnancy, Kade, and the situation between him and me.

“Good,” I assured her without giving her anything more. I closed my eyes and hoped she’d drop it.

I have no idea why I actually thought Harper would let it die.

“That’s all you’re giving me? Honestly, Avery, spill some details.” When I opened my eyes, she was using the “determined Harper” glare.

I stared right back. “Bug Quinn for gossip.”

“Um, no.” She leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. “Jett is my brother, and the last thing I want is too many details when it comes to those two. Quinn knows this. That’s why she always throws things back at me that I don’t need to know. My brother taught her to evade me like that, so getting details out of her is no longer any fun. The last thing I want to know is how long my brother lasted this morning or how they had sex on the kitchen table.”

She faked a shiver and I laughed. I looked over at Quinn, and she nodded to confirm what Harper had just said.

“Well done,” I told her. “Table sex.” Then a thought occurred to me. “You are going to bleach said table when you get home, right? I mean, we’ve eaten dinner off it.”

Kade POV

“Here’s the address,” Easton said as he passed the paper over the top of the table toward me. “Bennie said they live in a ranch-style home at the end of the lane.” 

Vermont. They stuck around for a few months after the funeral and then picked up and moved thousands of miles away. Running from the place where they saw their daughter everywhere they looked. 

“You sure about this, Kade?” Jett asked as he sat down in the booth next to me. 

“Yeah, I am. It’s something I have to do. It’s the last step before I can say good-bye to Jenna,” I explained as I twisted the paper between my fingers. “I’m ready to move on with Avery, and I can’t do that until I do this.” 

My stomach was in knots at the idea of facing Jenna’s parents. I had no idea what to expect, but I wanted to close this chapter. 

“I’m gonna need something from you, Jett,” I said as I looked up from my hands. 

“And what would that be, brother?” he asked. 

“Keep an eye on my girl,” I said, and he grinned widely and nodded as Easton chuckled. “Yeah, I know. You never thought you’d see the day, right?” 

Jett placed his hand on my shoulder and patted it. 

“Nope, I didn’t, but it looks good on ya.” “What does?” I asked. 

“Love, infatuation, whatever you wanna call it,” Easton said. 

“Pussy-whipped, henpecked, does it matter how you refer to it?” Jude flopped down in the seat next to Easton, chuckling. “Avery has you wrapped around her pinky, and you are sunk to the deepest depths, brother.” 

I smiled. “Where the hell did you come from?” 

“I’ve been quietly observing this exchange you three were having.” He leaned back, waiting for me argue with what he had said. But he was right. It was pointless. Avery had me tied up tight, and there was no coming back.

I enjoy happy endings in my love stories. Loving those scenes that give it the needed angst and heat to keep you hooked and wanting more. Just enough drama to make her heart race and your stomach flutter. I haven't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently I have taken on a new liking and now I am addicted to Romance Novel.

I am a Limitless Publishing Author and love sharing my stories with my great fans. Feedback is great and I really enjoy interacting with my readers.

I live in Illinois and enjoy spending time with my husband and two children. 

You will always find me with my kindle or paperback in hand as it is my favorite pass time.

And I never leave home without a small notebook. You never know when an idea for a new story will strike.

HOSTED BY:

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),  product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review.

 The books I review on this site ( A Soccer Mom's Book Blog) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. .This is a very common practice.  I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

  

Coming of Age at the End of Days by Alice LaPlante

Published August 4, 2015 by Atlantic Monthly Press

Alice LaPlante's acclaimed psychological thrillers are distinguished by their stunning synthesis of family drama and engrossing suspense. Her new novel is an affecting foray deeper into the creases of family life—and the light-and-dark battle of faith—as LaPlante delves into the barbed psyche of a teenager whose misguided convictions bear irrevocable consequences.

Never one to conform, Anna always had trouble fitting in. Earnest and willful, as a young girl she quickly learned how to hide her quirks from her parents and friends. But when, at sixteen, a sudden melancholia takes hold of her life, she loses her sense of self and purpose. Then the Goldschmidts move in next door. They're active members of a religious cult, and Anna is awestruck by both their son, Lars, and their fervent violent prophecies for the Tribulation at the End of Days. Within months, Anna's life—her family, her home, her very identity—will undergo profound changes. But when her newfound beliefs threaten to push her over the edge, she must find her way back to center with the help of unlikely friends. 

My Thoughts…

Coming of Age at the End of Days may not be my typical type of book to read.   It has a cult storyline, which quickly pulls teenager Anna in to their folds.    From the very beginning I was concerned about her.    She starts with a depression and stuck on death and dying.     Then she meets her neighbor, Lars, who opens her eyes to the Termination that is coming.  To say she becomes obsessive is an understatement.   As a parent I am not sure how to handle this situation but I feel like her parents just let her do it.  They are so happy to not have her depressed that they don’t fight her on her.   When Anna’s life changes yet again her path in life also changes.    This is where Alice LaPlante lost me a little bit.   It took me some serious reading to catch on to what Anna was into now.  

The adults in this book cause me serious concern.    There was lack of concern, lack of care, and lack of knowledge.    Both Lars and Anna came and went as they wanted, did as they wanted, and did not give a lot of thought to how their actions would affect anyone else.   There were no repercussions or punishments for their actions.   

I will say that the western part of the United States is part of the country that I want to visit.  I love the descriptions of the mountains, the scenery.   I could see where Anna and Lars were heading and what they were seeing as they traveled.   The fact that you can go from dessert to mountains, heat to snow, all in the same state makes me love it even more.  

I could not put Coming of Age at the End of the Days down, yet I am not sure how to recommend it.   I enjoyed it.   I came to care and worry for Lars and especially Anna.      If you enjoy a cult story definitely check this out.    If you are unsure if you like cult stories consider checking this out.    If you struggle with cult stories pass on this book.     

Book Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Barnes and Noble  

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),  product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review.

 The books I review on this site ( A Soccer Mom's Book Blog) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. .This is a very common practice.  I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb

Published September 15, 2015 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

When Lieutenant Eve Dallas examines a body in a downtown Manhattan alleyway, the victim’s injuries are so extensive that she almost misses the clue. Carved into the skin is the shape of a heart—and initials inside reading E and D . . .

Ella-Loo and her boyfriend, Darryl, had been separated while Darryl was a guest of the state of Oklahoma, and now that his sentence has been served they don’t ever intend to part again. Ella-Loo’s got dreams. And Darryl believes there are better ways to achieve your dreams than working for them. So they hit the road, and when their car breaks down in Arkansas, they make plans to take someone else’s. Then things get messy and they wind up killing someone—an experience that stokes a fierce, wild desire in Ella-Loo. A desire for Darryl. And a desire to kill again.

As they cross state lines on their way to New York to find the life they think they deserve, they will leave a trail of evil behind them. But now they’ve landed in the jurisdiction of Lieutenant Dallas and her team at the New York Police and Security Department. And with her husband, Roarke, at her side, she has every intention of hunting them down and giving them what they truly deserve . . .

My Thoughts…

If you have not read the in Death series by J.D. Robb this is the perfect chance to jump on into the series.    You can start this series at any point, they do not have to be read in order.   The characters are reoccurring but each book has its own storyline.     The bonus of reading them in order is you get more of the progression of the relationships of the main characters, but it is easy to catch what is happening.    J.D. Robb does a great job of not wasting words with a ton of back story but giving enough for the reader to feel caught up. 

Devoted in Death shows how in the the future New York Eve Dallas and her crew carry on with their work solving crimes for those that were wronged and can no longer share their voices.   I always find it interesting to see who will be the next victim and how Eve and her sexy hubby, Roarke, will work together to solve the crime.    Peabody and the rest of Eve’s work crew seem to work seamless together to solve the horrific crimes.    I enjoy the banter and the hard work the crew does while keeping as much integrity for the dead.

While this is set in 2060 and has some futuristic happenings, it is not sci-fi ish.    The happenings of 2060 are realistic, just more electronically controlled.    The cars can travel vertically, the protection available for police is more substantial,   the things computers can do and how their information shared is more advanced, and there is some slang that is not familiar to those of us in 2015.   Yet, the reader can relate to Eve’s world easily.  

Again, if you have not read this series you are missing out.    I highly recommend checking out Devoted in Death and the rest of this series.  

Book Links

Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble   |   Goodreads

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),  product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review.

 The books I review on this site ( A Soccer Mom's Book Blog) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. .This is a very common practice.  I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs by Matthew Dicks

The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs by Matthew Dicks is part of the SheReads Fall book selections.     SheReads is a community of bloggers that as a group help promote specific books.   We share reviews, thoughts, and our feelings after reading books suggested to us by the wonderful people who run the SheReads Organization. 

Published September 8, 2015 by St. Martin’s Press

Caroline Jacobs is a wimp, someone who specializes in the suffering of tiny indignities in silence. And the big ones, too. But when the twinset wearing president of the local Parent Teacher Organization steps out of line one too many times, Caroline musters the courage to assert herself. With a four-letter word, no less.

Caroline's outburst has awakened something in her. Not just gumption, but a realization that the roots of her tirade can be traced back to something that happened to her as a teenager, when her best friend very publicly betrayed her. So, with a little bit of bravery, Caroline decides to go back to her home town and tell off her childhood friend. She busts her daughter out of school, and the two set off to deliver the perfect comeback . . . some twenty-five years later. But nothing goes as planned. Long buried secrets rise to the surface, and Caroline finds she has to face much more than one old, bad best friend.

 

My Thoughts…

Quiet, meek Caroline blows up at a PTO meeting.  This starts a chain of events that are so not Caroline’s way.      She decides to go back to her hometown and tell her high school bully off.   What happens is sometimes funny, sometimes serious, and always very entertaining. 

What I loved most about this story is the relationship between Caroline and her daughter.   At the time of beginning of the journey Caroline and her daughter were barely talking, they were juts co-existing.   During the road trip to Caroline’s mom’s house their dynamic changed.   It starts with Caroline opening up to Polly, her daughter.   She shares her history and what made her into the mousy woman that she is currently.    It was nice that Polly was a captive audience; it is hard to get away in a moving car.   By sharing her stories Polly starts sharing some of her stories.     They both connect in a way that they may not have had they not taken this road trip together.  

The fact that she wanted to tell her bully off proved to me that she was not as meek as she thought she was.   Telling a bully off is probably something all of us have wanted to do once upon a time or at least we would like to go back and change something in our past.    The fact that Caroline shares her plan with Polly and Polly jumps on board with the plan makes it all the more likely to happen.    While you will have to read the book to find out how the plan plays out, let me tell you that I did not see what happen coming.    I loved how Polly played into it.

I was intrigued when this came across my email.   Very rarely do I see a book written by a man from a woman’s point of view.    Matthew Dick did a great job of being a good mom, wife, daughter, sister, and best friend.    He was able to show all the different sides of Caroline and not making her seem like a whiny done wrong woman.    I found this so refreshing. 

Book Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Barnes and Noble

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),  product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review.

 The books I review on this site ( A Soccer Mom's Book Blog) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. .This is a very common practice.  I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer

Published January 2, 2014 by Black Swan

The dead can't speak to us,' Professor Madoc had said.


That was a lie.


Because the body Patrick Fort is examining in anatomy class is trying to tell him all kinds of things.


Life is already strange enough for the obsessive Patrick without having to solve a possible murder. Especially when no one believes a crime has even taken place. Now he must stay out of danger long enough to unravel the mystery - while he dissects his own evidence.


But as Patrick learns one truth from a dead man, he discovers there have been many other lies rather closer to home...

My Thoughts…

Samuel Galen has come out of a coma and is making progress.    Patrick is working on Cadaver #19, which ends up being Samuel Galen.     Patrick becomes focused on finding out why his cadaver died and when his findings do not match up to the death certificate he feels the need to prove that there has been a murder.   

Patrick has been diagnosed with Aspergers, which makes his character more interesting.     Belinda Bauer obviously did her homework to find out what exactly that means to a person.   The way that Aspergers affects Patrick makes him sometimes seem rude or standoffish.   Yet, Patrick was not misunderstood.   He was able to make friends and live in the real world.   Sometimes he missed a joke or a slang that was used, but don’t we all miss those sometimes.    I really loved how he never gave up on what he knew had happened.   He did what was right and proved his points.

The story was written perfectly.   There was enough science behind all the findings to make it realistic yet it was written using terms that a non-scientific person would understand.      The attention to details pulled me right in and I could picture what was happening as I was reading.     The characters were well developed and easy to relate to. 

I definitely recommend checking out Rubberneck. 

Book Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads   |   Barnes and Noble

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC),  product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review.

 The books I review on this site ( A Soccer Mom's Book Blog) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. .This is a very common practice.  I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Loft (Memory House Collection #2) by Bette Lee Crosby

Published September 15, 2015 by Bent Pine Publishing

50 YEARS OF MEMORIES ARE HIDDEN IN THE WALLS OF THE LOFT…

Annie only needs to find one… the one that will save Oliver’s life.

On the day of their wedding, Annie saw nothing but happiness ahead, but when an accident calls her back to Memory House, her world is changed forever. Ophelia Browne, the woman who taught Annie to find the memories in a forgotten object, is leaving the house and she’s leaving all those powerful memories behind.

After only three nights in the loft, Annie must now find the single most meaningful memory in Oliver’s mind. If she finds it in time, she can save his life, if she doesn’t…well that’s something she can’t afford to think about.

Readers will welcome back the much-loved characters from Memory House and enjoy a few new friends! 

My Thoughts…

I did not read the first book in this series, but do not know that I really missed anything.   I mean that I feel like I understood this book, I got to know the characters and be invested in their well beings.    The way and Annie is able to find memories amazed me.   I was praying that she would find the memories she needed to find her happy ending.

This is a story of mystery, adoring love, and memories.    The mystery of what memory is needed for Annie and Oliver to find their happy ever after.   The love of Annie and Oliver, but also between Ophelia and Annie.    The memories of Ophelia’s husband and their love and of course Oliver’s memories.     I loved learning the history of all the characters.  In the finding of the memories of these characters they became more real, more relatable, and more enjoyable.  

I am anxious to read the next book in this series and see where these amazing characters continue to go.    I am sure there will be new characters introduces, old relationships visited, and new love being found.     If you are unsure of this book, don’t be.   Go get a copy now.   

Book Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads

Seaside Kisses (The Seaside Hunters #4) by Stacy Claflin

Published August 28, 2015

People change, but some feelings last forever.

Rafael Hunter never thought he’d return to Kittle Falls, but life gave him no other choice. Los Angeles chewed him up, spit him out, and sent him back to square one.

Amara Fowler has lived in the small beach town her entire life. She’s overcome her shyness to grow into the woman she always knew she could be, but she never forgot her secret crush. When the alluring Rafael returns, he can’t help but stir in her a whirlwind of old feelings.

They’ve both changed so much. Has life kept them incompatible or has it molded them into a matching set? 

My Thoughts…

Oh Stacy Claflin… You are AMAZING!     The Seaside Hunters series is phenomenal.     Each of the Hunter men are so hot, sexy, and wonderful!     With each book in the series I find my newest book crush.     Rafael is the newest.    

In Seaside Kisses two different as can be in high school students find each other again after they have grown up.    Amara has had a crush on Rafael since high school and that crush has never gone away.   When he opens a shop just down the street from Amara’s family candy store the feelings come rushing back.    I liked that they both were cautious.   Rafael due to a failed relationship and Amara due to herself consciousness.   They both felt the attraction, they both wanted to act on it, and they both were able to be adult enough not to let their actions get ahead of their feelings.    When the feelings finally took over, watch out.     I also loved that Amara was saving herself for marriage, while this wasn’t a huge part of the story it was mentioned.  

If you have not checked out this series you are missing out.    The Hunter men are not to be missed.   I definitely recommend checking out Seaside Kisses.   Each book in this series can be read as a stand-a-lone book but together they are even better. 

Book Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads