Happy Labor Day from BnK.com
Kimberly reviews When We Touch by Heather Graham
TITLE: When We Touch
SERIES #: Graham Clan #6
CHARACTERS: Maggie & Jamie
AUTHOR: Heather Graham
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/30/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Queen Victoria’s London is a teeming metropolis of pageantry, forbidden desire, and danger—especially in the East End, a hotbed of vice, witchcraft, and murder. What widow Lady Maggie Graham does there more than greases the rumor mill. When she agrees to wed the Viscount Langdon, there are those who would act upon their suspicions . . .
Experience has taught Lord Jamie well. He has seen his fair share of women behave inappropriately — enjoying risqué amusements in secret theatres, running about disguised in the seediest parts of the city — and then they call you vile names for coming to their rescue. And no woman is more shameless, more cunning, more intoxicating than Lady Maggie . . .
REVIEW:
This is a re-release from under the name Shannon Drake, series name Graham #6 from 2004.
As a fan of Heather Graham I picked up this book from NetGalley. I don’t read historicals very often any more but I was interested to read Graham’s work before she started writing more contemporary/paranormal (Krewe Of Hunters) stories .
I have to say it was good. But I am glad she went into the other genres.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Shadow Falling by Rebecca Zanetti
TITLE: Shadow Falling
SERIES #: Scorpius Syndrome #2
CHARACTERS: Vivienne & Raze
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/30/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her skills as a hunter of men had gone from merely brilliant to full-on uncanny. Her mysterious rescuer wants her to put them to the test. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.
If the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk.
And the way his arms wrap around Vinnie tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire . . .
REVIEW:
I received this book from Rebecca for a review after requesting from NetGalley and I am happy to have a copy to hang on to.
I am not a fan of post-apocalyptic novels but I will read anything that Rebecca writes and enjoy it.
Vinnie is infected and as much as she wants Raze doesn’t want to infect him so she tries to keep her distance. Tries being the key word. One of the things I enjoy about Rebecca’s books is the women always are strong and while they may fall for a guy they do not let him walk all over them. Raze is great. Totally all man but when it comes to Vinnie his soft side shows.
The story is well written and enjoyable. I would suggest reading book one so you can understand the world the characters are now living in.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Natasha reviews Seconds To Live by Melinda Leigh
TITLE: Seconds to Live
SERIES #: Scarlet Falls #3
CHARACTERS: Mac Barrett & Stella Dane
AUTHOR: Melinda Leigh
PUBLICATION DATE: June 28, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Wildlife biologist Mac Barrett avoided his hometown of Scarlet Falls for years—too many bad memories. But when he receives the news that his father is dying, he rushes home only to discover he’s too late. Shaken, Mac retreats to his remote cabin seeking peace and solace. Instead, he crashes his jeep to narrowly avoid running over the naked body of a woman lying in the road. Even more disturbing, when he regains consciousness, the body is gone.
Police detective Stella Dane wants to believe Mac, even if his story about the vanishing body seems far-fetched. But when Mac’s description matches the missing woman she’s been searching for, it raises a disturbing question: How does a dead body disappear?
Mac and Stella will have to work together to find the answer and catch a psychotic kidnapper—and quickly. The killer has a deadly message to send, and the case is about to become personal
REVIEW:
This is the third book in Leigh’s Scarlett Falls series. In my review of book 2 I desperately wanted to see more of Mac Barrett and I finally got it! Wow is he full of surprises! He is the most mysterious Barrett sibling and I really enjoyed his backstory, which is truly unexpected. He is a strong male character and was a perfect match for Stella. I enjoyed Stella a lot as a female character. There were times where her actions frustrated me a bit, but that is expected of any type of police mystery novel. There is one part of the novel that I’m still not sure what happened…I might have to do a re-read so I have a little clearer picture in my head. But overall these stories are super intriguing with twists and turns that keep you turning the pages. I truly enjoy them and Leigh’s ability to make her characters deeply interesting and realistic.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Montlake Romance in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
Kelly reviews Shadow Falling by Rebecca Zanetti
TITLE: Shadow Falling
SERIES #: The Scorpius Syndrome #2
CHARACTERS: Raze Shadow & Vivienne “Vinnie” Wellington
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: August 30, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her skills as a hunter of men had gone from merely brilliant to full-on uncanny. Her mysterious rescuer wants her to put them to the test. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.
If the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk.
And the way his arms wrap around Vinnie tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire .
REVIEW:
Shadow Falling is the second book in Mrs. Zanetti’s Scorpius Syndrome series. I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment. In SF we pick up shortly after the events of Mercury Striking (bk 1 *you need to read book 1 before this book) with Vinnie trying to find her place in this new world. Not an easy thing to do when you are not right in the head anymore. And you have a hulking babysitter that follows you around like a shadow.
Raze has been on a mission since the moment he stepped in to Vanguard’s territory. A mission that involves one Dr. Wellington. But the more that Raze spends with Vinnie the harder it gets for him to complete his mission.
As I said earlier I really enjoyed this book. I liked the twists and turns the book too. There were a few questions answered, a few problems solved but many many more just surfaced. I can’t wait to see what is next in this series and how everything will work out.
If you have not given this series a try and like post-apocalyptic stories you need to pick up a copy of Mercury Striking (and Shadow Falling. Oh and the novella found in On the Hunt) and get to reading. Until next time Vanguard!!!!
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
Kimberly reviews Run To You by Rachel Lacey
TITLE: Run To You
SERIES #: Risking It All #1
CHARACTERS: Gabby & Ethan
AUTHOR: Rachel Lacey
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/30/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
ONE LITTLE LIE. A WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE.
Moments after meeting the most gorgeous guy ever, Gabby Winters promptly gets stung by a zillion yellowjackets and falls-not gracefully-into a stream. Yup, Ethan Hunter is trouble with a capital “hot,” and Gabby definitely needs to keep her distance. Except in the small town of Haven, there’s nowhere to hide from Ethan’s sexy, infectious grin . . . and all the residents are conspiring against her.
At the center of the town’s matchmaking is Ethan’s grandmother, who’s convinced their relationship is a done deal. Rather than break her heart, Gabby and Ethan find themselves cornered into pretending to be falling in love. The problem: there’s serious sizzling attraction between them. And if this charade continues, they won’t fool just the entire town – they might fool themselves too . . .
REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a cute beach read. It is pretty predictable. Ethan and Gabby fake a romance to fool his grandmother before she passes away. However the pretend turns real.
The thing that makes this good are the characters. I really enjoyed Gabby. She is trying to come into her own after a bad relationship. She wants to learn to be on her own two feet about doesn’t realize that she already is. Ethan’s relationship with his grandmother is just so sweet. Dixie just steals your heart. She is the grandmother everyone want to have.
As I said it is a sweet story. A quick read that will keep your attention and yet is relaxing to just enjoy.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kelly reviews Quit Your Witchin’ by Dakota Cassidy
TITLE: Quit Your Witchin
SERIES #: Witchless in Seattle Mysteries #2
CHARACTERS: Stevie Cartwright, Belfry and Win
AUTHOR: Dakota Cassidy
NARRATOR: Hollie Jackson
RUN TIME: 6 Hours & 3 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE:
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
“Hands off, Sticky Fingers Louise. No touching evidence. You do remember how that went down the last time, don’t you? Think Montblanc pen and accusing someone unjustly.”
There’s been another murder in Ebenezer Falls, Washington State, and Stevie, Winterbottom, and Belfry are on the case…sort of! USA Today bestselling cozy mystery author Dakota Cassidy’s newest addition to the Witchless In Seattle Mysteries, Quit Your Witchin’ is a hilarious thrill ride of food trucks, suspects, and spirits for our intrepid spy-in-training. This whodunnit will keep you guessing from beginning to end!
Poor Tito the Taco Man…it’s “nacho” lucky day…
Yo quiero taco man!
Hello again! It’s me, Stevie Cartwright, ex-witch and new Madam Zoltar! I was fresh off the murder-suspect list and just settling into MZ’s psychic medium shoes-with the help of my bat familiar Belfry and spirit spy Win-when another death rocked sleepy little Ebenezer Falls, Washington State.
Tito Bustamante, my beloved purveyor of mouth-watering Mexican munchies, has been found dead in the food truck court! Rumor has it Tito was stickin’ his chimichanga where it didn’t belong, and my gut-not to mention his less-than-natural death-says murder.
No one is above suspicion. Not Tito’s own wife and daughter, not his arch food truck enemy Jacob…certainly not the son Tito didn’t know about, newly arrived in Ebenezer Falls and getting cozy with my hired help.
Do join me (and try not to point and laugh) as I juggle catching a killer with the home renovations from hell, snooping for clues about Win’s previous life, gabbing with and eavesdropping on the locals, and enduring a visit from my very unwelcome, very annoyingly gorgeous ex-coven leader-all while continuing to adjust to my new witchless existence!
This cozy mystery has a complete cast of oddball characters from witches to ghosts and bats to psychics. Witchless In Seattle Mysteries is a spin-off of Dakota Cassidy’s bestselling paranormal romance series, A Paris, Texas Romance.”
REVIEW:
Quit Your Witchin is the second book in Ms. Cassidy’s new Witchless in Seattle Mysteries series. I enjoyed this book just as much as book one if not more. In QYW we get to learn more about Stevie and Win. My heart broke at the very end of this story. I am anxious to see how Ms. Cassidy solves this mystery. I am very much looking forward to the next installment in this series. But I am getting ahead of myself here. In QYW Stevie, Win & Belfry find themselves yet again in the middle of a murder investigation. I love that Stevie is so determine. Even if at times she is completely careless. But with Win on her side and Belfry in her corner I am not sure that there is anything that Stevie can’t handle.
Again Ms. Jackson brings to life Ms. Cassidy’s characters. And Win… oh my goodness Ms. Jackson does Win’s voice so very very nicely. 🙂
Can’t wait to jump into the next installment in this series. Have you checked out Stevie, her familiar Belfry and her smexy ghostly British Spy Guy? You should. Go pick up a copy of Witch Slapped and see how this ex-witch handles being non-magical for the first time in her life.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tantor Audio in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
#TBT Kimberly reviews Pelican Point by Donna Kauffman ~ Catch Up From The Beginning
TITLE: Pelican Point
SERIES #: Bachelors of Blueberry Cove #1
CHARACTERS: Alex & Logan
AUTHOR: Donna Kauffman
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/29/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Blueberry Cove, Maine, is as small-town as small towns get. More than a little quirky, it has sheltered generations of families. But there’s always room for a new face…
Fixing things has always been Alex McFarland’s greatest gift and keenest pleasure. But with her own life thoroughly broken, she’s signed on to renovate the dilapidated Pelican Point lighthouse, hoping to reconnect with herself. The last thing she expects is to find herself falling in love–with the glorious coastline, with age-old secrets and welcome-home smiles…with rugged Logan McCrae, the man she just might be able to build new hopes on.
DIY is so much better with two…
REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts This story is so poignant. It is about loss and overcoming it. It is about love and being willing to find it and it is about home and realizing when you are in it.
I loved this story. The characters clicked immediately. There is something about Logan that makes the reader love him. He is the strong but silent type and yet he knows who he is and is not afraid to show it. Alex is someone who you would want to be friends with. Someone you would want to make be your friend because you know once she is you know you will have a friend for life.
I enjoy all of Kauffman’s work but something about this book is just plain special. I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Natasha reviews The Care and Feeding of Your Captive Earl by Kate McKinley
TITLE: The Care and Feeding of Your Captive Earl
SERIES #: What Happens in Scotland #3
CHARACTERS: Miss Gwendolyn Wilbraham & Earl of Hastings, Matthias Hart
AUTHOR: Kate McKinley
PUBLICATION DATE: July 18, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A Lady’s Rules of Etiquette When Kidnapping a Gentleman:
1. A lady must obtain a small vial of laudanum and a sturdy length of rope.
2. Once subdued, the gentleman should be bound securely.
3. At no point should the lady leave a sharp implement within the gentleman’s reach.
4. Should rule #3 be neglected, the lady must prepare for things to go dreadfully wrong.
5. In such a case, a lady must keep her countenance and under no circumstances should she submit to his charms and surrender her heart…
Miss Gwendolyn Wilbraham is far more skilled at needlework than she is at kidnapping. But when her best friend begs her to distract the new Earl of Hastings, she reluctantly agrees. Regrettably, the earl is just as clever as he is handsome and before long, he is free of his restraints and not at all pleased…
As one of London’s most notorious rogues, Matthias Hart often finds himself in curious situations. Though he has never woken up drugged, bound, and hidden away in a remote Scottish cottage. Normally, he would welcome such a diversion, but his beautiful captor is young, witty and all-too-innocent. When he finally frees himself, all he wants is revenge and her complete surrender…
REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the first book I have read of Kate McKinley’s and I have already downloaded more. This story is the third installment of McKinley’s What Happens in Scotland series; book one is How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days and book two is So I Married a Highlander. I did not realize this book was a part of a series when I started it and would recommend reading the first two installments first so you get the background information that is a big part of this book. Though the story can hold its own as a standalone I would have really liked more information about all of the other things happening in the background of this story that are the focus of the first two books – so I have downloaded those two books to read next.
I really enjoyed the characters McKinley wrote. There are many of them and they are all intriguing and stubborn with so much personality. No one is left behind and I cannot wait to read the other books that no doubt go deeper into these characters and their histories. I read a few chapters of this book a night and was pacing myself as the story began to unfold. However, today it really just picked up the pace and I could not put it down until I finished it. Gwen is a great character that is relatable and strong. Matthias is of course flawed but so dang lovable. My heart was full of all the feels with their relationship dynamics. It is scary going into a historical romance in which you are unfamiliar with the author, but this proved to be successful. I am a new fan of Kate McKinley and will continue to follow her work.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
#TBT Kimberly’s review of Nobody’s Angel by Stacy Gail ~ Catch Up From The Beginning
TITLE: Nobody’s Angel
SERIES #: Earth Angels #1
CHARACTERS: Kendall & Zeke
AUTHOR: Stacy Gail
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/21/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Investigative journalist Kendall Glynn is horrified when a friend and colleague signs off permanently during a live newscast, jabbing a pen into his jugular. Kendall’s no expert, but judging by the strange white veil in the anchorman’s eyes, she would swear he was a man possessed.
A descendant of the accursed Nephilim, Zeke Reece prowls San Francisco by night, keeping the city free from paranormal phenomena. But even he is no match for whatever malevolent force is behind a recent rash of murder-suicides. And when a beautiful tenacious reporter becomes the next target, Zeke has no choice but to stay close to her, until he can find the evil spirit and cross it over.
The closer Kendall gets to the truth, the more danger she’s in. Fortunately, a sexy and mysterious masked stranger keeps swooping in to the rescue. Kendall’s life depends on finding who or what is responsible for the killings, before it finds her.
REVIEW:
I was not sure what to expect from this book but I really enjoyed it. It is a short read of about 100 pages but worth every word. The book had a feel of Supernatural (the show) and Batman (or another masked hero). I enjoyed the relationship between the two characters and would have enjoyed even more about them. While it is a short story I would have loved a bit more.
I also enjoyed the fact that Zeke is something different but he is not comfortable with it. I liked how Kendall was not willing to back down either. In all honesty I just enjoyed the book in general. It is a great story and I can not wait to read the next one.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kelly reviews Where The Wild Things Bite by Molly Harper
TITLE: Where the Wild Things Bite
SERIES #: Half Moon Hollow #5
CHARACTERS: Anna Winthrop & Finn Palmeroy
AUTHOR: Molly Harper
NARRATOR: Amanda Ronconi
RUN TIME: 7 Hours & 14 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: July 26, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Delivering a rare book to a valued customer is definitely part of mild-mannered archivist Anna Winthrop’s job description. You know what isn’t? Protecting her precious cargo from mid-flight theft by the very pilot who is flying her to Half-Moon Hollow…while trying to appear as unappetizing as possible to the only other passenger, a vampire. Undead bookstore owner Jane Jameson could be waiting a very long time for her book. Possibly forever.
Fortunately, Anna’s dashing fanged companion Finn Palmeroy helps her fend off the attack, but not before their plane crash lands in the forest hundreds of miles from civilization. Great, now she’s stranded with a priceless tome and a rakish vampire whose bedtime is fast approaching. Why does everyone want this book so badly, anyway? Anna just wants to get it to Jane before Finn decides to turn her into dinner-or sweep her off her feet. Okay, the second option is really tempting. But they’re not out of the woods yet.
REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts As always I am blown away by Ms. Harper’s ability to write a story that makes me fall in love with her writing, her characters and the world she has created all over again.
Where The Wild Things Bite we get to meet up Finn Palmeroy again. If you may have recalled in The Single Undead Moms Club I wanted badly to stab Finn with a fork. I disliked him greatly. But in WTWTB Finn redeems himself….. Kinda. I mean I guess he does. Or does he? Anna is great. I love her knowledge of so many random facts about surviving in the wilderness. She is one tough cookie and she puts up with Finn. I hope that we will see more of Anna & Finn in future stories. I can’t wait to see what/who is next in Half-Moon Hollow.
As always I let the amazingly talented Amanda Ronconi read this story to me. I absolutely love Amanda ability to bringing Molly’s characters to life for me. And it is always fun when you are in the car and you are laughing so hard that the people next to you look at you like your are crazy. I look forward to our next audio meeting Ms. Ronconi!!!
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. I also purchased an audio copy of this book from Audible.com. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
#TBT Kimberly’s review of The Best Man by Kristan Higgins ~ Catch Up From The Beginning
TITLE: The Best Man
SERIES #: Blue Heron #1
CHARACTERS: Faith & Levi
AUTHOR: Kristan Higgins
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/26/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there’s some great scenery there….
Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief-and best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it’s not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she’s having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosÉ, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk…
REVIEW:
This was a great story. I enjoyed the story very much. The character of Faith is so funny. She is snide, sarcastic, quick witted and really just an enjoyable character. Levi is a little brooding for me but I still liked him.
I enjoyed the background characters probably as much as the main characters. I liked how the story was not started and finished in a matter of a couple months. Their story started back in elementary school in a way and has taken twenty years to progress. I also liked that even when Faith comes back to town it is not “love at second sight”.
As I said I liked Faith (mostly). I liked how she was strong willed and had such a great sense of humor. I didn’t like how naive she seemed to be. Seemed like she was so easily deceived or maybe it was just that she was oblivious to the obvious. And Levi, well again as I said he was a little too brooding for me. He is a diamond in the rough type of guy and while I liked him I would not put him as one of my favorites of all time.
It is actually hard to tell you about the story without telling you some of the surprises of the story so I won’t. But I do think if you enjoy romance novels this is certainly one to read. I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
* The bathroom scene alone is worth reading this book for. I was laughing so hard!