Kimberly

May 24, 2016May 15, 2016

Kelly reviews All The Pretty Faces by Rita Herron

TITLE: All The Pretty Faces
SERIES #: Graveyard Falls #2
CHARACTERS: Dane Hamrick & Josie DuKane
AUTHOR: Rita Herron
PUBLICATION DATE: March 29, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Josie DuKane is on shaky ground. Having narrowly escaped the notorious Bride Killer, she penned a tell-all memoir that dug up a town’s dark past. Now the book is being made into a movie, and Josie must visit the very place that will trigger an avalanche of unwanted memories—Graveyard Falls. On the heels of her arrival, she receives a gruesome photograph of a dead woman with talon marks carved into her face. And worse, Josie just might be the next victim.

Torn between guilt, justice, and revenge, Special Agent Dane Hamrick will do anything to find the man who brutally murdered his sister. When he realizes the recent tragedies in Graveyard Falls bear an uncanny resemblance to her death, he volunteers to spearhead the investigation. But doing so means teaming up with Josie.

Nothing prepares him for the feelings the beautiful, tough woman evokes. As the body count rises and the suspect pool widens, Josie and Dane must put aside their growing attraction to run down the killer who devastated both their lives.

A killer who seems determined to destroy all the pretty faces.

REVIEW:
Oh man!!! All the Pretty Faces is an excellent follow up to Ms. Herron’s All the Beautiful Brides. We met Dane & Josie in book one.
****This might be a spoiler, so if you have not read book 1 and don’t want to know stop here****

Josie was the lone survivor of the Bride Killer. To cope with this she wrote a story to tell about the events that happened. Now she is back in Graveyard Falls getting ready for her book to be turned into a movie. But there are many in town that don’t want Josie there or want the stories to be retold. But how far is someone willing to go to make her leave? Is someone willing to start killing just to stop a movie?

I really enjoyed this book. I loved how the past gets all tangled up in the present and how we left guessing who is who and why they did what they did.

I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series.

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.

May 23, 2016May 15, 2016

Kelly reviews City Of Mirrors by Justin Cronin

TITLE: City of Mirrors
SERIES #: The Passage #3
CHARACTERS: Amy, Peter, Alicia and the survives of First Colony
AUTHOR: Justin Cronin
PUBLICATION DATE: May 24, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In “The Passage” and “The Twelve”, Justin Cronin brilliantly imagined the fall of civilization and humanity’s desperate fight to survive. Now all is quiet on the horizon but does silence promise the nightmare’s end or the second coming of unspeakable darkness? At last, this bestselling epic races to its breathtaking finale.

“The world we knew is gone. What world will rise in its place?”

The Twelve have been destroyed and the hundred-year reign of darkness that descended upon the world has ended. The survivors are stepping outside their walls, determined to build society anew and daring to dream of a hopeful future.

But far from them, in a dead metropolis, he waits: Zero. The First. Father of the Twelve. The anguish that shattered his human life haunts him, and the hatred spawned by his transformation burns bright. His fury will be quenched only when he destroys Amy – humanity’s only hope, the Girl from Nowhere who grew up to rise against him.

One last time light and dark will clash, and at last Amy and her friends will know their fate.

REVIEW:
What a way to end a trilogy.
The Passage trilogy has been such an emotional journey for me. I have loved every page of this series.
If you have not read The Passage (bk1) and The Twelve (bk2) you have to read this series in order.
The City of Mirrors picks up three years after the events of The Twelve. We finally learn what happened to Amy. We get to see Peter in the role of leader. Michael finally figures out what his role is in the world. Alicia will break your heart. Sara and Hollis will find strength in each other. We have to prepare for a showdown that could cost the world everything.
I had a hard time writing this review without giving up anything. But Mr. Cornin took us on a crazy emotional journey that made me tear up multiple times. I was not sure what I was expecting with the final book in this series but there were a lot of twists and turns that I did not expect.
If you are new to this series start at book one! If you are a fan already hold onto your hat because the end is here.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

May 20, 2016May 16, 2016

Kimberly reviews Little Bones by Sam Blake

TITLE: Little Bones
CHARACTERS: Cat & Zoe
AUTHOR: Sam Blake
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/17/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
For fans of Alex Barclay and Niamh O’Connor, Little Bones introduces Cathy Connolly, a bright young heroine set to take the world of crime fiction by storm.

Twenty-four-year-old Garda Cathy Connolly might be a fearless kick-boxing champion but when she discovers a baby’s bones concealed in the hem of a wedding dress, the case becomes personal.

For artist Zoe Grant, the bones are another mysterious twist in her mother’s disappearance. Then her grandmother, head of the Grant Valentine department store empire is found dead, and a trail of secrets is uncovered that threatens to shake a dynasty.

In a story that moves from London’s East End to the Las Vegas mafia, one thing is certain – for Cat, life will never be the same again.

REVIEW:
What an interesting story. When a baby’s bones are found in a wedding dress hem the mystery really takes off. Cat is a great character. She has issues but don’t we all. Her issues just add to her character. I enjoyed her with the partner Dawson but it is really Cat that holds the book for me.

All of the characters in the story are interesting. I will say it was hard for me to keep them straight for a little while but once I kept reading it got much easier for me.

I really hope this story is the first in the series. I haven’t heard anything one way or the other but the story leaves us with a bit of a cliffhanger so I really look forward to continuing on.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

May 19, 2016May 15, 2016

#TBT Kimberly’s review of Beside A Dreamswept Sea by Vicki Hinze – Catch Up From The Beginning

Beside A Dreamswept Sea
AUTHOR: Vicki Hinze
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/23/11
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Welcome to the third book of The Seascape Trilogy, three mystical romance-mystery novels by bestselling author Vicki Hinze.
New love isn’t on the agenda for widower Bryce Richards, who comes to the peaceful Seascape Inn with his three children, hoping the ethereal setting will help them recover from the death of their mother. Likewise, fellow inn guest Callie isn’t looking for romance either; she’s recovering from an emotionally abusive marriage. It will take all the matchmaking skills of innkeeper Hattie Stillman and her ghostly assistant to bring Bryce and Cally together.

REVIEW:
Once again visiting the Seascape Inn was just as delightful and moving as with the rest of the trilogy. The Seascape Inn is a magical and healing inn that makes you long to visit. This should be in the category of a timeless romance. Everyone should read this trilogy at some point in their lives.

This story as with the others of the trilogy read like a movie. You feel taken into another world and it consumes you when you read it. I wish these books would be made into a movie for The Lifetime Channel or something. As with the other books I sit here trying to describe the book but it is more than a read it is a feeling and it is hard to describe the feeling I get from this book. I think everyone who loves romances should read this book/trilogy. This trilogy will be the one that stays with you forever and will become the first book you recommend when someone asks for a new author. So many of the stories now are about sex but these stories are about love and romance… true romance. The romance of people and a place. These books are perfectly written and I wish they would have gone on forever. It is sad to know this is the last of the Seascape Inn and I hope the author changes her mind and writes more now that these have been reissued.

May 18, 2016May 15, 2016

Kimberly reviews Spare Me The Truth by CJ Carver

TITLE: Spare Me The Truth
CHARACTERS: Dan, Grace & Lucy
AUTHOR: CJ Carver
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/07/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Dan Forrester, piecing his life back together after the tragic death of his son, is approached in a supermarket by a woman who tells him everything he remembers about his life – and his son – is a lie.

Grace Reavey, stricken by grief, is accosted at her mother’s funeral. The threat is simple: pay the staggering sum her mother allegedly owed, or lose everything.

Lucy Davies has been forced from the Met by her own maverick behaviour. Desperate to prove herself in her new rural post, she’s on the hunt for a killer – but this is no small town criminal.

Plunged into a conspiracy that will test each of them to their limits, these three strangers are brought together in their hunt for the truth, whatever it costs. And as their respective investigations become further and further entwined, it becomes clear that at the centre of this tangled web is a threat more explosive than any of them could have imagined.

REVIEW:
This is a very well written story with a lot of intrigue and twists. The characters are interesting but I have to say that sometimes I got a bit confused over who was who and what was what.

This thriller made me think. Would anyone want to erase their memories just because they are bad? I can actually see this book becoming a tv series or at least a made for tv movie.

It did take a bit to get into it and at first I wondered if it would be worth the read but in the end I believe it is if you are interested in thrillers with a bit of a science fiction feel.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

May 17, 2016May 16, 2016

Kimberly reviews Beyond The Ice Limit by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

TITLE: Beyond The Ice Limit
SERIES #: Gideon Crew #4
CHARACTERS: Gideon & Glinn
AUTHOR: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/17/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
BEYOND THE ICE LIMIT
That thing is growing again. We must destroy it. The time to act is now…
With these words begins Gideon Crew’s latest, most dangerous, most high-stakes assignment yet. Failure will mean nothing short of the end of humankind on earth.
Five years ago, the mysterious and inscrutable head of Effective Engineering Solutions, Eli Glinn, led a mission to recover a gigantic meteorite–the largest ever discovered–from a remote island off the coast of South America. The mission ended in disaster when their ship, the Rolvaag, foundered in a vicious storm in the Antarctic waters and broke apart, sinking-along with its unique cargo-to the ocean floor. One hundred and eight crew members perished, and Eli Glinn was left paralyzed.
But this was not all. The tragedy revealed something truly terrifying: the meteorite they tried to retrieve was not, in fact, simply a rock. Instead, it was a complex organism from the deep reaches of space.
Now, that organism has implanted itself in the sea bed two miles below the surface-and it is growing. If it is not destroyed, the planet will be doomed. There is only one hope: for Glinn and his team to annihilate it, a task which requires Gideon’s expertise with nuclear weapons. But as Gideon and his colleagues soon discover, the “meteorite” has a mind of its own-and it has no intention of going quietly…

REVIEW:
Yea! It is about time! The sequel to The Ice Limit.

I am not a huge fan of double author books but Preston & Child is one of my exceptions. There is something about the way that Preston and Child write together that flows freely and gets your attention from word one. There are some times that the book was slow and I just kept with it since I know that P&C will make it all worth it. There were also some things that were predictable but honestly I am not sure if it was predictable because of the story or because I have read enough P&C books to know how they think (oh that is a scary thought).

I will say that, yes, it can be read as a stand alone but The Ice Limit is a great book so pick it up before you read this one. You won’t be disappointed.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

May 16, 2016May 15, 2016

Kelly reviews Dark Alpha’s Demand by Donna Grant

TITLE: Dark Alpha’s Demand
SERIES #: Reapers #3
CHARACTERS: Talin & Neve
AUTHOR: Donna Grant
PUBLICATION DATE: May 17, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I am coming for you…
My secret is an ancient one. I exist to exact vengeance on the Fae for their wrongs per Death’s orders. When I’m sent as a spy to one of the most treacherous, deceitful places in any realm – the court of the Light Queen – things go awry. Neve captured my soul with just a look from her seductive gaze. She is who I want, who I crave…who I hunger for. But someone has set out to kill her – and expose me. I’ll destroy any man – human or Fae – who brings harm to her, for she is the light my soul can’t risk losing.

REVIEW:
And the plot thickens!!! I really enjoyed this story. With each Reaper book we are drawn more and more into the world of Reapers, Fae and the Dragon Kings. I truly love how closely related these two series are. I am wondering with 4 more Reaper books to come and at least 4 more Dragon King’s books how are these to fractions going to work together to stop the Dark. Crap….. I might have said too much.

Talin and Neve’s story was great. I think so far this is my favorite book in the Reaper’s series. It was awesome to see Bran finally rattled. But the events at the end of Dark Alpha’s Demand broke my heart.

I can’t wait to see what and who is next in this series. I can’t wait to see how the Reapers and the Kings finally realize that they need each other. And Rhi, of course I can’t wait to see what is next for our favorite Light Fae.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press
in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

May 13, 2016May 8, 2016

Kimberly reviews Extreme Prey by John Sandford

TITLE: Extreme Prey
SERIES #: Lucas Davenport #26
CHARACTERS: Lucas Davenport
AUTHOR: John Sandford
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/26/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The extraordinary new Lucas Davenport thriller from #1 New York Times–bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner John Sandford.

After the events in Gathering Prey, Lucas Davenport finds himself in a very unusual situation—no longer employed by the Minnesota BCA. His friend the governor is just cranking up a presidential campaign, though, and he invites Lucas to come along as part of his campaign staff. “Should be fun!” he says, and it kind of is—until they find they have a shadow: an armed man intent on killing the governor . . . and anyone who gets in the way.

REVIEW:
Davenport is back! And after 25 other books I was thrilled to see it. Let me say there have been a lot of other books and I really don’t think you should read this as a stand alone.

This time Davenport is not working so now he has time to help out a friend who wants to figure out who is trying to kill him.

This is a little ripped from the headlines kind of story. Well not exactly but close. With the political climate going on right now it feels like it. But it is enjoyable just hope it doesn’t come to fruition.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

May 12, 2016May 8, 2016

Kelly reviews The Passage by Justin Cronin

TITLE: The Passage
SERIES #: The Passage #1
CHARACTERS: Amy, Wolgast and the people of First Colony
AUTHOR: Justin Cronin
PUBLICATION DATE: June 8, 2010
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
An epic and gripping tale of catastrophe and survival, The Passage is the story of Amy—abandoned by her mother at the age of six, pursued and then imprisoned by the shadowy figures behind a government experiment of apocalyptic proportions. But Special Agent Brad Wolgast, the lawman sent to track her down, is disarmed by the curiously quiet girl and risks everything to save her. As the experiment goes nightmarishly wrong, Wolgast secures her escape—but he can’t stop society’s collapse. And as Amy walks alone, across miles and decades, into a future dark with violence and despair, she is filled with the mysterious and terrifying knowledge that only she has the power to save the ruined world.

REVIEW:
This was my second read/listen of The Passage. With book 3 City of Mirrors upon us (May 2016) a reread was very necessary.
The Passage is one of my all time favorite books and one I would recommend to everyone. When I first picked up this story I was all about the HEA and didn’t read anything that didn’t have a HEA. The Passage and Mr. Cronin showed me that not every story can have a HEA. Sometimes life gets in the way and tests you at every turn.

It is safe to say that I love this book just as much the second time around as I did the 1st time. Amy, Peter, Alicia, Sara, Michael and Hollis are some of my most favorite characters ever. You root for them on every page.

I don’t want to go into to many details about this story because I want you to experience for yourself. But The Passage is an epic journey of the post apocalyptic world and the humans that are bound and determined to survive it.

If you have not read this story yet. You really need to read it. Trust me!!!

Disclaimer:
I purchased this book and audiobook (from Audible/Amazon) and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

May 11, 2016May 8, 2016

Kimberly reviews Cin Wikkid by Mary Hughes

TITLE: Cin Wikkid
CHARACTERS: Cin & Rafe
AUTHOR: Mary Hughes
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/18/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
THE WRONGED DAUGHTER
Cinderella hungers to escape from under Widow Wikkid’s grinding thumb. But to snare a plum job at Prince Industries, Cin desperately needs her degree, and she can’t wrap her mind around tax accounting.
Then scarred but sexy Rafe Montoya ignites her imagination with his brilliant tutoring—and, as they work together in his cozy apartment, he sets her body on fire. So why is he pushing her to attend Gideon Prince’s marriage-mart ball?

THE HANDSOME PRINCE
Rafe is really Gideon Prince, head of Prince Industries. He must name his bride by his April first birthday or suffer the loss of his family fortune. Rumors say he’s still single because women love his money and looks, not him. Is he lonely or just another duplicitous tycoon?

THE GLASS SLIPPER TEST
Hopefuls flock to Prince’s birthday ball, but only one will emerge triumphant. Only the woman who’s kind, wise, and generous will win his heart. Is it Cin, or will her stepmother, as she always does, snatch the prize for her own daughters?
And on the night of the ball, when Cin discovers Rafe’s true identity, can she even accept his final test?

REVIEW:
This is a modern spin on an old fairy tale. Oh come on you knew that. But this is not your childs fairy tale. This is for adults and it is a fun read for any fan of romance novels.

Cin Wikkid is a quick read but enjoyable. I thought Cin was sweet and yet a strong woman who knows the way she was raised and is not afraid to be that woman. Pick it up. You won’t regret it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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May 10, 2016May 8, 2016

Kelly reviews Tangled by Kate Douglas

TITLE: Tangled
SERIES #: An Intimate Relations Short Story
CHARACTERS: Nate & Cassie
AUTHOR: Kate Douglas
PUBLICATION DATE: May 3, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Nate shows up to work at Tangled Vineyards ready to do what he loves best—craft award-winning wines. But when something better comes in the form of Cassie, the winemaker and former owner, Nate is completely love-drunk. Getting involved with Tangled’s mixologist is a bad way to start off a new job, but with Cassie as a temptation, Nate doesn’t stand a chance.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts Tangled is the prequel to Ms. Douglas Intimate Relations trilogy and was previously published in the anthology Hot Alphas.

I enjoyed this novella. It was a very quick read and the storyline was very quick. But it was a good little story and a great introduction to the Intimate Relations series. Nate and Cassie are great. I would have loved for the story to be a little longer. But that is my feeling after all novellas.

I did read Tangled after reading the first two books. I didn’t feel lost or that I was reading out of order. Tangled can easily stand on it own.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

May 9, 2016May 8, 2016

Kimberly reviews Best Of My Love by Susan Mallery

TITLE: Best Of My Love
SERIES #: Fool’s Gold #20
CHARACTERS: Shelby & Aidan
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/26/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
An irresistible new love story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool’s Gold series, set in a town Library Journal calls “so appealing, readers will want to start scoping out real estate.”

To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes on the hunt for a friend—a male friend—to convince her stubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool’s Gold will the petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her?

Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the “adventure” in Mitchell Adventure Tours…and into the beds of his many willing female tourists. Until he realizes he’s inadvertently become that guy—the one-night Casanova—and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe Shelby’s boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect.

As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool’s Gold rumor mill. If no one will believe they’re just friends, maybe they should give the gossips something to really talk about!

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Another wonderful visit to my favorite fictional town in the world, Fool’s Gold. I have visited Fool’s Gold 20 times now and never tire of the people, the history, or the romance. Thank you Susan Mallery for making this town my special place even if it is just in my mind… and heart.

This visit was all about watching Shelby and Aidan fall in love… but more than that we watched them grow. Shelby has seen and felt what no child ever should and her trust issues are nil but being the strong woman she is she decides its time to learn to trust men. And that is where Aidan comes in. He is a player. But he only plays with women who will leave town but when one comes back for a second round and he can’t remember her. Well he realizes just exactly what he has become. And in walks Shelby with a proposition he can’t say no to.

Most of the time I seem to fall in love with the men in Fool’s Gold but this time I think I might have a girl crush. Shelby is just perfect in her imperfection. She is so strong and yet as sweet as the desserts she makes. To find the courage to even walk to Aidan made me love her but to watch her grow so much and have so many light bulb moments during her experiment was amazing. Yes Aidan grew too. He learned about himself and, as they say, got in touch with his feminine side but Shelby is the one who made me fall in love with this story.

As a fan of Fool’s Gold I have watched the women of the town come to the house of each broken hearted woman and wish I could join them for margaritas but this story had a bit of a different ending that had me “awwwing” out loud and smiling ear to ear.

Susan Mallery, my message to you is never stop writing about Fool’s Gold. We would be heartbroken.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.