The Wife by Alafair Burke ~ Review

Title: The Wife
Author: Alafair Burke
Genre: Adult, Thriller
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: January 23, 2018
Source: Amazon Vine
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

His scandal. Her secret.

When Angela met Jason Powell while catering a dinner party in East Hampton, she assumed their romance would be a short-lived fling, like so many relationships between locals and summer visitors. To her surprise, Jason, a brilliant economics professor at NYU, had other plans, and they married the following summer. For Angela, the marriage turned out to be a chance to reboot her life. She and her son were finally able to move out of her mother’s home to Manhattan, where no one knew about her tragic past.

Six years later, thanks to a bestselling book and a growing media career, Jason has become a cultural lightning rod, placing Angela near the spotlight she worked so carefully to avoid. When a college intern makes an accusation against Jason, and another woman, Kerry Lynch, comes forward with an even more troubling allegation, their perfect life begins to unravel. Jason insists he is innocent, and Angela believes him. But when Kerry disappears, Angela is forced to take a closer look at the man she married. And when she is asked to defend Jason in court, she realizes that her loyalty to her husband could unearth old secrets.

**********

Holy cow! The Wife was a mind-blowing story. I didn't see any of it coming, and I loved each and every little or big surprise. Angela has a dark past that she has never really recovered from, preferring to stay behind the scenes and not take part in the spotlight of her husband's amazingly successful career. But when women make accusations against him for sexual harassment, Angela sees her life starting to fall apart.

But when these women disappear, Angela is forced even closer to the spotlight she has been trying to avoid. And here's where things get really really interesting. I had a least a dozen "say what?" moments that just led to yet another one. Nothing turned out the way I expected, but all made perfect sense in the end.

There were some moments in the story that really dragged though. I'm still not sure if they were just lying more groundwork or just in there to take up a little space and spread out the story a little. I feel like if I read this book a second, third, fourth time, that I'd see more and more every time. That's how deep things are layered, and maybe there is more hidden in the dragging scenes than I gave them credit for.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

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Amid Wind & Stone by Nicole Luiken ~ Review

Title: Amid Wind & Stone (Otherselves #2)
Author: Nicole Luiken
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Length: 410 pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release: March 7, 2016
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Behind the mirror lies your otherself...

There is one True World, and then there are the four Mirror Worlds: Fire, Water, Air, and Stone.

Audrey and Dorotea are “ otherselves”—twin copies of each other who live on different Mirror Worlds.

On Air, Audrey has the ability to communicate with wind spirits. As war looms, she’s torn between loyalty to her country and her feelings for a roguish phantom who may be a dangerous spy.

Blackouts and earthquakes threaten the few remaining humans on Stone, who have been forced to live underground. To save her injured sister, Dorotea breaks taboo and releases an imprisoned gargoyle. Brooding, sensitive Jasper makes her wonder if gargoyles are truly traitors, as she’s always been told.

Unbeknownst to them, they both face the same enemy—an evil sorceress bent on shattering all the Mirror Worlds.

**********

I really enjoyed learning more about the Air and Stone worlds. Each has their own particular weaknesses and strengths. And each Otherself is the same in so many ways, but also shaped by their unique environment into a unique person. The battle to save the Mirror Worlds is heating up, with Qeturah trying to sabotage the worlds for her own gain.

Air and Stone world really stood out to me. The fun steam-punk feeling of air with their dirigibles and technology, with the very almost sci-fi/fantasy feel of Stone with gargoyles and a more dystopian culture. As each Otherself meets their mate - in unexpected forms - I began to see the pattern. A pattern that was familiar without being repetitive.

I would have liked to see a little more from Fire and Water, but they just didn't have as large a part in this one. I'm curious to see how the game Qeturah is playing ends up. The powers of the Mirror Worlds are beginning to align against her.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

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Through Fire & Sea by Nicole Luiken ~ Review

Title: Through Fire & Sea (Otherselves #1)
Author: Nicole Luiken
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Length: 354 pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: May 5th, 2015
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Mirror mirror, hear my call…

In the Fire world, seventeen-year-old Leah is the illegitimate daughter of one of the realm's most powerful lords. She's hot-blooded—able to communicate with the tempestuous volcano gods that either bless a civilization or destroy it. But then Leah discovers she's a Caller, gifted with the unique—and dangerous—ability to “call” her Otherselves in mirror worlds. And her father will do anything to use her powers for his own purposes.

In the Water world, Holly nearly drowns when she sees—and interacts with—Leah, a mirror image of herself. She’s rescued by Ryan, a boy from school with a secret he’d die to protect. Little do they know, his Otherself is the son of a powerful volcano god at war in the Fire world…and he’s about to fall.

As Leah and Holly's lives intersect, the Fire and Water worlds descend into darkness. The only way to protect the mirror worlds is to break every rule they've ever known. If they don’t, the evil seeping through the mirrors will destroy everything—and everyone—they love…

**********

This is the start of a binge-worthy series. There isn't just one world, there are several. And the reflections in the mirror, ice, and water connect them all. Within each world, there are a few people able to pass through the reflection to the others. Leah is one of these people, and her ability to connect with her Otherselves in the mirror worlds makes her a powerful force.

I loved how the mirror worlds interacted with each other, with small overlaps and similarities, but also huge differences. I got to really experience Fire and Water, and catch glimpses of Air and Stone, and they all seem fascinating. 

But, of course, the worlds are in danger as someone is out to destroy them all, throw off the balance, and I'm not sure what happens after that. I can't wait to find out though. With rich characters, several incredibly detailed worlds, and a plot line that is super crazy awesome, this seems to be a binge-read-worthy series. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

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A Love for Leah by Amy Lillard ~ Review

Title: A Love for Leah (Amish of Pontotoc #2)
Author: Amy Lillard
Genre: Adult, Inspirational Romance, Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra
Release Date: July 31, 2018
Source: Amazon Vine
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

For the Amish of Pontotoc, Mississippi, faith can open minds—and hearts—to create surprising bonds for a lifetime . . .

Independent-minded Leah Gingerich has always been outspoken. And even though she is now a progressive Mennonite, she's rediscovering the joys of family traditions back in her Amish hometown. Yet she can't help but clash with her handsome new Amish neighbor, Jamie Stoltzfus. He's too hard-headed and old-line to see that his traumatized young nephew, Peter, needs faith and help—or that a woman who stands up to him may be what he needs to heal . . .

After a devastating tragedy, Jamie moved to Pontotoc with his nephew for a fresh start. Holding fast to his beliefs is the only way he feels he can aid Peter—and himself. But somehow, Leah's freethinking ways and feisty challenges are sparking a happiness he's never felt before. Soon, Jamie can't imagine his life without her. But are their differences ultimately too great to overcome—or can love bridge their way to a future together?

**********

A Love for Leah was very different than what I expected when I first started reading. Many of the characters in the book were not what I have come to associate with the traditional Amish romance themes. Leah lad left the Amish community many years ago to follow her twin sister Hannah in her life among the English. However, now that her sister has returned to the Amish community, she has instead chosen to join the Mennonite church nearby.

Their lives seem to be going along just fine when Jamie moves to the Amish community with his young nephew Peter. Peter is a special boy that is dealing with a horrible tragedy that has led him to stop speaking. At first, Leah and Jamie seem destined to be enemies, but soon everyone realizes that there's more under the surface.

The part that stood out the most in this book was the way all the characters found their own path to the same God. While their lifestyles may be quite different, their core beliefs were so similar and the author was able to show them in a way that really highlighted the similarities. It also showed how a difference of faith and way of life shouldn't stand in the way of friendship and helping each other. Leah had to remind Jamie of that a few times, and I love how he was able to take her words to heart. Then when it came time for Jamie to share a lesson with Leah, she opened her heart to hear his words and wonderful things happened.

With a bit of a twist at the end that I didn't quite see coming, A Love for Leah was an amazing book. This may be a series that I need to pick up and read through so I can read more about the family and their community.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

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Under Lock and Key by Sam Short ~ Review

Title: Under Lock & Key (Water Witch Cozy Mystery #1)
Author: Sam Short
Genre: Adult, Cozy Mystery
Length: 286 pages
Publisher: Sam Short Books
Release Date: January 13, 2017
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Penelope Weaver’s back in Wickford, hoping to relax after a four-month trip aboard her boat. Relaxation is not something she should really have expected though – after all, she is a member of the only witch family in town.

It’s no ordinary witch family either. Granny’s developed witch dementia, and Boris the goat is getting used to his new life of brandy and biscuits whenever he demands it. He’s starting a blog too, but that’s a whole different story.

Penelope’s mother is still visiting the magical haven on a regular basis, and continuing her conquest to get Penny off her boat and back onto dry land. All things considered, everything’s relatively normal in town.

When a murder occurs in Wickford, Penny, her best friend, and her sister, are drawn into the mystery, helping their oversized and under skilled policeman friend to solve it.

There’s also a rumour going around that Barney may have the hots for Penelope, but Penelope’s mother disagrees. She thinks Barney may be Scottish. Penelope’s mother is a complicated woman.

There’s a barking goose too. Come to think about it - the only normal animal in Penny’s life is her cat, Rosie.

Join the residents of Wickford for some light-hearted fun in this 60,000 word cozy mystery novel, which contains no blood and gore, and only very minimal use of the tamest of bad language.

**********

Under Lock & Key was a book club pick (thank you book club). Penelope's witchy family isn't very traditional, and we can tell right from the start that she isn't either. When she returns from selling potions in her houseboat, she stumbles right back into her crazy family life, but this time there's also a murder involved.

When she decides to help the police solve the crime, she begins a crazy journey with her Granny, a talking goat, and her best friend. Their story is hilarious, and I loved all the unique characters with such fun personalities and quirks. The mystery wasn't a doozy by any means, but the author was careful not to give it all away too soon. This book is perfect for escaping reality for an evening.

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Miss Behave by Nikky Kaye

Title: Miss Behave
Author: Nikky Kaye
Genre: Adult, Romantic Comedy
Length: 226 pages
Publisher: Nonskid Publishing
Source: Review Request
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

BEHAVING IS OVERRATED.

When he stormed into my office and said I owed him a date, I thought he was crazy. Okay, crazy and hot. But I couldn’t help it that my advice column blocked his, uh, rooster.

Good girls like me aren’t supposed to fall for dirty-talking men with smoldering eyes and hidden tattoos—especially since now that we’re working together.

If you can call going on blind double dates and researching adult toy stores work…

Why did I want to be a good girl, again?

MISS BEHAVE is a flirty, funny, frisky romantic comedy about putting the “man” back in “manners.” This enemies-to-friends-to-lovers office romance will push all your buttons, then unbutton them…

**********

Miss Behave is everything I hoped for. It's light, funny, super hot, and the characters were amazing. I loved the battle of the sexes vibe that came through with Ash and Lizzy both writing advice columns, and their different approaches were so much fun to read. Where Ash says he's more down to earth, telling it like it is, Lizzy tries to be more neutral and kind. But, to be honest, they both give pretty good advice from what I read.

When they are thrown together to write just one column instead of two, it gives them just the chance they need to fall head over heels for each other. But they seem to be from two different worlds. When Ash sticks his foot in it, Lizzy feels like he's betrayed her trust. Not sure I would have seen it the same way, but it led to one of the best apology scenes ever! It wasn't groveling or Lizzy being overly dramatic. She was hurt, and he made sure she knew he would never mean to do that.

I wish I could have read this in one sitting - but life prevented it. It's the perfect book to just dive into and not come up for air until it's done.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of the book*

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You Made Your Bed by Cornelia Goddin ~ Review

Title: You Made Your Bed
Author: Cornelia Goddin
Genre: Adult, Thriller
Length: 364 pages
Publisher: Backstreet Books
Release Date: June 20, 2018
Source: Review Request
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rich. 
Beautiful. 
Out of her f***ing mind. 
From the outside, Caroline Crowe has everything: famous father, pretty much all the money, the freedom to live any kind of life she wants. On the inside, it's another story. 

This girl daydreams about murder and how to get away with it. And it sure looks like she's got the resources--including a heart of stone--required for the job. 

You're only as sick as your secrets. 

But Caroline's never, ever going to tell.

**********

You Made Your Bed is quite a dark story about the Crowe family - primarily their only daughter Caroline. Goddin brought me right into this troubled woman's head and I took up a perch alongside the Jeerlings (which I pictured as crows) to listen to her thoughts and watch her every move as she plans a murder. She's been planning a murder in her head for quite a while now, she just doesn't really know whose it is yet.

Caroline appears to be an incredibly smart woman, but as the story unfolds and I learned more about her, I quickly realized that there was something seriously wrong. This is what the first half of the book seemed to be. Goddin was trying to show me just how messed up Caroline was. While this let me into her head and helped build a sense of sympathy for her, it also caused the book to get off to a very slow start.

Eventually, someone "forces" Caroline's hand, and she must kill them to protect herself and her family. As the murder plays out and we follow and listen to Caroline's thoughts, the author does a great job of portraying just how desperate she felt. How she had no choice. How it wasn't really her fault.

The ending was just amazing. All the family tension and issues finally boil over and while I don't think I'd call it an actual resolution - some of Caroline's problems to disappear. But that isn't the end, now Caroline needs to decide what's next, and as she walks out the door I have to wonder if everything that happened will allow her to live a normal life.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

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Sweet Home Highland Christmas by May McGoldrick ~ Review

Title: Sweet Home Highland Christmas (The Pennington Family 1.5)
Author: May McGoldrick
Genre: Adult, Historical Romance, Christmas
Length: 102 pages
Publisher: Swerve
Release Date: July 3, 2018
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Freya Sutherland is a desperate aunt trying to keep custody of her precocious young niece, Ella. After the death of her father, Freya is willing to do anything to prove she's capable of being Ella's guardian, even if it means marrying for security instead of love.

Recently retired from the military, Captain Gregory Pennington wants nothing more than to make it home in time for Christmas. When his brother hears of his plans to return to the family estate for the holidays, he asks Penn to escort some travelers to the bordering estate.

When Freya and Penn meet their chemistry is instant. Once they realize he's their escort for the journey, there's no escaping their attraction. But Penn has plans that do not include a wife and child. And Freya has responsibilities as Ella's guardian, no matter her growing discontent with her upcoming marriage. With Ella conspiring to get them together, Penn and Freya might just experience a little magic during the holidays.

**********

Sweet Home Highland Christmas really stood out for me because of the hero. Captain Gregory Pennington isn't your typical soldier or spare to inherit a title. He's an engineer! This really excited me, and I think the authors did a great job showing his intellect, curiosity, and problem-solving skills all along the journey as he escorted Freya and her five-year-old niece, Ella.

Ella really steals the show. I love when a child can be such a central part of a romance, and I don't see that very often in the historical genre. If there are just tons of these out there that I haven't heard of yet, feel free to drop the title in the comments so I can check them out. Ella is also very intelligent, and when she meets Pennington, she promptly decides that he would be a much better husband for her aunt than the cousin Freya has been dreading to marry.

While this isn't a love at first sight story, it is a case of falling in love quickly. As the small party journeys through the Scottish countryside in the winter, I was able to get to know these characters through an ice-skating break, bedtime stories, and midnight confessions. The story takes place during the Christmas season, but it really wasn't mentioned too much until the very end, which I found a tad rushed, like the authors were running into a word or page count limit, but overall a very satisfying story.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

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The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood ~ Review

Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Genre: Adult, Dystopia
Length: 311 pages
Publisher: Anchor Books
Release Date: March 16, 1985
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...

**********

I read this book a long time ago. With the recent rise of making mini-series for books on NetFlix, Hulu, and prime cable channels, book club selected it so they could read it before watching (at least most of them did). I loved having a chance to pick this incredible story up again. The TV show was quite different the further I got into it. It was a great way of highlighting things that I “liked” better or worse between the two and opened a whole new conversation about the events as well.

Most of you will know the basics of the story – a dystopian somewhat futuristic society that has reverted to extreme religious views (of a sort) and certain class of young fertile women are related to basically be breeding stock for the military higher-ups and the elite. Not a very pleasant situation.

I think what I enjoyed most about the book was the ending – so I won’t say too much other than it surprised me. It’s quite open-ended, which I usually don’t like. But in this case, it just seemed to fit. I highly recommend this book – and it seems to be a quite fitting read in our current political climate as well.

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Fatal Destiny by Marie Force ~ Review

Title: Fatal Destiny (Fatal #3.5)

Author: Marie Force

Genre: Adult, Romantic Suspense

Length: 180 pages

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: January 1, 2011

Source: Freebie

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

With the week of their wedding finally upon them, Washington, D.C., Police Lieutenant Sam Holland and her fiance, Senator Nick Cappuano, are at odds. In the aftermath of a tragic loss, they struggle to reconnect as the big day draws near, but their work keeps pulling them apart. When a new clue into a cold case surfaces, Nick asks Sam not to take any foolish chances before the wedding and to leave it alone for the time being.

Sam agrees, but she can't let it go entirely and winds up trapped in an explosive situation. Then an unwelcome visitor from her past threatens her future happiness... With trouble at every turn, will Sam survive long enough to walk down the aisle?

**********

Fatal Destiny was a great novella that was all about the good feels leading up to Sam and Nick's wedding. It also sets the stage for some future drama (or so it seems) that has the potential to shake up our main couple's lives. This was more of a bridge between books four and five (which I totally loved) than a full story unto itself. We do get to meet a really amazing character - the wedding planner - who manages to keep Sam and Nick on track, on schedule, and on their merry way for the wedding. She was a force of nature, and I have it on good authority that she pops up again in a future book (yay!).

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The Art Whisperer by Charlotte Elkins and Aaron Elkins

Title: The Art Whisperer (Alix London #3)

Author: Charlotte Elkins, Aaron Elkins

Genre: Adult, Mystery

Length: 260 pages

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Release Date: August 19, 2014

Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

When art conservator Alix London spots a forgery, she knows trouble will follow. So she’s understandably apprehensive when her connoisseur’s eye spots something off about a multimillion-dollar Jackson Pollock painting at Palm Springs’s Brethwaite Museum—her current employer.

Alix is already under fire, the object of a vicious online smear campaign. Now the Brethwaite’s despicable senior curator, obsessed with the “maximization of monetized eyeballs,” angrily refuses to decommission the celebrated Pollock piece. But it’s only when a hooded intruder attacks Alix in her hotel room that the real trouble begins. And when FBI Special Agent Ted Ellesworth—with whom Alix had inadvertently, but thoroughly, botched a budding relationship just a year prior—turns up to investigate the Pollock, Alix knows she’s about to have her hands full.

In her third mystery, Alix London must see through mirages in the desert to uncover the knotted history of the painting—and save herself in the process.

**********

Alix London is making a reputation for herself as the "Art Whisperer," capable of telling if a painting is authentic or not by just looking at it. And her intuition is never wrong, it might just take her a little while to prove it. This reputation is getting her in trouble this time. She's being targeted online by a smear campaign, and it's strangely tied to her new job at a small museum.

She's determined to save her reputation and find out who is behind the attacks. But she'll end up needing some help on this one, and she's not sure exactly what her relationship with FBI Agen Ted Ellesworth is anymore. Which is another minefield that she will need to navigate.

I really enjoy how the mysteries in the series build off each other. The characters are dynamic from book to book, and their growth and development adds to the storyline and enhances the mystery and sleuthing as we go on. I'm also learning a bit about art, and I love how the authors tie it all together is such great stories.

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Live For This by Kathryn Biel ~ Review

Title: Live For This
Author: Kathryn R. Biel
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Length: 221 pages
Publisher: Independent
Release Date: March 8, 2016
Source: Request
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Samirah Lundgren is living the party girl life. While she's trying to forget about her past and put off having a meaningful future, her lifestyle catches up with her, leaving her in a wake of personal destruction. Alone and homeless, she encounters Michael Salinger, a man carrying his own baggage in the form of a spinal cord injury, not to mention his former fiancé is marrying his former best friend. 

Can a man with a broken body and a woman with a broken soul help each other find the redemption they need to become whole again?

**********

This was an incredibly moving story. It starts out with a questionable heroine that I wasn't sure I was going to like or want to root for. But I ended up falling in love with Sami. I quickly realized that she wasn't out to hurt people or steal someone's husband, but she was trying to find something in herself to value. Within the first couple chapters, I found a depth in her character that was unexpected and wonderful.

Michael was another one I had a hard time with at first. I think I was supposed to. He's put up a wall around everything in his life and pushed everyone away. He's so determined not to let anyone hurt him again, that he's destroying himself. You can't help but feel for the man who lost so much, and you really want him to just open up and let life back in.

Their romance isn't a traditional one. They both have so much to work through and it almost consumes their lives. But watching as they slowly build each other up in such positive ways was amazing. It was a true romance - not love/lust at first sight. It was life, pure and not so simple.

These two broken souls ended up being perfect for each other. Both looking for someone to trust and relate to. Someone that understands their brokenness in a way most people never will. A beautifully told, semi-clean romance with an HEA that almost made me cry. 

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French Vanilla and Felonies by Erin Huss ~ Review

Title: French Vanilla & Felonies (Cambria Clyne Mysteries #1)

Author: Erin Huss

Genre: Adult, Romantic Comedy

Length: 248 pages

Publisher: Gemma Halliday Publishing

Release Date: March 13, 2018

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Note: Was originally read as the title For Rent

When Cambria Clyne—klutzy, twenty-something single mom—takes the job of an apartment manager at an LA complex, she hopes her run of bad luck is finally coming to an end. She's got a nice home for her daughter, a steady source of income, and the cute maintenance guy is certainly a nice perk! But her luck takes a bad turn again when a dead body turns up, a crime spree takes over the community, and Cambria finds her complex squarely at the center of it all!

With her dream job suddenly on the line, Cambria dons her detective hat to get to the truth—after all, she's watched enough crime shows on TV to know how to catch a perp! Or so she hopes as she wades through a streaker in apartment 40, an ex-con with a shady agenda, an overly frisky retired couple, and the suspiciously sneaky dealings of the dentist in apartment 36. But will Cambria be able to catch a killer... or will she get caught up in his game and lose it all?

**********

For Rent (or French Vanilla & Felonies) was a really fun read. Light-hearted, at times ridiculous, with just enough of the feels to string your emotions along a little. Cambria is a struggling single mom. And when she lands the job of a lifetime, she'd do anything to keep it. Bad luck follows her though, and she finds herself under attack (verbally) from the apartment residents that are convinced she's responsible for the recent crime spree in the building. 

The residents are just beyond belief. They are some of the best secondary characters I've read in a long time. Each is very unique and stands out (some are ridiculous - but it's a comedy so that's ok) and has their own reasons for wanting Cambria gone.

But job of a lifetime remember? Cambria's attempts to solve the serious crimes around the building, along with the ones she seems to make up as she goes, never turn out well. And of course, the cute maintenance man is always there to see her fall. The sparks begin to heat up here but they do take a little longer to actually fly than some romances.

The mystery part of this book is just as prevalent as the romance and really adds that extra layer to the story. But please remember - this is a comedy - so don't get upset when things go crazy.

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Lover Mine by J.R. Ward ~ Review

Title: Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood #8)

Author: J.R. Ward

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Length: 528 pages

Publisher: NAL

Release Date: April 27, 2010

Source: Purchased (Audiobook)

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

**********

John Mattew is quite an intriguing character to me. His mysterious background, his strange link to Darius, and the bond he has with Bella all made him really stand out among the strong characters in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Since then, he's grown into quite the vampire and fighter, but not quite fully finding his place yet.

Xhex is one of the physically strongest females we've seen in the series and I love how she just doesn't take any crap from anyone. One of my biggest overall complaints about the series is the lack of recurring female characters. Yes, the shellens pop up from time to time, but I thought Xhex had real potential to be part of the team and give the series a female character that is more than just a utility. We see a lot of her potential and strength showcased during her ordeal and recovery from Lash.

Tons of things happening in the background including a bombshell with Payne. Blay and Qhuinn continue to tip-toe around each other, but with the addition of Saxon and Layla to the scene things might just be reaching their tipping point. 

The fight with the Lessers continues and on one hand, I really enjoy the continuity this brings to the series, but I'm also sort of hoping that a new "bad guy" will pop up and really add some twists and turns. 

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The Dead Wolves by Lee Dignam and Katerina Martinez

Title: The Dead Wolves: An Ashwood Novel (Cursed and Damned #1)

Author: Lee Dignam, Katerina Martinez

Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Length: 296 pages

Publisher: Supernal Publishing

Release Date: May 30, 2017

Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Someone is abducting women from the streets of Ashwood. Tonight, vampires will fight vampires.
Cyanide doesn't consider herself a mercenary, but when you get hired to run potentially dangerous missions usually concerning undesirable characters, that's what you are. What she wants is to get the hell out of Ashwood - a rotting, lost cause of a city - but travelling across the country isn't easy when you're one of the undead. She needs money to make that happen, and if she wants to make enough of it to leave, she needs to run one last mission for her organization's benefactor; she has to find out who's abducting women from the streets, and why.

In order to do that, Cyanide needs to work with Neo - an at times frustrating, but alluring vampire - chasing down leads and finding clues in an attempt at figuring out how deep the well goes. But this whole thing runs deep and black, and at the bottom of it are secrets, treacheries, and dangers she couldn't have imagined.

She has to find it within herself to persevere, because one of the girls who went missing is vitally important to her benefactor, and if she doesn't find this lost lamb, she may be stuck in Ashwood for a long time.

This is a thrilling, dark book, which deals with very real themes and issues. If you're ready to get sucked in and lose yourself in Cyanide's journey, discovering with her not only the many secret truths about the city she lives in, but also things about herself she never would have believed, then this is the book for you. 

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I have totally fallen in love with Ashwood. The first trilogy (Half-Lich) sucked me in fast, and The Dead Wolves has me hopping in my seat waiting for more. I love that the city is being brought to life in several shorter series that give me a chance to glimpse into different parts of the world. 

The Dead Wolves are vampires - I know - I thought they would be werewolves at first too. But they are vampires working against the system of archaic rules of the vampire court. Cyanide is our leading lady here, and she has some deep secrets. Ones that she even keeps from herself. It's quite interesting how it all comes out into the open finally.

The Dead Wolves are set on finding out what is happening to the women disappearing from all over the city. But Cyanide may not have her full heart in it - she just wants out. Away from the city, away from the court, away from everything wrong. There was a surprising depth to her character that was revealed and morphed throughout the story. By the end of the story, she's like a different person, but still familiar and somehow not changed at all. I can't wait to see where the mystery takes her in the next book.

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Ashwood Novels

Half-Lich Series

Dark Siren #1

The Void Weaver #2
Night and Chaos #3

Everything We Left Behind by Kerry Lonsdale ~ Review

Title: Everything We Left Behind (Everything #2)

Author: Kerry Lonsdale

Genre: Adult, Suspense

Length: 348 paged

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Release Date: July 4, 2017

Source: NetGalley

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Two months before his wedding, financial executive James Donato chased his trade-laundering brother Phil to Mexico, only to be lost at sea and presumed dead. Six and a half years later, he emerges from a dissociative fugue state to find he’s been living in Oaxaca as artist Carlos Dominguez, widower and father of two sons, with his sister-in-law Natalya Hayes, a retired professional surfer, helping to keep his life afloat. But his fiancée, Aimee Tierney, the love of his life, has moved on. She’s married and has a child of her own.

Devastated, James and his sons return to California. But Phil is scheduled for release from prison, and he’s determined to find James, who witnessed something in Mexico that could land Phil back in confinement. Under mounting family pressure, James flees with his sons to Kauai, seeking refuge with Natalya. As James begins to unravel the mystery of his fractured identity, danger is never far behind, and Natalya may be the only person he can trust.

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The ending to Everything We Keep left me wanting so much more! There were knots left all tied up and people on the verge of breakthroughs or breakdowns that I never had a chance to see. Everything We Left Behind picks up with James and tells his totally crazy story.

We start with a whammy - his memory comes back. His real memory. That means the person he has been for the past several years is completely erased. The man with a family, children, friends, and a business are wiped away forever as the original person re-emerges.  I can't even imagine how confused and disbelieving he must have been. But Kerry Lonsdale took me there! It was amazing - not what happened to him - but how I was brought into that situation and those feelings.

Fast forward a little and we have a family quickly becoming dysfunctional. James' memories pick up with him still together with Aimee, who has moved on and is living a new life. Their conversations and interactions were another brilliant look into the lives of these people. We finally find out exactly what happened with Phil and how James almost died in the first book.

There were a few moments that things got confusing. I wasn't sure which part of the timeline I was in as things jump around quite a bit. Just a tad more streamlining and I think this would have been just about perfect.

*I voluntarily received a review copy of this book*

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Everything Series

Everything We Keep

Rare Find by Dale Mayer ~ Review

Title: Rare Find (Psychic Visions #6)
Author: Dale Mayer
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Length: 292 pages
Publisher: Valley Publishing
Release Date: April 11, 2014
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

When people need help or are injured, they call out for their friends and family. When an animal needs help or is injured, it calls out for…anyone…that can help them… 

One person hears them… 

Tabitha is determined to bury her aching heart in the service of her animals at Exotic Landscape. Until she’s yanked out of her cozy retreat to help someone in need…and she gets more than she bargained for. 
Detective Ronin Chandler understands secrets. He’s got a few of his own. But when the woman he loves gets into trouble – the kind that stretches even his belief system – he struggles to understand…and to help…before he loses her. Maybe forever. 
As the danger escalates, Tabitha and Ronin need to find out who they can trust…and who they can’t…and who wants them dead…before it’s too late. 

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Psychic Visions is one of my favorite paranormal romance series. They are stand-alone enough that I can enjoy each one individually, but there's enough crossover that you get to know the world and how it works. The world isn't so different than ours, it just has a variety of psychic powers.

Rare Find went a little to far into the psychic abilities for my personal tastes though. We actually meet Tabitha in book 5. A lover of animals, she has a special connection. That special connection is her ability to feel what they are thinking and find out what they need and want to be happy and healthy. This I can believe. But the next step in her psychic development just was a little too much - just barely.

Detective Ronin is a great guy - even if he is afraid of cats - like panic attack afraid. But he's fiercely protective and crazy smart and it's just what Tabitha is going to need. Their romance is an odd one because Tabitha isn't actually  present in the real sense throughout part of the book. But this dangerous situation only cements Ronon's feelings for her and insticts to protect her at all costs.

Rare Find was one of the more exciting additions to the series - with a good dose of action compared to some of the others. It was a real page turner that was a good step along the path of the series. I think what really stood out to me in this one was a gathering of characters and ideas from past books that seem to be coming together into something really big coming up.

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More from Psychic Visions

Garden of Sorrows (Psychic Visions #4)

Knock, Knock #5