Although I have missed some book reviews between this and my last post, these are the newest ones I've finished reading. The overall mix isn't a great batch but I have been browsing my kindle and reading books that I downloaded months back. Except for an exception or two ; ) I hope this helps if you are one the fence about any of the following books! Enjoy and please give me some feedback if you have ready these books and agree or disagree with my reviews. Thank you for stopping by and I promise to post an update regarding 'Falling' some time this weekend.

just for now - abbi glines

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Preston is one bad boy. And Amanda has harbored a crush on him for forever. When she finally makes her move on him, it does not end well. But still, she can’t resist him. Especially now that he seems to be pursuing her, too.


No one wants wants them to be be together. Not Amanda’s brother Marcus, who is on the verge of his marriage to Low, and definitely not any of Preston's buddies. They know way too much about Preston’s dark side. Yet the dangerous attraction is there...and neither Preston nor Amanda are going to deny it.


four little bookworms

Out of all of the books I am going to review on this posting, this is the best of the bunch. Not only do I love Abbi Glines and all of her books but I also love the Sea Breeze series. This one wasn't as great as Because of Low or While it Lasts but it was still a good story. You can't go wrong when you buy a book like this from such a talented author. It was $7.99 which is killing me to admit that I bought but it was worth it. This author is worth it and with of her new success she deserves to be able to up her book prices. It still doesn't change the fact that I am a super cheap little e-book tightwad but oh well. Sometimes you just have to splurge to get some good entertainment. I would highly recommend this book and any other book from Abbi Glines. Love! Love! Love!

reason to breathe - rebecca donavan

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"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"

He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…

Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible a secret.

Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

3 little bookworms

Hmmm... I got this one free of the top 100 free amazon e-books. It was just 'alright' to be honest. I wanted to like this book because it has such amazing reviews and list the author as a best seller etc. I kept waiting for it to get somewhere and then it just ended leaving you hanging and confused. The main character is whiny and pathetic! I hate whiny-sad female leads in books. Now I will tell you that I did buy the second book ($6.99) and might have gotten a few chapters in before returning it. I was hoping that it would give me some kind of answer to my cliff hanger but it just continued to drag on with the same old whiny characters storyline. Maybe this one just wasn't the book for me because it has really great reviews and people seem to love it. It is currently $4.99 on amazon and I don't think I would pay for it if I had to. I'm cheap, really cheap when it comes to e-books and $4.99 is something I seriously think about before buying. I typically have to either love or have read the author before or referred by a friend. If I were to put a little price tag on it, I would say at most it should be $2.99. It wasn't a great book but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read either. Just not my style of book so I really can't tell you one way or the other if you should try it out.

Table for two - Alexis lauren

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Two people from different worlds come together. Isabella Violi owns a popular up and coming restaurant in New York City. Parker Davidson is a cocky rock star, that parties with the jetset. Isabella is happy with her life and her friends, running an establishment that is her dream come true. Parker is entrenched in the rock star lifestyle. Neither one wants to change, especially after meeting each other. But fate has other plans, mixing Cordon Bleu with the backstage zoo. When their worlds collide the heat doesn’t stay in the kitchen.

three little bookworms

I think I got this book for free when it was on the top 100 free list. I know I wouldn't have paid the $2.99 that it costs now. The book was 'okay'. It was very predictable and never seemed to build up to anything. Sometimes I felt like I was breezing through paragraphs because it basically only contained what the character did that day. I want a story not a detailed list of your boring life. I have a boring life hence why I want to read about an exciting one! I personally wouldn't buy it but since it was free and a fast read I can't complain too much.

of blood & bone - courtney cole

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Love is dangerous…

“I’m a monster, Eva. There is no saving a monster. But I love that you want to try.”
My heart constricts at the expression on his face. He has no hope for himself, so I have to hope for him.
“You’re not a monster,” I argue softly. “You’re a man, Luca. A man like any other, you’re made of blood and bone.”

Luca Minaldi is powerful, rich and mesmerizing. But he is also a reclusive enigma. He lives in Malta, a fairytale-like place filled with sunshine and sea, beauty and secrets. And Luca’s darkest of secrets is the best kept of them all.

Eva Talbot is spending the summer in Malta to finish up her doctoral dissertation. When she meets Luca, a mysterious and handsome shipping magnate, there is an instant attraction. He has a disturbing and beautiful energy that she has never felt before. But she senses the darkness that lives within him.

Eva is hired to care for his mother, a woman who suffers from dementia, but it is Luca who Eva will eventually risk everything to save. She desperately wants to reach inside of him and fix what is broken, while at the same time, she knows that she is falling for him. Her life becomes a swirling chaos of darkness and romance, of secrets and mystery. And the question that emerges will become the most important answer of all.

Can she save Luca from the darkness that plagues him without losing herself?

The answer is a matter of life or death.

3.5 Little bookworms

This book I did buy and would probably refer a friend to read because it is well written and cheap :D I've read books by Courtney Cole before and I find that she always has a dark twist that makes my skin crawl in a bad way. When I read 'Princess' a few months back I had a very similar feeling that occurred while reading this book as well. Maybe I am just weird, which is most likely the case. This book did catch me off guard at the end but nothing so over the top surprising that I would call it shocked. For the most part the book was entertaining although I expected something different when I first read about this book. It wasn't even close to how I pictured this book to be but that doesn't really mean it wasn't a good book either. It just wasn't the book I wanted nor did it change my mind about the fact it was so different than my mental image. 

currently reading:

jenny pox - jl bryan

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Eighteen-year-old Jenny Morton has a horrific secret: her touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague, the "Jenny pox." She lives by a single rule: Never touch anyone. A lifetime of avoiding any physical contact with others has made her isolated and painfully lonely in her small rural town.

Then she meets the one boy she can touch. Jenny feels herself falling for Seth...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the deadly pox inside her to confront his ruthless and manipulative girlfriend Ashleigh, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.

free! free! free! on amazon!

 

the secret of ella & micha

Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

(New Adult Contemporary)
**Recommended for readers 17+ due to sexual situations and language.**

what's next on the to-read list

When Daniel has to travel to San Francisco and needs an escort for a social event, the beautiful Sabrina shows up on his doorstep. Little does he know that she's not an escort. Their encounter quickly turns steamy until lies threaten to destroy their passionate affair.
Seventeen-year old Sarah's life is turned upside down when her single mom is sent to jail. She's forced to move, leaving behind everything she's ever known, including her best friend Sydney. Lost and bitter in a new school, her one goal is to save money and move back home. Then she meets Angel Moreno. Enigmatic but gorgeous, Angel is almost too good to be true. Except for one thing, his archaic belief that guys and girls can never be "just friends". The problem? Sarah's best friend Sydney is not a girl. With their unexpected romance intensifying to places neither ever experienced, how long can Sarah keep Angel in the dark about the guy waiting for her back home?
In 2015, a race of alien Others conquered Earth. They enslaved humanity not by force, but through an aggressive mind control that turned people into contented, unquestioning robots.
Except sixteen-year-old Althea isn’t content at all, and she doesn’t need the mysterious note inside her locket to tell her she’s Something Else. It also warns her to trust no one, so she hides the pieces that make her different, even though it means being alone.
The autumn she meets Lucas, everything changes. Althea and Lucas are immune to the alien mind control, and together they search for the reason why. What they uncover is a stunning truth the Others never anticipated, one with the potential to free the brainwashed human race. It’s not who they are that makes them special, but what. And what they are is a threat. One the Others are determined to eliminate for good.
Love is dangerous… “I’m a monster, Eva. There is no saving a monster. But I love that you want to try.” My heart constricts at the expression on his face. He has no hope for himself, so I have to hope for him. “You’re not a monster,” I argue softly. “You’re a man, Luca. A man like any other, you’re made of blood and bone.” As a little boy, Luca Minaldi was told he was a monster.
As an adult, he knows it is true. He lives in Malta, a fairytale-like place filled with sunshine and sea, beauty and secrets. And Luca’s darkest of secrets is the best kept of them all.
Eva Talbot is spending the summer in Malta to finish up her doctoral dissertation. When she meets Luca, a mysterious and handsome shipping tycoon, there is an instant attraction, a disturbing and beautiful energy that she has never felt before. But she senses the darkness that lives within him. Eva is hired to care for his mother, who suffers from dementia, but it is Luca who Eva will eventually risk everything to save. Her life becomes a swirling chaos of darkness and romance, of secrets and mystery. And the question that emerges will become the most important answer of all. Can she save Luca from the darkness that plagues him without losing herself? The answer is a matter of life or death.
 
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I won't be posting for a while due to some family issues. My husband is in the Army and will be leaving again. I can't really say when, where, or why. I'm sure you can figure it out all by yourself if you just think hard enough. I'll be spending every free moment with Casey before he goes. As soon as I am available, I will start finishing Falling. My goal is to have it published by Christmas time. I'm going to need something to keep my occupied when I'm all alone again. I just wanted to give everyone an update since I've been a giant slacker lately! Just a lot on my plate lately...

 
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Sorry that I have not been a very good blogger lately but I needed to take some time to think. I am having troubles with my editing process. I feel like I have rewritten Falling so many times and changed so many things that it's no longer my book. I don't want to publish a book that I'm not proud of and that's just how I feel lately.

I took a month off to just focus on everything else going on in my life. After a lot of serious thought I have decided to start working on Falling my way! I'm going to strip out all of the crap that was added to appease someone else and get back to the story I started with. I would rather that longer and rework my book that just publish a book that I can't be proud of. Right now that's how I feel and I never want to feel that way again about my "art".

I wrote Falling for me to share with others. Somewhere along the lines it has developed into a book written by me for others to judge. That's not what I want at all. I know not everyone will love my book and some might flat out hate my story. But guess what, there will be people out there that love my book and beg for more to be released. Those people are the ones I want to share my hobby with. My writing is to make me happy and allows me to share my happiness with others.

As of right now my book is crap and I'll be the first one to say it. It's changed so much that I don't even know how it got so lost so fast. I could edit the typos and publish Falling but I wouldn't be proud of it. The people I want to share my book with will be disappointed and the ones who judge it will be 100% right. I can't defend a book that I don't believe in so how can I put my name on it and call it mine? I'd rather it never see the light of day then be released as it is right now.

There is a huge difference in absorbing another point of view and conforming to it. Falling has been twisted and turned and stretched so much that it's no longer my book. It's a book that someone else thought I should write instead of guiding my vision to a better place. I want my book to be the best so I know things need to be tweaked but not changed. I don't know any other way to describe how I feel and how it will turn out.

But I promise that I will fix Falling and it will be 100% my vision where I can say I am proud to put my name on it. It might take me more time but in the end I know it will be worth it. I would like to thank everyone who has been supporting me thus far and I hope you stick around for the finished product. I love opening up my heart and soul for others to experience just by living through my story and my characters. It's a unique feeling knowing that my book might brighten someone's day or make them laugh when everything else has made them cry or frustrate them so much that they can't stop reading to find out what happens next. I promise you that I will deliver you a book that gives you all of that and more!

Thank You!

 

please enjoy another round of 'Falling' - teaser 3

The night seemed like the most enchanting evening if you were on the outside looking in, and if you only had three functioning braincells. Ayden proudly showed me off as his fiancé to everyone at our pre-wedding celebration while my mother gloated over the daughter she had put so much hard work into creating. Daddy seemed to be sad, but I just shook it off as he wasn’t ready for me to be getting married just yet. Ayden and I were about to start the picture perfect life together. The two-story house, the white picket fence, and the ideal family life were waiting for me right around the corner. While the madness around me was taking place I found myself wandering to the window and gazing at the impending steel-colored clouds that were rumbling towards the city.

I thanked people as they told me how beautiful I looked tonight, and how I’m so lucky to have caught such a good catch. Little did those idiots know I had caught a shark masquerading around as a calm, peaceful, little beta fish. You know the one every parent gives their kid as a “starter” pet? The ones with brightly colored flames of red and gold or swirls of blue and green masking the fighting fish’s real identity. Yeah, Ayden was kind of like that. He was wholesome and courteous, with just the right amount of cockiness that seems to be ideal for girls without brains. Yep, girls like me. The more I dazed off into another world while my “fake life” continued around me, I found myself opening my eyes for the first time to how my life was playing out.

I was pushed around by my overbearing mother, smothered by my overprotective father and was now being transferred over to Ayden’s custody. I was simply an item that had no value or significant meaning to anyone around me, including myself. I let this happen and I never once spoke up or attempted to stop it from happening. Even now as I stare out the window ‘people watching’ in downtown Austin, I am allowing people who don’t care about me to control my life. I’m not doing a damn thing to stop anyone who is pulling on the puppet strings attached to my world. Mom yanks one way, then Daddy pulls another, then Ayden gets a tug in, while I bounce around at their command for entertainment. Come one, come all! See the side show freak Rosalee Devereux as she performs absentmindedly and without a purpose in her screwed up, ridiculous excuse of a life! Learn the dangers of living a life without cause!

As I picture myself swinging through the air, dangling from strings controlled by my loved ones, I see something out of the corner of my eye that catches my attention. There is a man calmly standing outside in the sprinkling rain just staring at me. I can’t make out any of his features but he is most definitely staring at me because I can feel the burn of his gaze on my body. That eerie feeling that sweeps your entire body like a wildfire picking up strength from a swift gust of air is gaining ground on my skin. I can feel him watching me, I can sense him looking at me, but most of all I can see him dead-locked on my figure from across the busy street.

“Rosalee!” screams a high-pitched voice that breaks my eye contact with this intriguing stranger. As I turn my head I see Zoey bouncing towards me with way too much enthusiasm. “Rosalee, there you are!” she yells louder as if she isn’t already gaining ground on me as she's stumbling in my direction. Obviously, she is staggering drunk from one too many glasses of wine and, apparently high on Redbull because she has entirely too much energy for someone so wasted. “O-M-G Rosalee! We have a huge surprise for you so stop being a loner freak just watching the rain fall from the sky so we can go up to your room! And… I’m so over this lame party anyways. Seriously, are you only related to old rich creepers that think they would even have a chance with me?” she asks as she waves her hands around her curves emphasizing her stunning body. She is talking so fast that it’s almost hard to keep up with her and the slurring doesn’t help the matter. I smile brightly at her before turning my eyes back to the mysterious stranger, but when I do he is already gone. “Come on!” Zoey screeches as she yanks my arm and pulls my tiny body. “Giddy up little pony! Yaaaah! Yaaah!” she says between giggles as she yanks on my hair as if it were a set of reins and once again lovingly pats my butt. Everyone in the party is gawking at us for all the wrong reasons, and my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “What’s their problem” she asks as I now quickly drag her towards the opening for the hallway.

Sadly, we have to pass in front of my mother- who is giving Zoey the evil eye and my father, who is trying his best to stifle a grin. My father and I meet eyes and I disapprovingly shake my head while rolling my eyes. Daddy can no longer contain the chuckle begging to be released, and is quickly jabbed with an elbow by my uptight mother. My father grunts, while my nagging mother taps the toe of her high heel on the hard surface below it. Tap! Tap! Tap! She blows out an overly loud gasp of dramatic air then blatantly comments to the crowd, “Charles… I hope you don’t condone this type of behavior. It’s unbecoming of a lady! That friend of hers is nothing but trouble and her little show is anything but funny!”

As I look around at the on-lookers, I notice that Zoey was right; the only people here seem to be rich, upper-class older people who act as if they are far too good for everyone else. Just a bunch of snobs with noses that are stuck so far up in the air that they could probably smell the rain before it even fell from the comfort of the fluffy, dark storm clouds.

My father nods me along and starts the crowd control. “Just one too many sips of wine, that’s all folks, nothing to see…” His voice is deep and raspy and you can hear the slightest hint of humor just dying to be released. “Time to wrap up this shindig anyways. Hope you all enjoyed yourselves tonight and…” his words trail off as I drag Zoey out the entrance.

Like always, Zoey is a challenge because she can’t walk on her own and she keeps fighting me to go back in there and give those prudes a piece of her mind. “Zoey… please don’t, not tonight, okay?” I beg as she reluctantly accepts defeat and tries to right herself and attempt to walk normally. “Come on, didn’t you say you had a surprise for me?” I ask her, smoothly trying to change the subject without her noticing.

Her heels shriek on the stone tiles as she hobbles towards the elevators, “I can walk on my own you know!” Zoey does her best to walk in a straight line but even on a sober day I know that would be hard for her to do. “Click… Scrape… Click… Scrape” is all I hear as I watch her try not to fall. Each step, her heel gets caught in the grout and she has to try and catch herself before she plummets to the ground.

“So,” I say to her as we wait for the ride to the room. “What’s this surprise you speak of?” I push the button several times with hopes that it will make the elevator magically appear faster but it doesn't work.

I am desperately trying to get Zoey out of my mother’s hair before there is a cat fight. If you think I don’t like my mom then just imagine what Zoey thinks, and says out loud. On occasion, my father and I play referee between those two -just like tonight. He never takes my mom’s side, but never lets her see that. He plays along to keep the peace while sneaking a wink at me and Zoey. She says everything to my mother that I am too scared to say. Zoey comes in handy sometimes when she does that, but tonight probably wasn’t the best place for it. Thankfully the elevator doors ding that annoying chirp and open their doors just in time for me to shove Zoey inside. People are starting to exit the party room so I jump aboard and frantically press the button over and over. Wishing again that it will suddenly decide to listen to my pleas and close the doors faster.

Our ride up to my room is uneventful and when we open the hotel door it looks exactly like I knew it would. Zoey and the other bridesmaids have decorated my room with tacky penis bachelorette knickknacks and cheesy congratulation banners. “Ready to get this thing started or what?” asks Addyson as we close the hotel door behind us.

The room is overwhelmingly drenched in the smell of alcohol and girly perfumes all mixed together. They either took a bath in their smell good spray before they came in or they have decided to coat the walls with fruity undertones, splashes of vanilla and lavender with whiskey and vodka throw in just for shits and giggles. I hear several of the girls scream out a few excited phrases while they rush to me. A herd of drunken sorority girls crash into me, Zoey, and Addyson and send us back into the hard, unforgiving door behind us. Fits of laughter explode like fireworks on the Forth of July as we stagger back to our feet.  

“I love it, thank you.” I respond with mock excitement as I crawl from under the pack of girls. “Oh, you really shouldn’t have gone to all the trouble,” I mutter as we make our way to the center of the room.

For the next few hours its drinking game after drinking game, and it doesn’t take me long to be knocked on my ass. Playing beer pong with vodka shots isn't recommend when cramped in an expensive hotel room with five other girls. My head is beating to an imaginary drummer that is playing inside my skull. I’ve already tripped going to the bathroom twice, stepped on three separate sets of fingers, and once, landed on top of Kady to help break my fall causing her to slam into Addyson like a set of dominoes toppling. One after another, girls went crashing into each other around the circle we had formed on the floor. We are all too intoxicated to feel the pain so we laugh it off as we unsuccessfully clean up the knocked over booze. 

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As girls begin to pass out randomly due to over indulgence at our redneck hotel party we all decide to call it a night. Kady, Addyson, and Harper are scattered on the floor, and I give Zoey my bed to share. It’s more than big enough for the two of us, and I sneak off to the bathroom for some privacy. The combination of drinking and thinking are never good together. Before long I am crying in the bathroom, hiding from my friends. The floor was freezing under my legs so I made a make-shift blanket with a hotel towel. It was oversized and unbelievably soft. It smelled like citrus and as I wiped the tears off my cheek I repeatedly sniffed the towel like a freak.

All I could think about as I sat there alone and depressed was Why. Why to everything going on in my pathetic excuse for a life. Why did I let myself get so drunk? Why didn’t I tell my best friends that I don’t want to get married or go to law school? Why didn’t I stop living all of these lies a long time ago? Why didn’t I realize I don’t really love Ayden like I should love my fiancé. Why hasn’t anyone even noticed how distant and detached I’ve become?

Not a single person has bothered to ask me if I was okay or if I was happy. Well, Zoey touched on the subject of me creepily looking out the window at the rain but she was too drunk to grasp that I wasn’t watching the rain. That shadow like figure kept popping up in my mind and for some reason a complete stranger who I haven’t even met was comforting me. Even though he never spoke a word to me, he was the only person to take note of me in a questioning manner. As if he was watching all along and knew I was holding something back; he just stared at me with uninhibited intrigue. Why was he so interested in me and what I was doing?

After my private pity party on the cold tiles of a hotel lavatory, I decided to act on what I was thinking now before I lost the nerve for it. I dried up my tears and made the decision I’ve been feeling within me for weeks. Ever since those puzzling dreams involving my grandmother began, I have been internally altered. Like I was blind my entire life, and suddenly I was capable of seeing. Everything that was hazy or faded became vivid and pronounced. Grandma was telling me to change things before it was too late. As overly intoxicated as I was, I could see the world around me for what it really was.  A huge, giant, incredibly large lie that I was unknowingly ruining my future.

I pulled the pearls laced around my neck up to my lips and quickly kissed the necklace. I whispered against the beads, “I’m sorry it took me so long Grannie Anna. If only you were here to help me make sense of everything. I’m going to make it right and I’m going to change things. Thank you for being with me in spirit and helping me find the strength to face my fears.” I felt like a patient who escaped the looney bin without bothering to take my medications first. Grannie Anna was dead and I was sitting on the cold, hard floor of a strange bathroom sniffing a towel and kissing a necklace. I’ve officially lost my mind, but it’s the best I’ve felt in ages.

I jumped up with new found life and began my mission of self-discovery. I eased open the door and stopped dead in my tracks when it squeaked a retched squeal. I nervously peeked through the crack and saw Zoey move around in the bed, but couldn’t make out anyone on the floor. I started to push on the door again, but this time I went a little faster with my motions. Four bodies laid on the ground curled up in blissful sleep and I began to silently and carefully leapfrog my way to the exit. I accidentally kicked Harper with one foot and she stirred for a moment muttering in her sleep. I held my breath and froze in my tracks with the other foot dangling in the air over her body, waiting for her to stop moving. I prayed for her to not wake up because I was not prepared to give explanations. After what felt like an eternity, she rolled over and started to drool into the pillow. I gently placed my airborne foot back to the ground. It felt like I was juggling a twenty pound weight as my leg swayed back and forth over her limp body. Every time I would try to take a breath it would begin to dip down towards her and I had to rapidly jerk it back to safety.

The exit of the room was my savior and I only had a few more feet to clear. I had successfully conquered the drunken bridesmaid’s hopscotch and defeated the testy old door. The door knob cooled my palm as I wrapped my fingers around its handle. I pulled open the door and squeezed myself out of the smallest crack without making a sound. Now the tough part, closing the door; I pretended I was a spy from Mission Impossible or those James Bond movies to help ease the fear of waking anyone. I held the outside knob tightly and began to ease it back to closure. As soon as the door was about to connect with the frame I slowed to a snail’s pace. Click. The door made one loud signal of my escape before I ran down the hallway to hide from view just in case. Didn’t want to get caught by the enemy spies and tortured for information. No, I was a woman on a mission and I wasn’t going to stop and answer questions. I waited a few moments to make sure the coast was clear then started back down the hallway. 

As I trailed down the hallway to the elevators, the room started spinning and I debate if this was a great idea after all. Then the elevator doors opened and I decided it was now or never.  I jumped aboard the elevator with about as much grace as a peg-legged pirate. “Wooooh!” It took everything I had to try and stand up straight and find the buttons that would lead me down to Ayden. 

Taking the five floors down to Ayden’s hotel suite is a very interesting experience when not sober.  Mainly because in my inebriated state, I thought it best to push every other button just to watch them light up.  The elevator went up and the elevator went down; I was in awe of the blinking buttons and chimes the doors made opening and closing at each floor. I might have also been stalling for a few extra minutes while I prepared my speech. Ten minutes later I arrived at the door to Ayden’s room; even with my detours the journey was not long enough for my liking. How I found it I don’t know, but I made it there in one piece and that’s all that mattered.

Earlier that night I had snagged his key card from his jacket pocket; I had been orchestrating this little rondez-vous for some time now. I didn't know if I would actually follow through with my plan or not, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared. I stood outside the door for a minute to gain my confidence, but didn’t hear the ruckus that I expected from the bachelor party supposed to be taking place inside. It was a relief to hear silence coming from his room because I did not want his friends knowing about my plans.

When I heard no sounds coming from his room, I whispered to myself, “Thank you oh heavenly Father!” I could only assume the boys had left after Ayden passed out. My daddy always told me that ‘assuming only makes an ass out of U and me’ but I never did understand what he was talking about.  Well, I was about to find out that little life lesson the hard way. Assuming something is the fastest way to discovering something you had no intentions on stumbling across.

As I slowly opened the door to the room I tried my best to be sneaky; being stealth is not an easy task to accomplish when wobbling in five inch heels after one too many rounds of shots. My elite spy capabilities were not perfect yet, but after tonight I could probably master something simple like tailing a car or even hiding in the bushes to overhear a private conversation. Yep, I was getting good at this being bad thing and I was starting to like it. Maybe Zoey was right this whole time, living on the edge was pretty thrilling.

I could hear faint noises coming from inside the room but I just brushed it off as Ayden stirring in bed while dreaming. Coming around the bend in the wall I saw the unthinkable. Something was a-stirring in his bed, but it wasn’t dreams.

I stood there in utter disbelief and hoped my eyes were deceiving me. My father always did say, ‘you can hope in one hand and crap in the other and let me know which one fills up first.’ Another life lesson I was beginning to learn the hard way; I would have to thank my father later on for his little words of wisdom. But at this moment in time, screaming was about all I was capable of doing.


thank you for taking the time to read my teaser!

 

FaLLING - COMING FALL 2012

ROSALEE

I was fifteen minutes late for the party and still wasn’t dressed. I hate being in a rush. Whenever I am in a hurry my mind veers off into a panicked frenzy while my body desperately tries to keep up. My thoughts bounce around like pinballs scattering from side to side in my brain without any real direction. My body desperately attempts to create a clear path for the ball to go, but despite the efforts the ball never seems to reach its destination.

At least I had my dress on- but it needed to be zipped up the back. My hair and makeup was complete, but I was still in search of a missing shoe. I hadn’t even thought about accessories as I scurried around the hotel room scrambling to finish all the last minute details. I had given up on being punctual twenty minutes ago and cursed that shoe for disappearing.

As I looked around the elaborate room, with its high-vaulted ceilings and dark mahogany wood floors, I couldn’t help but feel entitled.  Everything in the room was coated in rich, luscious fabrics and only the finest furnishings.  Red velvet drapes hang over the windows while cream-colored bedding anchors the room’s dramatic flair. The scent of cinnamon apple floats through the room, making me miss the comforts that holidays carry with them. The room strove to appear homey, but vastly failed in my opinion.

It was ridiculously over the top, but what daddy’s little girl wants, daddy’s little girl gets. This was, after all, my party. I should be prepared and relaxed, not scatterbrained and frantic. With every passing minute I tried to convince myself that this was the right decision. That marrying Ayden was everything I ever wanted and more...but deep inside I knew that wasn’t the ‘truth’ my dreams were shouting at me. The longer I procrastinated the better I felt about calling the whole thing off. Too bad I had come to terms with living a life that was chosen for me rather than because of me.

Coming from a well-known and quite established Texan family, I never wanted for a single thing my entire life. I never had to worry about anything because my Daddy always took care of me.  If a problem occurred, I only needed to say ‘please Daddy, fix it for me’, and it was magically taken care of without any effort on my part. I was after all his only daughter, and he loved to spoil me rotten. I guess what people say isn’t so true after all because money cannot buy happiness. Daddy strove to alleviate my obvious discontent by tossing money at the problem. The bubble he surrounded me with was starting to squeeze the life out of me. It almost seemed he knew I was nearing my breaking point as he dumped more financial compensation on my unhappiness, which was growing stronger and stronger. Money for flowers, money for invitations, and more money for every other thing he was trying to ignore.

The air was quickly leaking out of my bubble the closer to the wedding I got. No amount of money or ignorance was going to help me breathe again. Inhaling became a chore rather than second nature. Exhaling the little oxygen my lungs possessed was excruciating. Again the redundant phrase ‘Truth’ kept orbiting around in my mind like an Olympic track runner vying for the gold metal.

I never have any real input into what is going on around me. From an early age I was told who I was, what I was to become, and how I was to accomplish it. I come from a life of privilege and have been groomed this whole time to be the perfect daughter.  The standard I had to live up to was well above normal expectations for most.

I feel like a caged animal at the zoo. Overbearing eyes watching my every move, waiting for something to happen or a reason for the zookeepers to lock me away until I learn how to behave. Everyone was available to judge me and no one was allowed to get to know me, not the real me at least. I was to be seen but not heard. I regretfully watched through the bars that enclosed my life, knowing there would never be an escape from my endless captivity.

Even though I only met my Grannie Anna once, years ago, sometimes I feel that she has been the only person to ever really ‘get’ me. Her outlandish talk about magical worlds parallel to ours captivated my naive imagination. The so-called enchanted pearls she discreetly slipped into my palm moments before her abrupt departure tied an invisible string of hope between us.

As the necklace rolled around in my hand and I fingered each individual pearl I only felt their cold, smooth texture. Her raspy voice lingered in my ears for hours after she was gone. I remember Grannie Anna whispering softly as she hugged me goodbye, “Take these and show no one, for they are magical pearls blessed by a voodoo queen. When the time is right you will know how to use them and why they were created for only you. They will lead you to where you need to go even if you do not know the way. Fear not my darling, only good will come to you as long as good is all you release back into the world. The spirits of nature will carry you to your true love if you only allow them entrance. You are brave Rosalee, you are special, and they can never take that from you. There is truth out there if only you choose to let it in once it finds you. I love you, darling and I will see you again. No one can keep us apart, not even your father.” Her cryptic message never made any sense until recently when the dreams started to come to me.

I stood staring in the mirror, checking myself out before I would have to make a mad dash to the elevators.  One of many engagement parties were being held downstairs for my upcoming nuptials.  Once again I would I put on a happy face and play the role of perfect daughter and fiancée.

My Daddy had rented out the Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin for tonight’s extravagant celebration. The hotel was over a hundred years old and was known for hosting numerous events for socialites like myself. My father really had outdone himself on this occasion, but that was a normal occurrence with my family. He had arranged for tonight’s guests to have rooms at the hotel while the party would take place downstairs in the restaurant.  We had family coming in from all over Texas, from El Paso to Houston. 

Everyone was going to be there tonight to celebrate my special occasion except the person I wanted most – my Grannie Anna. After her sporadic visit my father forbid us to keep in contact, until he told me when I was eighteen that she had died. He said she had died peacefully in her sleep and that he was her only child. Whenever I would ask questions he would say that he was an only child and that he had no family back home in New Orleans.

Knock! Bang! Knock! Bang! I was thrust out of my thoughts by a loud and obnoxious pounding on the door and knew instantly it was my best friend and maid of honor, Zoey. “Hello! I know you’re in there!” she yelled through the thick wooden barrier. “Open the door!” she continued as she banged relentlessly at the door. Zoey was by no means a patient person. With every thump against the door you would have thought there was a rhinoceros slamming against the entrance...but no, it was a petite yet feisty little girl on a mission.

I yelled back to her, “Hold on! I'm coming!” I pulled up the zipper on my dress while scurrying to the entrance. My feet glided across the velvety carpet as I ran towards the door, and an agitated Zoey.

As I reached the door I could hear her yelling again, and this time she was even louder. “The best man isn’t going to be snagged up by some other trash you call a bridesmaid because I’m stuck here waiting on your slow-poke ass to get ready!” Zoey continued to beat on the door as if she didn’t hear me say I was on my way. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” I barked back as I unlatched the safety lock. “It is my party you know! So I can be fashionably late if I want to!” I said as I pried open the hotel door and let her in.  She rolled her eyes and smacked me on the butt as she passed through the entrance. My bottom burned from the violent show of affection and I tenderly rubbed it to ease the pain.

I didn’t even try to fight back a smile; Zoey always brightened my day whether she knew it or not. She sure did have a way with words as well as with men; I don’t know what she was worried about being late for. She was beyond perfection; every guy wanted her and every girl wanted to be her.  She never stayed attached to any one particular guy for too long because she said life was too short. She was wild and untamed and I envied her for it.

She was no less than 5’7” with waist length, blonde silky strands that flowed like liquid gold.  She was built just the way the boys liked and she knew just how to use that against them. There was no doubt in my mind that she had absolutely no competition for the best man’s heart, but I think she just liked giving me a hard time. She could always get a rise out of me no matter how hard I tried to stop her. Her intentions were never honorable and I knew good and well she wasn’t interested in stealing any hearts tonight.

“Seriously Zoey, as if you need another notch to add to your bed post,” I said with a smirk.

Zoey and I have been best friends as long as I can remember.  I might have not had a sister but she was my adopted sibling from the day we met. She is very different from me, which I think only makes us a better pair.  Where I am all sweet and classy, she is uninhabited and over the top.  She loves the spot light to be on her and loves any attention she can get. She is the most loyal person I’ve ever known and I don’t know if I could make it through life without her by my side. 

She stopped in her tracks, “Excuse me… little miss virgin! Some of us actually enjoy the company of a hot, sweaty man from time to time!” She winked at me while snickering, “You know Rosalee, you might enjoy it if you ever gave it a try. My bed post is severally dented for a reason and it isn’t for a distressed finish.”

I narrowed my eyes at the back of her head, “You know some people might think you were a whore if they didn’t know you.” I giggled as she shot me an evil glare over her shoulder. “Oh… the rumors are true! So you admit to being a total a skankadoo!” Zoey instantly turned on her heels and started her retaliation.

She tackled me onto the bed and fiercely tickled my feet while sitting on top of me. I tried to thrash and wiggle out from beneath her, but it was useless so I reluctantly gave in, “Uncle! Uncle!” The moment she released one foot I blurted out my forced apology, “You aren’t a skankadoo!” As I felt my remaining foot slip from her grasp I continued, “Now you’ve gone and messed up my hair, are you happy?” I rubbed my fingers through my locks as I righted myself on the bed.

“Your hair was already fixed?” she asked jokingly.

“Yes!” I said as we both chuckled at our immature horse-playing that was only further making me late to the party. “Now can you be of some help? I’m missing one of my heels and I’m convinced you had something to do with its disappearance.”

She stood from the bed and pulled down her black dress before helping me in my hunt to find my missing shoe. “If I was going to steal your heels then it would make more sense to take both of them you dumbass! Plus, no one can feet their feet into your midget sized shoes anyways.” Zoey lifted up the covers that dangled over the edge of the bed while yelling out, “How does someone misplace a shoe anyways? This room is a pig-sty! What have you been doing in here besides procrastinating?”

I stuck my head through the bathroom door while saying, “I’m a nervous wreck Zoey! I’m late and I’m not even close to being ready. You know how this will look to my mother; she’s already been on my ass all morning! And for your information I do not have midget feet, sasquatch!”

Zoey pulled herself off the ground and shot me a dirty look, “Watch it princess.” she said while snickering at me as I ducked back into the bathroom before she could toss the pillow she was holding. “Chicken!” was all I heard before I slammed the door closed.

I always tried my best to be prim and proper to appease my family, but Zoey always knew how to test the limits on the bubble I placed myself within.  She always got us into trouble but somehow always managed to sweet-talk our way out of it just as quick. She gave my boring, bland life the swift kick in the rear end that it needed.  There was never a dull minute with Zoey and I was grateful beyond knowing for the tiny slither of excitement she gave my life.

She was always trying to bring the wild side out in me that I never thought existed. Given the opportunity, she would push me to test the limits that my parents strictly enforced. My father ruled with an iron fist and had no problem reminding me that anytime I dared to cross the line he had set forth before me. He would tell me that he had raised a lady and by no means should I ever be treated as anything less than that as long as he was still around. Daddy was very much the typical, southern gentleman that believed woman should be idolized, not degraded. Although honorable in theory, it was not always the exciting route to travel when you wanted to be rebellious.

I bravely came out of the bathroom to see Zoey laid out on the cream-colored bedspread. “Zoey!” She opened one eye while giving me a half smile. “Will you at least help pick out some jewelry if you aren’t going to help find my other shoe?” I ran around the oversized bed to the closet only to spot my shoe sitting there on the floor like it had been there the entire time. As I stared at the heel it almost seemed to taunt me from where I stood. I snatched up the cocky little runaway before walking to the full-length mirror so I could check out my soon-to-be completed outfit.

Zoey sat at the small vanity in the corner digging through my jewelry box as she asked, “Which one do you want, jewelry or shoe?”

“I found the sandal- it was hiding in the closet. Pesky little bastard!” I screeched as I marched across the room on a mission.  “Any luck?” I questioned, while looking in the mirror at myself.

I stood there with my little 5’2 rail-thin frame, trying my very best to fill out the Chanel dress I was wearing.  I was by no means as well-endowed as Zoey was, but I like to think that my ‘assets’ were in proportion to my size.  I might have only been a hundred and ten pounds soaking wet but I didn’t look scrawny.  I was naturally a petite girl who portrayed the average girl next door when it came to looks. My Italian/French heritage made me look just the tiniest bit exotic but still left me looking plain Jane enough to blend in with the norm. I like to think that I stand out in my own special way.

The dress I was wearing was a beautiful shade of cream that made my olive-colored skin glow in the color contrast.  The Chanel dress fit like a glove; it made my little perky breasts look a cup size bigger and my tush look amazing. The dress curved around my body like a second skin. It was almost to my knees with a small split up the center of the back hem line and little cap sleeves draping over my shoulders.

My auburn hair was down, and lay just below my shoulders with a slight curve in toward my heart-shaped face.  The color sparkled like the perfect mix between crimson red and hot chocolate brown.  It was the perfect combination of colors to accent my eyes and skin tone. Thank the Lord for Brazilian Blowouts and Lance, my hair dresser, for taming the mess I refer to as my hair. Although it is silky straight tonight that is not typically the case.  My hair is naturally curly and most of the time downright unruly.  Things like that didn’t matter when I could spend five hundred dollars getting it done by the best hair stylist in Austin. I swear Lance worked magic with his hands when tackling my wild tresses.

My eyes are almond shaped, and are just big enough to give me that doe-like expression that everyone seems to love.  I personally think they look freakishly large, but I always seem to get compliments on them regardless.  They are the deepest color of brown I've ever seen; they are so dark they almost borderline looking black.  My mother has the same color and eye  shape. These traits have been passed down for years in her Italian lineage.  My father always did say it was my mother’s eyes that made him fall in love with her. He would joke that I was going to be a heartbreaker just like she was, because no man in his right mind could resist eyes that enchanting. Thankfully looks were the only thing I had in common with my mother.

Now that I had both shoes, I started squeezing my little size six feet into a pair of olive green ‘fuck me’ pumps as Zoey called them.  The five inch platform Christian Louboutins I was wearing suddenly made me feel confident as I slipped them on. They seemed to make me stand straighter and my butt look plumper.  Zoey had helped me pick them out a few weeks ago since she was my self-proclaimed stylist. I was always too modest to wear such gaudy shoes but Zoey gave me the strength I needed to pull them off.  Maybe the way they made my body change instantly was why Zoey referred to them as ‘fuck me’ pumps. I always assumed it was because they were stripper-ish in design, but looking in the mirror at my reflection I could now see what she truly meant.  They made every part of my girlish figure transform into a mature, sexy young lady as though they were magic Cinderella shoes. A perfect fit considering I was about to head down the stairs to meet my Prince Charming.

“Yeah, I think so.” She answered before standing to her feet. “I’ve never seen you wear these before…” she drifted off mid-thought as she flowed across the room toward me. She could be so poised and elegant when she wanted to be...but most of the time Zoey was quite the character.

As she walked closer I could see what she had dangling from her ivory-toned hand. Laced through her fingers and bouncing with each step she took were the soft, creamy pearls that I had long forgotten were in my jewelry box. The simple string of pearls she held absently in the palm of her hand began to flood my mind with intense memories of my grandmother.

“These are classic and I think they will help make you look like a whored up version of Jackie-O,” was all she said as she helped put the pearl necklace around my slender neck. As the rounded balls graced my collarbone I felt a surge of energy flow through my whole body.

Memories mixed with my recent dreams came crashing down on me with intense force. Bam! Bam! Bam! One after another rapidly flew through my mind like a seagull taking flight at the beach after he finds a lonely crumb on the sand. I take a ginormous gulp of air as I sense Zoey walk away from me. Those pearls opened up a piece of my soul. And just as quickly as it all came to me...it escaped . Nothing made sense, but somehow I still felt the slightest tingle haunting me as I twisted the beads around my fingertips.

Grannie Anna had given me those pearls the before she died.  I never wore them for fear of losing them, but tonight seemed like the perfect occasion to wear them. She said they were blessed with good luck and would help me find my soul mate. Grannie Anna was a Cajun-French kook from New Orleans, Louisiana who spoke of voodoo witchcraft and spells. I just blew it off as her being old and crazy; it was part of her charm and I never questioned it. Just like being under that old oak tree, these pearls made me feel connected to her. It instantly brought me back to a sense of calm knowing I had a piece of her with me tonight. I can’t be positive but I truly believe that the lingering prickles tracing through my veins is a piece of my Grannie Anna. Somehow she was telling me that everything was going to be just fine and for the first time in a long time I felt complete.

“Hmm… I will try my best to take that as a compliment, but I’m pretty sure you aren’t supposed to compare Jackie-O to a prostitute” was all I could say in response to that previous statement. Here I was thinking of my sweet little grannie and there Zoey was talking about whoring me up.

Just as my eyes were starting to get watery at the thought of my grannie, Zoey abruptly stopped my moment of remembrance with yet another wild comment. “Seriously Rosalee…you look freaking hot! Ayden is going to fall out of his chair when he sees you!” I turned to see her checking herself out in the mirror and giggled to myself quietly. She wasn’t even looking at me as she spoke. “Well, that’s if you hurry up so we can make it to the party before it’s over.” She turned from the mirror and started walking straight for me while raising her voice to an authoritative tone, “I swear you are so damn slow!” As I jumped up from the end of the bed she started to smile brightly while gently tapping me several times on the butt again, “Scoot… Scoot my little darling! Let’s get this show on the road.” She grabbed my wrist and proceeded to drag me towards the door.


 
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I've been working on my rewrite of Falling and I must say that it keeps getting better and better! I love the progress that I'm making with Rosalee & Harlan's relationship. Decided to take it down a different path and I am nearly finished. I can't wait to have it all done so that I can publish it! I hate that it's taken longer than expected but my job {husband insists that I have to work until I make it big} has been getting in the way of my writing.

I took some time away from the book and just focused on reading to give me inspiration. I have read so many books this last week or two that I can't even keep count. But now I am ready to get working on Falling for you guys to enjoy! Hopefully I can post a teaser soon so that ya'll can get another taste of Rosalee's life.

Well, let me get back to writing since I left off at an interesting spot in the book. I've also decided to change the both from both Rosalee & Harlan's POV to just Rosalee's. Then I am going to take what I've written thus far and continue to edit it for a spin off book for Harlan's POV. Well I hope this little update helps because I have been horrible about keeping people updated latel

 

jeaniene frost

Wow! Wow! Wow! I seriously feel like my Paranormal Romance readers-friends have been holding out on me with these books! This author is creeping up to my top five list very, very fast!

This book gives me everything I look for in a book... feisty little spunky leading lady... swoon-worthy, hot man candy leading man... adventure with just enough blood & guts that lights up my sick-twisted paranormal world mixed with just the right amount of carefree-smutty romance.

I am trying to pace myself with this series but it's hard! All I want to do is read, read, read! I'm going to be starting book three next, so I am trying to squeeze another book in between each book of the series, that way I can take my time with this series. Easier said than done ; )

abbi glines

If you haven't read Abbi Gline before, then you are seriously missing out! I read Existence months ago when I first bought my Kindle. I somehow stuck the rest of her books under the to-read stack and forgot about them. I saw a bunch of people reading the Vincent Boys/Brothers and had to reconnect with this amazing author!

I am so happy that I did because I read all three of these and loved them each! They are all so different and will make you want to pull your hair out one minute and scream with fury the next. Just a whirlwind of emotions that keep you going up until the last page.

If you like books like Callum & Harper - Thomas & January - Fragile - Going Under - then you will totally love Abbi Gline's books!

amy miles

This book was interesting... I didn't love it nor did I hate it. It was somewhere in between. It really just depends on the top of person you are and what kind of things you like to read.

The one thing that I did like about this book is how the girl was the flake! Well that's kind of annoying in any book but this was refreshing because the girl was the one running away from the drama and heartbreak.

kirsty moseley

If you read books like Almost or Scars or Beautiful Disaster then you will love books like this one!

It's raw and vivid. You have to be able to handle what you don't want to hear when you read this book. It's not the everyday love story but then at the same time it is.

It's everything you love in a contemporary romance book with all the drama & stress of a realistic love story. It's a great book that will leave you touched because of it. Opens your eyes to the power of love. Not only the power to heal and protect but also that power love has to destroy and suppress. 

kim harrison

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It was okay at best. Just not my cup of tea and I can't decide if I'll read any more of the series. I hear great things but I just can't get into it. I am drawn more towards the Paranormal Romance genre but I also like just everyday Paranormal/Urban Fantasy. This book didn't have enough of any one thing to keep me fully involved in this series. I wanted to like it more than I did but I just couldn't.

Might be a great book for others but just wasn't the one for me. Not enough sexual tension or love interest. There was adventure but at parts I felt bored with it? And I love a good witch but I prefer the ones who can make things happen with chants and spells - this breed of witch was more about amulets and charms. Just not for me, sorry!

I'm trying but it's just not happening for me

I am reading these 3 books in between my others. I've never done that before. Typically if I get bored I just stop reading it because I don't want to waste time on it. Or I keep strong and finish the book so I can make a decision of how I really feel about a book.
Wrecked - I love Elle Casey! But this book just isn't working for me. Too many point of views and just unrealistic. And I don't mean the shipwrecked part, I just mean the characters. I can't like any of them and can't understand them or why they do what they do.

Water - A good book blogger friend told me about this one and I am trying to get into it as well and I'm struggling. When I talked to her about it she had similar hangups but said that their is a twist that will blow me a way. I promised to see it through because now I have to know what happens. Same problems with this book as I do with Wrecked. I just don't connect to the characters and it just doesn't seem realistic to me. Yeah, even paranormal has limitations in my world. If it's not believable even for a book that's out there then it's really hard to understand. It's one thing to build a fantasy world and make it connect and it's another to half-ass build a fantasy world and give me reasons to doubt it.

Possessed - This is Book 3 in the series and I have been dying for this one to release. I don't know if too much time has passed in between reading Book 2 & Book 3 or if my taste has changed? This one just seems repetitive and dull. I am hoping it picks up but I'm worried it's not going to.
 
I've been ignoring you all and I'm sorry but I have been on a reading binge this past week. I think I read like 8 books this week alone. Yeah... sad I know! I just keep reading one after the other and they were all so good that I couldn't make myself stop.

I've only stopped today because it was Pamper Nikki Day. You know, lunch with my bestie, massage, and then mani/pedi to top it off. Can't say that I wanted to read more than I wanted to spoil myself because that would just be a flat out lie. It's a toss up between beauty and books for this little girl!

I will be posting reviews soon of all the ones I read since my last book blog review. Lets see... I read a lot of Abbi Glines (Because of Low/Vincent Boys/Vincent Brothers) & I read Morgan Rice's book Turned. It seems like I'm missing one but I can't for the life of me remember off hand.

BTW... totally off topic and all - my cat is tearing up two of my dogs. You would think the one who is completely deaf and partially blind wouldn't be so bold but you would be wrong. I'm pretty sure she is the bad ass in the group. She loves to mess with that cat and he doesn't hesitate to slap her in the head. I think he enjoys it more than she does to be honest. Big ol' mean kitty cat beating up on that poor lil' handicapped dog - he should be ashamed but nope... he's chilling on the coffee table waiting for round two! The two big ones are napping; enjoying the AC I'm sure. The little boy one, well he is just trouble to begin with. Hence the husband mending the fences out side because they broke out this morning and decided to go on an adventure! Thank goodness the neighbor found them because they had went down the road and into the pond and took a little dip to cool themselves off I guess. She found them between that neighbors house and her house so she kept them occupied until Casey could climb over the fence and toss them back over. You might be asking why not just drive down the road and ask the neighbor if we can be let into their back pasture but it's simple really. Last time they were caught chasing chickens after their little skinny dipping adventure (this was I know a year ago, but I'm not gunna chance it). We live in a small po-dunk town and people aren't opposed to shooting a stray dog or two causing trouble! The only reason I didn't beat their little asses this morning was one because it was 8am on a Saturday and two because the deaf/blind one was missing! Yeah, mama wasn't too happy to only count 3 little runaways at the crack of dawn on her day off. I left Casey to clean up that mess while I ran back to the house and prayed that Kennedy was okay. All I could think of was the worst possible things and I'm pretty sure I suffered a mild heart attack. Especially when I got in the back yard and she was no where to be seen. I lost it then but luckily I found her curled up in her dog house sleeping like a baby. Thank goodness she is deaf and must of missed them breaking out or else I would hate to know what might of happened. The other three little bastard kids are seriously in the dog house from here on out. The invisible fence will be going back up as well as a fort knox security of stones/railroad ties/stakes etc to hold their butts in our yard!

Okay... so anyway as you can tell I've been a busy little bee this week so I'm behind on my blogging. I am hosting a get-together tonight so I don't know when I'll be up and running again. Hold on and wait for me though because I'll be back in no time and ready to share plenty of reviews with you!
 
I've been a busy little bee these past few days. I think I've read a book a day for the last week. I've been neglecting my own book but I just need space from it right now. There are so many decisions I am trying to make and haven't felt 100% committed just yet. Soon... Soon, I promise! Anyways. I've got some great books to tell you about that will not disappoint you! The three that I am going to review today were all 5 star reviews! It's been a while that I've been so shocked to read one great book after another. Maybe that's why I can't focus - I'm in a good book zone and can't break away from the happiness of it all. So go read these books and let me know what you think!

{don't forget to click the pictures to go straight to amazon kindle to buy them!}

5 little bookworm Books!


Book review #1

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Spirits in the Trees
by Morgan Hannah MacDonald

As I've posted in a previous book blog, Morgan Hannah MacDonald is amazing! Her book Sandman will keep you on your toes and this new book is no exception! She has done it again! Her books actually make you feel the goosebumps creep up your arm and the hairs stand on the back of your neck. Yep... she's that good and scaring you! A scary plot, powerful leading lady, and a sexy come-to-the-rescue hunky male costar : )

This book will leave you haunted to your core and make you keep the nightlight on long after the book is over with. Trust me when I tell you that she is by far my favorite serial killer writer out there. She gets in their minds and creates an evil person that makes your skin crawl. She isn't afraid to push the boundaries and test your limits. This book isn't for the faint of heart and surely isn't for ever reader. It takes a gutsy person to read her riding but if you have it in you, you won't be disappointed.

This is the first book of a trilogy and I can't wait for the next two! She is probably one of my favorite authors of all times and definitely my favorite thriller based writer. If you haven't heard of her then you are missing out on an amazing story teller. 


book review #2 & #3

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Callum & Harper
by Fisher Amelie

Wow... how have I not been known about this amazing writer before now? I feel cheated... some of my book friends have obviously been holding out of me : )

Callum & Harper are such a cute couple! So adorable and you can't help but fall in love with them both. Their little romance will leave you so frustrated and annoyed but in a good way. Towards the end I cried. I don't mean, one lonely tear, I mean sobbing that made my vision blurry and prevented me from reading the book until I pulled myself together kind of cry. Later that afternoon my husband grabbed my hand and was like whats that? Embarrassed, I responded with "left over mascara from crying earlier and wiping it off." Oh yeah, I got the crazy husband glare that said 'I'll never understand you & your fantasy characters'. Should of known to hide the evidence of my pathetic little tear fest but nope, I was caught red-handed with my fingers in the cookie jar and crumbles stuck to my chin. Whatever, Callum & Harper was so worth it! I feel in love with this story, these characters, and this author! 

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Thomas & January
by Fisher Amelie

After finishing Callum & Harper I immediately went to Amazon to buy Thomas & January. It was a spin off book and I almost think it was better than the original. As much as I loved Callum & Harper... I have to be honest, I really, really, head-over-heels feel in love with Thomas & January. No tears this go around but that's okay because I was too busy being happy.

This book was a little more mature and a tab more believable to be honest. I found myself getting lost in their love story because it wasn't as complicated as Callum & Harper's story. To be fair, it would be like comparing apples and oranges. The two books stand alone and are both equally unique plots. I can't wait for the next one to come out! These books made me feel like I did when I read Scars & Beautiful Disaster. Well, Callum & Harper gave a more intense, emotional roller coaster of a literary ride but the overall theme of Thomas & January was similar. They were just such different story lines and they left me feeling a change within myself. Just wonderful books that give a refreshing breathe of fresh air from my usual paranormal romance books. 


4 little bookworm books


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Devour
by Shelly Crane

This was a very interesting take on the paranormal romance world I usual stick too. I went into not really knowing what it was about. I feel in love with Eli right off the bat and couldn't wait to find out what type of supernatural he was. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by the unique story of Devour. I've always heard a lot about Shelly Crane but never got around to reading one of her books. I was happy that I moved this series up to the top of my to-read list. The characters were interesting and had deep stories from their past to intertwine with their present, complicated situation. Very well written and entertaining series that will keep you interested from the first to last page.

Both Devour & the follow-up book, Consume, were great stories with a different twist to the paranormal typical breeds of supernaturals. I have both books 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend Shelly Crane's books to friends as well as read other series that she has out. If you decide to read them please let me know what you think of them.